Santiago de Cuba is considered the second largest city in the country. It is 880 km away from Havana and has a population of over 400 thousand people. The streets of Santiago de Cuba were built a long time ago, during the colonial era. The city has preserved many buildings dating back to this time.
Features of city streets
Santiago has a special atmosphere that is influenced by the sea. Here you can see the sloping streets and balconies hanging over the sidewalk. The city is spread over hills and surrounded by mountains that protect it from the winds. The population of Santiago de Cuba is represented mainly by mulattos - descendants of immigrants from Jamaica and the French or Spaniards.
The main streets of the city are the following: Heredia, Padre Pico, Enramada. Walking along any of the listed streets, you can notice a mixture of trends in the architecture of buildings. Neoclassicism and Baroque are combined with the style of Spanish masters. The heart of the old part of the city is the Cespedes Park. It is a beautiful square equipped with benches and gas lamps. It is located next to the industrial area of Santiago de Cuba. The streets of the Old Town start from the square. There is a picturesque cathedral with bell towers, the Velazquez Museum, the Government House, etc. The Cespedes Park is surrounded by souvenir shops around the perimeter.
Interesting places
To the west of Cespedes Park is the Casa de Diego Velazquez building. This house has been recognized as the oldest on the continent. Santiago has many winding streets that go up or down. Popular is the Padre Pico staircase street. On its steps you can relax while walking. At the very top of this street, there is a wonderful view of the city.
To see the city life of Santiago, it is recommended to visit Dolores Square. It is surrounded by colonial-style buildings. The central commercial highway is Enramada Street, which connects the port and the Old City. It is dominated by buildings dating back to the 20th century. During the colonial period, Enramada was called Seaside Boulevard. On weekends, the street becomes pedestrianized. The residents of the city come here to enjoy their shopping. There are many different shops on Enramada. This street is the most well-groomed in the city. A small street, Aguilera, runs parallel to it. It has several attractive architectural structures.
