Havana Province Cities & Towns

The province of Havana has more to offer than just the capital city La Habana.

Points of interest in Havana Province include San Antonio de los Banos-home of the International Film and TV School and of the Humor Museum (which holds biennials of humor)-and Santa Maria del Rosario, which has interesting architecture and excellent medicinal mineral water

Alamar

A typical suburb of Habana is "Alamar", build after the revolution, by Russians. 5 story high, looking very sad, buildings where in earlier times Russian techniques where living. Nowadays way too many people are living in those buildings. In this town is also living Esperanza Berena Feria Pacho, she makes beautiful small figures from raw materials like insects, reptiles, birds, etc.

Alquizar

Interesting in Alquizar:

Casa Natal de
Rubén Martínez Villena
92 No. 8427, e/. 84 y 86, Alquízar

Artemisa

Artemisa, founded in 1818, is named after the Greek god of fertility, Artemis. Artemisa is the among the most interesting towns on the route between the cities of Havana and Pinar del Río. Artemisa is also the largest, with a population of roughly 160,000.

Artemisa is an attractive and vibrant town with the quintessential Cuban mix of well-preserved neoclassical-style, pastel-painted buildings featuring ornate columns in the Doric and Ionic styles.

The setting of Artemisa is certainly an urban one, but it also provides a rustic taste of Cuban country life, as it is a thoroughfare for farmers on horseback.

Historically, Artemisa has been a strong cultural center, and that tradition continues today. The city is home to one of the province's most active Casas de la Cultura, the state-sponsored facilities for plays, music, and other cultural activities.

Artemisa is home to a number of interesting museums, most of which are dedicated to the 24 Moncada attackers (out of 150 in all) that came from Artemisa.

Interesting in Artemisa:

Museo de Historia
Martí, e/. Mártires y Agramonte,
Artemisa

Mausoleo a los Mártires de Artemisa
40, e/. 45 y 47, La Matilde, Artemisa

Ruinas del Antiguo Cafetal Angerona
Km. 5,5, Artemisa-Cayajabos,
finca Sousse, Artemisa

Bacuranao

Interesting in Barucanao:

The beach is famous for locals and the busiest it will be there in July and August

Batabano

Bananas….bananas and bananas….or in better Spanish, platanos. Watch out for farmers who are protecting their fruit for people who want to steel it and sell the platanos at the black market.

Batabanó is one of the seven cities originally founded in 1515 by Velasquez' men, and was the original Spanish site of Havana. It was actually called San Cristóbal de la Habana for four years before present-day Havana was established about 30 miles north.

Today, Batabanó has a population of about 15,000 people. Like many of the small towns in the southern part of Havana province, Batabanó is a depressing place. Eastern-bloc architecture looms over the swampy landscape, and there is not much in the way of interesting sights to see.

Batabanó does feature excellent sponge diving. Its primary trade is fishing, as it is very near the southern coast. It also serves as the port to Isla de la Juventud (Isle of Youth, also called Isle of Pines).

"Surgidero de Batano" is also famous about the fishing of lobsters and shrimps, so for having a great fishy diner…this is the place to go….lots of good small fish restaurants.

Interesting in Batabano

Museo Municipal
Calle 64 #7502
Batabano

Bauta

Interesting in Bauta

Sitio Histórico Lombillo
Bauta

Antiguo Ingenio Taoro
Carretera de Punta Brava
a Santa Fe, Bauta

Bejucal

In 1835 was this the place where they ended the first railway, build by African slaves, Spaniards from the Canary Islands, and some Irish people. Those people worked for 16 hours a day at that time, for a really lousy salary.

Casablanca

The picture everybody knows, who ever has been in Habana before, of the big white marble statue…"Estatua de Cristo", if you ever want to make the best view picture of Habana city, take a ferry to this side of the city and climb up that hill..

Cojimar

This is where most tourists stop…the fishers village Cojimar is famous because of "Ernest Hemingway", you can find more information on the "Ernest Hemingway" page In 1994 thousands balseros raft across the sea to the US after they heard on a radio broadcast they could get asylum … more about this in the "Balseros page"

Museo Ernest Hemingway

Finca la Vigía, San Francisco de Paula, Carretera Central Km 12.5
Outside Downtown
7/891-0809

Mixed feelings as to the experience of visiting this place, since visitors are not allowed into the former home of the famous writer. Sure you get a bit of the feel for Hemingway, but you also end up feeling like a Peeping Tom. Circling the ground floor you can see the house more or less as it was when Hemingway was living and writing here. There's a copious collection of books, paintings, and stuffed animal heads. In addition to an old typewriter, artworks by Picasso, Miró, and Klee are some of the more prized possessions.

There's a small tower separate from the main house that has a gift shop and some rooms with rudimentary exhibits, and you can even climb it for a better view all around. In the surrounding gardens, you can see Papa's pet cemetery and the author's dry-docked fishing boat, Pilar

El Megano

16 km AFTER Cojimar, the real beaches with sand and palm trees is starting at El Megano.

Guanabacoa

Famous about his African Cuban religious, you can find information about the "Santaria religion". The outside neighborhoods of the center are looking really poor. A great day to be there is on Sunday, when a lot of street merchants try to sell their stuff on the main plaza "Calle Amargura" is famous because of his history about slaves which where brought to their execution. Really worth a visit "Museo Municipal de Guanabacoa" at Marti #108 Iglesia de Guanabacoa. On parque Marti, in the center "Cemetery of Guanabacoa". Another great place to see, a real city of all kinds of beautiful mausoleums "Galeria de Arte Concha Ferrant" atMarti #8. "Casa de la Trova" Marti #111. Great place with daily life music, you find "Casa de la Trova/Musica" all around Cuba

Guanajay

Interesting in Guanajay

Casa de Carlos Baliño
61 No. 7205, e/. 72 y 88, Guanajay

Guines

Güines exists since the XVII century, since at that time an Indian by the name of "Guzmán" built there the first catholic church, made of straw and mud. The second one, made of wood and with a tiled roof, was built by the Bishop of Havana in 1804. Today's church, made of concrete and of solid construction was started in 1815, but with two towers. In 1870 a hurricane destroyed one of its towers. In 1872, the remaining tower was demolished, and the church was rebuilt with only one tower, the one that exists today, gracious and attractive. The patron saint of Güines is St. Julián, whose feast is celebrated on January 28.

Interesting in Guines

Cueva de la Candela

Cueva de los Perros Jíbaros

Cueva de la Palma

Cueva de García Robiou

Ruinas del Antiguo
ingenio Alejandría

Jaruco

South of Guanabo, a beautiful nature parque, at the highest top, at "Campo Florido", there is a restaurant and a hotel.

Madruga

In this village is a "Santaria" house open for tourists. Madruga is very proud of his original American buildings. North east of Madruga you will find the, started in 1917, sugar factory "Camilo Cienfuegos"

Madruga also has a special "bond" with Cuba-Junky because of the Madruga project. More about this at our Help-Page

Loma de la Gloria
Loma de la Gloria s/n,
esq. a Copey, Madruga

Managua

The town Managua, with lots of traditional houses with patio's full decorated with plants. This area has a lot of military camps. Lots of "Ceiba trees" are growing, some very old ones, holy in some African religions and because of that reason they never will be cut.

Mariel

Established in 1762 as a British naval station during the British occupation of Havana, the port of Mariel has become an important city for commerce and industry on Cuba's northern coast.

During the 18th century, Mariel was the site of a British naval station and academy. The town of Mariel was founded by local fishermen somewhat after the British' arrival. Since the 1959 Revolution, the city Mariel has received considerable attention from the Cuban government, which has helped it to earn the important status in commerce and industry that it holds today.

Mariel houses Cuba's largest cement factory, as well as a relatively new thermoelectric plant, textile factories, and a significant array of shipyards. Besides pouring money into industrial development, the government established many new housing, educational, and medical facilities to improve the workers' standards of living.

In recent years, Mariel was the focus of international attention during the famous Mariel Boat lift and resulting US-Cuban tensions. The crisis occurred when a group of Cubans living in Havana discovered a diplomatic loophole that would allow them to flee Cuba be seeking political asylum in the Peruvian Embassy. They were followed by thousands of anti-Castro dissidents, relatives of exiled Cubans, and others seeking refuge in the U.S.

Then-U.S.-President Jimmy Carter welcomed the refugees warmly, lifting normal restrictions and requirements for their entrance into America. While Castro must have been embarrassed that so many people sought to leave his country, he used the situation to his advantage, getting rid not only of his political opponents, but also sending "undesirable" elements - the mentally insane, violent criminals, as well as others. This move caused President Carter a great deal of embarrassment in the U.S. and placed him in a very submissive position.

Pan American Village

Very close to Cojimar you find a complex for sport facilities, apartments and a hotel. This area was build for the Pan American games of 1991, the people who builded the place ones are living they're now

Regla

Across the Habana Vieja Harbor, very Afro-Cuban religious area. If you would like to visit a "babalawo" (santaria priest) this is the place to go, although you have to speak Spanish. Go and take a walk along the market (Marti) where you can buy Cuban food for pesos instead of dollars, great place to meet locals. Also in this town the secret men society "Abakua" are living. Cubans call those men "Nanigos". "La Santisma Virgin de Regla", she is the spirit (Orisha) of the ocean, protecting the sailors. You can see her in the "Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de Regla" when you take a ferry across the harbor. At September 7th at this place is a pilgrimage. " Museo Municipal de Regla" at Marti #158

Santiago de las Vegas

"El Cacahual", The final resting place of Antonio Maceo, he was a black general and hero from the first independence war. "El Ricon Santuario de San Lazaro", The most importand western pilgrims center of Cuba In the night of December 16th more then 50.000 Cubans come to visit this place to get rid of evil spirits. On Sundays it can be quiet busy. Aids Sanatorium, between Santiago de Las Vegas and El Ricon. Opened in 1986, Cubans who are HIV positive are treated here and will stay for a few weeks, after this they can decide to go home, but a lot stay because the health care could be much better here then in their own home town.

San Antonio de los Banos

Town of the nearby "International School of Film", Students from Africa, Asia and Latin America are having colleges in this school. San Antonio, also famous about his "Festival of Humor" (April), there is even a "Museo del Humor" at Calle 60 at Av 45, in an old colony house. Symbol of this city is "El Bobo" (the fool), a cartoon drawn by Eduardo Abela, was a protest cartoon, in the Batista years. Post office at Calle 41 and 64

Interesting in San Antonio de los Banos

Museo del Humor
60, esq. a Ave. 45, San Antonio
de los Baños

Galería Eduardo Abela
58 #3708, San Antonio
de los Baños

Casa de los Marqueses
de Campo Florido
60 #4116, esq. a Ave. 45,
San Antonio de los Baños

Santa Cruz del Norte

The town of the oldest rum factory in Cuba "Ronera Santa Cruz", Havana Club, which is still one of the best Cuban rums. It was in 1878 that the Arrechabala family of Cardenas started this factory in 1919 At the coast, Literal Norte beach, with some rocky swimming pools, at El Abra and Arroyo Bermejo

San Jose de las Lajas

Interesting in San Jose de las Lajas

Cueva de Los Matojos
Carretera de La Ruda a
La Charca, San José de las Lajas

Cueva del Aguacate
Carretera de La Ruda a
La Charca, San José de las Lajas

Cueva de los Muertos
Carretera de La Ruda a
La Charca, San José de las Lajas

Cueva del Agua y Sitio histórico
San José de las Lajas

Cueva del Jia
Carretera de La Ruda a
La Charca, San José de las Lajas

Cueva del Toro
Carretera de La Ruda a
La Charca, San José de las Lajas

Santa Maria del Rosario

A real charming town with high trees, old houses and friendly inhabitants, just off the freeway at El Catao. "Iglesia de Nuestra Senora del Rosario", Also called "Catedral de los Campos de Cuba" (Cathedral of the Cuban Countryside) Best to visit Sunday afternoon at 14.30, when this Cathedral is in action. On the other side of the square is the rebuilded house of the "Count of Casa Bayona", the old owner of the Quiebrahacha sugar factory. "Casa de la Cultura", About the legends of this region

Interesting in Santa Maria del Rosario

Puerto Escondido
Cubamar
Carretera Panamericana, km. 80, Jibacoa

Blue Reef
Cubanacán Náutica
Carretera Panamericana, km. 23,5, Caimito

Harbor

Puerto Escondido
Cubamar
Vía Blanca km. 80
Santa Cruz de Norte