www.cubacasas.net •|• Sancti Spiritus [Provincia Sancti Spiritus]

Havana has passed a law compelling officials – of both sexes – to wear the loose pleated shirt to state functions

Elsewhere in the central - west region

Founded by Diego Velazquez in 1514, the city was one of seven in Cuba to be colonial outposts of the Spaniards. Birthplace of the guayabera, its location along the Yayabo river, made it perfect for agriculture and sugar exploitation.

The ciudad fell to the hands of pirates in 1665, was long forgotten by the rest of the world until it became the capital of the province in 1976.

Its third life began in the third millenium when tourist development was finally implanted with major hotel renovations and the coming of Cuba's two major tour operators in its centre, the Plaza Serafin Sanchez.

MAPS & LINKS

Sancti Spiritus City Map

Larger City of Sancti Spiritus Map

Large regional map around the city

National train schedule

Island-wide bus connections (horariodebuses.com/)

Weather (Wunderground)

Daily exchange rates

All that's natural in Sancti Spiritus province

DISTANCES
Camaguey, 184
Ciego de Avila 74
Cienfuegos, 145
Guayos, 15 (rail junction)
Holguin, 392
Santa Clara, 85
Santiago, 515
Trinidad, 69

POPULATION 135,545 in regional municipio (2007)

SEE.KNOW.DO
• Biblioteca Provincial Rubén Martínez Villena • Fundación de la Naturaleza y El Hombre • Galeria de Arte • Farmacia Colonial (Maximo Gomez 40) • Iglesia Parroquial Mayor del Espiritu Santo • Museo de Arte Colonial (in Palacio built in 1744 : worth the 2cuc entrance) • El Lyceo (first school for "coloured people", 1859) • Museo de Historia Natural • Museo Provincial • Plaza Serafín Sánchez • Puente Yayabo (large 5-arch bridge, 1815) on the shores of which the national garment of Cuba, the Guayabera (ample long-sleeved shirt with pockets), was born • Teatro Principal

EXCURSIONS
Lake (Laguna) Zaza, 10k away : trout fishing (International contest each September), bird watching, hotel Zaza swimming pool.

RESTAURANTS
Hostal del Rijo (the hotel's dining room), El Conquistador, Agramonte 52 (lovely building, great fare), El Méson de la Plaza Maximo Gomez 34 (great food, lovely colonial setting), Quinta Santa Elena, Padre Quintero (Cuban food, music, shows) PALADARE El Sotano, calle Eduardo Chivas, e/26 de Julio y Jesus Menendez 11h-24h Eat by the river (payable in pesos cubanos) MERCADO The outdoor market is on Erasmo Valdes

SERVICES
Info : Internet (Café Internet) Hotel Plaza, calle Independencia, corner Avenida de los Mártires 9h-22h Hotel Zaza: Carretera central Km 8, 17h-23h • • Aeropuerto • 27-584, Havanautos 26-390 Medical 240-17 Radio Sancti Spiritus 1200AM, 97,3FM Transautos 271-02 • Hostal del Rijo (nice old and renovated 16-room hotel, doubles or singles for 40-60cuc) on Plaza Honorato. Was the residence in 1818 of local famous doctor Don Rudesindo García Rijo; best room is facade, no 5 with balcony; rooms in back are quiet but dark.

EVENINGS
Casa de la Cultura (Parque Central) • Casa de la Trova Miguel Companioni on Maximo Gomez Sur #26 • (Maximo Gomez 26) • Casa de la Musica (behind Museo de Arte Colonial) • Quinta Santa Elena, Padre Quintero (meals, music, shows) • Cinemas : Conrado Benítez, Serafin Sanchez Discoteca Habana Club • Baseball : Estadio A Huelga — 2010-11 Beisbol Schedule here

TRANSPORTATION
Bus Viazul : see link above (tel. 241-42) • Bayamo (21cuc), Camaguey (10cuc), Holguin (21cuc), La Habana (3xday, 23cuc), Las Tunas (17cuc), Santa Clara (6cuc), Santiago (28cuc), Trinidad (2 per day, 6cuc), Varadero (1/2 16cuc) Trains • see link above (tel 247-90) Camaguey (6.50cuc), Cienfuegos (5cuc), La Habana (2 per day - 13.50cuc), Santa Clara (3.50cuc), Santiago (3xday, 21cuc)

Yayabo bridge a UNESCO World Heritage site over the river recently depolluted © inder.co.cu •}• Plaza Serafin Sanchez one of the nice town parks, taken before the church was painted blue (see below) © unk

Calle cerca iglesia, a narrow and colorful street down from the church © eyanex panoramio •}• Parque Central, casa de la cultura © unk

Museo de Arte Colonial © unk •}• Parque Central, the central park, mark © unk

City of cyclists : viva pure air © unk •}• Typical narrow cobblestoned street © unk

Iglesia Parroquial Mayor del Espiritu Santo (1680) baroque style, its steeple is visible from afar © partwish sur picasa.com •}• Town map : enlarge

Parque Honorato del Castillo is right in town, pedestrian level or as seen from the air © unk

Cabaiguan (oil refinery and cigar production) is located 24 km northwest © Robin Thom on Flickr.com

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

Caburni falls in Topes de Collantes © Eduardo Manchon, panoramio

TO MAKE A RESERVATION BY PHONE
• From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by the town's area code, 41) • From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by the town's area code, 41) 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.

Click photos to see the casa's page and description. Two maps of town : here and here..

See some casas in sequence.

Move to next casa by clicking this logo.

HOSTAL DE MARTHA V
Two aircon bedrooms with ensuite baths
Calle Placido Norte 69, entre Tirso Marin y Carderon Tel. (41) 32-3556

HOSTAL LAS AMERICAS V
Two aircon bedrooms with ensuite baths
Bartolome Maso 157 Sur (Carretera Central) e/ Cuba y Cuartel, close to bus station. Tel. (41) 32-2984

HOSTAL LA VICARIA V
Two aircon bedrooms with shared bath
Calle F.D. Roosevelt (San Vicente) 24, entre Cdte. Fajardo y Frank Pais 4 mins from town center. Tel. (41) 33-5021

www.particuba.net •_• Sancti Spiritus • Hostal La Vicaria

LA CASA AZUL
Two aircon bedrooms with ensuite baths
Calle Maceo #4 Sur, entre Avenida de los Mártires y Doll, some 300 m from parque Serafín Sánchez. Tel. (41) 32-43-36

HOSTAL SANTA ELENA
Two aircon bedrooms with ensuite baths
Santa Elena #42, entre Carretera Central (Bartolomé Masó) y Onza (Brigadier Rives), near Plaza de la Revolucion. Tel. (41) 32-9218 cell (5) 284-2396

www.particuba.net •_• Sancti Spiritus • HOSTAL SANTA ELENA

HOSTAL PUENTE YAYABO
Two aircon bedrooms with ensuite baths
Calle Jesus Menendez 109, entre Padre Quintero y Rio Yayabo, right on the rio Yayabo Tel. (5) 240-8545

LOS RICHARDS V
Two aircon bedrooms with shared bath
Calle Independencia Norte # 28, (upstairs) on Plaza Serafin Sanchez. Tel. (41) 32-6805

Terrace and balcony over main square. Nice family atmosphere, Ricardo Rodriguez knows every inch of the town as he's its "best taxi driver".

HILDA ROSA MUTIS MARTINEZ V
One aircon bedroom, kitchen, balcony
Calle Independencia #17, near Parque Central. Tel. (41) 32-3029

Private entrance for guests. Large living room. One very large bedroom with a-c, ensuite. Balcony, terrace. Prepare your own meals in well-equipped kitchen.

JORGE E RODRIGUEZ FITICO V
Two aircon bedrooms with shared bath
Calle Cespedes # 1 (upstairs), behind Hotel Plaza, corner Marquez Garcia. Tel. (41) 32-7927

Centrally-located, clean and comfy colonial house. Guaranteed parking.

LOS ZAMORAS V
Two aircon bedrooms with ensuite baths
Independencia Sur # 56 entre Honorato y Agramonte Tél. (41) 32-4830 or 32-3046

Well-furnished apartment where professional hosts, Joan Riesgo Zamora and Raul Pescao also offer info on nightlife.

ALOJAMIENTO NOCHE Y DIA V
Two aircon bedrooms with ensuite baths
Calle Martí Norte # 11 entre Comandante Fajardo y Frank País. Tél. (41) 32-5701

Enrique Diaz Vazquez's large colonial has 5 bedrooms (3 with a-c), charming patio. Relaxed atmosphere, friendly, quiet street.

HENRIQUE DIAZ y DAYMILA DIAZ RODRIGUEZ V
Two aircon bedrooms with ensuite baths
Calle Marti 111 e/Sobral y San Cristobal one block from Tienda La Habana Tel. (41) 32-7553

Semi-colonial casa with three bedrooms (each with private baths) to choose from located in center.

HOSTAL NURIS V
One aircon bedroom with ensuite bath
Calle Luz Caballero No 9, entre Tirso Marín y Parque Serafín Sánchez Tél. (41) 32-7674 @

Ana Silvia Neira Fabregas rents one aircon bedroom with its own ensuite bathroom.

ESTRELLA GONZALES OBREGON V
One aircon bedroom with ensuite bath
Maximo Gómez Norte # 26, entre Antonio Guiteras y Calderón, facing Hotel Colonial. Tel. (41) 32-7927

Large and cosy colonial house. Ground floor is ok, upstairs is better. Phone and laundry service. Guaranteed parking.

HOSTAL PARAISO V
1838 Colonial, two aircon bedrooms, large ensuites
Calle Maximo Gomez Sur #11 e/Honorato y M. Solano Cell 05 271-1257

LP2012

HOSTAL LOS PINOS V
Nice art déco with two aircon bedrooms, ensuites
Carretera central Norte #157, e/Mirto Millian y Coronel Lagon Tel (41) 32-9314

Updated 09.01.2012