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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  Twice a day in both directions, a Viazul bus stops here at the local guagua terminal located Calle Gloria e/ 56 y 58, Tel. (43) 51-81-14 |
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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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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 ••• CELL PHONE NUMBERS on our town lists and casa pages are preceded by 05 for calls originating Havana; from anywhere else in Cuba, dial 015 + the 7 digits of the cell. BOOK BY EMAIL :  Click on logo to open a message addressed to that casa in your email application; or right-click to copy address. Spanish vocabulary here. Google translate here. |
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See casas in sequence.
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BELLA PERLA MARINA
Two aircon br, ensuites, roof terrace; junior suite 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  |
LAS GOLONDRINAS
Three aircon bedrooms, ensuites, roof terrace Calle 39 #5816, entre 58 y 60, behind the Casa de los Leones Tel (43) 51-57-88  |
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| MARTHA PEÑA Two aircon bedrooms, ensuites, patio 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  |
CASA DE LA AMISTAD V Two air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Avenida 56 # 2927 altos (upstairs) almost facing Hotel Union e/ calles 29 y 31, behind Parque Marti. Tel. (43) 51-61-43  |
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HOSTAL TERESA V
Two air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Avenida 60 #3304, entre 33 y 35, two blocks from the Prado — steps from El Mandarin — three blocks from Viazul bus. Tel. (43) 55-55-34  |
BERTA y CORTES V
One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Avenida 60, # 3906, entre 39 y 41, close to the Ferrocaril station as well as the Viazul terminal. Tel. (43) 51-32-60  |
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ANAY y EFRAIN V
One independent aircon bedroom, ensuite Avenida 60 #4728 entre 47 y 49 , some 50 meters from the Viazul bus terminal Tél. (43) 51-21-27  |
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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MIRIAM y GLADYS V
One independent aircon bedroom, two doubles, ensuite Avenida 54, #4919, entre 49 y 51, behind Nuestra Señora de Monserrat, the old Jesuit church.  |
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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  |
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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| INÉS MARIA LEÓN V One aircon bedroom, two doubles, ensuite Calle 41 #5601 (altos, upstairs), e/56 y 58, 400 m from Viazul bus terminal and 200m from avenida 37, Paseo del Prado. Tel. (43)  |
HOSTAL CASA AZUL V Two aircon bedrooms, each with ensuite bath Avenida 56, # 4932 entre 49 y 51, 30 meters from Viazul bus terminal and 400m from avenida 37 also known as Paseo del Prado. Tel. (43) 51-8362 or cell (5) 262-4274  |
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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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See most casas in sequence.
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MIRIAM y JULIA Two air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Calle 37, # 1006, entre 10 y 12, in Punta Gorda, across the road from Club Cienfuegos. Tel. (43) 51-80-85  |
CASA PIÑEIRO Two air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Calle 41, 1402, entre avenida 14 y avenida 16 on Punta Gorda. Tel. (43) 51-38-08  |
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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  |
VISTA AL MAR
Two air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Calle 37, No. 210, entre 2 y 4, on Punta Gorda near Hotel Jagua. Tel. (43) 51-83-78  |
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 CASAS ON PUNTA GORDA on CALLE 35 Because of the exclusivity of these dozen casas with their unique access to the water or views of the bay, rental rates are higher than in town center : 30-35cuc per bedroom per night; normal checkout time — salida : 11h; normal check-in time — llegada : 13h; reconfirm rates and prices (drinks, meals, room, parking) by phone on arrival in Cuba + 24 hours before checking in. LOCATE CASAS on this mapa of Punta Gorda. CASAS ARE LISTED HERE IN THE ORDER THEY APPEAR ON THE DEAD-END STREET 35 LEADING TO PARQUE DE LA PUNTA : |
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| 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  |
ANGEL y ISABEL Two air-conditioned bedrooms, private bathrooms Calle 35, no 24, entre Zero y Litoral, at the dead-end of the Punta Gorda, past the Jagua Hotel. Tel. (43) 51-15-19  |
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| MARIA ANTONIA y NAPOLES One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Calle 35, No. 22 entre Zero y Litoral, Punta Gorda some 50m from Hotel Jagua. Tel. (43) 51-31-96  |
VILLA ANA MARIA Two a-c bedrooms, one with private bathroom Calle 35, no 20, entre Zero y Litoral, on Punta del Medio, at the end of Punta Gorda. Tel. (43) 51-32-69  |
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| CASITA DE OSHUN One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Calle 35, no 16, entre Zero y Litoral, on Punta del Medio, at the end of Punta Gorda. Tel. (43) 51-94-49  |
ZUNILDA y RAYA
One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Calle 35, no 14, entre Zero y Litoral on part called Punta del Medio, at the end of Punta Gorda. Tel. (43) 52-33-30  |
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| VILLA LA ESTANCIA One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Calle 35, no 10, entre Zero y Litoral, at the very end of Punta Gorda. Cellular (5) 274-2659  |
ALMAR
One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Calle 35, no 4A ground floor, entre Zero y Litoral, , at the very end of Punta Gorda before Parque de la Punta. Neighbour of La Estancia Tél. (43) 51-64-88  |
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| VILLA PADRON 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. |
MANDY y OLGA One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Calle 35, no 4D, entre Zero y Litoral at the very end of Punta Gorda by the entry to Parque de la Punta. Tel. (43) 55-59-51  |
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| LOS DELFINES One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Calle 35, no 4, entre Zero y Litoral, at the very end of Punta Gorda. Tel. (43) 52-04-58  |
VILLA LAGARTO + PALADAR
Three air-conditioned bedrooms, ensuites, pool Calle 35 Apto 4B, entre Avenida Zero y Litoral, at the very end of Punta Gorda . Tel. (43) 51-99-66  |
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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 FARO LUNA HOTEL — Link here |
CUBANACAN HOTEL AMERICA — Link here
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| VIDEO OF THE DELFINARIO (Dolphin exploitation) — 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 America 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  "The facts were that he charged the same as better places in Cienfuegos, for small rooms with terrible mattresses. The public spaces at Finca los Colorados are very attractive, but he charged more for beer, soft drinks and water than any place we'd stayed, including Havana. Jose responded mainly with sob stories. The frequent water problems weren't his fault; it was the power company. He'd get better mattresses if he could afford it (though he can afford travel to Europe and the U.S.) The higher prices for food and drink weren't his fault; it was the taxes, and transportation expenses, and so on." wallyandbarbara.com |
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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. |
MANUEL BUSTO SOLIS V
One air-conditioned bedroom, private bathroom Avenida del Golfo 11, Rancho Luna, near Hotel America and about 100 meters from Playa Rancho Luna. Tel. (42) 21-8025  Click for web page |
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| CASA DE MARTICA V One bedroom apartment, seaside, kitchen Avenida del Golfo, Rancho Luna, near Hotel America 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 America to the right when arriving from Cienfuegos. Tél. (42) 51-81-32 "Very, very, nice casas and absolutely delicious food. Nice bedroom, veranda, garden." @ Stefan Loose |
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