Trinidad (Cuba)

Trinidad (sometimes called Trinidad de Cuba) is a city in Central Cuba. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand
As a UNESCO World Heritage, Trinidad is a must see on your trip to Cuba offering a beautiful and mostly preserved old town.

By taxi or colectivo
You can also get in and out quicker by taxi, specifically, colectivos at about the same price as a Viazul bus ticket. When going to Havana this is also more convenient, as you will not be dropped off at the Viazul station, but will instead be driven to the desired location. Drivers can be found at the central bus station or around the. If you organize your transport at least a day in advance, the driver will pick you up at the desired time at your hotel or casa. In April 2022 the cost of a colectivo (airconditioned minivan for 7 passengers and driver -- they are always full) from Havana to Trindidad is 35 euros or 40 dollars per person.

By train
Trinidad has not been connected to the rest of Cuba by train since a hurricane destroyed an essential bridge in 1992. There is a local train running to the Valle de los Ingenios from the. In April 2022 the train is not running because the locomotive is broken and pending repairs. The man guarding the engines in the depot across the road from the station will give you a short tour if you wish.

Get around
Street names may be difficult to find, although the town is very small. Offline GPS maps are useful, but if you ask around, people are helpful. Adding to the confusion, almost all streets carry two names an old and a new one. The central part of the town is small enough to explore on foot. The old city is centered around The streets are cobble stones, very irregular and walking could be difficult for older folks. Wear runners for sure. Do not even think about wearing high heels. Your ankles will pay.

Do

 * Take cheap, private and professional Salsa lessons for men or women. Many people will offer dancing classes. Have a peek to see what you’re getting into. (Senora Misladis, tel. 99-4493 has a private studio in her home).
 * Take cheap, private and professional Salsa lessons for men or women. Many people will offer dancing classes. Have a peek to see what you’re getting into. (Senora Misladis, tel. 99-4493 has a private studio in her home).
 * Take cheap, private and professional Salsa lessons for men or women. Many people will offer dancing classes. Have a peek to see what you’re getting into. (Senora Misladis, tel. 99-4493 has a private studio in her home).
 * Take cheap, private and professional Salsa lessons for men or women. Many people will offer dancing classes. Have a peek to see what you’re getting into. (Senora Misladis, tel. 99-4493 has a private studio in her home).

Learn
If you want to learn Spanish during your stay in Trinidad you can take an Intensive Spanish course from one week up to four weeks. The classes are held 4 hr per day and give you the opportunity to improve your Spanish quickly during a short time period.

Buy
There are several convenience stores in town. In contrast to other places in Cuba, the 5-l water canister costs CUC3 instead of CUC1.90.

Budget
There are several 'so called' peso pizza establishments in the town which allow tourists to purchase Pizza for the national peso price. This usually works out at around CUP5-10. This is a good idea for travelers on a budget. One of the biggest places in Trinidad is situated on the corner of Frank Pais and Francisco Javier.

Mid-range
Many casa particulares offer dinner, typically for around CUC10 per person. If you did not yet try local food, these usually authentic dishes are very well prepared and well worth checking out. However, Trinidad also has a good variety of restaurants and some serve food that’s hard to come by elsewhere. Note that the restaurants listed in guide books are typically well visited, so you may have to queue for a seat when coming between 19:00-22:00.

When wandering around the city, touts may offer to guide you to a restaurant. If that happens, kindly refuse their service or be prepared to have their commission added to the bill.

Highlights include:

Drink
In the square at night, there are often events and there is a very good club open until the early hours.

It is a lovely town with amazing visitors and inhabitants, and small enough for you to wander and choose your drinking hole. The Mojito's and rum cocktails are great.


 * Casa de la Musica – There are two bars in the main Trinidad square and there is live music from 21:00 till late. There is lots of dancing and reasonably priced cocktails.



There are also places where the locals hang-out and which serve quite decent beer at a very reasonable price. These places usually serve draught beer and stay open just as long as there is beer to serve. When the beer from one place has been drunk, then it's off to the next place or not. Many of the locals drink their beer outside on the street and Trinidad is so small so these places are easy to spot.

Sleep


There are many casas particulares in Trinidad. It is an excellent way to meet the people of Trinidad and see how many live.



Go next

 * Before going back to Havana, make a stop at Cienfuegos or enjoy some beach or diving time at Playa Giron or Playa Larga.
 * La Boca or the nearby Playa Ancon make for a nice day trip
 * Nearby destinations also include Santa Clara and Sancti Spíritus