Cuba, Santiago De Cuba - Our Favorite City

Santiago de Cuba, the Sanborns' Trip

Considered one of the most beautiful cities in Cuba. Santiago de Cuba is located near the southern most point on the island. Full of history, much of Cuba's revolutionary past started here. It is also home to many beautiful sights and places to visit. A true melting pot of the world from the Spanish to imported slaves to French plantation owners. It is also an area rich in natural resources from sugar to copper.

With a population around one million, Santiago is Cuba's second largest city. Founded in 1515, its first mayor was the Spanish conquistador Hernando Cortes. This is where he began his conquests of South America.

We saw flowers everywhere and they were beautiful.

Fruit is in abundance with Mangos, Papaya, Plaintain, and these Avocados.

Santiago de Cuba is a bustling city full of people and activity. Here you see everything from banana and plaintain shipments to stores and people everywhere.

The home of Frank Pais is a memorial today to one of the early revolutionaries and martyrs of Cuba.

Sunday morning we went to church at the First Baptist Temple in the city. It was packed.

For lunch in town, we recommend Paladar Dona Nelly. You go upstairs and can eat on the outdoor terrace where it is nice and cool.

One of the most interesting and historical places to visit in Santiago is the Santa Efigenia Cemetery, where many of the famous and influential people of Cuba's history are buried. Cemeteries here are works of art and are incredibly fascinating places to visit. It is here that many of Cuba's heros are buried, including Jose Marti.

Looking at the Jose Marti Monument

Inside the Jose Marti Monument. The revolution's most sacred site.

Also in the cemetery is the wall of the Martyrs of July 26, 1953.

Outside of the city is a most impressive park full of pre-historic creatures. Made by a peasant that created these out of stone and concrete.

Nessie out of water.

We loved meeting with the people of Santiago. They were helpful, friendly, and loved visiting with us and sharing experiences. Have I also mentioned that I was very impressed with the food in Cuba? Besides the fruit everywhere, meals with chicken, pork, and fish were excellent, spicy, (flavorful not hot), and there was plenty of it to have. The coffee was incredible.

So, from here, we headed north through central Cuba towards the beaches on the north side of the island. now On To the Beaches and Cardenas, The Northern part of Cuba.

Our host in Santiago de Cuba, Ana Reyes with Robert.

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