Santiago de Cuba
District Guide

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Covering scarcely two and half square kilometers, some 267 hectares, lies Old Santiago, so named for its architectural splendor.

In Old Santiago, one of the most attractive places is Parque Céspedes, a welcoming park where Santiago's citizens go to seek relief from the harsh and hot climate of the urban centre. The old elm trees provide the square with plenty of shade and fresh air throughout the day.

The Santa Basílica Metropolitana Iglesia Catedral is the most important architectural monument in Old Santiago. At each side of the main door to the temple, stand two statues: one of the great Christopher Columbus, and the other of Fray Bartolomé de las Casas. Inside it is richly decorated with eclectic influences; it has a rich and remarkably interesting archdiocesan museum, where the oldest painting in the island, Ecce Homo, is to be found and admired.

The street with the most historical attractions in Old Santiago is undoubtedly Calle Heredia. Six long blocks, from Calle Calvario to Calle Padre Pico, full of samples of great architectural value, and which, today, hosts a considerable portion of Santiago's cultural life.

In a privileged position, from where one can see everything that is happening on Parque Céspedes, is the Casa del Té, on the corner of Calle Aguilera and Calle San Pedro, in a truly stunning building dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. And only a few steps away, is the Club 300, the perfect refuge from the burning sun and summer heat, a comfortable and very traditional place, open all night, and well into the morning.

Further down, only two blocks away, along Calle Aguilera, in a setting of Spanish Colonial architecture, is El Baturro, a restaurant-bar which is the pride of all santiagueros, and rightly so.

Of great interest in the Bacardí museum are the mummies. One of them is Egyptian, perfectly preserved and over 3,000 years old. There are also two Peruvian mummies exhibited, of great archaeological value and very important testimonies of pre-Columbine Cuba.

The south side of the block on Calle Aguilera, between Calle Carnicería (Pío Rosado) and Calle Calvario, is practically intact, in spite of the years gone by. Except for an eclectic building—numbers 402, 404, 406 and the house on the corner of Calle Calvario—the rest of the block is a beautiful architectural monument, dating back to the end of the 18th century.

Eastwards, along Calle General Portuondo, is the temple La Santísima Trinidad, which started construction in 1730 and was completed in 1787. Like other churches in the city, it had a small cemetery. The interior is very rich and its ceilings show the great woodwork, with very special techniques and star-shaped patterns.

Opposite the West door of the Cathedral, on Calle Santo Tomás, is the Cinemateca de Cuba venue, where cinema-lovers have the chance to indulge in quality films and related events.

Where Calle Padre Pico, Calle Santa Lucía (Joaquín Castillo) and Santa Rita (Diego Palacios) come together, there is a long flight of stairs, almost a century old, which has become one of the emblematic spots in the city.

El Morro, as the citizens of Santiago call the original military fort, Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, was declared 'Patrimony of Humanity' by the UNESCO in December, 1997, due to its architectural value, excellent preservation and historical value. El Morro, as any castle worthy of the name, also has its legends regarding ghosts and apparitions.

There are other important areas in Santiago, although most of the activity goes on in the historical centre of the city.

The residential areas Reparto Sueño and Vista Alegre are quiet places, where the beautiful old constructions are now home to families, and to some of the main hotels in the city.

On the outskirts of Santiago, on the road to Baconao, are the hotel resorts, with all-inclusive offers, and the best beaches, among which Verraco, Siboney and Daiquirí are well-worth visiting.

It is also worth mentioning Tivolí, within the historical centre, where the French fleeing from the Haitian revolution settled, mingling with the Spanish settlers, natives and Africans who were already there. Tivolí is a centre of great interest where the fusion of all these different cultures is present at every step.

After walking through the streets of Santiago, you will feel the desire to get lost forever in the midst of the magic and charm of the city.