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Sancti Spíritus Province %41 / pop 466,106

Why Go? Sancti Spíritus...... 282 Sancti Spíritus is the province of good fortune: there’s more Southwest of everything here, and it’s all squeezed into an area half the Sancti Spíritus size of Camagüey or Pinar del Río. Province...... 288 The cities are a perennial highlight. In the east is the Trinidad...... 288 understated provincial capital, a soporific mix of weather- beaten buildings and bruised Ladas. South, and within sight Playa Ancón & of the coast, is ethereal Trinidad, ’s time-warped colo- Around...... 301 nial jewel. Valle de los Ingenios...302 Unlike other colonial belles, Trinidad has beaches – near- Topes de Collantes.....303 by Ancón is a stunner, easily the best on Cuba’s southern Northern Sancti coast – and mountains. Within mirror-glinting distance of Spíritus...... 305 the city’s colonial core lies the haunting Escambray, which, with a network of decent trails, is Cuba’s best hiking area. The rest of the province hides a surprisingly varied Best Off-the- cache of oft-overlooked curiosities, including fishing at Embalse Zaza, a seminal museum to Cuba’s guerrilla icon Beaten-Track Camilo Cienfuegos in Yaguajay, and the beautiful Bahía de ¨¨Parque Nacional Caguanes Buenavista. (p306) ¨¨La Boca (p301) ¨¨Alturas de Banao (p289) When to Go ¨ ¨¨Jobo Rosado Reserve ¨Trinidadians don’t wait long after Christmas to rediscover (p306) their celebratory style. The Semana de la Cultura Trinitaria (Trinidad Culture Week) takes place during the second week of January and coincides with the city’s anniversary. Best Waterfalls ¨¨The quiet month of May is a good time to visit this province, as you can avoid both crowds and bad weather during the ¨¨El Rocio (p304) off-season. ¨ ¨Salto del Caburní (p304) ¨¨Stick around until June and you’ll witness Trinidad’s second ¨¨La Solapa de Genaro big annual shindig, the Fiestas Sanjuaneras, a local Carnaval (p306) where rum-fueled horsemen gallop through the streets. Take ¨¨Cascada Bella (p289) cover!

(p282). Trinidad (p288). pool. bathing natural frigid a Manaca Iznaga for a killer view view killer a for Iznaga Manaca

Sancti Spíritus Sancti

281 of city historic Caburní

Climb the tower at the the at tower the Climb museums in time-warped time-warped in museums into jump and (p304) Sancti Spíritus Province Spíritus Province Highlights 2

Salto del del Salto Reales Visit one of half a dozen dozen a half of one Visit the to down Hike alternative to Trinidad in the the in Trinidad to alternative (p298). (p306). 8 6

njoy a less-visited less-visited a njoy E 3 Palenque de los Congos Congos los de Palenque Blanco Ancón Reserve Rosado Jobo (p301). (p301). the

Cayo Cayo Playa los Ingenios los drums in Trinidad’s Trinidad’s in drums rumba take you snorkeling off off snorkeling you take of sands the stroll and in history war and waterfalls (p302).

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Sancti Spíritus Province Highlights Province Spíritus Sancti

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Punta de Punta

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