In Trinidad, you are likely to hear the somnolent sounds of an early 19th century colonial town: wheels rumbling along cobbled streets, donkeys braying as they amble through the town, troubadours strumming melodic tunes on their guitars, and tawny guajiros (Cuban country folk and mountain men) conversing in the city’s softer southern tone.
Today, Trinidad stands as a well-preserved Spanish colonial settlement, but this intriguing rural town was first founded in the 16th century in the central Cuban province of Sancti Spiritus. Trinidad’s prosperity is largely owed to the neighboring Valley de los Ingenios, or the Valley of the Sugar Mills, which flourished during Cuba’s sugar boom in the 18th and 19th centuries. The valley now forms a living testimony to Cuban sugar production with its standing plantations and mills of old. Similarly, Trinidad is often referred to as a living museum, as the vestiges of former architecture and building materials persists to this day. In Trinidad, you can expect to see terracotta clay roofing tiles decorating the skyline.
In 1988, Trinidad was declared a UNESCO World Heritage History site, and the town’s architectural legacy of wealth is now protected. Although cobblestone streets lead into the Escambray Mountains in the northern portions of the town, you can see the heritage of the profiteering zenith in the town’s imposing Spanish colonial mansions, elegant plazas, and stately churches.
Of course, Trinidad has more to offer than historic and architectural sites. About 12km to the south you can find the white sand beach of the Playa Ancón and the northern Sierra del Escambray, or the Escambray Mountains, hide a multitude of outdoor adventures in its purple-shadowed expanse. Looking to stroll down Trinidad's cobbled streets or catch a glimpse into Cuba's past. We visit Trinidad on many of our Cuba active adventure tours, including our walking tours, biking tours, photography tours, or our Cuba kayaking tours.