10 Suggestions where to eat
LA BERENJENA. ECO RESTAURANTE
Mariana Grajales # 1, e/ Salvador Cisneros y Rafael Trejo. Viñales
Telf.: +53 5 2549269
BAR EL MESON
Calle José Martí 205, Telf.: +53 48 752867
CAFE ORTUZAR
Calle Martí #127, e/ Colón y Calle Nueva Telf.: +53 5 3312176
CAROL Y ALE
Calle Isidro de Armas No.18 e/ Gerardo Medina e Isabel Rubio.
Telf.: +53 48 750179
EL BACANAL
Avenida Borrego | Colón y Gerardo Medina, Parque de las Esculturas, Pinar del Rio Telf.: +53 5 2935433
EL GALLAR DO
Martí 207, Frente al Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Telf.: +53 48 778492
RESTAURAN EL BARRIO 2
Calle Rafael Trejo No.42, Viñales
EL NARANJO
Geraldo Medina No. 226 Telf.: +53 48 752323
BAILO'S
Calle Martí No. 49 B, Telf.: +53 48 727966
EL PEDREGAL
Calle Azcuy No. 143, e/ Colón y Ciprian Valdés Telf.: +53 7 2737830
It is the westernmost province of Cuba and is considered a natural paradise. Its territory includes two areas declared by UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, the Sierra del Rosario and the Guanahacabibes Peninsula. Distinguished as the "Natural Cathedral of Cuba," Pinar del Río is known worldwide for the beautiful Viñales Valley and for being the land where the best tobacco in the world is grown. The province is crossed in almost all its extension by the Guaniguanico mountain range, it also offers the possibility to explore impressive cave systems and important mineral-medicinal water deposits, as well as a set of virgin keys and ideal places for diving and other water sports.
Capital: Pinar del Río
Extension: 8 884.51 km2
Municipalities: Pinar del Río, Consolación del Sur, Los Palacios, La Palma, Minas de Matahambre, Viñales, San Luis, San Juan and Martínez, Guane, Mantua and Sandino
Gentilicio: pinareño / a
Limits: It limits to the north with the Gulf of Mexico, to the east with the province of Artemisa, to the south with the Caribbean Sea, and to the west with the Yucatan Channel.
Access: The main access roads are by land; from Havana it can be reached by the National Highway. It is possible to arrive by rail, while by sea it can be accessed through the Marina Gaviota Cabo de San Antonio on the Guanahacabibes Peninsula.
PLACES OF INTEREST 1 GUANAHACABIBES NATIONAL PARK
Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Sandino
The Guanahacabibes National Park hosts the westernmost point of the Cuban territory and is one of the core areas of the Biosphere Reserve of the same name, which was declared by UNESCO in 1987, with an extension of 121,572 ha, has been named Important Area for Bird Conservation. It has about 140 archaeological sites related to the first population groups that settled in the region. Located on the southern coast of the peninsula, from Cabo Corriente to El Cajón, you will find its best sandy beaches.
Among the fauna that inhabits the park, reptiles, molluscs, mammals and an important birdlife with more than 180 reported species stand out. Perfect scenario for bird
watching, between October and November it is the ideal place to appreciate migratory species. With an extraordinary landscape, they are appreciable peculiar as the so-called balconies of Guanahacabibes, whose unique architecture has been formed by the action of the sea and the geotectonic uprising over thousands of years. With an approximate extension of 28 km, they have their greatest height, about 13 m, at the point known as Ascent of the Rock, also can be seen in these formations’ grottos and long hanging.
The marine area protects one of the best-preserved coral reef ecosystems in the country and the most diverse in the Caribbean. The seabed that surrounds the south of the peninsula is notable for the beauty of its corals and the lush underwater life. It constitutes an important nesting site for four species of sea turtles. Fishing activity is prohibited on most of its coasts. Recently a special infrastructure for the exploitation of ecological tourism has been developed.
RONCALI LIGHTHOUSE
Located in the Cabo de San Antonio, it marks the westernmost point of the
Island and as a silent witness of shipwrecks and corsair and pirate attacks, it guides ships sailing in Cuban waters just outside the Yucatan Peninsula. Legend has it that before its construction in this place there was a lush and gigantic tree that served as a reference to sailors, but that on stormy days and at night it could not be seen clearly, and due to being the area one of the places of greater maritime traffic to the continent, the countries that made the most use of this route made the request to the colonial government to begin the construction of the lighthouse, so that on May 17, 1846 the first stone was laid, finishing the work in 1849. The Roncali Lighthouse has a height of more than 25 meters above sea level, its construction was carried out with slave labor under the direction of a group of engineers from the Spanish Fire Department. The cost of the work was 2000 pesos and in the beginning its light originated from the combustion of olive oil. Currently its ray of light can be seen at a distance of 30 km with a frequency of two flashes every 10 seconds, which owes its power to the existence of a
lantern with a set of lenses and prisms of French origin, operated by a clockwork mechanism that expands its flash This area is known for the impressive terrestrial and underwater landscapes that surround it where diving enthusiasts can appreciate the wrecks turned into a refuge for marine fauna as well as an impressive coral reef where black coral abounds.
2 MARINA CABO DE SAN ANTONIO
Telph. 48 75 0118
It is located at the westernmost end of the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, just 7 km from the Roncali Lighthouse. Surrounded by the sea and the forest, it is in an area known as Los Morros de Piedra. Suitable for fishing, diving and yacht navigation, it is ideal for refueling and supplying food, due to its exceptional geographical position, facing the Gulf of Mexico, it is widely visited by sea traffic. The marina provides easy access to 27 dive sites, as well as the Villa Cabo de San Antonio for accommodation.
PLAYA LAS TUMBAS
Small idyllic beach bordered by the cape, which after 3 km ends at a small jetty known as the marina. It owns the ecohotel Villa Cabo San Antonio (Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Sandino / Telph. 48 75 7655/56) in Punta Cajón. Its funds are ideal for sport fishing and diving.
CUEVA LA SORDA
Labyrinthine active cave system that can be traveled with the assistance of expert guides in caving.
3 PLAYA MARÍA LA GORDA
Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Sandino
Dazzle by the richness and great beauty of its seabed. It owes its name to the legend of María la Gorda who along with other women was abandoned by pirates in the area. Over the years and a few extra pounds, Maria became the owner of a famous brothel.
Ideal place for rest and professional diving, it has the Maria la Gorda International Diving Center (Telph. 48 77 8131), with equipment rental
services and professional advice. Its backgrounds offer spectacular contrasts of color and transparency, ideal for the practice of underwater photography. The wreck of a Spanish galleon is located 200 meters from the beach. Commonly in the area it is possible to observe gigantic whale sharks. With more than 50 dive sites identified, diving enthusiasts can visit the so-called Black Coral Valley, a colony over 100 meters long of black coral; as well as the Hall of Mary, a cavern that is 20 meters deep where colorful corals and other underwater species can be seen.
HIKING AND BIRD WATCHING ECOLOGICAL STATION
(Telf. 48 75 0366)
It offers hiking, bird watching tours and a safari to the Cape of San Antonio, which in summer includes the observation of turtle nesting. The station has a 3-D map, as well as information on local ecology.
FOREST PATH TO THE SEA
Approximately 1.5 km long, starting from the Ecological Station towards the sea, includes specialized guides. It encloses a cave with a cenote of spectacular waters for swimming.
LAS PERLAS CAVE TRAIL
Route of approximately 1.5 km through the cave system of the same name.
THE TREASURE OF MARY TRAIL
Approximately 4 hours tour around María La Gorda.
4 SABANALAMAR
Natural refuge of flora and fauna located 60 km west of Pinar del Río, in the southern plain of the region. The only ecosystem where visitors can enjoy various attractions such as walking the White Sands Trail, visiting the crocodile
farm, observing more than 105 species of birds such as the Cartacuba, the Tocororo, colonies of pigeons of different species and woodpeckers.
5 VUELTA ABAJO THE TOBACCO ROUTE.
The region of Vuelta Abajo, whose center is the town of San Juan and Martínez, is located around 15 km southwest of the city of Pinar del Río. It has an excellent combination of climate, land and sun, which make the tobacco grown there is considered the best in the world. Cenca of 6,500 hectares of land are dedicated exclusively to the cultivation of tobacco and are known as vegas. It is possible to visit in the region farms dedicated to this crop such as Finca El Pinar San Luis which, for six generations, since 1845, has belonged to the family of the famous veguero Alejandro Robaina; as well as nurseries and destemming and picking of the leaf.
6 PINAR DEL RÍO CITY
Founded in 1699, it received the official title of city in 1867.
Its Urban Historic Center is characterized by a great diversity of architectural styles and the beauty and neatness of its streets.
SANDALIO DE NODA NATURAL SCIENCES MUSEUM, GUASH PALACE
Martí Este No. 202, esq. Comandante Pinares Ave. Telph. 48 77 9483
It shows the natural history of the province. Among its main pieces it has dinosaur fossils including a Tyrannosaurus rex and a Megalocnus rodens, a species of extinct giant rodent that inhabited the region thousands of years ago. The museum is located in the ornate building known as Guash Palace, built in 1914 by the Spanish doctor Francisco Guash, who recreated elements of different artistic and architectural styles appreciated in his Travels. Thus, the colonnade that supports the entrance is composed of Athenian columns adorned with Egyptian motifs. While Gothic faucets and gargoyles adorn the facade.
JOSÉ JACINTO MILANÉS THEATER
José Martí Street No. 60, between Recreo and Colón
Telph. 48 75 3871
On November 28, 1898 he took his current name in honor of the Matanzas poet José Jacinto Milanés. Formerly called Teatro Lope de Vega, it is a jewel of the late neoclassical architecture of the region. It was recently opened after several years of restoration. Important personalities of Cuban and international culture have appeared on their stage.
PROVINCIAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Martí Este No. 58, between Colón and Isabel Rubio
Telph. 48 75 4300
Site of forced visit to know the history of the city. It hosts important documents from the region from pre-columbian times to the present. It opened its doors as a museum on December 14, 1979 with an exhibition hall, extending its collection, two years later, until it reached another five rooms. The building it occupies was built in 1874 in neoclassical style. It has a wide corridor supported by high columns and delimited by a beautiful wall. Its spacious interior rooms and corridors line the majestic rectangular interior courtyard, characteristic of the region's architecture.
PINAR DEL RÍO ART MUSEUM
Martí West Street No. 9, Telph. 48 76 4271
It hosts discrete collections of local art. Its spaces function as temporary exhibition halls where you can appreciate the talent of the artists of the city and its surroundings.
CASA GARAY BEVERAGE FACTORY
Isabel Rubio sur No. 189, between Ceferino Fernández and Frank País
Telph. 48 75 2966
The factory processes and produces the delicious and aromatic Guayabita del Pinar drink, industrialized and marketed since 1892. Identity stamp of the province, which combines the best of the Spanish liquor traditions and the delights of a wild fruit endemic to the territory, Psidium guayabita. Unique of its kind in the world, this drink maintains the authenticity, quality, demand and exclusivity,
as well as its traditional traditions of packaging, capping, labeling and packaging.
FRANCISCO DONATIÉN TOBACCO FACTORY
Antonio Maceo West Street No. 157, esq. Set
Telph. 48 77 3069
Located in one of the emblematic constructions of the 19th century architecture of Pinar del Rio. The building, built in 1833, houses an important tobacco factory where the worldfamous Habanos are produced, using traditional methods that are several centuries old. At the entrance of the property, the visitor can find a varied assortment of the best vitolas and different brands in the House of Habano Back Down.
SAN ROSENDO CATHEDRAL
Maceo Este No. 3, between Gerardo Medina and Isabel Rubio The Cathedral of San Rosendo is an austere and little visited temple of Pinar del Río, but it is still interesting. The architecture of this eclectic temple consists of three naves, where the central nave is wider than the lateral ones. His style is closer to the neoclassical, although with some baroque touches. The images of San Pedro and San Pablo, made in stone and brought from Spain, are shown on the facade. In the garden of the entrance there is an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Inside, it presents canvases with images of the Christ of Pinar del Río and San Rosendo, San José, La Virgen de la Caridad and la Virgen Dolorosa.
7 VIÑALES VALLEY AND NATIONAL PARK
It is located in the Sierra de los Órganos, exactly in the mountainous group of the Guaniguanico Mountain Range. It is a protected area distinguished by the presence of mogotes, mountainous flat-top formations, unique on the Island. It is considered by experts as the most spectacular landscape in Cuba, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the category of Cultural Landscape, In the year 1999.
In December 2019, on the 20th anniversary of its declaration as a World Heritage Site, there are more and more visitors who come there attracted by the beauty of its landscapes and the hospitality of the locals. The contemplation of the valleys between mountains of capricious figures is one of the main charms of this land. Each site in this area is a mystery that visitors prefer to discover through the many entertainment and relaxation options that the valley offers, such as hiking, canopy, tours through the most intricate of our nature on Quads motorcycles, as well as for the lovers and the caving that can be found in Viñales the capital of Cuban carso with the most extensive cave systems in the country.
In the Viñales area, 47 archaeological sites are known, 19 of them are related to pre-hispanic Aboriginal communities, where evidence of their funeral customs can be seen. While the remaining 28 are related to the presence in the area of African Maroon slaves. The small town of Viñales, located 26 km north of Pinar del Río, was founded in 1875 and is characterized by its linear streets lined by houses with wide and ventilated portals with comfortable armchairs, and by the courtesy and hospitality of its people. Among the places of interest of the small town are:
HOTEL LOS JAZMINES
Road to Viñales, km 23, Viñales Telph. 48 79 6205 Considered for its location and excellent views, one of the best accommodations in Cuba, 4 km from the town of Viñales, is a site of incessant traffic between the valley and the provincial capital. With 48 modern and comfortable rooms it offers a quality service to visitors. 16 of its rooms have excellent views which makes these the most demanded of the hotel as well as providing a pleasant feeling of privacy. The hotel has an impressive viewpoint from where you can see the best views of the valley, as well as from the pool area, due to which it receives dozens of visitors daily. In the hotel you can book excursions and walks, as well as horseback riding.
MAIN SQUARE OF VIÑALES
Salvador Cisneros and Ceferino Fernández
Ideal place for relaxation and enjoyment of cultural activities, it is surrounded by royal palms
and has a bust of Martí, National Hero of Cuba. The main buildings around it are, the small Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, built in 1883, the House of Culture with its Art Gallery, which hosts cultural events and samples of local crafts, and a Cultural Center that pays tribute to the Polo Montañez musician.
ADELA AZCUY MUNICIPAL MUSEUM
Salvador Cisneros No. 76, Viñales
Telph. 48 79 3395 Recently reopened, it has an interesting collection that recreates the history of the region. It is named after Adela Azcuy Labrador, local heroine of the wars of independence.
BOTANICAL GARDEN OF VIÑALES
Salvador Cisneros No. 5, Viñales Telph. 48 79 6274 Composed of 0.8 hectares populated with fruit trees, ornamental, medicinal plants, endemic species and orchids, it has a total of 189 species of plants.
MALAGONES MUSEUM
Pons Road, km 25, Viñales Telph. 48 68 1214
Inaugurated in 1999, it has a monument that recalls the feat of the 12 Malagons, twelve evolutionary fighters who eliminated the counterrevolutionary gangs that operated in the mountains of the area in 1959. The monument is a tribute to the Cuban militias.
8 GREAT CAVERN OF SANTO TOMÁS
Pons Road, km 17, Viñales Telph. 48 68 1214
Located 18 km from the town of Viñales, it is considered the most important cave system in Cuba and one of the largest in Latin America. It has more than 46 km of galleries originated by the action of groundwater and 8 levels still under study. For its great natural value, it was declared a National Monument. Destination of special interest for lovers of adventure and caving, it has specialized tours with the services of guides and rental of the necessary equipment for the visit to its different caverns, which also includes entrance to the viewpoint of Los Jazmines from where you can see one of the best views of the valley and the Prehistory Mural.
CANOPY TOUR
Road to Moncada, El Fortín hill, Viñales
Located 7 km from the town of Viñales, it is surrounded by a natural environment of high landscape value. With a route of around 1100 m, divided into 4 stages, it offers an unparalleled experience, which allows you to enjoy from the top part of the beauties of the impressive Viñales Valley.
PREHISTORY MURAL
Pons Road, km 4, Dos Hermanas Valley, Viñales
Telph. 48 79 6260
Located in the Dos Hermanas Valley, it was painted on one side of the Mogote Pita by Leovigildo González, who was Director of Cartography of the Academy of Sciences of Cuba, with the help of 25 local farmers. With 120 m high and 260 m long, it represents the evolutionary process of different species, from mollusks, dinosaurs, and mammals, to reach the first settlers of the valley, aboriginal groups known as guanahatabeyes.
MUSEUM OF PREHISTORY
Pons Road, km 3, Viñales Telph. 48 79 3223 Located in the Dos Hermanas Campismo, just in front of the entrance of the mural, it shows pre-hispanic pieces and extinct species that inhabited this area, discovered and described by Antonio Núñez Jiménez in his research.
AQUATIC COMMUNITY
Penance, Sierra del Infierno, Viñales
Small resident community since 1943 in the Sierra del Infierno. Its inhabitants, inspired by the philosophy of the healer Antoñica Izquierdo, profess a deep faith in the healing power of water. Due to their belief, they do not participate in any political activity, they refuse to carry official identity documents and to cure their ailments they only use water. The difficult access to the settlement of their community and their simple ways of life make them a curiosity for Viñales visitors who wish to appreciate the beauty of these virgin lands that can be reached on foot or on horseback.
CAVE OF JOSÉ MIGUEL AND PALENQUE DE LOS CIMARRONES
Road to Puerto Esperanz, km 34, Viñales
Telph. 48 79 6290
This cavern is located in an excavation east of the Sierra de Viñales. Recreate a settlement
of slaves who fled from their masters to the mountains and found refuge there. Visitors can enjoy folk performances from Afro-cuban cultures. The site is widely known as the Cave of José Miguel since the visit by the former President of the Republic José Miguel Gómez. Visitors can enjoy a walk through the interior of the cavern, which ends with a visit to a restaurant specializing in local flavors, El Palenque de los Cimarrones.
VIÑALES CAVE
Located 1 km south of the Indian Cave. Its entrance has been converted into an attractive restaurant bar that acts as a night center at night. Inside, a natural tunnel communicates with the entrance of another cave.
9 INDIAN CAVE
Road to Puerto Esperanza, km 33, Viñales
Telph. 48 79 6280
Located approximately 5.5 km north of the town of Viñales, it was named in this way by the aboriginal remains found inside. It reaches 300 m wide. In its interior runs the underground river San Vicente, which can be traveled by boat. The walk allows you to appreciate the interesting formations of stalactites and stalagmites, as well as paintings and carvings made by the aborigines.
RANCHO SAN VICENTE HOTEL
Puerto Esperanza road, km 33 ½, Viñales
Telph. 48 79 6110
Located 7 km north of the town of Viñales and 1 km from the Cueva del Indio, it is built on an elevation with excellent views. Its comfortable wooden cabins are the best lodging options for lovers of country life, which adorned by large porches and glass windows allow to appreciate the natural wealth of the exterior with more than 50 species of endemic and migratory birds, making this the Ideal place for bird watching lovers.
SAN DIEGO DE LOS BAÑOS
San Diego de los Baños is located on the banks of the San
Diego River, 60 km east of Pinar del Río. Its mineral-medicinal waters were discovered in the 17th century. With a constant temperature between 37 ° C and 40 ° C, they are ideal for treatments against rheumatism, skin conditions, among other diseases.
The town has the Mirador Hotel
San Diego (Calle 23 Final, San Diego, Los Palacios / Telph. 48 77 8338), in addition to the San Diego Spa (Telph. 48 54 8812) with underground swimming pools for medicinal baths, ideal places for thermal and nature tourism.
10 LA GÜIRA NATIONAL PARK
It covers 21,853.8 hectares of virgin nature on the highest peaks of the Sierra de los Organs 5 km from San Diego de Los Baños. A large part of the park occupies the land of the former estate of the large estate owner José Manuel Cortina, the largest in Pinar del Río and one of the largest in the country. It was built between the 20s and 30s of the last centuries as a large sculptural park where you can see artificial ruins and eccentric constructions like a Chinese pavilion. After the Triumph of the Revolution, the nationalized lands were converted into a nature reserve, which is used in the practice of ecological tourism where there are restaurants and cabins for accommodation.
11 CAVE OF THE PORTALS
It is located in the mountains of La Güira National Park and houses inside the San Diego River. In this place the Che established the command of the army of the region during the October Crisis in 1962. Currently 4 km of its galleries and equal number of levels have been studied, it was declared a National Monument in 1978. It has the Los Cuevas Base de Campismo Portals (Telph. 48 63 6749) to which visitors can arrive on their own transport and rent rustic cabins and tents. His small museum treasures some of the objects used by Che during his stay in the area as his field bed.
KEYS OF THE LOS COLORADOS ARCHIPELAGO
Cayo Paraíso (Cayo Mégano de Casiguas)
First of the keys of the Los Colorados Archipelago, it has
sensational seabed for diving. Ernest Hemingway had special attachment to these beaches. It is only possible to reach it by boat. It has superb corals and 8 m deep you can explore the remains of a sunken sailboat. Hemingway's presence is remembered with a discreet monument next to a small wooden pier.
13 CAYO LEVISA
With crystal clear waters, it has an impressive coral reef and more than 3 km of beach where it is possible to enjoy nautical activities such as catamaran or kayak rentals, coral reef diving, day and night diving, as well as diving courses, and trips around the estuaries of Levisa.
CAYO JUTÍAS
It is connected to the Island by a footbridge, and has a lighthouse among its main attractions.
It is characterized by the rich biodiversity of its mangroves, which contributes to the stability of the key ecosystems. On the south coast it has ideal waters for water sports such as diving and fishing.