When taking a trip internationally, get protection from one of the top travel insurance carriers. You can get a 5% discounton Heymondo, the sole insurer that pays doctor bills up front for you,HERE!
Exploring Cienfuegos in a single day is required during your trip to Cuba. The reason is that the neoclassical structures of the so-called Pearl of the South, have earned the label of World Heritage Site. Visiting Cienfuegos is among the best activities in Cuba.
It is a very frequent stopover en route to Trinidad, as Cienfuegos is only one and a half hours from this popular city. Although a day journey is adequate to tour it, we decided to remain one night.
Apart from the metropolitan core where most tourist attractions are concentrated, what we enjoyed most about Cienfuegos was observing the sunrise and sunset from its Malecón (boardwalk) – those in Havana didn’t truly measure up.
Therefore, if you enjoy capturing good photographs as twilight arrives, we highly recommend spending a night in Cienfuegos and enjoying those moments of warmer lights.
Table of Contents
things TO do IN CIENFUEGOS IN ONE DAY
Cienfuegos can be explored thoroughly in a single day. Most highlights for visitors are centered around the José Martí Park. The section that we favored most was Punta Gorda. This can be attained by strolling the entire Paseo del Prado until it has evolved into the Malecón of Cienfuegos. From here, you can enjoy the sunrises/sunsets which make it worthwhile staying at minimum one night in the city.
JOSÉ MARTÍ park
Surrounding the José Martí Park are the most iconic buildings of the city. It essentially represents, so to speak, the heart of Cienfuegos. Most of the tourist shops are located bordering the park itself.
PALACIO FERRER
This architecturally diverse building style from the late 19th century is considered the gem of the park. The prominent Ferrer Palace, located on José Martí Street, outshines any other structure. Its intense blue coloring, also seen on other constructions in the city, masks that it has undergone an extended renovating effort.
When we ascended to the first floor, we observed that workers were repairing damage caused over time, replacing the marble floors and installing finishing touches. Despite being only partially complete, the palace remains an exquisite structure.
The size of the rooms and decoration details revealed the purchasing power of the former proprietors.
When we looked out on the balconies, we saw another scene of José Martí Park and its Arc de Triomf. The monument was voluntarily constructed by the workers of the city to celebrate Cuba`s independence.
The most notable part of the palace was its observatory tower allowing panoramic views across Cienfuegos. The Catalan merchant responsible for construction intended for it to control incoming ships and goods at the port. The vantage point truly provides visibility all over Cienfuegos.
And indeed, you should refrain from climbing it if you experience vertigo, because if you are my height, you will have more body above the viewpoint than underneath when reaching the final step.
PROVINCIAL HOUSE OF THE CULTURE BENJAMIN DUARTE
Perhaps what amazed us most about Palacio Ferrer is the utilization of its lower floor as the Provincial House of Culture. This space has been reserved so local artists can exhibit their most liberated works, as well as to rehearse plays and dance performances, etc.
The design had little connection with the bottom level. Here, it shone more through the lack of such adornment. Clear, vivid colors were randomly spread across the aging walls that flaked over time. There were lilac, yellow, and green rooms. A good background for a photo shoot and playing with the lights through the windows while hip hop music leaked in from the next room, where a group was rehearsing a choreography.
Catedral de la Purísima Concepción
Located at the other end of the park is the neoclassical style cathedral known as the Catedral de la Purísima Concepción. Prior to colonization, Cienfuegos had not been inhabited. However, when the Spaniards arrived, they opted to establish a city there since the bay of Cienfuegos was perfect for constructing a port. With the founding of Cienfuegos, the first mass was celebrated on the same land that currently occupies the cathedral.
Two additional buildings that won`t go unnoticed during your visit to the José Martí Park are the Government Palace and the Tomás Terry Theater which are situated facing one another.
paseo de PRADO
The Paso de Prado is the primary thoroughfare in the city. If you explore Cienfuegos in one day, it allows time to walk at least a large section of it. While few tourist attractions are located there, this is where you find the essence of Cienfuegos. Just over two kilometers in length, it represents the largest promenade in Cuba. And similarly to Cuba itself, the Walkway of Cienfuegos also constantly contrasts decrepitude and splendor.
I recommend exploring as much as possible and discovering for yourself the many colorful colonial houses, ranging from those of high status to ruins.
The Paseo del Prado avenue cuts through Cienfuegos from north to south. In the center runs a pedestrian crossing shaded by palm trees with very pleasant benches for sitting and relaxing.
However, do not stay only in the central part of the walk. At the sides, you can find unique places like the shake house. In this place, you can have a very inexpensive fruit shake since it is paid based on cups. I was surprised by the place since you can see how they make the shakes from a paste, which we assumed is made from fruit and water.
Additionally, if you did not try an ice cream from Coppelia in Havana, on the Paseo de Prado in Cienfuegos you will have a second chance to sample one.
PUNTA GORDA
In the southern most part, the Paseo del Prado momentarily becomes the Cienfuegos Malecón. From here, we will find a Cuba that you have not imagined. Intermingled architectural styles make Cienfuegos the most diverse city in Cuba. This is the end of Cienfuegos, Punta Gorda, as abundant as the finances of the owners of these historic homes.
cienfuegos MALECÓN
The most exceptional part about investigating Cienfuegos in a solitary day is the stroll along its boardwalk. The Cienfuegos Malecón doesn`t have a perspective of the sea yet to the Bay of Jagua. Its calm waters are navigable by those ships that cross the tight channel that interfaces with the Caribbean Sea.
The ideal time to explore is during sundown. When the warmth diminishes, local Cubans emerge to appreciate life on the boardwalk. This is the best time to approach and converse about any subject with the locals.
If fortunate, one will also see children boxing at dusk since it represents one of the national sports.
While the coach prepares one of the students, the others keep training, with some using the rope and others running along the boardwalk, which begins to vary in color.
Walk over to the West Coast where the seawall ends, and we promise there will be dreamy sunsets. You will have the best shots precisely at the moment when the sun crosses the horizon.
Unlike the Malecon in Havana, the shore walkway in Cienfuegos demands much more artistic flair. The decor of palm trees will be the ideal finishing touch to the compositions in your captures.
And that was just the first of many sunsets that Dani and I witnessed during our visit to the island. We were in paradise.
Palacio de valle AND OTHER MANSIONS OF PUNTA GORDA
However, even after nightfall, Punta Gorda does not cease shining thanks to all the truly luxurious mansions that will literally leave you speechless.
You will find striking mansions like the Cienfuegos Club or the Blue Palace, with undefinable styles since they are an amalgamation of various elements.
We entered the Palacio de Valle, which served as the endpoint and now functions as an eatery.
We did not have the chance to view the menu offerings but we knew that the pricing would not be affordable. The interior, adorned with various Moroccan decor, was not something we anticipated finding in Cuba. Undoubtedly, the best feature would be its rooftop area where live music was played.
Like numerous other palaces in the area, most now function as hotels or restaurants so with a more substantial travel fund it may prove wise staying in one, conveniently near the next day`s Fishing Grounds.
THE SPORTS FISHING Area
This small, east facing bay of Punta Gorda is considered the prime locale for capturing pictures at dawn. During the first radiance of light, not only do photographers congregate in this area, it is also fairly common to come across Cubans who are practicing the art of cebe angling.
From what was observed, this style of fishing involves dragging a net and collecting shrimps that remain trapped inside. This technique capitalizes on the shallow depth of the bay in this area.
This dawn established a before and after in Dani’s photography. What looked like a catastrophe was instead a turning factor for him. While changing the optical lens after a couple of pictures, it fell into the water.
His first camera was already running a little short, so this is the last trip you will see him using his Nikon D3200.
WHERE TO EAT IN CIENFUEGOS
In Cienfuegos, there exists no place as magnificent as Doña Nora’s restaurant to dine. Its eclectic decoration, soft live music, variety of dishes, and views of the Paseo del Prado, make it the ideal location to eat.
We reserved a table on the way to Punta Gorda when we went to see the sunset, and had dinner there on the return trip to the center of Cienfuegos. Even in the low season, the restaurant was fairly occupied. It is strongly recommended to schedule a table in advance, especially if you visit Cienfuegos during peak season. Also, if you arrive on time, you can request to be seated on the terrace and enjoy a flawless and romantic candlelit meal.
In addition to dining at this restaurant, we ate at others that were not as popular and days following our visit to Cienfuegos I became ill due to an amoeba infection. Beyond being careful about the food consumed in Cuba, I advise purchasing good international travel medical coverage, because otherwise, health issues like what happened to me may require paying more than necessary. If you don’t want to spend much, think about at least low-cost travel insurance.
HOW TO GET TO CIENFUEGOS from havana
As we had already mentioned in the complete Guide to planning your journey to Cuba, to make the travel between Havana – Cienfuegos, we can use different modes of transportation. The most suggested one in this situation is the private bus that can be booked at any hotel, whether or not you are staying there. This way, you will not need to go to the Viazul station, which is on the outskirts of Havana.
For a similar reason, we declined another alternative which was sharing a taxi. Shared taxis also leave from the Viazul station, so not choosing this option spared us that journey. After trying shared taxis before, I can tell you they are not suitable for lengthy trips. These taxis normally carry three or even four people in the back area, which is very uncomfortable.
Traveling by bus for this trip had the downside of taking four hours and thirty minutes. We made two stops along the way, with one lasting quite a while. All things considered, I think it`s still the best choice due to cost and convenience. As we covered in the travel expense plan, the bus ride was 22 CUC per person.
For reference purposes, the Viazul bus fare would be 20 CUC, while shared taxi transportation would cost 17 CUC.
Cienfuegos map
Do not forget to return here to share your experience traveling through Cienfuegos in one day.
