Bay of Pigs, Cienfuegos and Trinidad
It was a long day, but it was an amazing day. If you’re in good company and love exploring as mush as possible when traveling, I recommend a day trip to Bay of Pigs, Cienfuegos and Trinidad. Of course, this is only possible if you get a driver, the bus will only get you to one of these places in a day.
Bay of Pigs
No, there isn’t that much to do in Bay of Pigs, but that’s also the beauty of it. It’s an amazing area, so peaceful. It’s far from the rest of the hoards of tourists so you’ll be able to enjoy the beautiful Caribbean island in peace. There are beaches and several places to go snorkeling and diving. I also recommend the museum, where you can learn about the failed attempt by the U.S troops to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro. It’s only in Spanish, but it’s worth the money no matter the Spanish skills. And of course, the area has amazing local food, what else do you need?
Cienfuegos
This beautiful city is on the UNESCO World Heritage list for its example of early 19th century Spanish Enlightenment implementation in urban planning. The stunning architecture, the chill vibe is really an excuse to fit this city into your itinerary. To be honest, I didn’t find that many things to do there, but just sitting on a bench in Parque Jose Marti, observing the life of the city is a must to if you visit. We did walk around a bit and there’s quite big contrast in this city. One street is modern, clean and charming, looking like they painted the buildings last week and the next street over looks like it should have been renovated last decade, but it’s a charm to it. I did enjoy the differences the city had to offer.
Trinidad
I thought Trinidad had so much to offer. If I had planned more time in Cuba, I definitely would have spent a night or two in Trinidad. This place is the most charming city I visited in Cuba, with brightly colored buildings and cobblestone streets. It stands out, compared to the other cities in the northern area of Cuba. The city is so neat, and as a tourist, you can walk and explore in peace. Trinidad is also on the UNESCO World Heritage list, which for me just underline the must of having this town on your itinerary.
Before exploring the town, we started out at a zip-lining place in the area. It was placed up on a hill, with an amazing view over a valley. It was fun to fly over this beautiful valley with green fields and hundreds of banana plants surrounding the fields. The scenery was gorgeous. The cost was only 10 CUC and we got to ride four different distances. Really recommend this if you want to add an activity to the itinerary. After getting some wind in our hair, we went to the city of Trinidad.
After exploring the beautiful streets of Trinidad and feeling the neat vibe of this colonial town, we headed out to a beach nearby. Truly a beautiful beach where we enjoyed the sunset, but it would have been amazing to stay here for a day, enjoying the sun and the crystal clear Caribbean Sea. If you’ll stay in the area for a couple of days, there is also possible to visit the Topes de Collantes Natural Park, where there are several hiking opportunities and waterfalls to explore. As I’ve already said, Trinidad has a lot to offer. I loved this place.
