Making the most of Santiago de Cuba
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Cruise ships dock close to the center of town.
Printable map to take along.
Santiago de Cuba is Havana's rival in literature, music and politics, and is regarded as the 'cradle of the revolution' because of the pivotal role it played in overthrowing the Batista regime. It's the second biggest city in Cuba and unlike other Cuban towns, has a noticeable Caribbean flavor due to the influence of the French planters and Haitians who settled there in the last century. The city's distinctive character is also due to its isolation from Havana, and it's own history is as colorful as that of the capital (Santiago de Cuba's first mayor was the conquistador of Mexico, Hernan Cortes). The city houses Cuba's oldest palaces and…
Casa de Habano (cigar shop) is in front of the port. The Clandestine Museum is 10 minutes walk away from Port (great history of the cuban revolution), the museum of rum tour (another 10 minutes walk) is great and ends with rum tasting (best priced rum) and the bacardi museum (near to Parque Cespedes). Parque Cespedes is a great environment, with live music and historical buildings. Taxis can be found north of the Park. You can take a taxi from here to Castillo de Roca (CUC $15 round trip), which is a beautiful fort.
Getting around
The area of greatest activity and cultural interest to many visitors in the historic center, the few streets around Parque Céspedes are easy to get around on foot, though some areas, such as the Tivolí district, are extremely hilly.
Most of the major tour agencies have offices at several hotels in town. They all offer guided city tours, excursions to El Cobre, Sierra Maestra, and La Gran Piedra
Official taxis are pretty expensive for long distances.
Food and shopping
As in any third world country, most of the merchandise available is designed for tourists to take back home. The biggest Cuban exports for tourists are rum, cigars, and coffee, all of which are available at government-owned stores or on the streets. For genuine merchandise, you should pay the official price at the legal stores.
Watch out for:
Being that all restaurants are owned by the government and run by underpaid employees, the food in Cuba is notoriously bland. Within Cuba, the best food will generally be found in your casa particular or in paladares (locally owned restaurants in private homes).
- Real-looking discount cigars of dubious authenticity being offered by street touts.
- "Friendly" locals inviting tourists to bars for a drink (normally a Mojito) or to a restaurant; the tourist will be charged two to three times the normal price, and the spoils split between the establishment and the "friend".
- Short-changing in bars or taxis or giving national pesos (CUP) in change for convertible pesos (CUC).
Money
A mobile currency exchange is at the port.
ATMs are rare in Cuba. Credit cards are not widely accepted.
Staying connected
The official language of Cuba is Spanish.
The emergency number in Cuba is: 116.
In many cities the only way for tourists to access the internet is through the government's communications centers ( ETECSA ), it is not cheap and there is good chance that someone is "watching" your doings on the PC.