10 THINGS TO DO IN TRINIDAD
Trinidad has to be the best part of my Cuban trip. The tiny town on the coast provides a bountiful array of experiences for the unsuspecting tourist. From the moment you get off the bus you’ll be overwhelmed with the amount of activities and experiences.
1. Go Walk About
Trinidad is a small quaint city. You can easily book a guided walking tour at one of the major hotels. The walkabout the entire town can be done in a couple hours. The tours start off in Plaza Mayor. you’ll be treated to a complete history lesson to this city founded way back in the 1500’s. Surrounded by pastel colored houses and on cobblestone streets you’ll believe you’ve actually stepped back in time. Each street offers a feast for the eyes. Though the guided tour will take you to interesting spots, you could also just wander the streets on your own taking in the beauty and life of Trinidad. Be sure to have your camera ready!
2. Play a game of Chess CheckMate
Off on the side street next to Parque Cespedes you’ll find a tiny hole in the wall. It’s not really a cafe or bar, but just a room with a few tables and several broken chairs. Here you’ll find four to five rough chess boards set up with pieces that look to have been carved back in the early 1900’s. It’s perfect. If a board is free just pull up a chair and jump in against your friend. If not, just wait your turn and play the next winner. The board closest to do seems to be where the dominant player of the house has set up as he kept disposing of rivals. It’s a great way to people watch and escape the heat for an hour or so.
3. Eat Where the Locals Eat
It may seem impossible but if you look hard enough you’ll find a spot where the locals go for dinner. Paladares are family run restaurants. Usually they are bare, plain, and stripped down to the bare essentials. The Familia Restaurante my brother and I eat at has only a few tables, but the service is great. The menu is spare with only chicken, pork, and a fish dish available. Tired of pork we go for the chicken. It takes awhile for the food. A handful of day laborers comes bustling in and their foods comes out in moments. It seems they’re regulars and have their orders pre ordered. They wolf it all down in as brief of time as it took to come out. Soon though our own food arrives and its not fancy but delicious. And it’s only about forty pesos. Not bad!
4. Ayala Disco
Don’t let the daunting hike up the hill deter you because this turns out to be a highlight of Trinidad. Ayala is a club built into a huge cave in the hillside. Once you make it up the crumbling paths littered with stones, rocks, and even broken glass you’ll come to the entrance. We arrive early along with a bunch of other tourists. Everyone mills around chatting and drinking. My brother and I meet a cantankerous Aussie with the bod of rugby player and the mouth of a surly grandma. Cade regales us with stories of breaking his back and being booted from the army. My brother shares his bootleg rum he has hidden away in his backpack. Soon enough though we head inside.
Once you pay the 5 CUC cover you descend into the bowels of the club. The stairs, roughly cut out of the stone. Neon light fixtures have been positioned to light our way along with a rail for those soon to be balance impaired. The stairway opens up to an space. To the right there’s a coat check and bathrooms that I have no desire to inspect. To the left a huge cavern awaits complete with tables, a long bar counter top huge speakers and LED TVS. Flashing neon tinges everything in blues and reds. It’s a must see!
5. Bike to Playa Ancon and Beach it Up
Trinidad may not be directly on the sea but it’s close enough. Playa Ancon and its white sandy beach awaits any and all travelers. The bike ride (6 CUC to rent) from Trinidad takes about forty-five minutes to an hour. The route is well laid out with signs. Alternatively you could always barter with a taxi (5 CUC) for a lift out to the beach. This takes only ten minutes or so.
The waters at Playa Ancon are a gentle turquoise. It’s all picturesque with a clean beach front and clear pristine waters. Once there you can decide to stay at one of the hotels or just use one of the palm leaf huts that dot the beach. Don’t worry about snacks and drinks because enterprising Cubans walk the beach offering both. Recreational activities include diving, snorkeling and even deep-sea fishing but most decide to just lay on beach and soak up the sun.
6. Get Musical at Cafe De La Musica
Much like the one in Havana the Cafe De La Musica in Trinidad welcomes you with the raucous sounds of salsa, soca, and reggae. Before you even see the cafe you’ll hear the music leading you to your destination. The band jams full steam with folks bobbing their head along to the music or jumping up to dance! The many scattered tables and chairs are not enough space so feel free to join everyone else on the broad stone staircase leading up to the cafe. It’s a rollicking good way to spend an afternoon or evening especially with a few cocktails.
7. Plaza Mayor
The beautiful Plaza Mayor seems ripped right out of a postcard. It remains the historical heart of Trinidad and is a must on any list about the city. The manicured fenced gardens boast a bevy of exotic plants. Each side of the square offers unique sights like the Museo Historico Municipal building as well as other ornate Spanish colonial mansions and museums. It’s a great spot to grab a cool mojito and even listen to the nearby sounds from the Cafe De La Musica.
8. Iglesia Parroquial de la Santisima
This is the largest church in Cuba and lies right at the top of Plaza Mayor. It’s so spectacular that it deserves its own entry. The faded facade of the Church defies the hidden beauty inside. The Christ of the True Cross statue also known as Senor de la Vera Cruz resides inside. Originally from Spain and bound for Mexico the treacherous waters instead beached its ship nearby. The cargo was left behind and brought to Trinidad and remains there today.
9. Have a Drink at Hotel Iberostar
The Iberostar is the huge sea green hotel that sits at the top end of Parque Cespedes. It’s a well known landmark and a great spot to get directions, book tours, or buy a Wifi card. Their policy is that you must buy one drink for a wifi card so why not order a Cuba Libre, pull up a chair, and get connected while you sip your cocktail.
From the moment you arrive in Trinidad La Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco catches your eye. It’s a bell tower pierces the skyline above all the other low level houses and buildings. It’s right next to Plaza Mayor. Inside there’s a small museum about the fight against bandits, but head straight for the rickety old stairs that lead up to each level of the convent and eventually spilling you out into the bell tower! Each view point offers a majestic sight of the city and the surrounding countryside. It’s definitely worth the 1 CUC to get to the top!
