Trinidad

Trinidad is the best-preserved colonial town in Cuba, a UNESCO gem in the centre of the island that grew rich on sugar in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and then, as the industry declined, was left frozen in time. Its cobbled streets, pastel-painted houses with wrought-iron grilles, grand mansions and central plaza feel like a living museum, alive with live music spilling from its casas, and set between the Caribbean coast and the forested Escambray mountains.

What you actually see

• The Plaza Mayor - the beautiful central square and its church.
• The cobbled streets - the pastel houses and colonial mansions.
• The Casa de la Musica - the steps where live music plays at night.
• The Valley of the Sugar Mills - the historic plantation valley nearby.

When to go

November to April, the dry season, for the best weather; the town is atmospheric year-round, with music every evening. It combines a colonial town, the nearby Playa Ancon beach and the Escambray mountains for a varied few days.

Honest expectations

The cobbled streets are charming but genuinely uneven and hard on the feet and wheels. Like all of Cuba, it faces shortages and logistical challenges, so cash and patience are needed. It has become touristy and the touts work the plaza, but staying in a family casa particular gives a warm, authentic experience. Its preservation and music are the real draw.

Nearby

Playa Ancon beach, the Escambray mountains and the city of Cienfuegos are close.