Cienfuegos

Big enough to offer art, entertainment and action but small enough to retain charm, Cienfuegos is a manageable city of cool colonnaded buildings that was recently assigned with a Unesco World Heritage site listing. A lovely curve of water that opens into the Caribbean Sea, the serene Bahía de Cienfuegos is largely responsible for the city's 'pearl of the south' nickname and Punta Gorda, the thin knife of land that slices into its southern waters, contains some of Cuba's prettiest casas particulares. Easily reached either by bus or car from Habana via the Autopista, Cienfuegos retains a visible French flavor and with its touched up buildings and charming hustle-free street-life it provides visitors a glimpse of Cuban culture at its most intimate.