Cienfuegos: The Pearl of the South

Cienfuegos is a modern city with French flair that contradicts the cobblestones of Trinidad, just an hour and half away by car. Founded by French settlers in 1819, this port city is characterized by its wide neo-classical boulevards and aristocratic elegance.

• The Vibe: Sophisticated, breezy, and orderly.
  
  
• Architectural Icon: The Palacio de Valle, a gothic-moroccan-mudejar villa that looks like a palace from a fairy tale. Head to the rooftop bar for a mojito with a view of the bay.
  
  
• The Malecón: Unlike Havana’s crashing waves, the Cienfuegos Malecón borders a calm, shimmering bay—perfect for a late-afternoon stroll toward the Punta Gorda district or an early morning jog.

The coastal ecosystem provides a healthy coral reef with local coral farming opportunities, sunken shrimp boat shipwreck and conservation near Cienfuego’s Faro Luna.