Outside of Santiago de Cuba

By Joyce, on May 14th, 2017
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If you make it as far as Santiago de Cuba, don’t stop there. Two must-see sights are roughly 10 and 20 kilometers from the city, respectively. Castillo El Moro This World Heritage Site is a Renaissance-style castle with medieval elements that was built by the Spanish in 1638 to protect against raids from pirates, the [Read more …]

Santiago de Cuba

By Joyce, on May 12th, 2017
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Santiago de Cuba was the nation’s first capital. It was “demoted” in favor of Havana, which was named capital by virtue of its port and its larger economy. While it is no longer the capital, Santiago de Cuba is, however, the most heterogeneous city, with a vibrant mix of virtually every nationality and race. This [Read more …]

Sierra Maestro Mountains and Bayamo Cuba

By Joyce, on May 10th, 2017
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As we started heading east on the Cuban island, we entered the Sierra Maestro Mountains, the tallest of the country’s three major ranges. Its peaks of about 6,000 feet, are clearly visible to the south of the town. We, however, went directly into Bayamo, the second oldest village in the entire country. You would never [Read more …]