Hotels - Casa Granda

About  Casa Granda

If you want great views & the attractions of central Santiago de Cuba on your doorstep, you should stay at Hotel Casa Granda – particularly if you enjoy lively nightlife. However, this hotel should also appeal to anyone who enjoys lazy afternoons in the sun watching people pass by.

The colonial Casa Granda is the most striking hotel in the area, despite an exterior that blends architectural styles. Arguably the greatest assets of this century-old building are the stunning views provided from its roof & ground floor terrace, which overlooks the square so is perfect for people-watchers. These are great places to enjoy food, drink & music. Meals on the roof terrace are a perfect way to enjoy balmy evenings, with magnificent views of the cathedral, sea & mountains beyond. There can also be few more serene experiences than watching the sun go down beyond the mountains, drinking cocktails & listening to live Latin music.

Hotel Casa Granda’s bars serve good drinks & snacks, while its restaurant provides quality international & Creole cuisine, served by attentive & very friendly staff. Its location also means you won’t struggle for choice nearby, not only for food & drink but also in the wealth of attractions & entertainment by day & night. The streets can be noisy with salsa music well into the early hours so this hotel would not suit light sleepers.

Casa Granda is a great choice if you want to experience everything Santiago de Cuba has to offer, particularly if you want to enjoy the vibrant city’s nightlife. Those wanting easy access to its cultural attractions should also enjoy this stately old hotel, though shorter stays are recommended for those with low tolerance to noise.

Calle Heredia No.303, Santiago de Cuba

Museo del Carnaval

The spirit of one of the Caribbean's most vibrant street parties, Santiago's annual July carnival, is recalled in photos and newspaper clippings, floats, costumes, and musical instruments. Late afternoons here give a better sense of what carnival is like; stop by at 4 pm Tuesday through Saturday for a performance by music and dance troupes. The short spectacle of colorful costume, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and stirring song might have you planning your next trip to coincide with the main event. 

Parque Céspedes, Santiago de Cuba

Céspedes park

The most atmospheric part of the city is Old Santiago. Céspedes Park constitutes the political, religious, administrative and social center more important of the city. The attractive square is a genteel place with tall trees, gas lanterns and iron benches. In their perimeter were located by disposition of the Laws of Indias, the representative buildings of the power: Town Hall, Cathedral, the house of the governors and the mansions of the main families of the village. Parque Céspedes is dominated by its twin-towered cathedral. A basilica was built on this spot in 1528, but what you see was rebuilt in the early 19th century after a series of earthquakes and fires.

Calle Félix Peña (Santo Tomás) No. 612 e/ Aguilera y Heredia, Santiago de Cuba

Casa de Diego Velázquez

Constructed in 1516, this structure is reputed to be Cuba's oldest house one of the oldest in the Americas, although many historians now doubt that claim. Noticeable for its black-slatted balconies, it is one of Santiago's top attractions. Diego Velázquez, the Spanish conquistador who founded the city and was the island's first governor, lived upstairs. At the moment this old house works as Cuban Historical Colonial Environment's Museum, its rooms overflow with period furniture and carved woodwork and encircle­ two lovely courtyards. Inside you'll find period beds, desks, chests, and other furniture. On the first floor is a gold foundry. Memorable are the star-shape Moorish carvings on the wooden windows and balconies, and the original interior patio with its well and rain-collecting tinajón vessel. An adjacent house is filled with antiques intended to convey the French and English decorative and architectural influences—such as the radial stained glass above the courtyard doors—in the late 19th-century.

Santo Tomás y Francisco Vicente Aguilera. Santiago de Cuba

Museum of Historical Cuban Atmosphere

Located in front of the Céspedes Park, the Museum of Historical Cuban Atmosphere is one of the most important museums in Santiago de Cuba. The museum is constituted by two antique houses that were built in different times. One is from the 16th century while the other is from the 19th century, and both show the way of life of the centuries in which they were built. The oldest house was built in 1515 and is a gem of the colonial architecture. It was the Governor Diego Velázquez’s home and the Casa de Contratación y Fundición de Oro (Hiring House and Golden Foundry). After several changes, the house was restored in 1965 and the space was dedicated to show the way of life of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The most modern house dates from the first third of the 19th century and belonged to a local family named Quesada. This house is set in the way of life of the 19th century through a series of rooms like the hallway, the 19th century patio and the garage.

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