Villa Clara, Cuba
Tourism Information
Right at the very center of the island, 300 kilometers
from Havana, you will find Santa Clara, a modern city of
science and industry. Founded in 1689 by residents of a
coastal village who had fled from pirate attacks, Santa
Clara has integrated its proud traditions into tourist
developments.
You can hunt and fish nearby, then visit the only square in
the country that features two churches and an image of a
pregnant Immaculada Concepción. Also close at hand is
Caibarién, a fishing town connected to various keys by means
of a charmingly rural road network. The list of attractions
is made complete by the presence of Hanabanilla—an
artificial lake surrounded by mountains—and its waterfall.
Moreover, those interested in health tourism will be able to
bathe in the medicinal mineral waters of Elguera, where a
modern facility offers a wide range of therapeutic services,
such as thermal baths, mud therapy, therapeutic massage,
heliotherapy, kinetic therapy, electrotherapy, a
therapeutical gym, and anti-stress treatments.
Villa Clara is also the home of the Mejunje, a cultural and
sports center bar where all kinds of events are held:
traditional music, theater, rock music, children's plays,
movies and exhibits of graphic arts.
One of the towns in this central province is Remedios,
originally one of eight villages founded by the Spaniards on
the island. Remedios is famous for its annual parrandas,
attended by the whole population, which gathers to celebrate
by forming two teams of friendly rivals.
This traditional celebration, created in 1870 by a handful
of Spanish businessmen, today reflects the influence of the
different cultures brought together as Cuban culture
evolved. African people, for instance, contributed the
rhythm of their music while the Chinese provided the
fireworks. Current investment is targeted to support the
development of tourism in the keys, those nearby islets that
feature a plethora of unspoiled beaches bathed by clear
waters. The first steps toward building up tourism of this
kind have already been taken on the Las Brujas and Santa
María keys.