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Casilda — also called Puerto Casilda or La Casilda— is the seaport of the town of Trinidad, 7 km upland. Actually it's a straight stretch of the road from Trinidad making up the main street along with two intersections and a railroad track : voilà.
During a century, colonials from Spain exploited the land in the valley of the sugar mills (Valle de los Ingenios) using hard labor from thousands of slaves — Cuba had 493,000 in 1841 — who were transported to the port in Casilda, ideally located and protected by the long arm of the Ancon peninsula. Slaves were a commodity and arroved along with furniture and building materials from Spain and used to decorate the sugar barons' palatial homes in Trinidad. Today, it is still a fishing port with numerous small boats whose access is controled to prevent any exported seafood trafficking. Many pleasure boats anchor nearby at the Marlin-run marina (tel 41 99-6205) located at the end of Ancon.
TRANSPORTS • Rent a bike to ride to Playa Aguilar or further to Playa Ancon (seaside flat easy road but without shade) or all the way to Trinidad (gradual, gentle uphill to go; easy going down to return). • Localy : cocotaxis (yellow-cabined covered motorcycles), 3 pass. max. From here to Trinidad, 3 to 5cuc per person. • By taxi to Trinidad, from Havana, 3 hrs 30 minutes, (via autopista nationale and Cienfuegos) : figure 25cuc per person, minimum 4 passengers. • By Viazul a/c bus to Trinidad from La Habana : 4 heures, 25cuc. • By minibus "Hop and Go" from Transtur got through Trinidad and a seaside circuit passing here in Casilda and La Boca. POPULATION 1,200 (mas o menos) PLAYAS In town territory, none; further (cf. Excursions below), the rocky playa at Maria Aguilar, (1,7 km) or the small and quiet Playa La Boca (4 km) or in the opposite direction, towards the east along the coast : Ancon in mice white sans (2,4 km away) with its four beach hotels (stars, rooms, all-inclusive rate for two per night in Jan 10) : Hotel Horizontes Costasur (3*, renovated in 2008, 131 rooms, 92€), Hotel Gran Caribe Ancon (3*, 279 rooms, 122€), Hotel Brisas Trinidad del Mar (4*, 134 rooms, 134€). PALADARES & RESTAURANTS In Trinidad La Estela or the Sol y Son. Others : Colonial, Daniel, Don Antonio, El Jigue, El Meson del Regidor, La Cachancharra, La Coruña, Plaza Mayor. SEE IN TRINIDAD Convento San Francisco de Asís (Museo de Lucha contra los Bandidos) • Iglesia Santísima Trinidad • Museo Arquitectura Colonial • Museo Romántico • Palacio Cantero SEVENINGS IN TRINIDAD : MUSIC, DANCE, SHOWS • Artex (daily dance lessons) • Casa de la Trova (group and dancing the son) • Casa de la Musica Egrem (most popular with three stages near Iglesia Santisima) • Casa de la Musica (daily dance lessons) • Ciné Romelio Cornelio Parque Central • Disco Las Cuevas (extraordinary cave) • Las Ruinas (of Teatro Brunet) : open sky • Palenque de Congos Reales (afro-cuban rythms). RENTALS IN TRINIDAD Cubacar 41 99-62-57 • Gaviota Rentacar 41 99-63-88 • Havanautos 41 99-63-01 • Transautos 41 99-53-14 • Transtur Taxis 41 99-64-54 • Transtur Autos 41 99-66-33 • Scooters/vespas Cubatur 41 99-63-14 • Bikes Terminus Viazul 3cuc/day 41 99-22-14  La Habana - Trinidad 2 x day on Viazul via Entronque de Jaguey, Boca de Guama, Playa Larga, Playa Giron and Cienfuegos — Ruta 18 ::: Also Trinidad - Santiago 1 x day via Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, Las Tunas, Holguin, Bayamo — Ruta 25 |
 The village runs the length of its main street where most colonial-era buildings are still standing after the hurricane of September 2008 © sea scout blog •]• Coming from Trinidad, one cannot miss the state-supported housing edificios along the way © eyanex, panoramio  Less than 2 km from town, the beach at Punta Maria Aguilar, with its parking, its seaside restaurant Grill Caribe a nice rather pricey (langosta plate, 25cuc) with a view of the eastern tip of Ancon on the horizon © eyanex, panoramio •]• Same spot, looking at the beach bar and restaurant (Ancon hotels are a good long walk away. Map here.) © eyanex, panoramio.com  In August, Festival de Santa Elena honors caballeros and guajiros of the region © f2point4, flickr.com •]•  The impromptu cake delivery is more ecological on a bicycle (hey, it rhymes!) © shuttermo, flickr.com •]• Dock and parasols are reserved for those who pay for the todo includio. The beach is still public for those who ply playas in Ancon ©  The port itself and its tiny fishing ships; in the back, beyond the Ensenada (creek), an all-inclusive hotel stretches on Ancon © michel thibault, montérégieweb •]• The port installations as seen from the Sea Scout © seascout blog  To the sea, crew ! Full of hope, time for these seamen to drop the cages © sea scout blog •]• Other type of transport locally but with same poetic slowness © FeRo, geo-reisecommunity  A dock in Ancon © dmeng, pbase.com |
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| EXCURSIONS • Curva de Alfredo (bar & restaurant). From here about one kilomètre, with a fork : to the right to La Boca (small local beach and casas) to the left to Ancon (beach, three all-inclusive hotels and marina) • Playa Ancón : At the end of the peninsula, before the marina; used by guest of the hotels but as all beaches in Cuba, it is public : what is not allowed is to walk in to hotel premises and gouge on the free food and drinks; if you are not a hotel client, there are full-day rates for those who wish to go the todo incluido route for a day. • Playa Punta Maria Aguilar (some 1,7 km from here a bit east along road to hotels after the Curva de Alfredo) a kinda rocky beach with hand-made and rented parasols; the guy who rents parasols looks after cars parked; it's within a few steps of the Grill Caribe (beach, parasols, lobster dinner for 28cuc!). • In La Boca (4 km), try to go up the rio Guaurabo which apparently did Hernan Cortez looking for slaves to massacre Mexico's Aztecs; sail up to what is today called Finca Ma Dolores (hotel) • Cayo Blanco de Casilda, 11 km away from Ancon marina : tour packages bring guests from Trinidad : catamaran boat ride, fins and mask, playa, meal, cocktail : 45cuc per person. Info : Marina Marlin (41) 99-6205, same place where international pleasure boats anchor, get food and fuel. • Valle de los Ingenios Our page here. • Topes de Collantes (Salto Caburni, Hanabanilla lake) and its muntain range in the Escambray, trekking paths, rivers and waterfalls. Our age here. |
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 HEED THE HINTS IN THIS FINE PRINT ::: Make sure that in your first email or phone call you specify that you want to book a room in that particular casa and that you will reconfirm your booking on arrival in Cuba. Unless you only want a room in any house which may be of the same quality, not the specific casa you booked through photos on these websites ::: So as to not abandon expecting owners with empty rooms, reconfirm (or call ahead to cancel) your booking by phone as soon as you can after arriving in Cuba ::: Please write or phone a casa owner to cancel a booking. As late as it may seem, it allows them a chance to rebook. ::: Children under the age of 16 may share a bedroom with adults for free. Specify the child's age when booking. ::: Since October 2010, maximum bedroom capacity is not limited to two adults ::: Also, large casas are not limited to renting only two bedrooms per night. ::: At the end of the casa name, the V signals the casa was suggested by travelers or owners but not verified by the website staff. If you try it and like it, write us about it. ::: Unless otherwise mentioned, the average room rates and service prices are : 20-25cuc per bedroom per night [up to 40+ for 4 in a room]; breakfasts 3-5cuc, dinners 7-10cuc. ::: Note : monthly taxes have increased 15-50% for owners; this may be reflected on the aforementioned rates. ::: Any casa particular anywhere in Cuba must have a hot water shower, otherwise it cannot have a permit to rent. ::: On certain occasions in the past year, overbooking may have inadvertently hurt some travellers, some casa owners and some webmasters more than would appear and this prompted this webmaster to overreact by generalizing about individual realities; having hurt most casa owners, this webmaestro's self-righteous attitude [all action, no talk] was uncalled for. Lo siento mucho I am truly sorry and apologies given, Marcos 070112 ::: Please share your Complaints, comments & suggestions webmaster [@]cubacasas.net |
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BOOK BY PHONE • From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by the town's area code, 419) • From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by the town's area code, 419) HOW TO DIAL A CUBAN PHONE NUMBER HERE  BOOK BY EMAIL : Click on logo to open a message addressed to that casa in your email application; or right-click to copy address showing at bottom of browser window. Spanish vocabulary here.  |
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| Click photos to go to the casa page with description. |
See the casas in sequence
 Click logo to move to next casa |
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CRISTINA HOSTAL Gustavo Rodriguez Guerra y Rebeca Calle Real 69 on the corner of the road leading to Ancón. Tel. (41) 99-51-26  |
HOSTAL VILLA DALIA Juan Jose Mayor Albalat Calle Real 158, entre Iglesia y Perla Tél. (41) 99-53-82  |
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| CASA EL RUBIO Rafael Albalat Sariol Calle Iznaga 125, entre Perla y Norte Tél. (41) 99-51-19 Cell (5) 240-8090  |
CASA NOVOA
Georling Novoa Garcia y Yoanis Cadalso Portieles Calle Valdespino 65C e/ Real y Jovellanos Tel. (41) cell  |
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Content & photos © sogestour  Updated |
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