![]() |
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
![]() |
||||||||||||||
|
OUR CASA LIST BEGINS HERE
|
REGIONAL MAP HERE
|
|||||||||||||
| Although Holguin is mostly used by tourists as a drop-off point through its international airport for beach resorts 55 km north-east, such as Cayo Saetia, Caletica, Esmeralda and the very popular Guardalavaca all-inclusive resorts, it should not be taken lightly (literally). The so-called "City of Parks" is the 4th largest in population on the island and offers a lot to see : a fabulous view from its Mirador (Loma de la Cruz), a series of nice parks along the same avenue and fine nightlife and museums. The town is also a gateway toa great park, La Mensura national park with its huge pine forest between the villages of Julio A. Mella and Mayari Travellers should stay awhile in its great casas to visit its nearby national parks and the now famous Sitio Historico de Biran (the Castro family's original farm site and home) maybe on their way to Santiago de Cuba, 155 km southeast. In the center of town, an abandoned market has been turned into a large music centre with a hall, recording studio and bar. Oh, and it's a perfectly flat city for cyclists : ask your casa owner to find you one. POPULATION 334,046 (2007) SEE.KNOW.DO Its parks • Parque Julio Grave de Peralta as called by some Holguineros : Parque de las Flores with the Catedral de San Isidoro where a rendition of John Paul II welcomes the fervent and the curious • Parque Cespédes named after Carlos Manuel de Céspedes; locally named San José with its Iglesia de San José, the Galeria Holguin (old stuff and antiques for sale) and Museo Eduardo Garcia Feria; • Parque Calixto García (the old Plaza de Armas with the Casa natal de Calixto Garcia and the Museo de Historia Provincial (named by some La Periquera, where there are lots of shows and activities), the Centro provincial de artes plasticas and neighbouring Biblioteca Alex Urquiola : iti is, in fact the city's Parque Central; But wait, there's more ! :•: Fábrica de Muñecas (puppet shop) :•: Fábrica de Organos (organ makers) :•: La Loma de la Cruz (the imposing 275-meter high hill of the cross, erected in 1790 to ward off a dry spell :•: La Granjita :•: Mirador de Holguin and :•: Mirador de Mayabe :•: Museo de Ciencias Naturales :•: Museo de Historia Natural (calle Maceo 129 : huge stuffed animal collection) :•: Teatro Lírico. PALADARS & RESTAURANTS • Salon Restaurant 1720, calle Frexes 190 : in a large renovated colonial, one of the best in town with meat and seafood, 10-15cuc • Taberna Pancho, avenida Jorge Dimitrov, near Hotel Pernik : pork ribs, beef, sausage specialist, try the butifaras de Paneque, 4cuc and more • Dimar, calle Martires 133 : fish and seafood 4 to 20cuc • La Ternura, calle cardet 293 : cuisine criolla, 7-8cuc • Pico Cristal, calle Manduley : fish and seafood, 4cuc and more MARKETS & SHOPS • Two agropecuarios (veg+fruit) : calle 19 (Morales Lemus) and another on calle 3 in reparto Dagoberto Sanfield • Two boutiques of foodstuff & things : La Luz de Yara (Frexes corner Maceo) and the lovely and unavoidable La Epoca (Frexes 194). SERVICES Wi-Fi zones using 1 cuc per hour code card : Parque Julio Grave de Peralta + Bulevar Holguin + Terminal Viazul + Los Framboyanes + Parque infantil Rubén Bravo + Parque 1ro de Enero + Parque Plaza La Central + El Quijote + Parque San José + Loma de la Cruz + Club Bariay + Hospital Lenin + Ciencias Médicas + Reparto Emilio Barcenas + Sitio Viviensas Militares + Reparto Villanueva + Patana Mayabe + Parillada Mayabe + Parque clinica Manuel Anguillo + Expo Holguin + Aeropuerto Frank Pais • Internet office open 8h30-19h30 Daily : Centro Multiservicios on calle Martí 122, e/ Mártires y Máximo Gómez • Havanatur for all your excursion needs, calle Frexes tel 46-8091 • Banco de Credito y Comercio on Parque Cespedes, BFI on Manduley 167, Cadeca on Manduley 105 • Ahora, the local paper is published Saturdays : it is often refreshingly critical of city or province administrations • Farmacia Turno Especial is best pharmacy 8h-22h Mon-Sat • Aeropuerto Frank País 43-93-40 • Cubana city 42-57-07, airport 46-25-12, Havanautos 48-18-95 • Medical 42-53-02 • Transautos 48-10-11 • Transtur 48-10-11 • Turistaxi 42-41-87 • Local Yoga Instructor : Rubio Tel. (24) 46-81-05 TRANSPORTATION • Bus Viazul (see link above) Bayamo 6, Ciego 17,La Habana 44, Las Tunas 6, Sancti Spiritus 21, Santa Clara 26, Santiago 11 • Trains (via junction at Cacocum) Camaguey 9, Ciego de Avila 13, Guayos 17, La Habana (Daily 31), Las Tunas (Daily 4), Matanzas 24, Santiago (Daily 5), Santa Clara 20. PLAZA DE LA MARQUETA, YA ! The town's emblematic building, corner Martires & Marti is a grand roofed market built in 1848. After years of painstaking work, it re-opened in April 2016 and it has become the city's center of attraction with 40 kiosks, shows, food fair - a huge success. It is aptly named Complejo Cultural-Comercial Plaza de la Marqueta. photo © Lisandra Cardoso, radioangulo.cuEVENINGS • Casa de la Musica EGREM, calle Frexes 192, corner (esquina) Libertad : concerts and music shows. Sked here, • Teatro Eddy Suñol (opera, symphony orchestra, modern dance, music groups, theater) re-opened in July 2011 after a ten-year hiatus to restore the venue from bop to tottom. • Casa de la UNEAC (Libertad 148 in Casa Moyua) is one of 14 such casas run over the past 50 years by Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba present here in this lovely renovated colonial casa making this (day and) nightspot one of the best on the island. Located on pedestrian street Manduley between Caballero y Marti : theater, concerts, music, lectures • Casa de la Cultura, calle Maceo 72 : concerts, mostly classical, exhibitions • Casa de la Trova, calle Maceo 74 : son, boleros and musica local • Centro cultural Mona Lisa, calle Luz Caballero 120 : local singers and groups • Cabaret Nocturno, 4km off centre on the way to Las Tunas : Tropicana-style shows, local fauna, not as touristy as Havana's; entry fee 10cuc, Tue to Sunday, shows at 22h • Cabaret la Terraza, avenida Jorge Dimitov at Hotel Pernik : if you wanna see tourists • Club Siboney, calle Manduley 185 on Calixto Garcia park : hot, by the time it closes... • Disco Cristal, calle Manduley 199 : the local youngsters just beg to enter; 5cuc for tourists • La Bolera, calle Havana facing Parque Infantil : local fauna meets for bowling, billiards and karaoke; must-see • Cinemas : Baria, Encanto, Frexes, Martí ![]() Holguin 2 x day on Viazul Bus via Santa Clara, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, Las Tunas Ruta 16; three other rutas go through Holguin each day (links above) "Terminal de Viazul" moved in December 2017 along the same "Carretera Central" but 3,5 km west of town center at "salida para Habana, Ciudad Jardín". Tel. (24) 42-6822 |
|
|||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
VIAZUL TERMINAL HAS MOVED ![]() The brand spanking new Viazul bus terminal opened in December 2017, about 3 km west of town center on Carretera Central, "salida para Habana, Ciudad Jardín" ("exit for Havana, garden city") - after 40 years in a pretty awful but closer place © carlos rafael ahora.cu The sked has not changed Ruta 16 + Ruta 24 + Ruta 25 + Ruta 26 |
MOVE ON YOUR OWN TIME ![]() If the Viazul bus schedule does not concur, you may easily find a taxi particular (called almendron in some parts) as here in front of the Banco de Comercio on central park Calixto Garcia) who will graciously take you to your destination for a few cucs and a conversation you will start with "Hablas Ingles ?" © zarzyk, tripad visor May15 |
|||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
EVENINGS (OR AFTERNOONS) ![]() • Plaza de la Marqueta (above) is the newly-restored emblem of Holguin with shops, shows and restaurants a-plenty. It was known as Plaza O'Donnell when it opened in 1848, now re-opened 168 years later - in April 2016. Can't miss it : corner of Marti and Martires. photo © Lisandra Cardoso, radioangulo.cu • Teatro Eddy Suñol (opera, symphony orchestra, modern dance, music groups, theater) re-opened in July 2011 after a ten-year hiatus to restore the venue from bop to tottom. • Casa de la UNEAC (Libertad 148 in Casa Moyua) is one of 14 such casas run over the past 50 years by Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba present here in this lovely renovated colonial casa making this (day and) nightspot one of the best on the island. Located on pedestrian street Manduley between Caballero & Marti : theater, concerts, music, lectures • Casa de la Cultura, calle Maceo 72 : concerts, mostly classical, exhibitions • Casa de la Trova, calle Maceo 74 : son, boleros and musica local • Centro cultural Mona Lisa, calle Luz Caballero 120 : local singers and groups • Cabaret Nocturno, 4km off centre on the way to Las Tunas : Tropicana-style shows, local fauna, not as touristy as Havana's; entry fee 10cuc, Tue to Sunday, shows at 22h • Cabaret la Terraza, avenida Jorge Dimitov at Hotel Pernik : if you wanna see tourists • Club Siboney, calle Manduley 185 on Calixto Garcia park : hot, by the time it closes... • Disco Cristal, calle Manduley 199 : the local youngsters just beg to enter; 5cuc for tourists • La Bolera, calle Havana facing Parque Infantil : local fauna meets for bowling, billiards and karaoke; must-see • Cinemas : Baria, Encanto, Frexes, Martí |
||||||||||||||
|
OUR RECOMMENDATIONS
::: 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. ::: 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. ::: Any casa particular anywhere in Cuba must have a hot water shower, otherwise it cannot have a permit to rent ::: Please share your Complaints, comments & suggestions webmaster [@]cubacasas.net |
||||||||||||||
![]() |
BOOK BY PHONE • From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by the town's area code, 24) • From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by the town's area code, 24) 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 01 + the 8 digits of the cell. BOOK BY EMAIL : |
|||||||||||||
|
Click photos to see each casa's page and description. Locate most casas on this map.
|
||||||||||||||
MIRIAM One indep. apartment + one ac br Ave. de los Libertadores (calle Marti) 22, e/ Roosevelt and Cables, reparto Peralta. Tel. (24) 42-74-25 cel. 53 40 61 68 ![]() |
||||||||||||||
| LA PALMA V Two aircon bedrooms, private bathrooms Calle Maceo No. 52A entre 16 y 18 in reparto Zayas, near the Loma de la Cruz. Tel. (24) 42-46-83 ![]() |
EL BALCON V Two upstairs ac bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms Calle Calle Marti 201, altos (upstairs), e/Carretera Central y Rastro very close to cemetery. Tél. (24) 42 71 45 Cell 52 40 21 64 ![]() |
|||||||||||||
| OSCAR GUERRA V Upstairs, two ac bedrooms, ensuites Carretera Central 10 Altos (upstairs), esquina (corner) Buenavista, west of centre in reparto Santiesteban near the old bus terminal. Tel. (24) 46-2238 cel. 52 89 40 09 ![]() |
COLONIAL CARMEN V Two ac bedrooms, ensuites, patio Calle Peralejo 78, entre Miro y Morales Lemus, between José Marti and las Flores parks. Tel. (24) 42-6987 cel 53 58 69 29 ![]() |
|||||||||||||
| VILLA LIBA V Two ac br's, ensuites, patio, 50's bungalow Calle Maceo 46, esquina (corner of) 18, three blocks north of Parque Calixto Garcia Tél. (24) 42-38-23 |
HOSTAL SALERMO V Three ac bedrooms, ensuites + apart. Calle Narciso Lopez 164, entre Frexes y Marti, in centre, two blocks from Parque Calixto Garcia. Tél. (24) 42-73-47 ![]() |
|||||||||||||
| LA CASONA V Whole casa to yourself Calle Maximo Gomez 270 e/ Frexes y Aguilera, one block from Parque Calixto Garcia and Museo Historico. Cell 52 46 94 02 ![]() |
||||||||||||||
| LILITA V One aircon bedroom, ensuite bathroom Agramonte 108, 2nd floor, e/ Fomento y Cervantes, 5 blocks from the town's central park, Calixto Garcia. Tel. (24) 42-26-49 ![]() |
||||||||||||||
| VILLA CRISTAL Up two floors, two ac br's, ensuites, terrace Calle Fomento # 63 (upstairs), entre Linea y Cajigal (carretera de Gibara), in reparto Zayas, 7 blocks from stairs leading up to the hill with the cross translating to "Loma de la Cruz". Tel. (24) 42-28-41 ![]() |
||||||||||||||
| RODOLFO V One aircon bedroom, ensuite bathroom Calle Luz Caballero # 71A e/ Morales Lemus y Narciso Lopez in center, one block from Parque Calixto Garcia. Tél. (24) 42-70-16 ![]() |
||||||||||||||
| BIG HOUSE One indep. apart + one large ac br, patio Calle Frexes 338, e/ Carbó y Carretera Central, 150m from the old Viazul terminal, behind Parque de los Tiempos and Parque Don Quijote. Tel. (24) 47-1211 cel. 58 22 62 88 Leo ![]() |
||||||||||||||
| LA OPERA V One ac bedroom, ensuite, kitchen, dining room Calle Luz Caballero 38, e/ Morales Lemus y Narciso Lopez in center, one block from Parque Calixto Garcia. Tel. (24) 48-1234) cel 53 01 84 26 ![]() |
TROPICAL V Two ac br, priv entry, terrace, garage, wifi Calle Peralta 61, e/ Peralejo y Coliseo, Parque Primero de Enero in reparto Peralta. Tel. (24) 472357 cel 52 93 75 18 ![]() |
|||||||||||||
RECOMMENDED BY PAPERBACK GUIDES Footprint Handbooks (FH), Frommer's Guide (FG), GéoGuide (GG), Lonely Planet (LP), Le Routard (LR), Moon Handbooks (MH), National Geographic (NG), Petit Futé (PF), Rough Guide (RG), Stefan-Loose (SL) and web site Trip Advisor (TA) ::: FH : Don Santiago, La Palma, Miriam Grave de Peralta Bermudez, Sara Suarez y Daviv Lamber, Villa Adelaida, Villa Liba ::: FG : Villa Liba ::: GG : Don Santiago, Villa Flori, Yelly Bloom, Villa Liba ::: LP : La Palma Casa Enrique, Villa Liba, Villa Janeth ::: LR : Villa Elisa, Mirador Brisas del Atlantico, Matha Gonzalez Morejon ::: MH : Villa Liba, Hospedaje La Palma, Casa de Rosa, Casa de Don Santiago ::: NG : Don Santiago, Isabel Sera Galves, Villa Liba ::: PF : Isabel Sera Galvez, Juan y Sonia, Magali Ochoa, Villa Azul ::: RG : Ana Berta Carbadillo, Barbara Merino Nieves, Isabel Sra Galves, Yodalis Trasobares, Yennys Osorio Leyva, Villa Liba ::: SL : Dora y Rafael, Teresita Hidalgo Bajuelo, Villa Elisa, Yodalis Trasobares Ojeda, Villa Parque, Villa Liba, Hospedaje La Palma, Villa Flori ::: TA : Refugio de Reyes, Villa La Roca, Oscar Guerra, Carmen, Villa Liba, Flori, Cat on the Moon, Ely, El Balcon, Gina y Francis, La Palma, Linale, La Casona, Villa Lucia, Lois 21.02.18 |
||||||||||||||