Holguín Province is the second most important resort area in Cuba. If Varadero is a developed tourist center with a large number of hotels, restaurants and noisy discos, then Holguín is notable for its calm and measured rhythm of life, large national parks and picturesque coral valleys. An excellent choice for families with children and those who prefer isolation and silence.
The capital of the province - the city of the same name, founded back in 1523 - is distinguished by straight clean streets and an abundance of greenery. It is no coincidence that its second name is “the city of parks”: there are six well-groomed squares in the center alone. There, in the center, on the main square, there is a monument to General Calixto Garcia, under whose command in 1872 the locals won independence from the Spanish army.
A complete impression of the architectural appearance of the city and of the surrounding landscape can be obtained by climbing the Loma de la Cruz, on top of which an impressive cross is erected. To get to it, you need to overcome 458 steps. Loma de la Cruz is considered the symbolic center of the city, where locals come to pray, artists - to get inspired, tourists - to take beautiful photographs. During Romerías de Mayo, a colorful festival that bizarrely combines Christian and pagan motives, it is the Hill of the Cross that becomes the final destination of the festival procession. Festivities take place annually in the first week of May and last 7 days.
On two parallel streets - Calle Mandulei and Calle Maceo, crossing the city center and three squares - there are hotels, shops, clubs and bars. On the territory of the Calixto Garcia Park there are the former colonial army barracks - La Periquera, built in 1860. Now there is a museum where you will be introduced to the history of the province of the VIII-XV centuries. (era of settlements of the Taino Indians) to the present day.
Approximately 2 km north of the center of Holguin, along the highway leading to the town of Khibara, at house No. 301 there is a factory for the manufacture of musical instruments, namely mechanical organs.
The open-air museum, located in the small village of Aldea Campesina, will allow you to better understand the life of local peasants. The houses of ordinary people are being built without a floor, and the roof is covered with palm leaves. Countless water jugs are kept in the courtyards. There you can not only get acquainted with the daily life of the peasants, but also dine and spend the night.
Holguin is located 50 km from the ocean coast, known for its clean beaches, expensive hotels and picturesque landscapes of the seabed. On the outskirts of Playa Esmeralda Beach, the Bahia de Naranjo Natural Park is located on a thousand acres of land and thirty kilometers of coastline. It is notable for five natural beaches, archaeological sites, caves and six kilometers of coral reefs. There you can also visit the aquarium with an entertainment program with dolphins and sea lions.
Halfway from Holguín to Guardalavaca, a tourist paradise with white beaches and turquoise seas, you can stop at the fishing town of Jibara, famous for its excellent seafood restaurants serving Cuban dishes made with fresh seafood.
History buffs will certainly want to get to the Chorro de Maita settlement, where archaeologists have discovered a large Taino necropolis: ninety-six burials dating back to the first half of the 16th century, a large number of utensils and decorations.
The easiest way to visit Holguin is to take a direct flight from Moscow. If you are in the capital of Cuba, the flight from Havana will take about an hour and a half.
The average cost of a tour lasting 10-12 nights for two adults in a four-star all-inclusive hotel will range from 120,000 rubles and more. But you can save up to 30% of the total amount by choosing tickets and booking a hotel yourself. For example, the "House Cuba - Villa azul" hotel is located in the very center of Holguin, inexpensive and quite comfortable by Cuban standards. The room has a bathroom, toilet, TV and air conditioning.
The city of Holguin is an excellent choice for those who are not only content with a beach holiday, but also strive to learn the history and culture of a new country for themselves. It is a modern tourist center with a variety of routes and entertainment programs. A sightseeing tour with a visit to cultural centers is a wonderful opportunity to better understand the history of the city, to feel respect for the customs and mores of the Cuban people, and to discover a new cultural world.
Jeep safari, oceanarium, spearfishing, fishing on the high seas - Cuba attracts a lot of entertainment, and Holguin is no exception. It seems that the Creator himself created the conditions here for you to forget about the gray everyday life for a while and plunge into heavenly pleasure.
