| rmony with its insularity, life in many of Cuban cities | | | | Manzanillo, disputed by pirates and corsairs |
| has been impressed by the sea. From the times of | | | | –and also present in Cuba’s first |
| Cuban earliest inhabitants, right through the time of | | | | literary monument, Espejo de Paciencia, by |
| Spanish settlers, and up to present days, the | | | | Camaguey-born Silvestre de Balboa-, opens up to |
| presence of sea has marked Cuban character. Of the | | | | Gulf of Guacanayabo wwith the simple nature of its |
| seven first townships, three remained on the | | | | residents and the spell of its green landscape in the |
| seashore: Baracoa, Santiago de Cuba and Havana. | | | | background. Nueva Gerona, the main city in the Island |
| Other cities and towns were born later on the | | | | of Youth (formely Isle of Pines), throbs with the |
| coastline, but not to become less important for not | | | | comings and goings between its port and the Island |
| being so ancient. | | | | of Cuba. |
| Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Caibarien, Gibara, Manzanillo, | | | | What to visit here, in Cuban marine cities? |
| Nueva Gerona are worth a visit. They differ from | | | | Havana: Old Havana, National Capitol, Paseo del Prado, |
| each other, but they all have that same marine | | | | Revolution Museum, Fine Arts Museum, Revolution |
| charm that shapes up a different way of life, either | | | | Square and Jose Marti Memorial, Malecon Drive, Colon |
| calm or full of spirit, depending on the rhythmic | | | | Cemetery, Botanical Garden and Maqueta de La |
| cadence of the sea. | | | | Habana. |
| Matanzas, rich in tradition and a cradle of poets and | | | | Matanzas: Sauto Theatre, Triolet Pharmacy Museum, |
| musicians, is simply enchanting. Cienfuegos, the South | | | | Municipal Museum, Bellamar Cave, bay area and |
| Pearl, with a perfect outline, once adopted a | | | | Monserrate Hermitage. |
| numerous French colony and today is one of most | | | | Cienfuegos: Parque Jose Marti, Paseo del Prado, |
| beautiful cities in Cuba. It is one of Cuban most | | | | Malecon, Palacio del Valle, Tomas Acea Cemetery, La |
| important port cities, an architectural jewel of the | | | | Reina Cemetery, Punta Gorda area, Castillo de Jagua |
| XIX century. | | | | fortress, Terry Theatre and Botanical Garden. |
| Caibarien, a typical fishing village, is today’s | | | | Nueva Gerona and Isle of Youth: El Abra farmhouse, |
| departure gate to visit the virgin cays to the North | | | | Old Model Prision Museum, Punta del Este Beach |
| of Villa Clara where you can visit Cayo Las Brujas, | | | | Gibara: Bateria de Fernando VII gun emplacements, |
| Cayo Santa Maria and Los Ensenachos, among others. | | | | bay area |
| They have a promising touristic present and future | | | | Manzanillo: Parque de la Glorieta |
| because of the unmatched beauty of their beaches | | | | Santiago de Cuba: El Morro Castle, Diego |
| and nature. Gibara, just beside the bay that the | | | | Velazquez’s house, Catedral Metropolitana |
| Great Admiral Cristofolo Colombo named Rio de | | | | Church, Parque Cespedes, Padre Rico street, Heredia |
| Mares (River of Seas), with its fortifications, is the | | | | street, Bacardi Museum, Carnival Museum, Marte |
| most outstanding architectural complex of the Holguin | | | | Square, city. |
| region. | | | | |