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General Introduction to Trinidad (Sancti Spíritus), Cuba

Trinidad is surely the colonial jewel of Cuba. Trinidad city, is one of the main cities of Sancti Spíritus province. Whithout beeing the capital of the province, Trinidad is surely the turistically more important one.

The province ofSancti Spíritus (151 000 inhabitants) has as its capital the city bearing the same name and up until 1975 it used to be, together with the provinces of Cienfuegos and Villa Clara, part of a larger province called Las Villas. Aside from the provincial capital, Sancti Spíritus also contains seven others important locations: Cabaiguán, Fomento, Jatibonico, Yaguajay, La Sierpe, Taguasco and Trinidad.

The Sancti Spíritus territory is rather flat, both in the north and in the south, whereas the central part is mountainous and includes the Escambray Mountain Range, where there is also the largest artificial lake of Cuba, the Zaza Dam, reserved for trout fishing and with tourist station. Sancti Spíritus has the following boundaries: Ciego de Avila and Villa Clara to the east, Cienfuegos to the northeast and the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the north.

On the Caribbean coast we find the celebrated and historical city of Trinidad, one of the seven oldest cities of Cuba, among which it's also included the capital of Cienfuegos. The road leading to Trinidad from Cumanayagua or from Cienfuegos borders the seashore along 20 km. At night, particularly in the winter time, the large crabs of the Caribbean go out from their caves in the sand and begin to walk by the thousands across the roads, so that the lights of the cars and trucks illuminate an amazing show. Obviously, among these crabs there are many victims of traffic, aside from the fact that the tyres of the vehicles run a high risk of being flat because of the acute armors of these crustaceans.

In short, the mountain, the sea, and the city are the most important poles of attraction for the tourist. Trinidad is located at 335 Km away from Havana. It has a port by the name of Casilda. Walking during the day time you cannot help peeking through the grillwork of the large gates and windows of the houses, many of which keep almost intact their colonial decoration, frequently made up of a Che Guevara portrait or an old black and white TV set. In order to enjoy it all in only one day, it's enough to stroll slowly along the streets of Trinidad and to take a break often in the shade of the patio of one of the museums found in the city.

Always in Trinidad, you will find the oldest religious temples of Cuba. Out of these, the major ones are the Iglesia Parroquial Mayor Santísima Trinidad, the Ermita de Santa Ana, the Convento San Francisco de Asís and the Ermita de la Candelaria de la Popa del Barco.

In the city there still exists the house where the celebrated German scientist, Humboldt stayed overnight, considered as the second discoverer of Cuba after Cristopher Columbus.

But the uniqueness of Trinidad is not looked for only the monuments (despite the fact that the city is a living museum), but also and above all in its unmatched atmosphere. After Baracoa and Bayamo, Trinidad is the third oldest city of Cuba.

Trinidad was founded in 1514, but despite this ancient foundation, it remained as a shelter for smugglers and piratesuntil the 18th century. These traffickers used to carry gold and slaves from Jamaica, but all that changed at the beginning of the 19th century, when the revolt of the slaves from Haiti brought about the arrival of French growers to Trinidad, where they reestablished their small empire. Trinidad had had a great development until the Independence War devastated the sugar plantations of the region and the city of Trinidad fell into darkness again. This short period of glory is reflected in the Baroque towers of the churches, in the floors made of marble from Carrara and several other things. But the most impressive museum of the city is the Municipal Historical Museum. It's also worth to visit the Pottery Workshop, a large ceramics factory where even today traditional ceramic techniques are used. And, finally, we can find one of the most beautiful beaches of Cuba just on the outskirts of Trinidad.

The Trinidad city has a very simple aspect, but it's also one of the most refined colonial cities of America. Totally out of proportion in respect with its dimensions, Trinidad is by far, one of the greatest attractions of Cuba. With a few cubblestone streets, houses from the 18th and the 19th centuries, palaces, and squares, Trinidad can be visited in a few hours. But usually, the city is so peaceful that visits take always longer than expected. Besides, Trinidad seems to be inmortalized in time because in the streets the carts and horses are more frequent that cars and people gather by the windows to look at the passers-by on the street.

The Villa de la Santísima Trinidad city, was originally a site of Taino Indians and was one of the seven original cities founded by Diego Velázquez. Trinidad had ever since, a certain prosperity, in spite of the sugar plantations, concentrated in the Valle de los Ingenios valley. Undoubtedly, the golden age of Trinidad has been short, we already have said it and the same thing could be said about Sancti Spíritus as a whole. The slaves rebeliousness in the plantations, an intense European competitiveness and, finally, the internal struggles caused since the Independence War, have considerably affected the local and national sugar cane industry.

With the decline of the sugar industry, around the year 1860, the Trinidad economy collapsed. This 19th century economic collapse has been a real blessing for the 20th century, because without this economic crisis Trinidad would have never preserved its beauties and would have not been declared by the UNESCO, in 1988, as a site of world heritage. Up until 1950 in the still capitalist era of Cuba, the Trinidad beauty and the historical values have refrained in the governments the tendency to further development.

Nevertheless Trinidad has many things just waiting to be discovered, not only for those willing to explore the real interior of Cuba, but also for beach tourists. However, the massive tourism infrastructure normally associated to Varadero great attractions has never invaded Trinidad, which has stayed as a place more appropriate for nature tourism made out of natural beauties and wild life. The only hotels of respectable dimensions are found away from the city and most independent travellers are lodged in over three hundred private houses available; an option that seems ad hoc, in this traditional and hardly consumeristic city.