This fortress, which now houses the Hotel El Castillo, dominates a hill overlooking Baracoa. It is a former castle looking out over red-tiled roofs, the town’s expansive, oyster-shaped bay and the landmark mountain called El Yunque (The Anvil), named for its singular shape. Although construction on it started in 1739, the fort wasn't finished until nearly 200 years later. Even if you don't stay here, stop by for the views of El Yunque and the city.

This is the best spot to hear live music. You can listen to traditional Cuban music and also to typical music from the area of Baracoa attending to live performances from local and national groups. It's open nightly until about 2 am. Listen for el nengen or el kiribá, two styles of music that predate the Cuban son.

Baracoa's third fortress, Fuerte de la Punta, was built in 1803 on a spit of land over the entrance to the bay. During the pseudorepublic it housed a radio telegraph office. The fortress now contains the Restaurante La Punta.

In the Main Square is a bust of Hatuey, the brave Indian leader who resisted early conquistadores until he was caught by the Spanish and burned at the stake. There’s also a very lively Casa de la Trova here. It is worth wandering along the Malecón, the seaside avenue, from the snug Fuerte Matachín (an early 19th-century fort that has a small but informative municipal museum inside) to the Hotel La Rusa, which is named after a legendary Russian émigrée who over the years hosted celebrities such as Che Guevara and Errol Flynn.