Travel Guide Santiago De Cuba

Capital of the eponymous province located on the southeast coast of the island, Santiago remains the second city of the country after Havana, with 450 000 inhabitants. Strongly impregnated with the Afro-Caribbean culture, its very mixed population (Africans, French, Spaniards, Asians) remains nevertheless more black than elsewhere. A bit like Bahia, in Brazil, music resounds everywhere in this city entirely devoted to rhythm, melody and santería. Cradle of the Cuban sound and revolution, Santiago de Cuba cultivates its difference and its flame. The different musical styles represented in the city still testify to its uniqueness. In addition to the sound, the tumba francesa, invented by Haitian slaves inspired by the dances of their French masters, the banda de perros, the muerte en cuero, the changuí, the sucu sucu and the reggaetón (directly imported from Jamaica) are all proof of the local musical vitality. The carnival (last week of July) electrifies the city every year, immersing it in an unforgettable fiesta for a few days. Adrenaline and sweat guaranteed! The huge crowd dances like crazy, and the best comparsas of the country have a great time.Its historic district - listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site - with its colonial architecture (wrought iron railings and gates, verandas turned from precious wood), its chaotic atmosphere, its narrow and steep streets also give Santiago a very special character. Framed by the Sierra Maestra and the Caribbean Sea, the city also benefits from a natural site of first plan and a vast bay. The proximity of the Baconao Park, a natural reserve stretching over fifty kilometers to the east, adds to the charm. The downside of this picture is that poverty is more evident here than elsewhere