t Baracoa Bay, overlooked by the distinctive El Yunque mountain

Experience Eastern Cuba

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In Baracoa’s main square, overlooked by the cathedral, is a famous bust of the Indian leader Hatuey. Nearby are both the Fondo de Bienes Culturales, which exhibits works by local painters, sculptors and craftsmen, and the Casa de la Cultura, an eclectic building with colonial elements that hosts evening performances and events.

At No 123 Calle Maceo is the Casa del Chocolate, which serves excellent hot chocolate. Baracoa cocoa is famous throughout Cuba.

This modest cathedral, built in 1807, is most famous as the home of the Cruz de la Parra, a wooden cross that is said to be the oldest symbol of Christianity in the New World. According to legend, the cross was brought to Cuba by Columbus, and in 1492 it was placed here. It earned its name because the cross disappeared one day and was then found under a climbing vine (parra). The tips of the cross are covered with metal sheets, because worshippers used to pull off splinters and keep them as relics. Scientific analysis proves the cross is some 500 years old, but the discovery that it is made from indigenous Cuban wood disproves the legendary connection to Columbus.

This small museum, which provides an interesting overview of local history, is housed in a military fortress built during the colonial period to defend the city from pirates in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The displays start with archaeological finds of the Pre-Columbian era, and are followed by documents, maps, paintings and prints related to Spanish domination, pirates, slaves and the plantations.

The museum is also a historical and geographical research centre and fosters initiatives to preserve and develop local culture; city tours are available from here.

Great View

Va-Va-View

The best view of the town is seen from the terrace of the Hotel el Castillo, which occupies an 18th-century fortress. From here you can see all of the bay of Baracoa, dominated to the west by El Yunque mountain.

The ideal place for a gentle afternoon stroll, the Malecón is the seafront that connects the two 18th-century forts in Baracoa: Fuerte Matachín to the east, and Fuerte de la Punta to the west.

On Saturdays a bustling food market takes over the Malecón in the morning, and in the evening the road is prepared for the lively noche baracoesa – “Baracoan night”. During this lively folk festival, people gather here to eat, drink and dance along the seafront.

The Pre-Columbian history of Baracoa is best explored in this fascinating museum set in a series of caves. The Taíno Indians once used these caves for ceremonies and as funeral chambers. Some of the original archaeological finds are on display, including 3,000-year-old petroglyphs, skeletons and esferolitas. These burial rite stones, which are carved into spheres, were used to indicate a person’s age and social standing. Replicas of relics and models complete the display. The caves are hidden in the lush vegetation of Loma Paraíso. This hill is also known for its views of the town and the bay.

Experience Eastern Cuba