Baracoa
Villa Clara
Santa Clara, 300 km east of Havana, is the provincial capital of Villa Clara. The city was established in 1689 when residents of the neighboring town of Remedios got tired of constant pirate raids and moved inland. The city is mostly known by its recent revolutionary history. On December 30, 1958, Che Guevara’s rebel troops attacked the town and derailed a military train from dictator Batista’s army carrying reinforcements and U.S. weapons to Oriente to stop the Rebel Army. The battle of Santa Clara was decisive for the triumph of the Rebel Army over U.S-backed Batista’s army. Just two days after the beginning of the battle, on New Year’s Eve, the dictator fled the island. The Revolution Square commemorates the battle and contains a museum that shows the deeds of Che Guevara. In October of 1997, Che’s remains were laid to rest in a mausoleum of stone floor, hardwood ceiling and granite walls adjacent to the museum. The city’s best architecture is near or on Parque Vidal. Just 45 km northeast of Santa Clara is one of the most beautiful little towns in Cuba, with its own Spanish charm, Remedios is well preserved and one of the oldest Cuban towns, founded in 1514. Remedios is mainly known in Cuba because of the popular annual festivity held around Christmas and called parrandas, where the two neighborhoods of the city compete with each other to carry out the most elaborate parade of floats and most impressive fireworks. Driving up north, you find a gorgeous marine landscape. A causeway takes you from cay to cay for 50 km ending at Cayo Santa Maria, on which new beach resorts and facilities have been built along the 11 km of beaches. Also the neighboring Cayo Las Brujas and Cayo Ensenachos offer the visitors hotels and beautiful white sand beaches.
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