Trinidad

Spectacularly wedged between the Caribbean and the mountains of the Sierra del Escambray, the delightful town of Trinidad, which was founded in 1514 is an old colonial gem with its shady plazas, pretty little churches, cobblestone streets and multicoloured houses.

• Go hiking and swimming in waterfalls in the Escambray Mountains
• Visit the glorious Spanish colonial churches, mansions & plazas
• Learn about the intertwined history of the sugar  & slave trades
• Soak up the Afro-Cuban music that energises the locals
• Cycle to the beach with a picnic for a lazy day on Playa Ancon

From humble beginnings Trinidad rose to become one of Cuba’s most important cities. In the early 1800’s there was a huge sugar boom generating vast profits for a number of wealthy businessmen who built the wonderfully opulent mansions, churches and civil buildings that so dominate the city today. Declared a World Heritage site in 1988, Trinidad is now an enchanting time warp where the slow pace of life manifests itself in the gentle trotting of a horse drawn carriage and the easy rhythms of the rumba music flowing from the bars.

The surrounding area is an important sugar growing region and The Valley of the Sugar Mills (Valle de los Ingenios), is a beautiful area dotted with the ruins of sugar mills, milling machinery, slave quarters and mansions that all bore witness to the tremendous sugar boom in the 18th & 19th Centuries. The famous 44 metre high Iznaga Tower, built by a particularly wealthy and unpleasant slave owner and sugar baron was used to watch over the slaves as they toiled in the fields and it is still possible to enjoy some fabulous views from the top of the tower.

The surrounding Escambray Mountains not only make a beautiful backdrop, but also offer some lovely walking trails in the lush tropical forest and past pretty waterfalls as well as some excellent horse riding.