Overview

The central heartland of Cuba transitions between the pre-Revolutionary prosperous western plantations and the cattle pasture of the poorer east.  There’s loads of history here, reflected in the racial mix and architecture of the port of Cienfuegos, Pearl of the South. Its French founders left their mark in broad neoclassical boulevards, art deco façades and blond inhabitants but there’s also a strong Afro-Caribbean presence. This is a seafaring city with salt in the air; it’s the world’s primary sugar port. The town is often visited in tandem with a stop at the Bay of Pigs, site of the ill-fated CIA-inspired invasion of 1961.

Santa Clara, founded on agriculture and mining, gained importance when a railway was built to connect the city with Havana. This track provided for one of the most momentous events in Castro’s revolutionary campaign: the hijacking of a train carrying government guns and soldiers. A few of the carriages are on display in what is this lively university city’s most important monument. Surrounded by magnificent hills, great for hiking or birdwatching, Santa Clara is within easy reach of 500 year-old Remedios, an attractive country town, and unspoilt Caibarién on the coast, a bit scruffy but certainly without pretension.

Read More

THE UK’S NO. 1 SPECIALIST IN TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

What our clients say Contact Us

Holidays Cienfuegos, Santa Clara and Bay of Pigs

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

Jamie Swan ©

Private Journeys

Cuba

Self-drive Cuba: Best of the west

13 days from £1,350pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

iStock ©

Private Journeys

Cuba

Self-drive Cuba: Explore the east

13 days from £1,820pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

CUB_Trinidad_iStock_478045124

Private Journeys

Cuba

Signature Cuba: The best of the highlights

14 days from £2,790pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

CUB_Havana_Shutterstock_503752282

Private Journeys

Cuba

Signature Cuba: The complete Cuba

18 days from £3,250pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Things to do

We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.

Where to go when - our guide to Cienfuegos, Santa Clara and Bay of Pigs

Bay of Pigs

The weather in Cienfuegos, Santa Clara and Bay of Pigs is wide and varied

In the heartland of Cuba is the attractive maritime city of Cienfuegos, the world’s primary sugar port. The nearby town of Santa Clara and the Bay of Pigs are rich in revolutionary history. The weather here is hot and steamy year round, with a distinct wet and dry season. Dec - May is ideal for exploring outdoors, with sunnier weather and lower humidity, while Jun - Nov offers an impressive range of local festivities and celebrations you won’t want to miss.

View our Cienfuegos, Santa Clara and Bay of Pigs weather guide

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Sallly
    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Millie
    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • Charlotte
    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

0 1 2 3 4 5