Trinidad, an amazing time capsule

Trinidad Cuba lies about 5 hours south of Havana on the glittering Caribbean coastline. It is one of a kind. A perfectly preserved Spanish colonial settlement where the clocks stopped in 1850 and haven’t yet started.

Most people recognize this city for its beautiful but crumbling yellow bell tower that graces the cityscape. But there is truly much more hidden in the streets of Trinidad. 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, horsing carts, well-kept colonial atmosphere with ornate buildings and garden terraces give this gorgeous city a romantic, old charm that is hard to beat.

The place that has it all

Near the center of town you will find glamorous casas, high end restaurants, and shops selling Cuban trinkets. There are also countless street markets that sell all sorts of tourist knick-knacks, including cigars and rum, or you can walk up to the bell tower  and take in the view of Trinidad sprawling below you. The clay tiles on the roofs, in combination with the views of the mountains and seas are enough to make you fall in love right there and then.

Come nightfall, the live-music scene is particularly good. There are plenty of places where you can practice your salsa moves for example at the open-air Casa de Musica. Order a mojito and soak up the atmosphere from the wide stone staircase and watch the sun set. The steps are also one of Trinidad’s few public wifi hotspots, so you’ll see plenty of people getting their social media fix.

Music is a big part of Cuban life, especially in Trinidad. Musicians set up on street corners, public parks, or inside restaurants. There’s even a cool nightclub called set inside a natural cave that you must check out!

Check out the beaches

And if all that didn’t make you excited enough, Trinidad is also close to glittering Caribbean beaches, just 12km away lies Playa Ancon, with it’s calm, warm, amazingly blue waters. If you head to the north you will find the purple-hued shadows of the Sierra del Escambray (Escambray Mountains), It was here some CIA sponsored anti-Castro “bandits” hid in the mountains and fought to try and take back the new socialist government. The Escambrays are home to Topes De Collantes National Park, a beautiful nature reserve that offers a lush adventure playground where you can go hiking, visit numerous waterfalls, or relax with a scenic picnic.