One of Baracoa's three fortresses, Fuerte Matachín, was completed in 1802. In 1868 it became a guard post of the Spanish army for the recognition and registry of all those entering and departing from the city. After the installation of the pseudo-Republic, it was used firstly as a bastion against the pirates and later was used by the Spanish as a prison. Today it houses the Museo Histórico Matachín, whose displays discuss the city's history, including its Taíno roots. There are examples of Taíno pottery, sculpture, and other artifacts; exhibits on famous citizens; and displays explaining the community's role in the wars for independence and the Revolution.

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.

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.

The Alejandro de Humboldt National Park is of the most important places for the preservation of the endemic flora of the region. The name of the park is an homage of the German Alejandro de Humboldt, an important scientist who went all over the island in the 19th century, achieving the title of Cuba’s Second Discoverer. It covers the provinces of Guantánamo and Holguín, in the northeastern region of the country with an extension of 10,680 hectares. This Park was declared World Heritage in 2001 and is one of the mountainous richest endemic ecosystems in the world. The landscapes of the area are typical and at the same time unique in the country, showing contrasts between the mountains of Sagua-Baracoa, with the vegetation of tropical humid forests. The park has camping places, accommodations, guided routes and high qualified staff to solve any doubt or problem of the visitors. 64 species of birds have been reported in its fauna, out of which 12 are endemic, which makes this area very appropriate for their observation. The region represents the last habitat of the Royal Woodpecker, and among mammals, one of the last ones for Almiques. Here we can also find one of the most beautiful species of snails in the world: The Polymita. Enjoy the forest, rivers, puddles and waterfalls in a rainy environment which create an incomparable landscape. A real treasure you cannot miss on your trip to the Eastern side of Cuba.