TRINIDAD, CUBA
Trinidad is a small city in South Central Cuba serving as a gateway to some of the country’s most beautiful scenery! Not only is it a stone’s throw from the Escambray Mountains, Caribbean Sea, and Topes de Collantes Nature Reserve, but it is also home to a handful of Cuba’s best live music venues! The cobblestone streets and breathtaking views give you a unique glimpse of this island nation that you frankly cannot get in Havana, Viñales, or Cienfuegos. Don’t take my word for it though; see for yourself!
Attractions:
Plaza Mayor: Trinidad’s main square was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988. Take a load off and enjoy the view!
Topes de Collantes: Located between Trinidad and Cienfuegos, this nature reserve is made up of five parks (El Cubano, El Nicho, Altiplano, Codina, and Guanayara). From Trinidad, the closest park is Parque El Cubano. A 15-20 minute colectivo ride costs 10 CUC or you can walk there in 60-90 minutes. The main trail here is called “Cimarrones de Javira”; it is 3.5 miles round-trip and takes 60-90 minutes to hike. You’ll know you’ve reached the end when you see a natural pool leading up to a gorgeous waterfall. Jump in! This was one of the highlights of my entire Cuba trip! The park is open from 8:00am-4:00pm and costs 10 CUC to enter.
Casa de la Música: A must-visit during your stay in Trinidad! Casa de la Música is the hot spot in town to find authentic music and dancing. Don’t be shy; get out onto the dance floor and strut your stuff! Live music starts at 10:00pm but I recommend getting there early to grab a table near the stage. Entrance only costs 1 CUC and drinks are very reasonably priced; spending a night here was quite the experience!
Palacio Cantero Museum: Palacio Cantero is a 19th-century mansion turned museum. For 1 CUC, you can visit the museum and climb its tower for an absolutely amazing view of Trinidad! So beautiful! It is open daily from 9:00am-5:00pm.
Playa Ancon: One of the prettiest beaches in Cuba! A 15-20 minute colectivo ride will cost between 8-10 CUC. If you are looking to save money, you can ride the bus which can be booked through your casa particular; round-trip tickets cost 5 CUC although the bus notoriously runs behind schedule. You can also hire a bike from your casa if they have one! The beach is very spread out; if you want to rent a beach chair, the cost is 2 CUC. There are a few bars nearby where you can grab a drink as well!
Casa de la Trova, Palenque de los Congos Reales, & Discoteca Ayala: These three spots play second fiddle to Casa de la Música but are fun in their own right! Casa de la Trova is a smaller version of Casa de la Música; less tables, tighter quarters, but a good time nonetheless (entry costs 1 CUC)! Palenque de los Congos Reales is the place to go for a rumba show and lots of dancing (entry costs 1 CUC). Discoteca Ayala is a nightclub in a cave (literally) that opens at 11:00pm. Entrance costs 5 CUC and includes a drink. Expect some bumping and grinding!
Valle de los Ingenios: For 30 CUC, you can take an old-school locomotive into the Cuban countryside and tour an old sugar plantation (Manaca Iznaga). Once at the plantation, you’ll have the opportunity to climb the bell tower (which was formerly a slave lookout tower) for a 360-degree view. The train leaves town at 9:30am and gets you back around 3:30pm. Tickets can be purchased at the Trinidad Train Station which opens at 9:10am and is 15 minutes on foot from Plaza Mayor. Disclaimer: In the 1800s, this estate was owned by the Iznaga family. They quickly became very wealthy due to their involvement in the slave trafficking industry. I am unable to find who owns this land currently and therefore cannot condemn or promote this site. It is unclear if ticket revenue cyclically glorifies slave trafficking or funnels into local organizations educating youth on the country’s past and providing reparations to families effected. If anyone is able to find more information, please let me know!
Other spots to check out include: Palacio Brunet, Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra Bandidos, Barrio Las Tres Cruces, and Playa Maria Aguilar.
Accommodation:
Hostal Fidel y Yesenia: This casa particular is extremely homey. It has a beautiful rooftop terrace giving you an incredible view of the entire city and is just 5 minutes from both town center and the bus station! You can book directly through this website!
Transportation:
The Trinidad Bus Station is less than 5 minutes on foot from town center. At this bus station, you can find colectivos heading to Cienfuegos, Havana, Viñales, Varadero, etc. The prices I list below can be bartered especially if you are traveling in a group and can fill up the entire vehicle. If you would rather be picked up from where you are staying, colectivos can be booked through your casa particular or hotel as well.
Cienfuegos is 1.5 hours by bus from Trinidad and costs 12 CUC; buses leave four times daily at 7:00am, 8:30am, 10:00am, and 2:30pm. The colectivo ride is 1.5 hours and costs 15-20 CUC.
Havana is 6.5 hours by bus from Trinidad and costs 24 CUC; buses leave twice daily at 8:30am and 10:00am. The colectivo ride is 4 hours and costs 30-35 CUC.
Varadero is 6.5 hours by bus from Trinidad and costs 24 CUC; buses leave twice daily at 7:00am and 2:30pm. The colectivo ride is 4 hours and costs 30-35 CUC.
Viñales is 10-12 hours by bus from Trinidad (indirect; via Havana) and costs 36 CUC. Unfortunately, the bus route requires spending a night in Havana because of how the bus schedules are laid out. The earliest bus from Trinidad to Havana leaves at 8:30am and doesn’t arrive until 3:00pm, while the latest bus from Havana to Viñales leaves at 2:00pm; therein lies the problem. For this reason, I recommend taking a colectivo if you plan to make this journey. The colectivo ride is 6.5 hours and costs 40-50 CUC.
I would not recommend this but you could also take the bus from Trinidad to Havana (6.5 hours; 24 CUC) and then take a colectivo from Havana to Viñales (2 hours; 20-25 CUC). The full journey would be 8.5 hours and cost 44-49 CUC which is longer and more expensive than the direct colectivo.
Santiago de Cuba is 13 hours by bus from Trinidad and costs 33 CUC. Buses leave once daily at 8:00am. This route is unfortunately too lengthy for colectivos.
Alberto Delgado Airport (TND) is less than 5km (3 miles) from the city center but, interestingly enough, there are not any domestic flights from Havana to Trinidad’s airport. If you plan to fly, your best bet is to fly into Jaime González Airport (CFG) in Cienfuegos, which is 80km (50 miles) from Trinidad. From there, you can hire a colectivo for the 90-minute ride for 55-60 CUC; be sure to agree on the price before you leave the airport.
Thank you, Ohia, for sharing your great photography with me!