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Trinidad

Trinidad is one of a kind, a perfectly preserved Spanish colonial settlement where the clocks stopped in 1850 and – apart from a zombie invasion of tourists – have yet to restart. Huge sugar fortunes amassed in the nearby Valle de los Ingenios during the early 19th century created the illustrious colonial-style mansions bedecked with Italian frescoes, Wedgwood china and French chandeliers.

Declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1988, Cuba's oldest and most enchanting 'outdoor museum' attracts busloads of visitors. Yet the cobblestone streets, replete with leather-faced guajiros (country folk), snorting donkeys and melodic troubadours, retain a quiet air. Come nightfall, the live-music scene is particularly good.

Trinidad is also ringed by sparkling natural attractions. Twelve kilometers south lies platinum-blond Playa Ancón, the best beach of Cuba’s south coast. Looming 18km to the north, the purple-hued shadows of the Sierra del Escambray (Escambray Mountains) offer a lush adventure playground with hiking trails and waterfalls.

Explore Trinidad

  • Museo Histórico Municipal

    Just off Plaza Mayor, this grandiose mansion, Trinidad's main museum, belonged to the Borrell family from 1827 to 1830. Later it passed to a German…

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    Plaza Mayor

    Trinidad's remarkably peaceful main square is located in the heart of the casco histórico and is the town's most photographed spot.

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    Plaza Santa Ana

    Located on the eponymous square, which delineates Trinidad's northeastern reaches, is a former Spanish prison (1844) that has been converted into the…

  • C

    Casa Templo de Santería Yemayá

    You will need some luck to find this religious center in action. While no Santería museum can replicate the ethereal experience of Regla de Ocha (also…

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    Maqueta de Trinidad

    Opened in 2014 and encased in the beautifully restored Casa Frias, this scale model of Trinidad's casco histórico displays amazing attention to detail …

  • M

    Museo Romántico

    The ground floor of the glittering Palacio Brunet was built in 1740, and the upstairs was added in 1808. In 1974 the mansion was converted into a museum…

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    Museo de Arquitectura Trinitaria

    A public display of wealth sits on the southeastern side of Plaza Mayor in a museum showcasing upper-class domestic architecture of the 18th and 19th…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Trinidad.

  • See

    Museo Histórico Municipal

    Just off Plaza Mayor, this grandiose mansion, Trinidad's main museum, belonged to the Borrell family from 1827 to 1830. Later it passed to a German…

  • See

    Plaza Mayor

    Trinidad's remarkably peaceful main square is located in the heart of the casco histórico and is the town's most photographed spot.

  • See

    Plaza Santa Ana

    Located on the eponymous square, which delineates Trinidad's northeastern reaches, is a former Spanish prison (1844) that has been converted into the…

  • See

    Casa Templo de Santería Yemayá

    You will need some luck to find this religious center in action. While no Santería museum can replicate the ethereal experience of Regla de Ocha (also…

  • See

    Maqueta de Trinidad

    Opened in 2014 and encased in the beautifully restored Casa Frias, this scale model of Trinidad's casco histórico displays amazing attention to detail …

  • See

    Museo Romántico

    The ground floor of the glittering Palacio Brunet was built in 1740, and the upstairs was added in 1808. In 1974 the mansion was converted into a museum…

  • See

    Museo de Arquitectura Trinitaria

    A public display of wealth sits on the southeastern side of Plaza Mayor in a museum showcasing upper-class domestic architecture of the 18th and 19th…

Guidebooks

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