Exploring Cienfuegos: A Vibrant City with French and Spanish Influences
March 30, 2023
Upon arriving in Cienfuegos, we were struck by the city’s affluence compared to the other places we had visited. Wide avenues were lined with majestic, colourful buildings. Cienfuegos is a vibrant city with French and Spanish influences.
Our colectivo taxi dropped us off at the casa we had booked, but the landlady had to relocate us due to a broken pipe in her home. We were warned to be cautious of scams, where Cubans wait for tourists and claim that their booked casa is under refurbishment before leading them to a more run-down casa. However, in our case, the landlady herself came down and waited until we were picked up by the owner of the other casa. Although the new casa may have been of a lower standard, we didn’t make a fuss about the difference in price. After settling in, we decided to go for a coffee.
For the first time since we arrived in Cuba, we found a little place that served sweet baked goods like biscuits and cakes. After enjoying a cup of coffee, small muffins, and a biscuit, we set out to explore Cienfuegos.
The pavements and roads in Cienfuegos were in a better state than in the towns we had previously visited, and the buildings were colourful and well-maintained. We first visited the Palacio Ferrer, which housed a large collection of expensive furnishings. The rooftop terrace with a tower and spiral staircase offered a stunning view of the city.
We also visited the La Union Hotel, which had been carefully refurbished to its old glory, as recommended by the Lonely Planet guide. We were warmly welcomed and allowed to visit the various communal spaces in the building, including the terrace bar. Despite it being high season, the bar was completely empty.
We then took a walk towards the Malecón, where we caught a small motorised tricycle taxi to the Punta Gorda area. It was worth the short journey, even if it was just to visit the Palacio de Valle, an incredible restaurant bar with Moorish features. There was a small fee to visit the palace, but this included a drink at the bar terrace.
On our second day in Cienfuegos, we decided to take it easy and first visit the oldest cemetery in Cuba, the Cimenterio La Reina. One part had been beautifully renovated, while a separate area had been left in ruin.
After our visit to the cemetery, we walked back into the center and tried to find transport to get to the Castillo de Jagua. We discovered that the ferry from Cienfuegos had not operated for over four months. Someone recommended asking at the La Union Hotel to organise a taxi. The manager and his colleagues arranged transport for us, even though we were not staying with them.
The taxi dropped us off at a boat dock, where we waited for a small private boat to pick us up, as the official boat for tourists was not running either. A small motor boat picked us up and, for a fee of 50 Cuban Pesos per person, dropped us on the other side of the bay. The trip to the castle was truly worth it. There was a very good museum in the castle, and the local guide took us through the various rooms. On the way back, we caught a rowing boat, which was twice the fee, and returned to our taxi, which brought us back to our casa particular.
