Cuba, the Cuban way

(Via Santa Clara to Trinidad)

The enchanting town of Trinidad is a one of the most frequently visited places in Cuba. Trinidad's cobbled streets and colonial homes - catchy tunes flowing out of their open windows - and horse drawn carts by the roadside give the town its one-of-a-kind charming atmosphere. You won't find the same kind of typical Cuban atmosphere anyplace else but here. The communist regime, the bygone days of the sugar barons, it all seems to come together here in Trinidad and in the evening the streets are filled with music, laughter. A Trinidad Casa holiday is a guaranteed good time!

Spending the night in this town is simply a must. Many travellers stay in surrounding towns, simply because there are hardly any hotel rooms available in Trinidad. That's why we arrange rooms at the fabled Trinidad casas particulares – private rooms in local homes with fans and big windows. Staying at a Trinidad casa is the best possible way to experience Cuba, the Cuban way!

If you would like to see where you could visit after this Trinidad Casa module, take a look at our other Cuba trips or longer Cuban holidays.

Duration	4 days - 3 nights, daily (please note: Che Guevara Museum in Santa Clara is closed on Mondays)	Accommodation	Double occupancy room in mid-class hotel with private shower and toilet, double occupancy room with shower and toilet at a Cuban home. Accommodation category 2+ and 3
Price	Please see our Contact Us page for more details	Includes	Accommodation for 1 night in Santa Clara, accommodation for 2 nights and breakfast in Trinidad
Transport	Rental car	Excludes	Transport, other meals

Day 1: Arrival in Santa Clara

There's quite a long drive ahead of you on Day One of your Trinidad Casa holiday if you're travelling from the Piñar del Rio province in western Cuba. It's a 6.5 hour drive from Viñales to Santa Clara along a straight stretch of highway (80 km per hour). You'll pass by the exit to the famous Bay of Pigs where the Americans invaded Cuba. Although many travel organisations consider this a must see, we don't recommend visiting this barren stretch of beach. Instead you'll be better off driving straight to Santa Clara where you'll spend the night in a pleasant bungalow on the outskirts of town.

Santa Clara is where Che Guevara won the battle against General Batista in '58. This wasn't just a victory for Che - it was also a victory for Communism. Che's mausoleum, a museum filled with clothes once worn by Che, guns and other personal effects along with a monument to remember him by (closed on Mondays) - is a permanent reminder of this historic victory.

Trinidad Casa - National icon, Che Guevara

Day 2: Santa Clara - Cienfuegos - Trinidad

On Day Two of your Trinidad Casa holiday you can stroll through the tree-filled parks of Santa Clara this morning and enjoy the relaxing atmosphere before cruising on to Trinidad in the afternoon. If you want to have a look at the French architecture in Cienfuegos, you'll need to head out early in the morning. Cienfuegos is a 1.5-hour drive away from Santa Clara and is considered La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South). Its' broad streets and grand buildings give it a very prosperous look and feel. The Moor Palacio del Valle is a great place for a seaside lunch with a view.

If you would like to spend more time in Cienfuegos, for instance to visit the dolphin park, you can also spend the night here. We'll simply adjust your Cuba travel plan for you. It's only a 1.5-hour drive from Cienfuegos to Trinidad, our favourite city in Cuba.

Trinidad was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. As soon as you drive past the pastel-coloured houses in its' historic hub, you'll understand why. The city is an open-air museum of cobbled streets, small houses with red tiled roofs, vintage cars, donkeys, art shops, friendly bars and more.

Many travel organisations book accommodation in locations just outside of Trinidad because there are so few hotel rooms available in Trinidad's old town. Really, that's just a shame. Trinidad is simply one of those places where you will want to spend the night in the old town and luckily you can. Since the Cuban government started allowing minor semblances of capitalism, Cuban families have started opening their own 'bed en breakfast' type of concept. It's a very welcome addition to their income and it offers you a unique first-hand Cuban experience. You'll have your own key to the house and your own room with a shower, toilet, warm water and electricity. These Trinidad casas are generally very modest so don't expect to see telephones or televisions in these casas during your Trinidad holiday.

Trinidad Casa - Stay with a Cuban family

Day 3: Trinidad

There are plenty of interesting sights to see near the palm tree-lined promenades of Plaza Mayor, and it's well worth making time for on your Trinidad Casa trip. For instance, you can visit the city's iconic yellow San Francisco Monastery and the bell tower. One of Trinidad's best museums is the beautifully renovated Museo Romántico overlooking the main square (closed on Mondays, entrance fee 1 CUC). The colonial mansion it's housed in was once owned by a wealthy family of Spanish sugar cane plantation owners. The museum is filled with historic furniture originating from various countries, exquisitely decorated fans made with mother of pearl and enormous chandeliers made from Murano glass. The museum will give you a great impression of what it was like to live in the days of the sugar barons. Take your time to wander through the Plaza.

At around 16:00 the day trippers will start to return to their resorts on the coast and live bands will start to bring a new kind of ambiance to the terraces, plazas, bodegas and streets of Trinidad. In the evening, you could climb the stairs leading up to the Plaza Mayor and stroll over to the Casa de la Musica. There's a very good chance that you'll never actually reach it. The stairs are always laden with fun-loving people having a chat and drinking a canchanchara, a tasty local concoction of lime juice, honey and white rum. Before you know it a band will have stopped by and everyone will be dancing. Music and dancing are in the blood of Cuban people and this is your chance to be a part of a spur of the moment Trinidad Casa holiday celebration.

Only 22km from Trinidad you'll find the nature reserve Topes de Collantes hidden away in the Escambray Mountain Range. Although theoretically you could drive through the mountains on your own, you probably won't be able to find the park's hiking trails on your own... neither could we. A better alternative would be to have one of the local open trucks take you into the mountains. Once you've found the trails, you can walk through a canyon river to the El Rocio waterfall for a swim (don't forget to wear bathing clothes and bring a towel). A tasty lunch in the heart of this nature reserve is included. You can have a guide accompany you during your hike through the park; guides can be booked on location for about £40.

If you wish to, you can extend your stay in Trinidad, just let your travel specialist know to amend your Cuba travel plan. Beach lovers and divers can reach Playa Ancon in only 20 minutes. If you want to surround yourself with nature, go for a hike through the Escambray Mountain Range or head over to the Valle de los Ingenios, the sugarcane plantation area just outside of Trinidad.

Day 4: End of our Trinidad Cuba holiday module

If you decide to hire a car and have about 3 weeks to spend on your Cuban holiday, you can drive east for about 6 hours today until you reach Camaguey and the Valley of the Sugar Mills. The sugarcane fields in this valley were once filled with slaves; the harvested sugarcane was used to make rum, among other things. Make a pit-stop at hacienda Mancada Iznaga to see how opulent living conditions were for the sugarcane plantation owners. After paying an entrance fee of 1 CUC you can climb the slave watch tower where plantation overseers kept an eye on the slaves at work. If you plan on travelling in Cuba for two weeks and starting out in Havana, then this module will begin in Trinidad and you can travel via Santa Clara towards Las Terrazas Cuba or you could go on a Vinales Cuba tobacco tour.

Travellers without a rental car can catch a train to Valle de los Ingenios from Trinidad. These unique tourist trains do not run year-round. Ask for more information on departure dates and times when you arrive in Trinidad.