The city of Santa Clara (Santa Clara), founded in 1689, is located in the central part of Cuba in the province of Villa Clara. In 1958, Ernesto Che Guevara directed the battle for Santa Clara during the Cuban Revolution, and it was this city that became the resting place of his ashes brought from Bolivia to Cuba in 1997.
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How to get to Santa Clara
The airport of Santa Clara accepts flights from Montreal and Toronto. But flights from the Cuban capital, Havana, are not met.
From the train station on Luis Estévez, daily trains to Cienfuegos (cost 3 convertible Cuban pesos (CUC), travel time 2 h 30 min), Bayamo (22 CUC, 9 h 30 min), Camagüey (13 CUC, 5 h 35 min) and Holguin (8 CUC, 10 h). Twice a day, a message is made with Santiago de Cuba (33 CUC, 12 h 15 min). Five night trains run to Matanzas (8 CUC, 3 hours 30 minutes) and Havana (14 CUC, 5 hours). There is also a message with Sancti Spiritus (4 CUC, 3 h) and Moron (5 CUC, 3 h 40 min). Prices are shown in May 2011
Search flights to Havana (the nearest airport to Santa Clara)
Climate
From April to October, the temperature is maintained at around + 30-32 degrees, and from December to March it drops to + 16-17 degrees. The greatest amount of precipitation falls from May to October.
Transport
A common vehicle in Santa Clara is horse-drawn carts and bike-taxis (the fare is 1 pesos). Rental of mopeds and cars is available at the rental locations Cubatur, Havanautos, Micar, Transtur. Near the bus station, you can hire a taxi to Remedios (8 CUC one way) and Caribarien (10 CUC). A taxi to Havana will cost 50 CUC. Prices are shown in May 2011
Shopping and cuisine
The pedestrian shopping area of Santa Clara, called Boulevard, is located on Independencia. In La Veguita - a point of sale of the tobacco factory Fábrica de Tabacos Constantino Pérez Carrodegua, you can buy cigars, inexpensive rum and good coffee. The shop is located directly in front of the factory.
Caribbean cuisine is prepared in the restaurant El Sabor Latino, located on Esquerra No. 157, El Castillo at 9 de Abril No. 9 and Paladar Bodeguita del Centro in Villuendas Sur No. 264.
Entertainment, Excursions and Attractions of Santa Clara
The Cathedral of Catedral de Santa Clara de Asís was built in 1923 and replaced a demolished church located in the Parc Vidal Park. In the cathedral the most beautiful stained-glass windows and the statue of the Virgin Mary, known as La Virgen del Camino, are preserved.
In the Vidal Park you can visit the Museum of Decorative Arts Museo de Artes Decorativas with a collection of furniture from the 18th century. The museum is open to visitors: Wed - Thurs. from 9:00 to 18:00, Fri.- Sat. from 13:00 to 21:00, Sun. - from 18:00 to 22:00.
2 km west of Vidal Park is Monumento Ernesto Che Guevara, - a monument, a mausoleum and a museum complex dedicated to Che Guevara. On a huge square is a bronze statue of Che, erected in 1987, on the day of the 20th anniversary of his assassination in Bolivia, and the crowning mausoleum in which the ashes of the Cuban revolutionary and 17 of his comrades buried here in 1997 lie. The
A 10-minute walk from the city center is Monumento a la Toma del Tren Blindad, dedicated to one of the most important battles in the history of Cuba. On December 29, 1959, Che Guevara and his comrades blew up the railway tracks in order to disarm the armored train. This event put an end to the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and the beginning of Fidel Castro's 50-year rule. In the museum you can see bulldozers that were used during the operation, and wagons with exhibits. The museum is open to visitors from 8:00 to 18:00 from Tuesday to Friday.
Few people know that the tobacco factory of Santa Clara is one of the best in Cuba. Here, cigars are produced by Montecristos, Partagás and Romeo y Julieta. Tours of the factory can be booked through Cubatur. The factory is located on Maceo No. 181 between Julio Jover & Berenguer and accepts visitors from 9:00 to 11:00 and from 13:00 to 15:00.
Loma del Capiro is a group of three small peaks that have acquired important historical significance. In the battle for Santa Clara during the Cuban Revolution, "Che" Guevara used them as a command center. At the smallest peak, Capiro peak, 176.6 meters high, a monument to the Battle of Santa Clara was placed. Two other peaks, 185.9 and 188.4 high, are called Dos Hermanas, or "two sisters". The viewing platform opens a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding area, where endemic plants and a tamarind tree appear on the coat of arms of the city.
Events
In the gazebo erected in 1991 in the Vidal Park, public concerts are regularly held, and once a week the city philharmonic orchestra performs traditional music here.