Santiago de Cuba: Five Centuries of Unique Combinations

The so-called “hot land” is famous because of its carnivals, for being the capital of the Caribbean every year, for housing Virgen del Cobre, Cuba’s patron saint, in the highest spot of Maboa Hill, 27 kilometers away from the city. It was founded back in 1515 as one of the seven first villages of Cuba and Santiago de Cuba is undoubtedly one of those cities you cannot take out of your head.

Perhaps it is all about its harmonic merge of history, architecture, culture and traditions, or the jaw-dropping mountainous natural landscape that surprise you with every step you take, but Santiago is one of Cuba’s most spectacular provinces. The cradle of son and bolero, of such musicians as Sindo Garay, Eliades Ochoa, Compay Segundo, walking its streets is like going into the colonial past of the metropolis, while the high temperatures find no match in the westernmost region of the country.

In Santiago you can get to know interesting streets like Padre Pico, nestled in the old Corvacho hill, or breathe the daily life in Enramadas Street, the most popular one; but it also features unparalleled places like the majestic cathedral of Santiago de Cuba, an opencast copper mine located in El Cobre, or Bacardí Museum, the first one of its kind in the national territory.

What else could we say about the famous Prehistory Valley or San Pedro de la Roca Castle, declared World’s Heritage by UNESCO in 1997?

Most of the country’s rich history is represented by this city: Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, Cuartel Moncada, Granjita Siboney. Pope Benedict 16th didn’t give a mass in this province – March 2012 – just by chance.

Cuba’s former capital city, the hot land of Santiago will be celebrating in 2015 the 500th anniversary of its foundation by Diego Velázquez, five centuries of a city that holds traditions, culture, history and you cannot miss it when you visit Cuba.