As in all countries there is a healthy rivalry between the two largest cities. The big capital of Havana and the smaller Santiago. Many tourists fall for the charm of Santiago and we highly recommend you to visit this special city. Santiago de Cuba is situated in the hottest part of Cuba. Santiago used to be an important center for Slave trade during its colonial days. As such it’s also the most mulato city of Cuba and its African roots are clearly visible.
Santiago is the cradle of almost all the music genres of Cuba. With its many music and concert halls you won’t have to do a lot of effort to find some of the greatest artists of the nation or even the world. There is a particularly pleasant atmosphere that goes around the streets of Santiago and you could spend days here strolling around its narrow and winding streets admiring the lovely and diverse architecture. Besides, there’s always something going on at night. If you need to practice in advance take a salsa dance lesson during the day or learn how to play the conga’s.
There are some great sights in the near surroundings such as the San Pedro de la Roca del Morro or the Ruins of French coffee plantations in the mountains east of the city. Both are Unesco world heritage.
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