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Santa Clara: revolutionary romance. All about holidays in Santa Clara Map of attractions in Santa Clara Cuba

Santa Clara from a tourist point of view - . In memory of the battle that marked the victory of the Revolution and in memory of the romantic Ernesto Che Guevara.

Santa Clara

Santa Clara(Spanish: Santa Clara) is a city in central Cuba. The administrative center of the province of Villa Clara (Spanish: Villa Clara).

Santa Clara is a fairly large city in central Cuba. The city is so big that it even has its own Moscow Ring Road, but there are practically no other attractions in it. Santa Clara from a tourist point of view, it is a city of memory. In memory of the battle that marked the victory of the Revolution and in memory of the commander of the revolutionary detachment who created this victory - the romantic Ernesto Che Guevara.

We looked at the map - Santa Clara only a hundred kilometers from Trinidad, but the bus did not go through the mountains, but rushed along the sea, and even stopped in Cienfuegos. In general, we drove for a long time, we even managed to take a nap.
Along the way we stopped in small towns, where every fence is decorated with patriotic Soviet-socialist graffiti. This is a million times better than our billboards.

Santa Clara, apparently, is not growing quickly, therefore, unlike Mokva, it does not climb beyond the Moscow Ring Road. When you drive along the ring road, there is no feeling that you are on the border of a big city. Everything is somehow quiet and calm. For example, harvesters are waiting for “autumn”.

And after a couple of hundred meters, “Cheryomushki” with “Khrushchev” cars begins.

We drove a little along the ring road, one of the entrances to the city was blocked, and behind the trees stood a large monument to Che - the main attraction of the city.

Soon we found ourselves at the bus station. As promised, through the bus window I saw a man with a sign with our names written on it. After greeting the greeter, we ran into the office where they sold tickets, signed up for the next flight the second time, so that we could leave here at dawn, and went out into the city. The man who met us was not the owner of the cash register at all, but was an acquaintance of the owner, who sent him to meet us in his bicycle taxi and thus also earn some money.

The bus station is located on the outskirts of the city, in the very center. Our driver was puffing, sweating and pedaling, and the cart was moving just a little faster than the speed of a walking pedestrian. Having seen enough of this sad sight, we felt sorry for our friend and decided to walk to the station in the morning. He, of course, was not happy about this decision, because with this decision we deprived him of his job.

It was seven o'clock in the evening. We quickly dropped our things, found a worn map of Santa Clara from the hostess and ran to see the sights. At the exit from the cash register, a taxi driver was waiting for us, who was still hoping that he would be the one to take us around the city. Having been refused, he grabbed the piece of paper with which he greeted us, and on the back he drew a map of the city, marking 4 points on it - 4 monuments to Guevara.

Santa Clara (Cuba)

If in Cuba as a whole there is an image of Che Guevara on every free fence, then in Santa Clara in addition to the portrait there will be at least a quote from him, or even a couple of portraits. But you’re not interested in this, are you?! That's why I photographed NeChe's rare drawings.

For example, an athlete, a patriot, a revolutionary, a bun.

Having run past the central square and walked a couple of blocks, we ran into a river, across which there was a sewer pipe with a fountain of foul-smelling liquid. We had to go back a little and go to the bridge.

There was a railroad across the bridge. The same piece of iron with which the partisans derailed an armored train of government troops. This train still lies here. There is a museum inside the carriages, which, fortunately for us, was already closed. There were no queues, no tourists, no locals - just the two of us and the train of Batista's troops. As soon as we tried to get within 50 meters of the train, a military man jumped out of the bushes. The boy in uniform didn’t even know how to behave - he was not at all used to the fact that people could come here like that in the evening. The result of a short, incomprehensible conversation for both us and him was that we can take a walk here, but we can explore the museum only tomorrow.” “Mañana” is one of the main words in Cuba. This is the answer to all the questions - “When can I pay for housing?”, “When is the museum open?”, “When can I leave here?” and so on.

After December 28, 1958, tiles were laid on this place, a few concrete “explosions” were built for monumentality and a guard was stationed, nothing else happens here.

On the concrete star rests a bulldozer, which the revolutionaries used to break the rails, thanks to which the armored train with soldiers and weapons went off the tracks. I wouldn’t be surprised if someday someone fills this tractor with fuel and it starts moving.

A few meters from the memorial there is an active road leading to the railway station.

Having crossed the tracks, we continued along our schematic route. Very soon we saw something similar to a reinforced concrete anti-tank “hedgehog” on which the bas-relief was attached. Cool monument, yes)

I laughed a little at this composition and moved on, and after a couple of tens of meters I came across the best monument to Comandante Ernesto in the world.
Bronze Che in full height without any pedestals and fences with a child in his arms.

Santa Clara (Cuba) - Che Guevara

Looking at this monument, the words of the sister of Fidel and Raul, which she wrote about Che in the book “Fidel and Raul, my brothers,” are spinning in my head. Secret History":
“Neither the trial nor the investigation mattered to him. He immediately started shooting because he was a man without a heart.”

After admiring this wonderful monument, we rushed towards the hill, from which there is a view of the entire city, and on which there is also a monument to Ernesto.
On the way, we saw a horse being unharnessed after a day of work, smiled at it and moved on. But the horse’s owner, following the good old tradition, offered to go for a ride. The first thing I answered was “But, gracias!”, but after 30 seconds of communication we already agreed that now we would run down the hill, and then we would still take a breeze through the city to Revolution Square, where the main Che Guevara memorial is located.

At the top of the hill there is an incomprehensible stainless steel structure on which is mounted a small relief portrait of the revolutionary. We looked around and looked at Santa Clara, immersed in the sunset rays.

We had not yet begun our descent when we noticed the horse's owner running towards us. It took about 10 minutes to get ready for the ride and we were off. The iron horseshoes slipped on the asphalt on the slopes, there was a feeling that the mare was about to fall, but, never mind, every time we successfully entered the turns. While driving through the city, my navigator announced the sunset, switching to night mode.

In the end, we agreed that they would take us to Che’s mausoleum, wait for us to walk there for 5-10 minutes, and return us to the center.

The Che Guevara Memorial was built in 1988 in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Battle of Santa Clara, which was probably when the Plaza de la Revolucion was built.

The central place in the composition of the square is occupied by a bronze sculpture of Che. No matter how romantic it is described on various websites and guidebooks, the monument is terrible. And we were once again lucky that we got here at night, when only the black silhouette of a partisan with a rifle in his hand was clearly visible.

When we tried to approach the monument, as usual, a man in military uniform jumped out of an ambush and began to tell us that everything was closed and we should come tomorrow. We can’t come tomorrow, to which the guard just threw up his hands and began to talk about the memorial - Look, he said, palm trees grow on the right and left along the square, on the left 14 and on the right 14 - a total of 28. These are the hands of Che - 14 and 14 - 28 .
- Is Che here? - we were interested.
- Yes, his ashes rest here, under the monument. Come tomorrow and see everything,” the military man insisted.

We talked, asked about something, received answers to something, learned that Guevara’s remains were buried here in 1997, but we still didn’t fully understand why 14 and 14, why palm trees, whether they symbolize Che’s severed hands or something different. And, in fact, it doesn't matter. Or rather, it is very important. It is important that the legend remains a legend. It’s just wonderful that we received a lot of new information, the essence of which we don’t understand; it’s good that we didn’t end up in the mausoleum and the museum located right there. Che is a legend, and a legend, even if you come close to it, should still be shrouded in mystery :)

About 5 minutes later we said goodbye to the guard of the comandante’s quarters, climbed into the cart and galloped to the center.

Horses are not allowed to enter the central square, so after landing near the cash register, we continued on foot. Already on the square, we asked the flower seller where we could have dinner, so she hired either an acquaintance or just a passer-by to show us the way. In Havana, they would have asked for dinner for this or demanded at least a couple of KUKs for the service, but here we were taken a couple of blocks away and wished us a bon appetit. We were at a loss and didn’t even have time to properly thank the person.

The food here was probably the cheapest of the entire trip and very tasty. And there was a lot of it. So much that even after asking the waiter to try again, we didn’t finish it.

After dinner we returned to the square. At the House of Culture we listened to some performance for pensioners and sat on a bench for half an hour, watching nothing happen around us.

In the morning we got up before dawn, had breakfast, paid for our accommodation and headed to the bus station, admiring the masterpieces of the domestic automobile industry along the way.

You won't find cars like this anywhere else in the world.

Founded in 1689, the city called Santa Clara is located in the center of Liberty Island in the province of Villa Clara. In 1958, fighting took place in these places during the Cuban Revolution. It was this city that became the final resting place for the ashes of Ernesto Che Guevara when they were brought from Bolivia in 1997. Now this city receives thousands of tourists every year, as you can see for yourself when you go on vacation to Santa Clara, Cuba. Prices, entertainment and attractions are perfect for an interesting vacation.

Keep in mind that it is better not to use credit cards in Cuba. The first thing you need to take with you is cash. It is better to keep it in euros or Canadian dollars, since American currency is not respected in Cuba. Card service here is very difficult, there are very few ATMs, and the service charge is simply extortionate.

For clothing, take light items with you. sewn from natural fabrics. For excursions, stock up on sportswear. If you're visiting Santa Clara during the rainy season, bring a light jacket. Be sure to stock up on sunscreen. After all, the sun on Liberty Island is quite aggressive. You can get severe burns even if the sun is completely hidden by clouds.

Be sure to take at least a minimum set of medications with you. Do not drink tap water, and for meals choose government restaurants or restaurants located on the hotel premises. Keep all valuables and documents in the hotel safe. So you don't have to worry about their safety.

Security for tourists in Cuba is organized quite well. But still, try not to go out into the streets at night unless absolutely necessary. Do not take photographs of military equipment, industrial facilities, or inside the Che Guevara memorial complex. Otherwise, you may be considered a spy and arrested.

Remember that smoking is very strict in Cuba, especially in public places. There aren't even cigarette vending machines. And for violating the ban there are large fines.

When thinking about the question of what to bring from your vacation, think about how you will take souvenirs from Cuba. When heading back home, pack everything you bought in your luggage. Do not carry anything that even remotely resembles a weapon in your hand luggage. Remember that Cuban customs officers can easily consider a picture frame a weapon or a wooden figurine a baton. Of course, all this will be taken away from you right at the customs inspection. Therefore, put everything in your luggage. It’s better to let something break and then fix it.

How to get to your vacation spot?

Santa Clara has an airport that accepts international flights from Toronto and Montreal. But planes from the capital of the country, Havana, do not fly here.

The city also has a train station that connects Santa Clara with many other Cuban cities. For example, trains depart from here every day to Cienfuegos, the trip will take 2.5 hours and cost 3 CUC. The journey to Bayamo takes 9.5 hours and the ticket costs 22 CUC. The journey to Camagüey will last 5 hours 35 minutes, you will pay 13 CUC for it.

In the city itself, the main means of transport are horse-drawn carts and bicycle taxis. Travel on the latter costs only 1 peso. If you want to move around with greater comfort, then rent a moped or car. There are several rental points for this in the city. You can also hire taxis that wait for their clients at the bus station. From any hotel you can call a special tourist taxi, which differs from the usual ones in having greater amenities and air conditioning.

Climate

Like the rest of Cuba, Santa Clara has a tropical climate. This means that the weather here is mostly sunny. Even during the summer months, which is Cuba's wet season, it doesn't rain all the time. At this time of year, from April to the end of October, the weather here is hot with a temperature of about +32 degrees. Then the season begins when the weather is good. It lasts from the beginning of November until the end of March. At this time, the temperature drops slightly, as does the air humidity. Then relaxing in Santa Clara is much more comfortable.

Shopping and cuisine

The city has its own pedestrian zone. It's called Boulevard and is located on Independencia. If you want to please your loved ones and friends with souvenirs, then go to La Veguita. This store sells products from the Fabrica de Tabacos Constantino Perez Carrodegua tobacco factory. Here you can buy high-quality Cuban cigars, affordable rum, and excellent Cuban coffee. The location of this outlet is directly opposite the tobacco factory.

You can taste what national Cuban food is by visiting the El Sabor Latino restaurant or the El Castillo restaurant. Tasty dishes are also served at the Paladar Bodeguita del Centro restaurant. What is worth trying in Cuba are bananas in all unimaginable forms. This fruit in Cuba is served fried, stewed, and even whipped. In addition, other fruits are also used. For the most part, they are used to prepare fruit salads and various sauces for meat and fish dishes. As for meat, the local population respects pork and chicken, but beef or lamb is used much less for cooking here.

Be sure to try the baked bananas. They are excellently prepared here and served as a snack. Cubans love to bake cod with spices. This dish is called Bacalao la Viszcaina-a. Cuban style picadillo is very tasty. It is made from ground beef or chicken with vegetables. Sometimes finely chopped banana with cheese is used as the basis for this dish.

Where to stay?

The city has a lot of hotels for a wide range of tourists. Here you can choose hotels with comfortable rooms, where, in addition to the actual accommodation, you will be offered an excellent entertainment program, good communications and complete safety. For tourists with more modest demands, there are inexpensive cash desks, where in addition to a roof over your head, the price will also include food, but nightlife in such places is completely absent and you will have to look for entertainment somewhere in the city.

Remember that in Cuba it is customary to tip maids, porters and other staff in hotels. Moreover, if you give money in front of strangers, it will be handed over to the general cash register and then divided among employees. So if you want to thank a person personally, do it in private.

What to see in Santa Clara?

There are few monuments in the city that will be of interest to children. Basically, all the attractions here are in one way or another connected with Che Guevara, the national hero of Liberty Island. Lovers of architectural monuments will appreciate the Catedral de Santa Clara de Asis. This cathedral was erected in 1923 on the site of a demolished church that was located in Vidal Park. Here you can look at very beautiful stained glass windows and a statue of the Virgin Mary.

In the same park there is a museum called Museo de Artes Decorativas. It contains objects of decorative art, as well as an interesting collection of furniture dating back to the 18th century. The museum is open during certain hours from Wednesday to Sunday. In Vidal Park there is a gazebo built back in 1991. Public concerts are constantly held here. The city's philharmonic orchestra performs weekly here, its musicians playing traditional tunes.

A few kilometers west of this park is the mausoleum of Che Guevara. It is called Monumento Ernesto Che Guevara and is a special museum complex dedicated to the hero of the Cuban revolution. The huge square is decorated with a bronze statue of Che Guevara. It was placed here in 1987, on the twentieth anniversary of the death of Che Guevara in Bolivia. Che Guevara himself and 17 of his associates found their final refuge in the mausoleum. The ashes were buried in 1997.

Walking 10 minutes from the center of Santa Clara you will reach a monument called Monumento a la Toma del Tren Blindad. This monument was erected to commemorate the most important battle for Cuban independence. It happened on December 29, 1959. On that day, Che Guevara's squad blew up an armored train. This marked the end of the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. From that time on, Fidel Castro began to rule Cuba. His reign lasted 50 years. On the territory of the museum you can see the equipment used for the operation, bulldozers, as well as wagons with exhibits. The museum's opening hours are from Tuesday to Friday.

Not every tourist knows that the local tobacco factory is one of the best in the state. It is at this factory that the famous varieties of cigars Montecristo, Romeo and Juliet and Partagas are produced. Special excursions to the factory are organized and can be booked through travel agencies. You can tour the factory daily during daylight hours.

Loma del Capiro is located in the vicinity of Santa Clara. This is a cluster of small peaks, which, oddly enough, are also associated with Che Guevara and have important historical significance. It was here that the rebel command center was established during the battle for the city. On the lowest peak of this group, a monument was erected in memory of this important event for the country. Other peaks are united by the common name “Two Sisters”. An observation deck has been built at this place, which gives you the opportunity to view stunning views of the city and surrounding area. In the area surrounding the city there are many endemic plants, as well as a tree called tamarind. His image is on the city coat of arms.

This colorful city in central Cuba is interesting for its history. Many monuments glorifying the Cuban Revolution can be found here, and Santa Clara's most famous landmark is the Che Guevara Memorial. Even at the entrance to the city you will see many posters with socialist slogans and portraits of the country's leaders from different periods.

In the city, it is worth visiting one of the best tobacco factories in Cuba, Fábrica de Tabacos. You can buy cigars at the La Veguita store opposite it.

Transport

Most people in Santa Clara travel by bicycle or horse-drawn carriage; a car is a luxury here, and in the absence of jobs, few can afford one.

There is no public transport as such. There are city buses, but they do not operate regularly and are usually packed.

How to get to/from Santa Clara

In theory, there is a bus service between the cities, but in reality the buses do not run on schedule and are often packed.

The most convenient way of transportation is a car.

Read more about renting a car in Cuba here.

You can also use taxi services. It is better if a taxi is ordered for you at the hotel.

The cost of a taxi to Havana is about $50.

Santa Clara from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Santa Clara.

The city of Santa Clara, founded in 1689, is located in central Cuba in the province of Villa Clara. In 1958, Ernesto Che Guevara led the battle for Santa Clara during the Cuban Revolution, and it was this city that became the resting place of his ashes, brought from Bolivia to Cuba in 1997.

Few people know that the Santa Clara tobacco factory is one of the best in Cuba.

How to get to Santa Clara

Santa Clara Airport accepts flights from Montreal And Toronto. But flights from the Cuban capital, Havana, are not fulfilled.

The train station located at Luis Estévez has daily trains to Cienfuegos(travel time 2 hours 30 minutes), Bayamo (9 hours 30 minutes), Camagüey(5 hours 35 minutes) and Holguin. Twice a day there is a message from Santiago de Cuba(12 hours 15 minutes). Five night trains go to Matanzas and Havana(25 CUC, 5 hours). There is also communication with Sancti Spiritus and Moron.

Prices on the page are for April 2019.

Search for flights to Havana (closest airport to Santa Clara)

Weather in Santa Clara

From April to October the temperature is maintained at +30-32 degrees, and from December to March it drops to +16-17 degrees. The greatest amount of precipitation falls from May to October.

Transport

Common means of transportation in Santa Clara are horse-drawn carriages and bicycle taxis (fare 1 CUC). At rental points Cubatur, Havanautos, Micar, Transtur you can rent mopeds and cars. Near the bus station you can hire a taxi to Remedios and Caribarien. A taxi to Havana will cost 150-200 CUC.

Shopping and cuisine

Santa Clara's pedestrian shopping area, called Boulevard, is located on Independencia. At La Veguita, the sales point of the tobacco factory Fábrica de Tabacos Constantino Pérez Carrodegua, you can buy cigars, inexpensive rum and good coffee. The store is located directly opposite the factory.

Caribbean cuisine is served at El Sabor Latino, located at Calle Esquerra no. 157, at El Castillo at 9 de Abril no. 9 and at Paladar Bodeguita del Centro at Villuendas Sur no. 264.

Entertainment and attractions in Santa Clara

The Catedral de Santa Clara de Asís was built in 1923 and replaced a demolished church located in Parque Vidal. The cathedral has beautiful stained glass windows and a statue of the Virgin Mary, known as La Virgen del Camino. In Vidal Park you can visit the Museo de Artes Decorativas, a decorative arts museum with a collection of 18th-century furniture.

2 km west of Vidal Park is Monumento Ernesto Che Guevara, a monument, mausoleum and museum complex dedicated to Che Guevara. The huge square is home to a bronze statue of Che, erected in 1987 on the 20th anniversary of his assassination in Bolivia, and crowning the mausoleum, which contains the ashes of the Cuban revolutionary and 17 of his comrades, buried here in 1997.

A 10-minute walk from the city center is the Monumento a la Toma del Tren Blindad, dedicated to one of the most important battles in Cuban history. On December 29, 1959, Che Guevara and his comrades blew up the railway tracks in order to derail an armored train. This event marked the end of the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and the beginning of the 50-year rule of Fidel Castro. In the museum you can see bulldozers that were used during the operation and wagons with exhibits.

Loma del Capiro is a group of three small peaks that have acquired important historical significance. During the Battle of Santa Clara during the Cuban Revolution, "Che" Guevara used them as a command center. On the smallest peak, Capiro Peak, at 176.6 meters high, a monument to the Battle of Santa Clara was placed. The other two peaks, 185.9 and 188.4, are called Dos Hermanas, or “two sisters.” The observation deck offers a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding area, where endemic plants and the tamarind tree, depicted on the city’s coat of arms, grow.

Events

The gazebo, built in 1991 in Vidal Park, regularly hosts public concerts, and once a week the city's Philharmonic Orchestra performs traditional music.

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