www.cubacasas.net •|• Pinar del Rio

The name means pine buff by the river. Rio Guama, that is. Founded in 1774, its layout is somewhat confusing to first-time visitors.

The town has more trees than the average large Cuban city and the colonial and neo-classical buildings are still standing and kept in shape.

With its university and hospitals, it is the bustling centre of the west of the country (Occidente) and the capital of its cigar industry.

DISTANCES
Cabo de San Antonio, 197 (western tip of Cuba)
Cayo Levisa, 75 (boat from Palma Rubia)
Cayo Jutias, 90
Isabel Rubio, 65
La Fe, 95 (Guanahacabibes)
La Habana, 141
Las Terrazas, 90
Maria La Gorda, 152
Palma Rubia, 75
Parque La Guira, 44
San Diego de Los Baños, 21
San Juan y Martinez, 22
Sandino, 86
Soroa, 100
Viñales, 27

MAPS & LINKS

Map - City with casas

Map - Gulf of Guanahacabibes

Map - The province, north and south

Map - Parque Nacional Guanahacabibes

Map - Detailed to Soroa

Train schedule (4 weekly) #39, #21

Viazul Bus Sked (from La Habana, twice daily)

Daily currency exchange rates.

5-Day Weather Forecast (Wunderground)

All that's natural in Pinar del Rio Province

POPULATION 145,000

SEE.KNOW.DO
• Cabo de San Antonio
• Catedral de San Rosendo
• Cueva de Los Portales
• Fabrica de Bebidas Casa Garay
• Fábrica de Tabacos Francisco Donatién
• Museo de Ciencias Naturales Sandalio de Noda, located in the Palacio Guash
• Museo Provincial de Historia
• Teatro José Jacinto Milanés - one of the oldest in Latin America, built in 1839 in neoclassic style, renovated and reopened in December 2006; 540 seats, café for 120 spectators, patio : a must-see
• Jardin Botanico (65 acres), the west's largest botanical gardens

PALADARES
Casa Don Miguel, El Méson (best in town : 4 tables, full meals 5-6cuc), Nuestra Casa, Rodrigo

RESTAURANTS
La Casona, La Taberna, Mar Init, Rumayor

PLAYAS
Bailén (44 km, not worth it), Boca de Galafre (39), Las Tumbas (196), Maria La Gorda (141)

SERVICES
Etecsa (phone and Internet), calle Marti, esq. Isabel Rubio 48 77-5442, Radio Guama 1080AM, 90,2FM, Rumbos 48 51-33, Car rentals Havanautos 48 77-4989, Transtur 48 77-8278

EVENINGS (Also see below)
Baseball : Estadio Capitán San Luis, Cabaret El Patio, Casa de la Musica, Cine Praga, Disco Azul, Rumayor, Teatro Lirico Ernesto Lecuona

TRANSPORTATION
Local bus to Viñales (4x day) Bus Astro La Habana (2xday 7cuc), Tel. (48) 75-5255 Bus Viazul : see link above. Tel. (48) 75-2571 Trains from La Habana (see link above).

EXCURSIONS
• Finca El Pinar of world-famous tobacco grower Alejandro Robaina anf family since 1845. In San Luis, 12 km west and then 2 km south of highway. Just ask the way. 5cuc 40-min. tour. (48) 79-7470; Mon–Sat. 10 am–5 pm).
• Parque Nacional La Guira (54,000 acres of wilderness, heaven for bird watchers)
• Peninsula Guanahacabibes (6 syllables, 294,000 acres, Tel. 48 77-2232)
• Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra del Rosario (65,942 acres, Las Terrazas, Tel. 48 77-8726)
• Cayo Levisa (key off Palma Rubia : scuba and sun)
• Maria La Gorda (152km west of here, scuba, 30 sites, expensive, tel. 48 77-1316) See map here.
• La Coloma (before Playa Bailen), fishing town on way to the San Felipe cayos : "adventure tours" through local Ecotur agency.
• Cabo de San Antonio : its wooden villas (75$ per night, double), marina, lighthouse, all in a Biosphere Reserve at the extreme west end of Cuba, some 200 km from here. Site

BELOW, THE CASAS WE RECOMMEND
V = suggested by webbies and travellers. Not verified : please check on the spot or by phone. Children 16 and under may share parents' bedroom at no charge only if there is an additional bed available. Mention the age of your children when making the reservation.

Comments and suggestions
webmaster @cubacasas.net

Map of province, north and south coasts - Enlarge •|• Corner Marti and Isabel Rubio, the El Globo © sogestour

Parque Gerardo Medina in town © sogestour •|• About 40k away, Hacienda Cortina turned into Parque La Guira, spreading over 22,000 hectares

Cayo Levisa •|• Guahanacabibes © hicuba.com

Cayo Levisa, tiny one-hotel & lovely-beached island (key) off the coast at Palma Rubia, 75 km away •|• Guahanacabibes, the island's extreme west © hicuba.com

Book Fair on Calle Marti © sogestour •|• Parque Colon © cubarte

Cuban Afternoon © rob oneal, trekearth •|• Casa Marti 51 on corner Isabel Rubio (the whole upper floor) © peacefrog

Rococo-style Palacio Guash, site of Museo de Ciencias © cubarte •|• Teatro Milanes, renovated and reopened in December 2006 © cubarte

PINAR DEL RIO VENUES : CINÉMA, THEATRE, MUSICALS & VARIETY SHOWS
Teatro José Jacinto Milanés (540 seats)	Theatre, dance, national and international group concerts	Martí 60 e/Recreo y Colón
Ciné Teatro Pedro Saidén (1900 seats)	Cinema, music, dance, theater and circus shows	Martí # e/Cuarteles y San Juan
Café Teatro La Piscuala (120 seats)	Trova, theater, poetry, bolero	Martí 60 e/ Recreo y Colón
Teatro La Barraca	Smal theater troups, plays and lectures both national and international	Moncada 2 e/ Rafael Morales-Antonio Tarafa
Cine Teatro La Edad de Oro (120 seats)	Small thater works, film showings for kids and teenagers	Calle Labra, corner Colón
Teatro Lírico Ernesto Lecuona (80 seats)	Operas, operettas, zarzuelas, musical comedies - Provincial music academy	Maceo 163, corner Abraham Pérez
Teatro Pionero	Childrens' theatre	Retiro 111, entre Rosario y Polvorín
Casa de la Musica	Singer musicians doing their show	Gerardo Medina Norte 31
Casa de la Trova	Trovadores doing their thing	Calle Retiro y Caviades
Consejo Provincial de las Artes Escénicas	Stage arts and show management	Maceo 20, Tel. (48) 77-6768

Teatro José Jacinto Milanés is Pinar del Río's grand cultural venue. Dating from 1838 when it was built mainly in wood for plays and ballet, its interiors were decorated by Mexican artist Rodriguez de la Barca.

Closed between 1967 and 1975, it was then reopened with the presentation of Lecuona's zarzuela " The Coffee Plantation ". Closed for another 16 years, it finally reopened for good on December 27 2006.

It features three venues : the main 540-seat hall, a Sevillan-type patio and a cafe-concert room with 120 chairs, known as La Piscuala.

BOOK BY PHONE
• From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by the town's area code, 82).

• From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by the town's area code, 82).

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.

Click photos to see each casa's page and description. Locate casas on this map.

See most casas in sequence

by clicking this logo.

UNA CASA COLONIAL
Jose Antonio "Popiro" y Aleyda Cruz
Calle Gerardo Medina 67, e/ Retiro (Isidro de Armas) y Isabel la Catolica (Adela Azcuy). Tel. (48) 75-3173

On a large colonial ground, recently renovated, augmented and modernized, Popiro and spouse Aleyda rent two aircon bedrooms with fans and fridges, each with private bathrooms.

A nice living room with vitrales (stained glass) complement a shaded patio. Meals served in the pleasant ranchon with its bar.

Rates : 20cuc with fan 25cuc with a/c per night per bedroom (2 adults max.)

Click to enter. Photos © sogestour

MARTI 51 - CASA MERY
[Previously known as casa Laura Gonzales Valdez]
Calle Martí 51 (upstairs), e/Colon and corner of Isabel Rubio Tel. (48) 75-2264

Located right in town centre, this quiet casa belong to Laura's parents who rent two aircon bedrooms with private bathrooms.

The large casa's library, its rooftop views and the house meal specialties are part of gentle and affable Mery's offer.

Rates : 20cuc per bedroom per night (2 adults max.)

Click to enter. Photos © sogestour

RENÉ GONZALES
Calle Union # 13, (altos, upstairs) entre Capitan San Luis y Marina Azcuy, on top of map, one block from the beisbol stadium. Tel. (48) 75-75-15

Off center (top of casa map) in a quiet residential aea, René's casa is a large upstairs with well-appointed living and dining rooms.

Guests can choose from three bedrooms although only two can be rented per night.

Each has its own private bathroom, access to balcony where one can enjoy meals or drinks.

Rates : 15-20cuc per bedroom per night (2 adults max.).

Click to enter. © sogestour

HANDY SANTALLA y FAMILIA
Handy Santalla Forcelledo
Calle Máximo Gómez 169A entre Comandante Pinares y Ciprian Valdez, facing the bishopry (the obispado). Tel. (48) 75-1308

The family rents one air-conditioned bedroom with fan and fridge like an apartment with its kitchen, dining area and own terrace back of grounds.

Meal service on request. Ingles, Francés and Español spoken.

Rates : 15-20CUC per night for bedroom (2 adults max.)

Click to enter. © sogestour

CASA COLONIAL REINALDO CAMEJO
Calle Máximo Gómez 180 entre Rafael Ferro y Comandante Pinares, 2 minutes on foot from main street and 3 mins. from the bus terminal. Tel. (48) 77-9804

The bedroom that Reinaldo rents has a double and a single bed, its own bathroom, air conditioning, tv, fridge and a mini stereo unit.

From the bedroom, guests can enjoy their own private terrace for the sun or to eat breakfasts or dinners.

Rates : 15-20cuc for the bedroom per night (2 adults max.)

Click to enter. © sogestour

SRA MARIBEL PÉREZ MADERA
Calle Isabel Rubio #4, entre Marti y Adela Azcuy Tel. (48) 75-32-17

Located right in center,
a couple of steps from the Globo and
some of the small shops on calle Marti,
Maribel rents,
on the ground floor of this rather
dubious looking building,
in the back
in sleeping quarters somehow compact,
an aircon bedroom
with a bathroom right by and a fridge.

Rates : 15-20cuc for bedroom per night (2 adults max.).

VILLA MARITZA MOREJON MIRANDA V
Km 4 1/2 Carretera a Vinales (Some 4.5 km from Pinar del Rio, on road to Viñales) Tel (48) 76-2301

"An adorable couple who rent two bedrooms in a quiet casa with a lovely garden and an adorable covered terrace (ranchon).

"As I always rent casas from your lists, I think this one would bring something more to Pinar del Rio."

Suggested by Lyne Augé from France 140408

TEBELIO ROBAINA V
Mayra y Tebelio
Calle Colon #106, entre Mariana Grajales y J.G. Gomez, two blocks from main street. Tel. (48) 77-8050

Large aircon and ventilated bedroom on the roof with its own private terrace.

Private bathroom, wide views of downtown, rocking chairs in the shade : a nice casa with great food.

MR. AQUINO V
Aquino Delgado
Comandante Pinares 56a, esquina (corner) Máximo Gómez, downtown, Tel. (none shown on his nice visiting card (March 06).

One aircon bedroom, private bathroom, two beds, independent entrance, 4 fans, fridge, kitchen, color TV, radio-cassette.

VILLA ODALYS ARIAS V
Calle Martí 158, entre Comandante Pinares y Calle Nueva Tel. (48) 75-5212.

This large, hospitable and very energetic family likes contacts with visitors.

One large bedroom in the back with its own bathroom, hot water, a-c, fridge and b&w tv.

Listed in Petit Futé 2007-08

SRA GLISSETT VALDÉS y ERNESTO PALOMINO V
Calle Emilio Nuñez 116, entre Celestino Pacheco y Vivo, in reparto (burrough) Carlos Manuel Tel. (48) 75-4698

Handsome young couple (at least in pix on visiting card, handed out by a nice tout while waiting for a traffic light) looks like they might rent a nice bedroom.

Air-conditioned, that is, with its own private bathroom. Parking, security and comfort, says the reast of the advertising.

SERVILIO AFRE V
Ave. Comandante Pinares no. 157 entre Roldán y Emilio Nuñes Tel. (48) 75-23-09

Right in centre of town, nice modern casa on two floors.

Three bedrooms to choose from, one with a-c. Superb shaded patio with its own banana tree, its mango tree and a coffee tree. Meals served, good travel contacts. Remarkable hosts.

DR JOSE A. GUERRA y DRA HAYDEE CHICO V
Calle Secunda no 7, entre San Juan y Nueva, reparto (burrough) Mijares Tel. (48) 75-5285

One aircon bedroom, private bath. Breakfast 3cuc, dinners 6cuc.

"Highly commendable", says Danièle from France.

MRS SOBEIDA
Ave. Comandante Pinares 102, esquina Agramonte, 100m from main street (Marti) and bus terminal. Tél. (48) 75-5866

Upstairs, an independent floor with aircon bedroom with two beds (double and single) a terrace, kitchen and private entrance on the side. Garage.

Her business card is in English, it's a start.

Rates : 15-20cuc for bedroom per night (2 adults max.); breakfasts 3cuc, dinners 7.

Updated 02.01.2009