Las Tunas Province 31 / POP 538,000

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%Las Tunas Province 31 / POP 538,000

Includes  Why Go? Las Tunas...... 335 Most travelers say hello and goodbye to Las Tunas province Monte Cabaniguan. . .. 341 in the time that it takes to drive across it on the Carretera Puerto Padre...... 341 Central (one hour on a good day). But, hang on a sec! This so-laid-back-it’s-nearly-falling-over collection of leather- Punta Covarrubias. . .. 342 skinned cowboys and poetry-spouting country singers is Playas La Herradura, known for its daredevil rodeos and Saturday night street La Llanita & parties where barnstorming entertainment is served up at Las Bocas ...... 343 the drop of a sombrero. Although historically associated with the Oriente, Las Tu- nas province shares many attributes with Camagüey in the west. The flat grassy fields of the interior are punctuated Best Bucolic with sugar mills and cattle ranches, while the eco beaches Escapes on the north coast remain wild and lightly touristed, at least by Varadero standards. ¨¨Monte Cabaniguan (p341) In this low-key land of the understated and underrated, ¨¨El Cornito (p337) accidental visitors can enjoy the small-town charms of the ¨¨Playa La Herradura (p343) provincial capital, or head north to the old mill town Puerto Padre where serenity rules.

Best Places When to Go to Stay ¨¨The wettest months are June and October, with over ¨¨Hotel Cadillac (p337) 160mm of average precipitation. July and August are the ¨¨Mayra Busto Méndez hottest months. (p337) ¨¨Las Tunas has many festivals for a small city; the best is the ¨¨Roberto Lío Montes de Oca Jornada Cucalambeana in June. (p342) ¨¨Festival Internacional de Magia (Magic Festival), held in the ¨¨Brisas Covarrubias (p343) provincial capital in November, is another highlight. ¨¨The National Sculpture Exhibition, an event befitting the so-called ‘City of Sculptures,’ happens in February. Las Tunas Province Las Tunas 335

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Parque 26 26 in Parque with lassos de Julio (p340 celebrated twice-annual twice-annual celebrated rodeo 2 1 Las Tunas Province Highlights sculptures embellishing sculptures Las of cityscape the sleepy . (below) Tunas Las Tunas became a provincial capital in became a provincial Las Tunas 5 5 5

Camagü POP 154,000 Las Tunas If it was down to sights and historical attrac people would doubtful many alone, it’s tions graphic reorganization. graphic ish burned Las Tunas to the ground, but theground, the to Lasburned ish Tunas fought back, and in 1897 GeneralMambís Calixto García forced the local Spanish garri Cuban victory. son to surrender in a pivotal post-revolutionary geo 1976 during Cuba’s cesses in the area soon led the colonizers to During rename it La Victória de Las Tunas. Span the the Spanish-Cuban-American War The settlement of Las Tunas was founded in The of Las settlement Tunas until the title of ‘city’ but wasn’t given 1759 Cuban General Vicente García 1876 1853. In of during the War briefly captured the city suc Spanish but repeated Independence, History 55 55

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