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![]() Club Cienfuegos on Punta Gorda : go anchor your own boat ! Best food in town (apart from your casa's home cooking), lovely views from its terrace. Was the site (up to the 1980's) of Formula 1 speedboat races, most from the USA, Canada, Europe © Wanda Bendik •|• The other side of the building opens on calle 37, continuation of the wide avenue crossing the town center, el Prado. The two carriages are caballo-powered taxis ; ) © sogestour ![]() Blowin' in the wind at Jardin Botanico © asielgustavo, panoramio •|• Mini map of the bay © sogestour ![]() Asemblea Provincial building and city hall [Ayuntamiento] on Parque Marti; its members are duly elected every 5 years. In Jan 08 election, 70% of elected candidates for the province were women none had to belong to Communist Party © Ricardo, picasaweb •|• Palacio del Valle on Punta Gorda : music and meals in a so-so atmosphere © Blair Bessette ![]() Ferry leaving the dock at El Perché below Castillo de Jagua the antique fort recently restaured and crossing to Pasacaballo © sogestour •|• Parque de la Punta with a tiny water access for dipping off a micro beach, steps from the last casas at the tip of Punta Gorda on calle 35 © sogestour ![]() Teatro Tomas Terry, nicest in Cuba (?) entirely restored © Jorge Tutor •|• The ferry plies the bay waters and the sea-leading channel going from the port to Castillo de Jagua (El Perché), Pasacaballo (and its only building, the namesake hotel here in background). On the way back to town, it sometimes makes a stop at Cayo Carena © sogestour ![]() Caballo (horse) on calle Lamar on the big point, Punta Gorda © asielgustavo, flickr •|• This yet-to-be-woman is already taking the stance by (seemingly) teaching (something) to seven yet-to-be-men © partwish, picasa Enlarge TRANSPORTATION Bus Viazul (see link above left) Trains La Habana Every 3rd day from Habana Central station, train #19 leaves at 07h00, a 10-hour ride making 38 stops and arrives here at 17h20 |
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| SEE.KNOW.DO From a UNESCO page on the city centre : "The most representative buildings include : the Government Palace (City Hall, current office of the Provincial Assembly of the Popular Power), San Lorenzo School, the Bishopric, the Ferrer Palace, the former lyceum building, and some residential buildings. "At present, in the historic centre, there are six buildings that remain from the first half of the 19th century, and 327 buildings from the second half. There are 1188 buildings from the 20th century, most of them from the first half. There are some 300 public buildings, and the rest are mainly residential." SEE.MORE • Teatro Tomás Terry : a national monument since 1982, inaugurated in 1890 has seen the likes of Sarah Bernhardt, Enrico Caruso, Nicolas Guillen and Federico Garcia Lorca • Fortaleza de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles (or Castillo de Jagua), work of French engineer Sebastien Le Pestre • Catedral de la Purísima Concepción • Cementero Tomás Acea • Fondo de Bienes Culturales • Jardin Botánico La Soledad • Los Jardines • Museo provincial • Museo de la Clandestinidad • Museo municipal • Museo Histórico Naval • Palacio del Valle • Palacio Ferrer • Parque Marti GUIDED TOURS Through the three agencies located on Avenida 54 e/29 and 31, side by side : Cubanatur, Havanatur and Cubanacan, you can choose from the following visits : City Tour, 11cuc; Las Montañas El Nicho, 27cuc; Hacienda La Vega, 17cuc; Botanical Garden, 10cuc; Yaguanabo Arriba, 19cuc; Singer Benny Moré's haunts, 17cuc; Trinidad, 17cuc; Playa Giron and Guama, 35cuc; Varadero, 27cuc; La Habana, 33cuc; Cayo Largo by boat, 89cuc EXCURSIONS + FRESHWATER BATHING Laguna Guanaroca (12km) : flora, large shrimp farm, manatees, ducks and pink flamingos; Pasacaballo and Milpas by ferry to Castillo de Jagua; jeep ride to Cascada El Nicho (49km) in large El Nicho Nature Park [photo here]; scuba diving at from Rancho Luna (30 dive sites including one of a huge coral trumpet; scuba diving at Guajimico (40km, on the way to Trinidad) PLAYA OR PISCINA If you're staying in town centre and want to swim, take a (horse-drawn is better) cab all the way to the very end of Punta Gorda. There, the lovely small park has a tiny (20-foot wide) playa where you can dip in. In town, Hotel La Union will charge you 5cuc to spend the day by the pool. The best long beach in the area is spread along the Rancho Luna hotel and resort some 20km from center (hotel shuttle busses from town); although not the finest sand beach (kinda grainy), it's the best you'll get near town; as elsewhere on the island, it is not limited to guests as all beaches are public in Cuba ; ) Some casas very near that beach can be found below, here. |
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| The Bay of Cienfuegos (or Jagua), is located in the south central portion of Cuba and is the most important local natural resource. The entire economic and social life of the region revolves around it, and it has influenced local traditions, customs, and legends since the nineteenth century. The shoreline and its attendant activities (such as fishing, beach activities, and scuba diving) are deeply rooted in Cienfuegos culture. The bay is nearly landlocked, being what is called a 'pocket bay', with a surface area of 88.46 km2, a shoreline of 100 km, and a total volume of 1.84 km3. It is 19 km long and 7.5 km at its widest point, with an average depth of roughly 9.5 m. Nature has divided it into two basins separated by a shoal (Las Cuevas) with an average depth of 1.5 m. This greatly influences water circulation within the ecosystem. The access channel is narrow and tortuous, being 3.6 km long and between 30 and 50 m deep toward the middle. Its geography imposes limits on navigation because it forms a canyon containing coral reefs along with steeply eroded cliffs. Within the bay, there are 50 promontories and 20 coves or inlets, three of which are used as shelter for small and mid-sized vessels during high winds. The most important coastal formations of the bay include rocky and sandy beaches, mangrove forests, marl deposits, sea grape groves, coastal scrubland (manigua), and dry bush. Vegetation is degraded in the eastern sector. The bay is dotted with 14 small islands or cays, the largest of which are Cayo Carenas, Cayo Ocampo, and Cayo Alcatraz (source León et al. 2001 in IDRC-CRDI Canada here ). |
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| BOOK BY PHONE • from Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by 43 for Cienfuegos) • from Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by 43 for Cienfuegos) HOW TO DIAL A CUBAN PHONE NUMBER HERE BOOK BY EMAIL : Click on above logo to open an email message addressed to that casa in your email application. Some Spanish words here. |
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Click pictures to open page and details.
Locate casas on Punta Gorda map here. |
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| LA CASONA DE CONDE One upstairs air-conditioned bedroom, ensuite, patio Avenida 0 (Zero) No. 3502, entre 35 y 37, just behind Palacio del Valle on Punta Gorda. Tel. (43) 51-4602 ![]() |
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| HOSTAL LA VERDE Three air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Avenida 18 # 5705, entre calles 57 y 59, about 400 from beisbol stadium on Punta Gorda. Map here. Tel. (43) 55-63-29 ![]() |
VILLA PADRON V
One upstairs a-c bedroom, ensuite, view Calle 35, no 4H ground and upstairs, entre Zero y Litoral, at the very end of Punta Gorda before Parque de la Punta. Neighbour of La Estancia Tél. (43) None known Map here. Rafael Padron Rodriguez opened his small one-bedroom casa in Spring 2001. Photos soon come. |
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| BOOK BY PHONE • from Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by 43 for Cienfuegos) • from Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by 43 for Cienfuegos) HOW TO DIAL A CUBAN PHONE NUMBER HERE BOOK BY EMAIL : Click on above logo to open an email message addressed to that casa in your email application. Some Spanish words here. |
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Click pictures to open page and details.
Locate casas on Centro maps here. |
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| BELLA PERLA MARINA V Two air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Calle 39, #5818, entre 58 y 60, 100 m from Paseo del Prado (ave 37) and 5 mins to Parque Marti. Tel. (43) 51-89-91 ![]() |
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| SANTIAGO y LIDIA V Two air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Avenida 54, No 4923 entre calles 49 y 51, behind Nuestra Señora de Monserrat, the old Jesuit church. Tel. (43) 51-9056 ![]() |
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| HOSTAL OLGA V One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Calle 41 #5012, e/50 y 52, two blocks from the wide central avenue, el Paseo del Prado (ave 37). Tél. (43) 55-04-39 ![]() |
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| MARTHA PEÑA Two air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Calle 39, 5807, entre 58 y 60, 100 m from Paseo del Prado (ave 37) and 5 mins to Parque Marti. Tel. (43) 51-54-77 ![]() |
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| CARMEN ROSA CAPIRO Two air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Calle 45, #3801, entre 38 y 40 three blocks behind Museo de la Clandestinidad. Tel. (43) 51-63-65 ![]() |
CASA PRADO V Built in 1919, two aircon bedrooms, ensuites Calle 37 (Prado), no 4424 entre 44 y 46, a bit south of centre near Baptist church Iglesia Bautista de Cuba Occidental. Tél. (43) 51-72-39 ![]() |
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| LAS GOLONDRINAS V Two aircon bedrooms, ensuites in renovated colonial Calle 39, entre 58 y 60, behind the Casa de los Leones Tel (43) 51-5788 ![]() |
OLGA y EUGENIO V Two aircon bedrooms, ensuites, tiled roof terrace Avenida 50 #4109, entre calles 41 y 43, three blocks from Coppelia's ice cream bar. Tel. (43) 51-7756 ![]() |
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![]() You can drive around the bay to Rancho Luna (photo above, lonely road) or ... |
![]() ... you take the ferry across (above) to the Castillo de Jagua-Pasacaballo landing and walk to Milpas |
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| CLUB AMIGO RANCHO LUNA HOTEL Link here |
CUBANACAN FARO LUNA HOTEL Link here
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| VIDEO OF THE DELFINARIO (Dolphin explotation) here |
MARLIN NAUTICA'S SCUBA DIVING CENTRE Link here
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| VILLA SERENA Two basic a/c bedrooms, private bathrooms On Cienfuegos bay. Carretera Pasacaballo, in Milpas. At the end of the road, passed the Rancho Luna Hotel and further, passed the Pasacaballo hotel. Dead-end of the road facing and leading to the large Cienfuegos bay. Tel. (43) 54-81-81 ![]() |
FINCA LOS COLORADOS V
One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Carretera Rancho Luna-Pasacaballo #18, about 100 meters passed Faro (lighthouse) Luna and 1km from Rancho Luna beach. Tel. (43) 51-3808 ![]() "It is still a very nice place to stay. The owner speaks very good English and the food is very good. The casa is near the lighthouse, it is a windy spot, so less mosquitoes and good temperatures." Jaap Willem Bakker and Yvon Smeets, the Netherlands 080509 |
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| VILLA VISTA AL MAR V Four air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Calle 2da #7, Playa Rancho Luna. (43) 51-66-38 ![]() |
VILLA SOL V
One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Carretera Faro (lighthouse) Luna or 200 meters before reaching Hotel Club Amigo Faro Luna. Cell (5) 227-2448 Cute casa located in the shade with impressive views of the sea; Diana Gavio Caso rents one aircon bedroom with ensuite bath; meals served. |
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| CASA DE JULIO V One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Carretera de Faro Luna or 1 km passed Rancho Luna resort. Tel. (43) 51-5744 Julio casa's is blue, same color as your heart will be when you'll have to leave it. The Rancho/Faro Luna beach is but steps away. |
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| CASA DE MARTICA V One bedroom apartment, seaside, kitchen Avenida del Golfo, Rancho Luna, near Hotel Faro Luna to the right as you arrive from Cienfuegos. Tel. Red and cream coloured casa where guests will enjoy a whole apartment opening onto the playa side with its kitchen and fridge. Meals served on request Rates : 25cuc per night swim_tony_swim, forum lonely planet 251110 |
CASA DE TERESITA V
One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Avenida del Golfo, Rancho Luna, before Hotel Faro Luna to th right when arriving from Cienfuegos. Tél. (42) 51-81-32 Very, very, nice casas anad absolutely delicious food. Nice bedroom, veranda, garden. @ Stefan Loose |
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