Things to do in Pinar Del Río
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Fábrica de Tabacos Francisco Donatien
You can observe people busily rolling cigars at the Fábrica de Tabacos Francisco Donatien. Until 1961 this building was a jail, but now it’s tobacco central on the tourist circuit. Smaller than the Partagás factory in Havana, you get a more intimate insight here, though the foibles are the same – robotic guides, rushed tours and the nagging notion that it’s all a bit voyeuristic.
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La Casona
Hard to believe, but this is Pinar’s best government-run restaurant outside Rumayor. Encouragingly there are tablecloths and wine glasses, along with steak, chicken and pasta on the menu, but positioned unstrategically on the town’s busiest nexus the hissing hustlers are never far away. Get a seat away from the door.
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Catedral de San Rosendo
Pinar del Río’s understated Catedral de San Rosendo dates from 1883 and its pastel-yellow exterior seems to get a more regular paint job than the rest of the city’s buildings. As with most Cuban churches, the interior is often closed. Slip inside for a peek during the Sunday morning service.
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Estadio Capitán San Luis
From October to April, exciting baseball games happen at the Estadio Capitán San Luis, on the north side of town. Pinar del Río is one of the country’s best teams, often challenging the Havana-Santiago monopoly. Pop by in the evening to see the players going through a training session.
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Teatro José Jacinto Milanés
The wooden, 540-seat Teatro José Jacinto Milanés is a gorgeous venue dating from 1845 – making it one of Cuba’s oldest. It reopened in 2006 after a lengthy on-off renovation and, with its colorfully painted interiors and Spanish-style patio and cafe, is well worth a look.
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Café Pinar
This place gets the local youth vote and is also the best place to meet other travelers. Situated on a lively stretch of Calle Gerardo Medina there are live bands at night on the open patio, and light menu items such as pasta, chicken and sandwiches to quench your appetite during the day.
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Fábrica de Bebidas Casa Garay
The Fábrica de Bebidas Casa Garay, erected in 1892, uses a secret recipe to distill sweet and dry versions of the famous Guayabita del Pinar guava brandy. Whistle-stop 15-minute multilingual factory tours are topped off by a taste of the brew in the sampling room.
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Rumayor
As well as serving good food, this Palmares place metamorphoses at night from Tuesday through Sunday as a kitschy cabaret with a floor show that starts at 11pm (CUC$5 cover). It’s not the Tropicana, but it ain’t half bad.
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Centro Provincial de Artes Plásticas Galería
On Plaza de la Independencia near Alameda and around the corner from the cigar factory is the Centro Provincial de Artes Plásticas Galería, Pinar’s best art gallery, which houses many local works.
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Museo Provincial de Historia
Museo Provincial de Historia collects the history of the province from pre-Columbian times to the present. Look for the Enrique Jorrín ephemera (Jorrín was the creator of the chachachá ).
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Gimnasio Deportivo
Gym freaks might want to check out the Gimnasio Deportivo where, with some fumbling Spanish and a bit of deft sign language, you can talk your way into tai chi, weightlifting or somersaulting over a horsebox.
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El Rápido
Yes, Pinar del Río’s struggling restaurant scene might be scant enough to merit a visit to Cuba’s proverbial McDonald’s where the chickens are born fried and soggy pizzas materialize microwaved.
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Museo de Ciencias Naturales Sandalio de Noda
A wild, neo-Gothic-meets-Moorish mansion built by local doctor and world traveler Francisco Guasch, this museum (called Palacio de Guasch by locals) has every- thing from a concrete T-Rex to a stuffed baby giraffe.
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Mercado agropecuario
Pinar del Río’s colorful open-air market is almost on top of the tracks near the train station. You’ll see the odd tour group tramping through here getting a grip on Special Period economics.
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Heladería
Guaranteed to make you even more cheerful is this clean place where you can get a substantial tres gracias (three scoops) for the price of half a teaspoon’s worth of Haagen Daas.
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Cine Praga
Cine Praga shows mostly subtitled films; also look here for the video schedule at Uneac (Antonio Maceo No 178 between Rafael Ferro and Comandante Pinares; movies screened at 8:30pm and 10:15pm).
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Patio Milanés
With the Milanés back in business you’d be foolish to miss this theatrical patio alongside the real deal. Check the schedule posted outside for nightly cultural activities.
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Paladar El Mesón
This long-standing paladar serves chicken, pork and fish in a pleasant colonial atmosphere. Main plates start at CUC$5 with side dishes extra; the service is efficient and friendly.
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Coppelia
You’ll require the patience of a saint, but the two peso a scoop ice cream (when there is ice cream) is cheap and the atmosphere is usually cheerful.
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Casa del Habano
This store is one of this popular government cigar chain’s better outlets with a patio bar, frigidly air-conditioned shop, smoking room and Infotur desk.
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Paladar Nuestra Casa
Another good, private eatery a bit out of the center, this serves fish all ways including filete Canciller (fish stuffed with ham and cheese).
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La Mariposa organopónico
A conveniently located organic fruit and vegetable market; and a good place to get a close-up look at Cuban’s urban agriculture program.
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La Esquinita Coctelería
A darling cocktail place where tropical foliage gone haywire creates semiprivate nooks in the back patio. Pesos only, por favor.
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Disco Azul
A drab hotel, but a kicking disco – this glittery nightclub in Hotel Pinar del Río is the city’s most popular.
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Sala Polivalente 19 de Noviembre
Hit the Sala Polivalente 19 de Noviembre for boxing, volleyball and basketball.
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