2022 04 24 CUBA - CIENFUEGOS

Cienfuegos, the Pearl of the South of Cuba with its maritime environment and natural sites preserves one of the most homogeneous urban centers in Cuba. It is full of classical facades and slender columns that provide an atmosphere reminiscent of 19th-century France, which inspired it. In fact, the city was founded in 1819 by a French emigrant, don Luis D'Clouet. Cienfuegos is known as the "Pearl of the South of Cuba" and not a surprise, since this small city has managed to seduce travelers from all over the world. Travellers come to see the elegant mix of its cultivated French spirit and its affable Caribbean style. In the bay itself you can read a sign that says "The city I like best", quoting the words of the famous singer Benny Moré. Cienfuegos is a colorful city where the emerald green of its leafy lands and the turquoise blue of its waters stand out. The province is full of small coves, caves and coral reefs; but its main attraction is really inland, in the waterfalls of El Nicho, a lush natural enclave located in the Sierra de Escambray, within the Parque Natural Topes de Collantes. Cienfuegos City can be divided into two distinct areas: the central area, where the Prado and Parque Martí are located; and Punta Gorda, a small territory that cuts across the bay and is home to numerous eclectic palaces dating from the early 20th century. The most fascinating points of interest in the central area are the Parque José Martí, the Paseo del Prado, the Arco del Triunfo, the Catedral de la Purísima Concepción (Cathedral), the Teatro Tomás Terry (Theatre), the Palacio de Gobierno, the Museo de Locomotivas, the Malecón de Cienfuegos, the statue of Benny Moré and many more. While in the area of Punta Gorda stand out: the Palacio Azul, the Club Cienfuegos, the Parque de Esculturas and the Palacio de Valle. A little further away is the monumental Necrópolis Tomás Acea.