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This charming little village is nestled in the Sierra de los Organos, and was but a settlement during the Spanish colonial era. Although the village was founded in the 17th century, the mogotes, covered with vegetation were formed through erosion during the jurassic era. Cuban climbers have been joined by colleagues from around the world to tackle these weird mounts. The San Vicente region is spersed with underground caves : among others, Cueva del Indio, Cueva de San Miguel, El Palenque de los Cimarrones and world-renowned Caverna de Santo Tomás — with 50 km of tunnels, it is the largest in the country and second largest on the Continent. Recently discovered, the stupendous caves of nearby Sierra Guasasa where non-profit Pinar del Rio group Geda is pursuing its explorations. The quiet commercial activity — and large cultural — activity borders the main street, Cisneros, has a few colonial and columned edificios but the majority of dwellings are bungalows. There's a sense of environment protection here like nowhere else in the country. And, most important, little motor traffic. One of this webmaster's must-see places on the island. The hundreds of casas particulares here are most alike : we suggest some of the best below. 
POPULATION 27,579 (2007) PLAYAS Cayo Jutias (60km), Cayo Levisa (50km), Cabo San Antonio (197), Maria la Gorda RIVER SWIM In rio Resvaloso near Cueva de la Vaca (ask around, everyone knows, Cubans abound in summer). PALADARES Aguilina Rodriguez Martinez (Nodarse 24A), Valle-Bar Casa Dago RESTAURANTS Bar Las Brisas (Cisneros 96), La Casa de Don Tomás (Cisneros 140), El Palenque de los Cimarrones, La Casa del Veguero, Las Magnolias, La Terrazza of Hotel La Ermita (nice place, tempting pool), Rancho San Vicente (cabins for rent), Vera (Hotel Los Jazmines). EVENINGS Centro Polo Montañez, Casa de la Cultura (both on main square) El Palenque de los Cimarrones (cave outside of town) and three neighboring bars on main street : 3 live bands playing at the same time. Did U say cacofonico ? EXCURSIONS Las Terrazas, departs 7h30, Rancho Curujey, arr. Soroa 11h, returns 15h • Cayo Levisa, departs 8h, returns 19h; including 30 mins. in a very slow boat (at normal speed, should take 8 mins.) By 9-psgr minibus, 25cuc including lunch, 34cuc including fins & mask, 25 more for scuba. Or drive to Palma Rubia, 60km north on the coast and take the 10am or 6pm slow boat, 25cuc pp. including lunch • Maria la Gorda, 25cuc. Book through Havanatur or Cubanacan, beside the libreria (some books in English), facing Parque Marti • Cayo Jutias beach on north coast, 60 km northwest via Minas de Matahambre and scenic mountain road. Access by pedraplen, entry fee 5cuc : just a beach, beer hut. (There used to be a two-storey restaurant, wiped by 2005 hurricane) • Cabo San Antonio : its wooden villas (75$ per night, double), marina, lighthouse, all in a Biosphere Reserve at the extreme very, very end of Cuba, some 200 km from here. Site TRANSPORT Scooters for rent right by the Don Tomas restaurant (see map) on main street. Bus Viazul La Habana (daily 3-hour trip); Pinar del Rio (daily, 40 mins.). |
 The palm and the cross © sogestour •|• Same park in centre, otra vista © sogestour  Valle de Viñales © Giora Szabo •|• Campesinos walking a field © sogestour  Paz campesina, peace of the countryman © sogestour •|• Mabel and her cat at Los Acuaticos, the mythical mountain settlement — before her family moved down to the valley © sogestour  One of endless bucolic views © csongor - picasa •|• Mural de la Prehistoria © viaggiliberi  Our town map with casas : haz clic, chick !  The Che's Cueva de la Comandancia © sogestour •|• View of valley from Los Acuaticos © sogestour  |
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| SERVICES A professional massage ? Yesss ! Ask Onasis Romero Vargas, university teacher and neurological massage specialist. Resides at calle Rafael Trejo #145. Low rates, 15 to 60 mins. Tel. (48) 77-8370 Will go to your casa. • If he's busy, call a colleague masajista : Jesus Ernesto Alfonso (cell) 015 270-6478 • Banco de Credito y Comercio (Cisneros 58) • Cadeca (money exchange, Cisneros 92 Tel 79-6334) • Micar (8) 79-6330 • Havanatur (48) 79-6161 or 79-6262 • Cubanacan (48) 79-639 • Rumbos 79-6339 |
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| WORTHY OF NOTE " The practice of casa owners paying 5 cuc to any Cuban "referring " a client is more prevalent than before in Viñales. Even from the bus stop and even if the casa owner is right there ! The jinitero argues loudly and the owner has no choice but to promise a commission. This leads to overbooking the same casa which prompts the casa owner to look for another casa willing to reimburse the 5cuc commission. And so on until the client pays for the corruption. " Another point : depending on the casas, fruit juices or coffees or other drinks like mojitos, etc are offered to clients but without specifying whether they're free or not and at which price. Some owners take note, others don't and it's only on checkout that the clients get surprise charges. Same goes for laundry services. Please : dare ask BEFORE ! " — Comments from Claire A., 26 August 2008. If you are prey to any of these practices, please tell us. — El webmaestro |
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| SEE.KNOW.DO Valley of Viñales : admire parts of its 15,000 hectares (31km long, 2-8km wide) from Los Jazmines and La Ermita hotels. Discover it on foot : three daily 3-hr excursions (Coco Solo Palmarito, Maravillas de Viñales and San Vicente/Ancon) leaving at 9h and 16h). Book through Habanatur or Cubanacan offices (facing church on Parque Marti) or in local hotels. 8cuc per person with bilingual guide • Casa de la Cultura, plastic arts gallery and music shows daily; upstairs, catch a glimpse of a city council meeting • Cueva del Indio, 400m boat tour of this underground grotto; other caves in Santo Tomas (El Moncada) • Cueva de la Comandancia (San Miguel) where the Che was posted during Bay of Pigs attack in 1962 • Fabrica de Tabacos, cigar factory, demonstrations, sales • Jardin de las Hermanas Caridad, private and free botanical garden : ornemental, medicinal plants , orchids and fruit trees • Los Acuaticos, trekking to the one casa (high up) where Mabel and her parents live. Best to leave around 4 p.m. Entrance some 500m after junction to Mural de la Prehistoria. No sign on road. Ask farmer Fernando Estrada Simon to walk up with you, a 30-min trek. Stupendous views guaranteed • Museo Municipal, local artists. Calle Salvador Cisneros 115 • Mural de la Prehistoria, 4 k west : rock facade painted by Leovigildo Gonzalez Morillo • Museo Paleontologico, at campismo Dos Hermanas • 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 |
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| OUR RECOMMENDATIONS V = suggested by webbies and travelers. Check in person or by phone. New city phone code is 48 since Nov. 22 2006. 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 |
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BOOK BY PHONE • from Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by 48 for Viñales). • from Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by 48 for Viñales; replace 8 by 5 for cell phones).  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.  |
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Click photos to get to the casa's page & description. Locate most casas on this map.
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See the casas in sequence.
 Click arrow to start visit. |
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| LA NENA One aircon bedroom, ensuite bathroom Camilo Cienfuegos 56, entre Sergio Dopico y C. Maragoto Tel. (48) 69-69-38. Cellular (5) 248-7019  Rates : 20-25cuc for bedroom per night (2 adults max.) |
VILLA CRISTAL
One aircon independent bedroom, ensuite bathroom Calle Rafael Trejo 99, entre Adela Azcuy y C. Maragoto. Cellular (5) 270-1284  Rates : 25cuc per night for bedroom (2 adults max.) regular or high season |
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| TOMAS y YOLANDA One aircon bedroom, ensuite bathroom Calle Camilo Cienfuegos #52, entre C. Maragoto y Sergio Dopico. Tel. (48) 69-69-31  Rates : 20-25cuc (2 adults max.) per night for bedroom, breakfasts 3-4cuc, dinners 7-8 cuc. |
VILLA EL CAFETAL
One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Calle Adela Azcuy Norte Final s/n : sin numero (Past the estadio de beisbol, walk downhill.) Cellular (5) 223-9175 or (5) 331-1752  Rates : 20-25cuc (2 adults max.) depending on season |
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| VILLA AQUILINA V Two aircon bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms Calle Orlando Nodarse No. 31, entre Sergio Dopico y Adela Azcuy. Tel. (48) 69-5402 Cellular c/o Nena (015) 248-7019  Rates : 20-25cuc per bedroom per night (2 adults max.) |
MILEYDIS FEITO
One aircon bedroom, ensuite bath Calle Adela Azcuy Norte #11, past the estadio de beisbol, down the street out in the fields. Tel. cellular (5) 223-8913  Rates : 20-25cuc for bedroom per night (2 adults max.) |
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| NENITA Two aircon bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms Salvador Cisneros Int. 61, behind the Policlinico. Tel. (48) 79-60-04 or cellular (5) 289-0530  Rates : 20-25cuc (2 adults max.) per night. |
LA CUBANA
One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Rafael Trejo 92, entre Adela Azcuy y C. Maragoto. Cellular : (5) 270-1284 c/o Francisco  Rates : 20-25cuc (2 adults max.) depending on season, breakfasts 3-4cuc, dinners 7-8 cuc. |
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| ESTHER NODARSE One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Rafael Trejo 94, entre Adela Azcuy y C. Maragoto, facing Villa Cristal. Cellular : (5) 270-1284 c/o Francisco  Rates : 20-25cuc (2 adults max.) depending on season, breakfasts 3-4cuc, dinners 7-8 cuc. |
BRUNILDA HIDALGO PELAEZ
One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Rafael Trejo No 107-A, entre Adela Azcuy y C. Maragoto, steps from Villa Cristal. Tel. (48) 79-60-44  Rates : 20-25cuc (2 adults max.) depending on season, breakfasts 3-4cuc, dinners 7-8 cuc. |
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| BARBI y OMAR One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Adela Azcuy No 12, corner of Rafael Trejo, around from Villa Cristal. Tel. (48) 79-81-93  Rates : 20-25cuc (2 adults max.) depending on season, breakfasts 3-4cuc, dinners 7-8 cuc. |
CASA COLONIAL MERCEDES One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Rafael Trejo No 2, near the Servi-Cupet. Cellular (5) 293-0923  Rates : 15-20cuc for the bedroom (2 adults max.) depending on season, breakfasts 3-4cuc, dinners 7-8 cuc. |
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| LUMINO y HERIBERTO One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Calle Orlando Nodarse #3, entre Adela Azcuy y Joaquin Pérez and between Camilo Cienfuegos and Orlando Nodarse Tel. (48) 69-69-52  Rates : 20-25cuc for the bedroom (2 adults max.) depending on season, breakfasts 3-4cuc, dinners 7-8 cuc. |
TOMASA V One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Calle Adela Azcuy , No. 6, Norte, near the center of Viñales and close to a walking path..Tel. cellular (5) 223-8857 In Cuba, dial 015 223-8857  Rates : 20-25cuc for the bedroom (2 adults max.) |
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| CLAUDINA V One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Calle Camilo Cienfuegos #26, entre Adela Azcuy y Celso Maragoto Tel. (48) 79-6034  Rates : 15-20cuc for bedroom per night without breakfast. |
LOS PINOS One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Calle Salvador Cisneros #36 (main street), near the Cadeca and the Centro de Salud. Tel. (48) 79-6097  Rates : 20-25cuc for bedroom per night (2 adults max.) |
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| EL RELOJERO V One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Orlando Nodarse 7, on the way to Hotel La Ermita before the Escuela. Tel. (48) 69-54-29; cell. in Cuba (015) 290-5185  Rates : 15-20cuc per bedroom per night (2 pers. max.) Meals : 7 to 10 cuc, breakfasts 3cuc, mojito 2 cuc. |
JOSÉ y DIANELYS V One independent aircon bedroom, ensuite bath Calle Salvador Cisneros # 23 (main street) Tel : (48) 79 60 26  Rates : 20-25cuc for bedroom per night (1 double, 1 single bed); 3cuc breakfasts; 7-10cuc dinners. |
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| PITIN y JUANA V Aircon bedrooms (3), ensuite baths Kilométro 25 a Viñales, numero 2, about 100m from the village entrance. Tel. (48) 79-3338 Cellular (015) 270-4781  Rates : 20-25 cuc per night per bedroom; only 2 bedrooms may be rented per night (2 adults max.) |
LUCILO y NIRMA V One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Pasaje Camilo Cienfuegos #52 Tel. (48) 69-6657 Reservations by SMS: +5352942968 Cell (5) 294-2968  Rates : 15-20 cuc per night for bedroom (2 adults max.) |
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| PAPO y NIULVYS V One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Calle Rafael Trejo 18 e/Mariana Grajales y Joaquin Perez, two blocks from the Viazul bus stop. Tel. (48) 69-6714 or cell (015) 282-9486  Rates : 15-20cuc for bedroom per night (2 adults max.) in low season, 25cuc in high; 4cuc breakfasts; 7-10 dinners. |
EL PELOTERO V One aircon bedroom, 2 double beds, ensuite bath Calle Adela Azcuy Norte 29, almost facing the estadio de beisbol. Tel. (48) 79-3366 Cell (5) 331-1619 or (5) 223-8836  Rates : 20cuc for bedroom per night (2 adults max.); 4cuc breakfasts |
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Content & photos © sogestour  Updated |
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