French immigrants from Bordeaux and Louisiana founded the colony of Fernandina de Jagua on 22 April 1819, around a beautiful, wide bay on the central southern coast of Cuba. In 1830 it changed its name to Cienfuegos in honor of the general governor of the island, José Cienfuegos. Fifty years later it was declared a city and its outstanding beauty won it the title of “The Pearl of the South”. At the end of the 19th century its prosperity made it the fourth most important city in the country. Since 1976 it has been the capital of the province of the same name and one of the cities with the greatest industrial develop ment of the archipelago.

How to get there

The 256 kilometres separating Cienfuegos and Havana can be covered by car along the national motorway and the Aguada de Pasajeros road. Jaime Gonzalez airport receives medium and small cargo international flights while Puertosol, the yachting harbour company, on the Bahia de Jagua, opens its doors to pleasure boats.

Sun and sand:

As with all cities by the sea, Cienfuegos has always had very close ties with its coastline. Two of the places that contribute most to this bond, in addition to the bay, are Rancho Luna and Inglés beaches. The first offers a semicircle of fine sand and peaceful waters, while the second is one of the best places for swimming in the sea and practicing water sports. Near both beaches, the well-inhabited corral formations make SCUBA diving an attractive proposition.

City:

So beautiful that it is considered the jewel of Cuban architecture of the 19th century, Cienfuegos stands out for the perfect layout of its streets and the refinement and elegance of the buildings in the Historical Centre, which was declared a National Monument.

With an important collection of historical and cultural treasures, this part of the city contains some of its most outstanding buildings, such as the Casa del Fundador, Nuestra Señora de La Purisima Concepción Cathedral, the Tomás Terry Theatre and the Palacio Ferrer, as well as José Marti Park, wherein stands the only Arc de Triomf in Cuba.

Visitors won’t have far to walk to find the Paseo deL Prado, the longest avenue in the country, the Palaclo de Valle, the Naval and Provincial History Museum, the Cementerio de Reina and the Fronton Jai Alai. Situated a little further from the centre are the Fortaleza Nuestra Señora de los Angeles de Jagua, the setting for the popular legend of the blue lady, the Cementerio Tomás Acea, where there is a replica of the Parthenon, and the Botanic Gardens, the second largest on the island.

Culture:

“The city I Like best” is precisely how Cienfuegos was defined by one of the famous representatives of this land and national culture, Bartolomé Maximiliano More, known to Cubans simply as Beny More or the Bárbaro del Ritmo (literally the Beat Barbarian). In honour of the great son performer, the festival that is named after him is held every year in Santa Isabel de Las Lajas However, the refinement of the people of Cienfuegos also stands out in their culture, in particular the plastic arts, the art and music, in which the name of the Aragón orchestra (which is over half a century old) and a solid movement of trios are well known,

Nature:

Cienfuegos has the second largest botanic garden in Cuba and one of the richest in the continent of America. It was founded at the turn of the 20th century under the auspices of Harvard University (USA). Approximately 10% of the province’s surface area of 4177.2 Km.2 is taken up with the Cordillera de Guamuhaya, which is brimming over with indigenous flora and fauna, springs, waterfalls, caves, pot holes, natural vantage-points and valleys between the mountains, where exciting adventures, country life and various mountain sports are there to await you. It would be unforgiv able to leave without visiting places such as El Nicho, the Valle de Yaguanabo, the Cueva de Martin Infierno (NationaL Monument) and the Pico San Juan.

An abundance of migratory ducks, rabiche and aliblancas pigeons, quails, Guinea fowl, pheasants and yaguasines make up the fauna of Yariguá.

Active tourism:

At 30 diving points near the coast it is possible to see grottoes, sunken ships, underwater valleys and reefs, inhabited by multicoloured fish, gorgonians, molluscs, turtles, crustaceans, sponges and sea snails. But the wonderful thing about the seabed here is Notre Dame, the largest column reef in America (4 metres), so called owing to its structure similar to that of the Paris cathedral.

The exceptional conditions of Bahia de Cienfuegos, well sheltered and covering an area of 88 Km have made it into an ideal place not only for commerce, but also for boat trips around the Carenas, Loco, Alcatraz and Ocampo keys and Perché fishing village, as well as fishing, regattas, kayak, wind-surfing, sailing and other water sports. It was declared the sailing capital of Cuba and each year the city holds one stage of the formula T-1 speedboat Grand Prix.

Health:

Anyone suffering from skin disorders, arthritis and circulatory problems may find the perfect remedy in the mineral and medicinal waters of Ciego Montero, 23 kilometres from Cienfuegos. From these springs rise one of the finest table waters that are most in demand on the national market.

The tourist authorities in the province are keen to encourage the congress and incentive trip industry and there fore, as well as creating the necessary conditions for holding such important events as the Fiesta de Los Amigos del Mar (Friends of the Sea Festival), they recently set up the Cuba Conventions Bureau secretary’s office for the island.

Leisure and restaurants

Caribesur Complex: restaurant, café, pool table, mini-golf, swimming pool, piano bar, grill, natural swimming pool, shops and berths for boats, with local culture also making a major appearance.

The Afro-Cuban Night in Palmira includes a visit to the museum and a cabildo (an ethnic gathering) to get to know the impressive Yoruba Pantheon and to witness a ritual ceremony of the Regla de Osha.

The Guanaroca Cabaret and the Club Beny More, one at the Jagua hotel and the other at the boulevard, are places to enjoy good Cuban music and dance till you drop.
Regularly making an appearance at the Tomás Terry Theatre are concert players, theatrical and dance groups, comedians and performers from right around the province and the country.

In this city by the sea the most popular restaurants specialize in seafood and fish dishes, such as La Cueva del Camarón, Casa Caribeña, Palacio de Valle and Covadonga. There are also restaurants serving international, Italian and Creole cuisine. Among the finest are Cubanacán Palniares, Pizza Nova, Pollo Ditu Rumbos, Piropo and El Rapido.

Immigration Regulations: Every visitor should have a valid passport issued in his name and a visa or tourist card, except those who come from countries with which Cuba has visa-exemption agreements. Tourist cards both individual and group can be requested from Cuba’s consular representatives, travel agencies and airline offices.

Customs Regulations: Personal effects, jewelry, still or video cameras, fishing and other sports equipment, two bottles of alcoholic beverages, a carton of cigarettes and up to 22 pounds (10 kilograms) of medicines may be brought into Cuba duty free. In addition, you may bring in other articles up to a value of US $250.00; US $50.00 worth of them will be duty-free, and a 100-percent duty will be due on the remaining US $200 worth. The possession, trafficking, consumption and sale of drugs or narcotics is prohibited. Nor may you bring in pornography, blood derivatives, cordless microphones and telephones, household appliances and/or firearms, except for those duly authorized for hunting. You may bring as much cash as you wish.

On leaving Cuba, you may take up through 23 Habano cigars, either loose or packaged, without having to present any documents. If you want to take more than 23 cigars with you, on your departure you will have to give Customs the original and one copy of the bill of sale from the store where you purchased them. The cigars should be in their original packages that bear the official authorization, including the new holographic seal. If this prerequisite attesting to legal purchase is not met, the product will be seized by Customs.

If you want to take works of art or antiques with you, you must obtain permission to do so from the National Registry of Cultural Assets; in the case of a great quantity of gold and/or silver, you must obtain authorization from the National Bank of Cuba to take it out of the country.

Cayo Largo del Sur is a true paradise for those who are looking for secluded beaches, fine white sand and transparent waters, ideal for diving and practicing water sports. Its size (37.5 square kilometres) makes it the second largest island in the Canarreos archipelago, one of the four groups of isles that surround the island of Cuba. It is located in the south-western part of the Cuban archipelago, at a distance of 177 km from Havana, 170 km from Varadero and 140 km from Nueva Gerona, the capital of Isla de Ia Juventud special district, for merely the refuge of pirates and corsairs and then known as Treasure Island. Thanks to its natural characteristics and the existence of a modern and functional hotel infrastructure that is continually being improved, Cayo Largo del Sur is also an ideal location for wedding trips and honeymoons.

How to get there:

Airline companies from Europe and America and domestic airlines fly directly to Vito Acuña international airport, in Cayo Largo del Sur. It is also possible to arrive by sea, at Puertosol marina, which operates as a free port. In Punta Frances, Isla de Ia Juventud, there are also facilities available for mooring pleasure cruisers.

Sun and sand:

Playa Sirena, (with sand which, thanks to its particular composition, fails to heat up even under the most intense rays of the sun), Lindamar, Tortuga, Playa Blanca, Los Cocos and Paraiso, six magnificent Caribbean beaches, each endowed with its own natural surroundings and which together cover an area of 24 km, ensure thorough enjoyment of the attractions and delights of Cayo Largo del Sur. On the neighboring island of Isla de Ia Juventud, Bibijagua beach, with its exotic black sand, offers a different kind of appeal.

City:

Discovering the delights of Isla del Tesoro (Treasure Island), a setting alleged ly recreated by Scottish writer Robert L.Stevenson in his homonymous novel, is a good reason for traveling to Isla de Ia Juventud and getting to know the historical centre of the city. This includes the Workshop of Applied Arts; the Model Prison, a place where Fidel Castro and his fellow assailants from the Cuartel Moncada (Moncada Barracks) were incarcerated (1953); and the Finca ElAbra museum, the temporary residence of Cuban national hero José Marti (1870). A visit to the island is also worthwhile to get to know a musical genre that is specific to this part of Cuba: El Sucu-Sucu.

Nature:

The excellent standard of preservation of the natural environment in Cayo Largo del Sur, which makes it appear as virgin a spot as it was at the outset, is demonstrated by the fact that each year hundreds of turtles come to its fine sands to lay their eggs, leaving behind them a memorable spectacle. On Isla de Ia Juventud, nature tourism enthusiasts can take a trip to see Jungla de Jones, an age-old wood; or discover Los Indios Ecological Reserve and Cayos de San Felipe fauna reserve.

Active tourism:

Both Cayo Largo del Sur and Isla de Ia Juventud have international diving centres and offer fantastic conditions for enjoying this activity in areas such as Punta Frances, Playa Sirena and Los Batlenatos keys, which are also ideal locations for underwater photography. The presence of coral formations right next to the coast also makes it possible to go snorkeling. Fishing can be carried out in the area around near by Cayo Piedra, Cayeria Los Majáes, Cayos Alcatraces and Cayos Pedraza. Trips on a yacht or catamaran are recommended to Cayo Iguana, a small, natural, Caribbean Jurassic Park; Cayo Rico, Cayo Los Pájaros, Cayo Rosario, Cayo Cantiles and Cayo Sigua. Those keen on speleology tourism have a fantastic opportunity awaiting them:
to visit the caves of Punta del Este, on Isla de Ia Juventud. These were declared a National Monument thanks to the historical value of the cave paintings found on the walls, with such a unique style that they are considered the most important in the Antilles.

Leisure and restaurants

The majority of the selection of restaurants and leisure opportunities can be found at the hotels themselves or at the Plaza del Pirata.

HAVANA (AFP) — Hurricane Gustav rapidly gained strength Saturday as it bore down on western Cuba after ripping through the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica, leaving 85 people dead.

“Data from an Air Force reconnaissance aircraft indicate that Gustav continues to rapidly strengthen and now has maximum winds 115 miles (185 kilometres) per hour with higher gusts,” the US National Hurricane Center said.

That made Gustav “a dangerous category three hurricane” on the five-notch Saffir-Simpson scale — equal in strength to Hurricane Katrina when it made landfall in the southern United States three years ago.

The western province of Pinar del Rio and the Isle of Youth in the south were put on the highest level of weather alert.

Tens of thousands of residents were asked to leave their homes in advance of Gustav, which was forecast to hit Cuba later Saturday.

“It will produce a storm surge and torrential rains in the western part of the country,” warned Cuban meteorologist Jose Rubiera.

Gustav brushed past the Cayman Islands late Friday, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Barreling earlier across Jamaica, however, it killed at least 11 people. In Haiti, it left 66 dead plus 10 missing. In the neighboring Dominican Republic, the death toll stood at eight.

At dawn Saturday, the center of Gustav was located about 410 kilometers (255 miles) east-southeast of the western tip of Cuba, the National Hurricane Center, based in Miami, reported.

It was moving northwest at around 19 kilometers (12 miles) per hour. If it keeps its present course, the center said, it could hit Louisiana — the same state hard hit by Katrina — in the early hours of Tuesday.

Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding told reporters Friday that the storm had displaced between 3,500 and 4,000 people in his Caribbean island nation.

“I am concerned that there are still a number of persons who are still unaccounted for,” Golding said.

Streets in the normally bustling capital Kingston were soaked and reeking with the stench from overflowing sewers. Powerful gusts sent metal roofs flying and threatened to wreak havoc on banana production.

Although the heaviest of the rains had subsided, many Jamaicans worried about returning home. “It is all wet and I am afraid to sleep inside there,” said Kingston housewife Charlene Markland.

In Cuba, a fragile and aging housing stock is highly vulnerable to hurricanes. More than two million people live in the capital Havana, where many colonial-era buildings, crowded with families, are prone to cave-ins.

Anxiety meanwhile grew on the American side of the Gulf of Mexico.

In New Orleans, officials began busing out residents on a voluntary basis in anticipation of Gustav, and considered mandatory evacuations to prevent a repeat of the devastation and deaths of 2005.

President George W. Bush declared Friday a state of emergency in Louisiana and Texas — enhancing their access to federal disaster relief coordination and funding.

Katrina killed around 1,800 people, mostly in the New Orleans area, as it made landfall on August 29, 2005 as a category three hurricane, after reaching category five over the Gulf of Mexico.

Three major oil producers — BP, ConocoPhillips and Shell — on Thursday evacuated workers from their facilities in the gulf where nearly a quarter of US crude oil installations are located.

LOCALIZACIÓN DEL COMPLEJO

Debe su nombre a Santa María, uno de los cayos pertenecientes al archipiélago de Jardines del Rey en el noreste de la provincia de Villa Clara. Dista 10 Km. del aeropuerto local Las Brujas, 50 Km. del centro de la ciudad de Caibarién, y 116 Km. del Aeropuerto Internacional Abel Santa María de Santa Clara.

Nuestro Resort ocupará un frente de playa de arena blanca y aguas cristalinas color turquesa de aprox. 2,6 kilómetros. Su exuberante vegetación y su rica variedad de fauna, le han merecido la condición de Reserva de la Biosfera, y la convierten en uno de los destinos más exóticos del Caribe Cubano.

El Resort en total contará con 2780 habitaciones divido en 4 hoteles, un Club Premium, con habitaciones y servicios para los clientes más exigentes, además de un pueblo turístico, único en Cuba, en tamaño y en oferta de servicios gastronómicos, centros comerciales, salud y belleza, que dará apoyo a los hoteles del Resort.

En la primera fase, contaremos con 2 hoteles que sumarán un total de 1308 habitaciones además de la 1era fase del Pueblo Turístico.

RESUMEN DE SERVICIOS MÁS RELEVANTES DEL RESORT.

• 21 Restaurantes, de ellos 14 Temáticos.
• 28 Bares que incluyen una Discoteca con capacidad para 500 plazas
• 2 teatros para espectáculos con capacidad para 1200 plazas cada uno.
• Jazz Café
• Bar Bolera
• Centros de Negocios.
• 27 Salones de Reuniones.
• Banco Financiero Internacional.
• SPA de 2200 m2. ( Centro de salud y belleza)
• 2,6 Km de frente de playa
• Club Premium único en Cuba.
• Pueblo turístico de más de 45000 m2 de servicios y facilidades.

SERVICIOS GARANTIZADOS CON LA APERTURA DEL 1ER HOTEL NOVIEMBRE 2008 HASTA FEBRERO 2009 624 HABITACIONES

4 Restaurantes: 1 Buffet, 2 a la carte: Marinero e Italiano (2 visitas a 1 restaurante a la carta x semana de estancia) 1 Grill de Playa, 4 Bares: 1 Lobby Bar, 2 Bar de Teatro, y 1 Bar Mojado, Disco, Tiendas de Souvenir en el lobby, Centro de Negocios (servicios de teléfono, Internet y fax) Servicio Médico, 2 Salas de conferencias, 1 piscina con Jacuzzi y área para niños.

FACILIDADES EN LAS HABITACIONES

Junior Suites con 2 camas ¾ ó 1 cama king, todas las habitaciones equipadas con: Teléfono, TV vía satélite, baño privado con bañeras y ducha, secador de pelo, agua caliente y fría, caja de seguridad, minibar con agua, cervezas y refrescos (reposición diaria), aire acondicionado, corriente 220 volt, balcón o terraza, plancha y tabla de planchar. Máxima ocupación 3 adultos o 2 adultos con un niño.
Igualmente tenemos disponibles Junior Suites Ocean View y Suites.

OTROS SERVICIOS INCLUIDOS

• Piscina adultos y área especial para niños
• Canchas de tenis Animación diurna y nocturna
• Voleibol y Beach tenis
• Beach Tenis.
• Petanca/ Boccia
• Animación diurna y nocturna
• Iniciación al buceo
• Deportes náuticos no motorizados (catamarán, windsurf, snorkel, Kayack, etc )
• Estacionamiento
• Mini Club ( Niños de 4 a 12 años)
• Bebidas nacionales y selección de bebidas internacionales
• Bicicletas

SERVICIOS NO INCLUIDOS

• Renta de autos
• Servicios médicos
• Buró de turismo
• Tiendas
• Deportes Náuticos Motorizados
• Centro de Negocios (servicios de teléfono, Internet y fax)
• Cambio de moneda
• Oficina de correos
• Servicio de Niñera
• Lavandería
• Bebidas Internacionales Premium (Carta de Bebidas)
• Servicio de Habitaciones 24 hrs
• Paquetes de boda disponibles.

SERVICIOS GARANTIZADOS Y DISPONIBLES CON LA APERTURA DEL 2DO HOTEL FEBRERO 2009 MAYO 2009 - 684 HABITACIONES

8 Restaurantes: 2 Buffet, 4 a la carte: Marinero, Italiano, Español, y Cubano, 2 Grill de Playa, 8 Bares: 2 Lobby Bar, 4 Bares de Teatro, y 2 Bares Mojados, Disco, Tiendas de Souvenir en los lobbys, 2 Centros de Negocios (servicios de teléfono, Internet y fax) Servicio Médico, 4 Salas de conferencias, 2 piscina con Jacuzzi y áreas para niños.

FACILIDADES EN LAS HABITACIONES

Junior Suites con 2 camas ¾ ó 1 cama king, todas las habitaciones equipadas con: Teléfono, TV vía satélite, baño privado con bañeras y ducha, secador de pelo, agua caliente y fría, caja de seguridad, minibar con agua, cervezas y refrescos (reposición diaria), aire acondicionado, corriente 220 volt, balcón o terraza, plancha y tabla de planchar. Máxima ocupación 3 adultos o 2 adultos con un niño.
Igualmente tenemos disponibles Junior Suites Ocean View y Suites

OTROS SERVICIOS INCLUIDOS

• Piscina adultos y área especial para niños
• Canchas de tenis Animación diurna y nocturna
• Voleibol y Beach tenis
• Beach Tenis.
• Petanca/ Boccia
• Animación diurna y nocturna
• Iniciación al buceo
• Deportes náuticos no motorizados (catamarán, windsurf, snorkel, Kayack, etc )
• Estacionamiento
• Mini Club ( Niños de 4 a 12 años)
• Bebidas nacionales y selección de bebidas internacionales
• Bicicletas

SERVICIOS NO INCLUIDOS

• Renta de autos
• Servicios médicos
• Buró de turismo
• Tiendas
• Deportes Náuticos Motorizados
• Centro de Negocios (servicios de teléfono, Internet y fax)
• Cambio de moneda
• Oficina de correos
• Servicio de Niñera
• Lavandería
• Bebidas Internacionales Premium (Carta de Bebidas)
• Servicio de Habitaciones 24 hrs
• Paquetes de boda disponibles.

SERVICIOS PRIMERA FASE DEL PUEBLO TURISTICO (MAYO 2009):

Este hermoso y espectacular centro de ocio, de más de 45000 m2 de servicios y facilidades, único en su tipo en toda la Isla de Cuba, perfectamente diseñados para ofrecer a todos nuestros clientes una satisfacción garantizada, estará provisto de: centro comercial (tiendas de artesanía, souvenir, joyería etc.…), oficina de correos, salón de belleza, Club Cubano, Gimnasio, un fabuloso y lujoso Spa, una Plaza para espectáculos.

Dentro del Pueblo Turístico en su primera fase nos encontraremos con los siguientes servicios gastronómicos:

Restaurante Japonés
Restaurante Gourmet
Restaurante Italiano
Beer garden & Hamburguesería
Piano Bar
Heladería $
Discoteca $
Bar Bolera $

Servicios que ofreceremos en el Gran SPA: Salón de Belleza, Boutique, Sauna para Hombre, Sauna para hombres y para mujeres, Piscina de Relax, Piscina Fría, Piscina caliente, Baño de vapor Unisex, Ducha Vichy, Chorrojet, Suite de tratamientos, Sala de Fangoterapia, Sala de Hidroterapia, 4 Salas de masaje integral, 2 Palapas de masaje en exteriores, 3 Palapas de Relax.

La segunda fase del Resort contará con 2 hoteles más, y la en segunda fase del Pueblo Turístico adicionaremos 4 Restaurantes temáticos, 6 bares, salones de reuniones y área de juegos infantiles.

Además en esta fase inauguraremos el Club Premium del Resort, que contará con 100 habitaciones exclusivas para satisfacer las necesidades y demandas de nuestros clientes más exigentes.

BARCELÒ CAYO LARGO
Cayo Largo del Sur, Archipiélago de Los Canarreos, Cuba
Teléfono: 0 (53) 45 248080 Fax 0 (53) 45 248088www.barcelo.com
comercialbarcelo@cayolargo.co.cu
www.barcelocayolargo.com

LOCALIZATION OF THE HOTEL

Just 10 minutes from the International Airport Vilo Acuña. Cayo Largo del Sur, jewel of the archipelago of The Canarreos, offers him its beaches that extended for 24 Km.; open to the Caribbean Sea, with excellent conditions for the recreation outdoors and the enjoyment of nautical sports, fabulous marine landscapes and funds of surprising beauty for the practice of the diving, as well as an attractive fauna that contains multiple species among those that stand out, turtles, gulls and pelicans.

ROOMS

Total 306
Standard Hotel 110
Standard Bungalow 184
Suite Hotel 12

FACILITIES IN ROOMS:

Telephone, TV via satellite, private bathroom with bathtub, dilutes hot and cold, safe, amenities, hair dryer, conditioned air, minifridge, current 220 volt, balcony or terrace, facilities for handicapped, additional beds and cot. All the rooms have view to the sea, view pool or view to the garden.

RESTAURANTS

Restaurant Buffet “Olazul”
07.00 - 10.00 Breakfast
19.00 - 22.00 Dinner

Speciality Restaurant “Velamar”
12.00 – 15.00 Lunch
15.00 – 18.00 Coffee Break
19.00 – 22.00 Special Dinner

Speciality Restaurant “Opalino”
19.30 – 22.00 International cuisine

SNACK

Snack “Opalino”
10.30 – 11.30 Continental Breakfast
12.00 - 15.00 Lunch
15.00 - 18.30 Snack

BARS
Bar “Opalino”
10.30 – 18:30

Bar Ranchòn “Velamar”
10.00 – 18.00

Bar “Daiquirí”
24 Hours

THEATER
Bar Salón Daiquiri “22:00 – 24:00”

OTHER SERVICIOS INCLUDED

• Pools 2
• Pool for children
• Jacuzzi
• Cancha de tenis 2
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Mini fútbol
• Day and night entertainment
• Gymnasium
• Babyclub
• Bicycles
• Nautical Sports not motorized
• National drinks and a selection of International drinks.
• Safe deposit box in rooms

OTHER SERVICES NOT INCLUDED

• Rent a Car
• Room Services
• Medical Services
• Phone, Internet and Fax Services
• Exchange Currency
• Shop
• Tourism Desk
• Massage
• Sauna
• Beauty Salon
• Laundry Service
• Mail
• Babysitter
• Premium Drinks
• Internet

The careful steps being taken by the Cuban Government when marketing its environment – to ensure its preservation – do not deny, however, an orderly access to its natural virtues, whose international demand has been steadily increasing.

Cuba counts with six zones that have been declared by UNESCO Biosphere World Reservation and more than a hundred protected natural areas. There are 14 national parks making the island and adjacent keys a potential destination for those who love enjoying nature.

Places like Viñales Valley - awarded as a World Cultural Landscape – stand out for being the habitat of more than 6000 of upper plants and around 13 000 fauna specimens, none of them poisonous or harmful to humans.

Bird watching is a most popular option for Nature tourism lovers. More than 400 species of birds have been reported (around half of them are endemic from Cuba). The Cuban archipelago is blessed by hundreds of migratory species that stop over due to its geographic position.

Ecotourism in Cuba has reached a particular development on the Zapata Swamp, The Escambray Mountains, the keys north of Ciego de Avila province, the northeast side of Holguin and Southeast of Granma.

BARCELO SOLYMAR
CARRETERA “LAS AMERICAS” KM.3
VARADERO, CUBA
TEL. (534)-5614499, Fax. (534)-566-8798
E-mail: reserva@solymar.gca.tur.cu

LOCATION

A mere 2 hours from Havana and 25 minutes away from the Varadero International Airport “Juan Gualberto Gomez” , Varadero offers an idealist beach, the perfect place to combine rest and relaxation with an wide array of exciting activities. This recently opened beach front hotel is conveniently located at a short distance from downtown Varadero.

TOTAL OF 525 ROOMS

Standard Hotel:328
Suite Hotel:4
Standard Bungalow:120
Suite Bungalow:73

• Private Bath with tub.
• Rooms offer ocean, pool, or garden views.
• Cribs (3 yrs. Max.) and children’s bed (12 yrs. Max.) available in rooms.
• 4 Handicap rooms

Room Amenities

Telephone, Satellite TV, coffee maker, private bath, blow dryer, hot and cold running water, safety deposit box, mini-bar, iron and ironing board, air conditioning, 220 volt power, balcony or terrace, handicap facilities available in main building. In suites Jacuzzi.

RESTAURANTS, BARS and CAFETERIAS

Buffet Restaurants

“Ranchon Tropimar”
Lunch
“Lindamar” Restaurant
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

A la Carte Restaurants
Sol y Arena/Cuban Restaurant
Tropimar/Seafood Restaurant (Lobster Included)
Los Corales/Italian Restaurant 18:30-23:00

** Dress code and 1 visit per stay in one of A la Carte Restaurants.

Snack Bars

Snack Bar “Las Dunas”

Snack Bar “Horizontes”
24 hours

Bars

Sport Bar “Los Delfines”
Lobby bar “SolyMar”
24 horas
Bar “Los Grumetes”
Party Lounge Bar”Solymar”
Bar “Las Redes”
Party Lounge “Los Grumetes”
06:30-02:00

Theater
Live Show every night
20:30 – 02:00
OTHER INCLUDED SERVICES
Pools (2)
Tennis courts (2)
Day and Nighttime activities
Bow and Arrows
Volleyball
Beach tenis
Boccia court
Water sports (catamaran, kayak, aquatic bicycle, diving clinic, windsurf, snorkel, banana boat with limit hours).
Game room
Gym
Club house
Parking
Mini Club (4-12 years old) & Kiddies Park
Jacuzzi
Mini Bar
Room Safe
Domestic drinks

SERVICES NOT INCLUDED

Car rental
Premium Drinks
Medical Services
Telephone and fax
Currency exchange
Photographer
Shops
Tourism Bureau
Post office
Boutique
Premium beverages
Shooting range
Sauna y massage
Babysitter
Beauty Salon
Laundry
Hotel Safe
Meeting hall
Room Service (24 hrs.)
Bikes

Considering holidays in Cuba? Excellent, this is one island in the Caribbean where you will want to do more than just a beach holiday. The people are bright, self-assertive and handsome. The heritage of Cuba is so rich as are the monuments and palaces throughout the country.

The country has evolved with a strong personality from its experience from Spanish colonization, slavery, civil war, invasion, revolution and relentless economic embargo. Havana the islands proud capital is energetically restoring the buildings of its elegant historic quarters and the grand old cities of Santiago de Cuba and Trinidad still recall their 16th century beginnings.

Go hiking or horseback riding in the countryside and you will see the palm trees and other subtropical flora in their green plenty in a landscape alternating rugged mountains with pleasant valleys farmland. The resorts do ample justice to Cuba’s tangy Caribbean cuisine—good seafood, great beach barbecues, luscious fruit— not forgetting those famous rum cocktails.

One in three visitors to Cuba heads straight for its biggest resort, Varadero, some 100 km (60 miles) east of Havana. Many can not tear themselves away from its magnificent beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. At the western end of the island, beyond Havana in the Pinar del Rioprovince, enjoy the quieter, slower pace of rural Cuba in the pretty country side hugging the Cordillera de Guaniguanico mountains. At Vinales, you can go horseback riding to admire the strange mogote mounds and explore the caves.

The Pinar del Rio region is of course most famous for producing the tobacco that goes into the best Havana cigars. The main plantations are concentrated in the triangle formed by the towns of Pinar del RIo itself, San Luis and San Juan y Martinez and, fur ther west, in the fabled Vuelta Abajo area along the Cuyaguateje river. But tobacco accounts only for a small fraction of the region’s farmland. Fields of sugar cane blanket the eastern plains until rice paddies take over to fill the marshlands south of Los Palacios. Cattle herds graze the Guaniguanico foothills and citrus or chards, grapefruit and oranges, occupy the western area around Sandino.

In Varadero hotels and beaches stretch along 20km (12 miles) of white sands on the Hicacos peninsula jutting out from the Atlantic coast of Matanzas province. Cuban holiday-makers have been com ing here since 1872, but it was launched as an international re sort with the 1929 purchase of land here by US munitions and chemical magnate Eleuthère Irénée Du Pont. He built himself a huge sprawling mansion, yacht ing harbour, iguana farm, golf course and airstrip. At the height of the American Depression, other American millionaires fol lowed, including Mafia boss Al Capone from Chicago—his home is now a restaurant named La Casa de Al.

Today, Canadian and European tourists come to Cuba’s 35 most popular playground for its super water sports facilities by day and the countless discotecas and the hotels’ lavish cabaret floorshows by night.

Cuba’s heartland stretches from the sugar and coffee plantations around the Guamuhaya (or Escambray) mountains of Cienfuegos to the cattle pastures of the Camaguey plains. As the region that has traditionally separated the poor peasants of the Oriente from the wealthy land-owners around Havana in the west, it has played a significant role in Cuban history. It has witnessed the early Spanish settlers’ fleeting dreams of gold in Trinidad, the first serious campaigns for independence led by the sugar-planters and Camaguey cattle barons, and, in modern times, Che Guevara’s decisive defeat of Batista’s troops at Santa Clara in 1958, followed three years later by the debacle of the Cuban exiles’ Bay of Pigs invasion. And the Ancón peninsula offers the best beaches on Cuba’s south coast.

Landscape:

Three mountainous regions account for more than a third of the total land mass. In the south— eastern oriental region, The Sierra Maestra range, extending from Cabo Cruz to Guantanamo is rich in flora and fauna and includes the island’s highest peak, Pico Turquino, alt: 1,972 metres (6,470 ft).

Cuba is the biggest island in the Caribbean, almost as big as all the others put together. It stands at the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico, its western end only 145 km (90 miles) from Florida’s Key West. Haiti is even closer, 77 km (48 miles) to the east across the Windward Passage.

The island extends some 1,300 km (over 800 miles) in length. At its widest point, it measures about 200 km (124 miles), and at its narrowest, just 5 km (22 miles) across. Cuba comprises an archipelago of around 1 ,600 isles and cayos (cays), the largest being the Isla de Ia Juventud (Isle of Youth) south of Batabanó Bay. Sheltered by long coral reefs, the coastal beaches face the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean to the northeast, Jamaica and the Caribbean Sea to the south.

Cuba’s offshore isles, islets, cayos (keys), and rocky sandbars with a tree or two, number in all 4,195, grouped in five archipelagos around the main island. The biggest, Isla de la Juventud, has been inhabited since prehistoric times, the others worth a visit have been partly transformed into modern beach resorts—Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Largo, Cayo Romano and Cayo Coco—each with superb white sands and good facilities for swimming, sailing and deep-sea fishing.

Flora:

The Flora numbers no less than 8.1(00 varieties, Dense sub-tropical forest cover the humid lower mountain slopes, providing valuable timber products. Woods on the higher, drier slopes are principally pine and eucalyptus. The island boasts an astonishing assortment of palm trees, the best known being the royal palm, indigenous to Cuba.

Economy:
Sugar and its derivatives are the principal source of revenue, followed by tobacco, the Cuban cigar still being the most sought after in the world—and favourite contraband into the United States. Other sources are cattle breeding and fisheries, while agricultural products include rice, beans, coffee, maize and fruit.

Weather:

Thanks to the warm waters of the Gull Stream and the trade winds (northeast in the summer, southeast in winter), the island’s climate is moderate and stable, sub tropical but less hot than elsewhere in the Caribbean. In Havana, the average temperature hovers around 25°C (77°F). The dry season lasts from November to mid-May and the rainy season from end-May to October.

Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Varadero and the other beach resorts rarely have more than two consecutive days of rain if they come at all. Hurricanes blow into the Caribbean from June to November—150 recorded in the 500 years after Christopher Columbus nearly lost his fleet. Since then, Cuba has installed an excellent early-warning system. The worst storms usually arrive in September and October, blowing torrential rain with winds of up to 250 km an hour (nearly 160 mph).

The people:
The island’s population is just over 11,000,000 and a fifth of them is living in Havana, the largest city in the Caribbean—in addition to some 700,000 exiles, mostly in Miami. Other major cities are Santiago de Cuba (440,000), Camagiiey (294,000) and Holguin (242,000).

According to official census figures, 70 per cent of Cubans are white, 12 per cent black, most of them in Oriental provinces, and 17 per cent mixed (mestizo and mulatto). It is generally agreed, however, that the percentage of “mixed blood” is much higher, perhaps as much as half the population. (The island’s Caribbean Indians were almost totally wiped out under Spanish colonization.).

At any rate, the blend of Spanish and African has produced men and women of often quite stunning good looks, lithe and graceful.

Airports
Most international flights serve Havana’s José MartI Airport, Varadero and Santiago de Cuba. The terminals provide banking, car- hire and tourist information office services, in addition to duty-free shop, restaurant and snack bar facilities. There are bus and taxi links to town.

Climate or Weather
Caressed by the prevailing north east trade winds, the island’s climate is agreeably sub-tropical, most often around 25°C (77°F), rising to an average 28°C (82°F) in July and August and “dipping” to 22°C (71°F) in the coolest month, February. The east, especially the mountains, gets more rain than the west. The hurricane season is from June to November, most likely in September and October and more often in the west around Havana and Pinar del Rio than in the east. Storm winds can reach 250 kph (156 mph). Swimmers take note: Caribbean waters are slightly warmer than the Atlantic.

Communications
Postal services, as almost every where these days, are very slow and unreliable. If you have urgent mail, ask your hotel about the international courier services available. The island’s telephone services are problematic, though a phone card system is being progressively installed in the major tourist areas. Calls are best handled through your hotel, which also usually has fax facilities. Check the price first to avoid unpleasant surprises. The outgoing code is 119.

Crime
Cuba is much safer than other Latin American countries—and many places in North America. Pickpockets, however, work the tourist areas of Havana and the resort towns. A much sought- after item is your passport, so keep it well-protected. Street-corner hustlers (jineteros) are an in evitable offshoot of tourism and economic difficulties, but beggars and anyone else that hassles you can be shooed off with a calm “Por favor, no moleste “— “Please, don’t bother me.”

Driving
The island has a well-developed network of roads, with a main highway linking Pinar del Rio to Guantánamo, more than 1,120 km (700 miles) away, and several good coastal highways between the resorts.

Driving is on the right. The rules follow Western European and North American norms and speed limits—50 kph (30 mph) in town, 90 kph (56 mph) on paved country highways, 100 kph (62 mph) on the Autopista Nacional.

To rent a car, you must be 21 or over, have a valid driver’s licence and preferably an internationally accepted credit card (not drawing on a US bank).

Even when there is a shortage for Cubans, fuel is usually avail able to foreign tourists at 24-hour Servi-Cupet filling stations. Tolls are charged on major highways and the Cayos cause ways.

Electric Current
The current is mostly 110 volts, 60 cycles, with US-style flat-pin plugs, but European-run hotels are increasingly equipped with 220-volt current and round-pin plugs, so be prepared with an adaptor for both.

Emergencies
Most problems can be handled at your hotel desk. Telephone number for police is 116, for fire 115, and for ambulance 118, Spanish- speaking only. Consular help is there only for critical situations, lost passports or worse, not for lost cash or plane tickets.

Essentials
Travel light, especially as far as clothing is concerned. You won’t need much formal wear. Pack a sun-hat and add a sweater for cool evenings. Good walking shoes are vital, especially for the mountains, and sandals or moccasins for the beach. Bring along sun-block, insect repellent and a pocket torch (flashlight) in case of electricity cuts.

Formalities
Apart from a passport, still valid for at least six months after you enter Cuba, you should obtain a tourist card (tarjeta de turista), usually provided by your travel agency or tour operator. Keep it safe during your stay as you will need to hand it in when leaving. (US citizens are discouraged only by their own government, not at all by Cuban authorities, who give them a warm welcome if they come equipped with an appropriate tarjeta de turista and will not put a potentially embarrassing stamp in their passports.)
At entry, DVDs, DVD players and computers with incorporated player will be confiscated at customs. When you leave Cuba, customs officers always look out for cigars, so if you buy them, keep your official receipts. The free export limit without a receipt is 23 cigars per person. US customs will confiscate Cuban cigars.

Religion:

The island’s Catholic community, 85 per cent of the population before the 1959 revolution, is making a comeback, especially since the Pope’s visit in 1998, though they still number fewer than 40 per cent. More popular are the Afro-Cuban Santerla cults blending West African Yoruba rituals with references to Catholic saints and the Virgin Mary.

After 40 years of subservience to the Marxist demands of the Cuban Revolution, open religious observance is back in force on the island. But it is not the Catholic church that is the most popular. The dominant religion remains Santeria, created 500 years ago by African slaves, amalgamating Christianity with the animist cults of Yoruba tribes of West Africa and others from the Congo region. Today, there are more than 10,000 Babalao conducting the rituals of Santeria, while the Catholic churches, progressively re opened since the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1998, number fewer than 300 priests.

Forbidden to practise their traditional cults, Afro-Cubans sought to preserve their cultural heritage by paying lip-service to Catholic saints and various aspects of the Virgin Mary while identifying these with their own tribal deities, orishas. In rituals similar to Haitian voodoo and Brazilian mocumba and ubanda, these prestigious deified ancestors are invoked— like the saints and Virgin Mary in the Catholic Church—to deal with the daily problems of the Santeras. There are perhaps some 40 Cuban orishas in all, but only half are the object of regular worship. To the Santeros, St Francis of Assisi for Orula, a revered deity of knowledge and divination who is consulted, for instance, by worshippers embarking on an important journey. Orula’s wife, Ochun, is the sensual goddess of love and femininity, identified with the Virgin Mary of Charity, patron saint of Cuba, whose statue was found off the coast of El Cobre (Oriente) in 1605. Ochi is nonetheless also the mistress of, among others, Ogun, god of iron, mountains and wisdom, famous for his great anger and assimilated to St Peter. The warrior orisha Chango is St Barbara, Christian patron of artillery. Jesus is associated with Oddua, god of the dead and of ghosts and invoked to revive the dying. Another important manifestation of Mary, the Virgin of Merced, is regarded as Obatala, who reigns the divinity of creation. The “black” Virgin of a Regla is Yemayá, goddess of the sea and sailors.

Night life

There are some people who come to Cuba and never see it by the light of day. And still have a fine time. Even those who do not intend staying up all night and sleeping all day should enjoy one of the best sides of Cuban life and join the exuberant islanders in their singing, dancing and all-round party-going.

Nightclubs, bars, cabarets and discotheques abound in Havana, Varadero and Santiago de Cuba. You should know in advance that you cannot hope to combine an evening of good music and dancing with an early night.

Many of the favourite nightspots do not really get started or even open be fore 10p.m. and then goon to the wee small hours of the morning.

We guide you here to the best known places. Most are well established institutions, but on the fast-changing Cuban entertainment scene, some inevitably close, some change their names. However, one of the great pleasures of Cuba for the more adventurous is to stumble on an open-air party when the fun on a hot night has spilled out onto the street or beach. Strangers are almost always welcome, all the more so if they bring a good bottle of rum. These places you must find for yourself. Just follow the sound of the music.

Tropicana
This huge nightclub, open-air in fair weather, is certainly the most famous in Cuba and perhaps in the whole Caribbean. A national institution since its opening in 1939, it is located at the south end of Vedado, quite far out in the city’s western outskirts, but is served by shuttle-buses stopping at the major hotels. Prices may seem steep, including transportation and one cocktail, but you get your money’s worth. The floorshow is truly spectacular, with scores of gorgeous, extravagantly costumed dancers, male and female, strutting their stuff on the stage and snaking their way among the tables in an exotic setting of tropical vegetation. The atmosphere is quite as intoxicating as the freely flowing rum, tempting the most staid custurners to get up on their chairs and dance.

Parisien

The opulent cabaret is located in the hotel whose guests once ranged from Winston Churchill to Ava Gardner—and several less savoury but equally renowned American mafiosi such as Meyer Lansky. Before the Revolution, Frank Sinatra sang here. Today, you can enjoy a splashy floor- show, smaller in scale than the Tropicana (and priced more modestly), but just as lively, and then launch into your own salsa, rumba and mambo when the dance- floor is opened to disco music.

Copa Rum
Replacing the legendary Palacio de Ia Salsa, the old hotel’s night club has been refurbished to capture the glittering atmosphere of the 1950s. Under the old nick name of the famous Copacabana, it has two floorshows, at 10 p.m. and midnight, with prices moderately expensive.

Café Cantante.

There are no frills here, and the prices are more modest, but the performance of Havana’s most celebrated son and salsa groups such as Los Van Van and Charanga Habanera make this club in the basement of the national theatre a favourite nightspot for young Cubans. You may have to compete with long queues of Habaneros to get in, but it is well worth it for the high-octane ambience. Whether there is a concert or disco, people are dancing non stop.

Delirio Habanero

Despite its delirious name, this café bar upstairs in the national theatre has a more sedate atmosphere than most of the other clubs. It attracts mostly Cuban students and artists listening and occasionally dancing to the city’s newest groups. The music is first class and the price of drinks very reasonable.

La Tropical
Located on the southern outskirts of town, this big open-air night club is without doubt Havana’s hottest spot, where 9 out of 10 guests are Cubans. This is the place to learn the newest Latin American dances. To enjoy the uninhibited atmosphere to the full, but without unnecessary paranoia, leave your jewels and extra cash at the hotel.

La Zorra y el Cuervo.
With an old bright red London telephone box for its entrance, “The Vixen and the Crow” presents the best in live Afro-Cuban and Latin American jazz in a modest but pleasant club atmosphere—but for listening rather than dancing. The prices are moderate.

Cabaret Continental in Varadero.

The beach resort is huge and equally expensive counterpart to Havana’s Tropicana, with a show at 10p.m. followed by disco dancing. The floorshow is dazzling, and the costumes awesomely daring.

La Cueva del Pirata in Varadero.

The “Pirate’s Cave” provides a colourful setting for its 10 p.m. floorshow followed by boisterous disco dancing. Prices moderate.

La Bamba in Varadero

Varadero’s liveliest and most popular beachfront disco, with futuristic decoration and videos. Moderate to expensive.

Activities

For family swimming, the long white sandy beaches at Varadero, Guardalavaca and on the Cayos are a sheer delight. Remember that the waters are calmer in the winter on the south and west coasts (November to April) and in summer on the north coast (May to September).

Wind-surfing equipment is available for rent at most resorts. Besides Varadero and Guardalavaca, the best conditions are at Cayo Largo and Marea del Portillo, the black-sand beach on the south coast of the Sierra Maestra. Surfers have to bring their own boards to enjoy the great waves brought in by the northeast trade winds on the Atlantic coast from December to April and, on the Caribbean coast, in August and September.

Diving
At Havana, Marina Hemingway, 20km (12 miles) west of the city centre, provides good facilities and training courses for sCuba diving, as do most of the major resorts. Aficionados home in on Cayo Coco and MarIa La Gorda. For exploring underwater caves, try Varadero and Playa Girón. Both Varadero (through Cubancan Nautica near the Kawama hotel) and Havana’s Marina Hemingway rent out yachts for day trips or for overnight with lobster meals and drinks galore.

Fishing
The Gulf Stream creates conditions for deep-sea fishing at its best on the northwest coast Havana, Varadero, Cayo Guillermo and Guardalavaca’s Bahia de Naranjo for barracuda, sailfish, shark, swordfish, tuna and mackerel. For freshwater lake fishing for bass, perch and trout, try Pinar del Rio’s Laguna Grande and Moron’s Laguna La Redonda (easy access by causeway from Cayo Coco).

Horseback Riding
The beach resorts hire out horses by the hour, as does Havana’s Parque Lenin. For longer treks, you might try the tourist ranches near Trinidad at Casa del Campesino or Los Molinos. Other good facilities in the interior are available in the Viñales valley and Pinar del Rio.

Hiking
The most ambitious hiking trails are to be found in the Sierra Maestra national park, but there are also delightful rambles in the forests around the Gran Piedra and, in the west, Soroa and Viñales. In the absence of detailed trail-maps, it may be best to hire a local guide.

Golf
You will find an 18-hole course at Varadero’s Las Americas club and nine holes at the Havana Golf Club. More are planned.

Architecture
The elegant, even grand, colonial mansions still evident in Havana, Santiago do Cuba and Trinidad combine traditional elements of 1 6th- and 1 7th-century Spanish architecture and its earlier Moorish influences with the special needs of the Cuban climate. No table Moorish features are the ornately carved wooden balconies, and the inner central patio around which the residential quarters are built. Entrances to 1 7th-centur houses are relatively austere, wit plain wooden doors set between simple Grecian-style pillars. The 18th-century mansions are more elaborately baroque. Entrances have monumental columns and sculpted pediments framing doors of carved wood-panelling. They lead to a patio with ornate fountains, surrounded by porticoes on the ground floor and arcaded loggias on the upper storeys, to pro vide shelter from the sub-tropical sun and rains. The more sober neoclassical residences of the 19th century replace the upper-floor arcades with painted wooden window-shutters.

Béisbol
Yes, baseball is Cuba’s national sport. A version of the United States’ national game, which Arcwak Indians called batos, existed here even before the Spanish arrived. It developed in its modern form with the growth of American influence in the late 19th century. Today every town has a baseball diamond. Encouraged by Fidel Castro who impressed Americans in 1 950s with his talent as a pitcher, Cuba’s national team is the best in Latin America and be came Olympic champions at Atlanta, Georgia, in 1996.

Carnival
The Cubans’ taste for festivities, public and private, reaches its climax with the two great carnivals celebrated in Santiago de Cuba, usually the last week in July, and in Havana for three weeks in August. For the capital’s procession through the streets of La Habana Vieja, the neighbour- hoods stage comparsa: spectacles of masked and costumed dancers, singers and musicians playing the conga. Each comparsa enacts a traditional theme. These include the life of the colonial aristocracy, Los Marqueses; the erotic or social satire of Los Guaracheros; or the legendary massacre of El Alacrán (the scorpion). Santiago’s comparsas date back to the late 17th-century festivities for St James, the town’s patron saint, but the music is resolutely modern Afro-Cuban. The distinctive “sound” of the Santiago carnival is provided by the corneta China, a flute introduced by Chinese immigrants in the 19th century.

Music:
In 1997, Buena Vista Social Club exploded on the international scene with records and the documentary film of Wim Wonders. In their 70s and 80s, singers Cam pay Segundo and Ibrahim Ferrer and pianist Ruben Gonzalez suddenly became world stars. They reintroduced Europeans and Americans to the magic of Afro-Cuban music.

The richness of Cuban music derives from its mixture of African and Spanish rhythms and instruments. The first European music that African slaves encountered in Cuba was that of the Catholic Church and of Spanish military brass bands. To this was added the fiery drum rhythms learned in Africa, mostly in the Congo and Nigeria. The music was further enriched in the 17th century with the introduction of the Spanish Zarzuela, a popular musical play using folk songs for winy and satirical treatment of everyday life. Between acts of the musical melodramas, the old satirical tornadilla songs were given a frankly erotic twist by guaracheros who specialized in sexual innuendos. Occasionally, a touch of bucolic “innocence” was added by guajiro peasant songs created by workers on the sugar and tobacco plantations.

Spanish colonial musicians such as 19th-century composer- pianist lgnacio Cervantes spiced up traditional danzón folk-dances with Afro-Cuban rhythms. The most famous was his Habanera. In the 20th century, Amadeo Roldan included instruments of African origin in his symphonic orchestra. By the 1 930s, Ernesto Lecuona, whose talents had attracted the attention of composers Maurice Ravel and George Gershwin and pianist Arthur Rubinstein, introduced the world to Afro-Cuban jazz with his band, the Lecuona Cuban Boys.

To the Spanish lute and guitar, Afro-Cuban musicians added the three-stringed Tres and a whole panoply of percussion instruments for the all-important rhythm section: bongo, Udu and Conga drums; the marimbula, a xylo phone plucked rather than hammered; claves, a pair of cylindrical hardwood sticks tapped one on the other in the palm of the hand; maracas rattles and ser rated güiros fashioned from hollow gourds.

The romantic trova ballad had its beginnings in Santiago de Cubo, usually sung as a duet of trovadores, with a melancholy homespun philosophy. The best known is Guantanamera. More properly Guajira Guantamero (Guantánamo Peasant-Girl), this most famous of all Cuban songs, composed in 1929 by Joseito Fernández, later had text added from José Marti’s 1891 Versos Sencillos.

At the origin of practically all contemporary Cuban dance music is the son created in the 1 920s the mountains of Oriente province and the streets of Santiago. Classically, the songs are an exchange, often improvised, between soloist and the musicians’ choral back-up. Typical is Corn- pay Segundo’s Chan Chan, now rivalling Guantanamera in popularity in Cuban bars.

The rumba, born in the back- street slums of Havana and Matanzas and popularized in New York in 1 920s, had its beginnings religious rituals of the santeria, where tune was less important than strong rhythm. Since, for white American tastes, Cuban rumba was felt to be too erotic in its slow yambó form or frenzied guagancó, Cubans proposed the more sedate mambo and cha-cha cha in the 40s and SOs. Today, purists scorn the ever-popular salsa as a hybrid combination of Cuba’s lyrical son with American jazz and rock’n roll, forgetting the mixed African and Spanish origins of all Cuban music.

Even when music isn’t pouring out of a cassette recorder on the balcony, Afro-Cuban rhythms seem to punctuate conversation and even moments of silence, when the islanders may start to sway their shoulders and hips or shuffle their feet to the imagined beat of a salsa, mambo, rumba or cha-cha-chá. If Mexico and Brazil are the Cubans’ favorite Latin American countries, it’s because of the shared taste for their music, drawing on Spanish, African and distant, but never entirely lost, American Indian roots.

Even when life is at its toughest, the Cubans find time for a party in a backyard or down at the beach—and happily invite curious passers-by, who make themselves even more welcome when they bring a bottle of rum.

A bit of History:

Christopher Columbus disembarked on October 28, 1492, somewhere between Gibara and Guardalavaca. Following threats of mutiny and an overnight rain- storm, he wrote with undisguised relief in his journal: “Everything I saw was so lovely that my eyes could not weary beholding such beauty.”

I hope you find this list useful if you are considering to go on holidays to Cuba. I have compiled a list and a brief description of the cheapest hotels in Havana. These are days of economic crisis and a list like this can come in very handy.

1. Caribbean Hotel.
The Caribbean, located on El Prado, the first major promenade built outside the walls of colonial Havana is a superb point of departure to explore the city´s historical center. It is a small and warm hotel with very basic facilities including air conditioning, bathroom ensuite and satellite TV. Cost around £13.00 or 24.00 USD per person per night.

2. Lincoln Hotel.
Located in the centric street of Galiano, this hotel founded in 1926 has excellent connections with the city´s modern and colonial parts. It is also very basic. Cost around £10.00 or 19.00 USD per person per night.

3. Deauville Hotel.
This hotel is located in the famous Malecon of Havana with a magnificent sea view. Roof top swimming pool and a night club are some of its best assets. Cost around £19.00 or 36.00 USD per person per night.

4. Park View Hotel.
Located in a privileged place of Havana, where the old part of the city meets the modern one and next to important buildings such as the Fine Arts Museum, the former Presidential Palace and the crowded Paseo del Prado. Cost around £19.00 or 36.00 USD per person per night.

5. St John Hotel.
St Johns Hotel is situated in the Vedado area a few meters away from La Rampa, Havana’s entertainment hub and is a prominent feature in this bustling part of the city. Cost around £20.00 or 38.00 USD per person per night.

You can check this link for further information Hotels in Cuba

These are the cheapest hotels in Havana that I almost dare to recommend. There are probably cheaper options but I would not stay in any of them my self. The list on this post is just on that line where if you go any cheaper you will want to change hotels.