Page 114 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

112 ❯❯ Cuba Area by Area

Leisurely street life in Bayamo
Bayamo
Playa Guardalavaca
5 7
This beach zone, an hour’s
MAP N5 • Parroquial Mayor
drive north of Holguín, was developed de San Salvador: (23) 42 2514; open
as a holiday resort in the 1980s and 9am–11:30am daily; adm • Casa
is now Cuba’s third-largest resort Natal de Carlos Manuel de Céspedes:
destination. Development is focused (23) 42 3864; open 9am–5pm Tue–Fri,
on the beaches of Esmeralda (see 9am–2pm, 8–10pm Sat, 10am–1pm
p54), Yuraguanal, and Pesquero, and Sun; adm
either side of flask-shaped Bahía de Founded in 1513 by Diego Velázquez,
Naranjo. The bay has an aquarium, Bayamo is Cuba’s second-oldest city.
and trails provide insights into local In the early 19th century it was the
ecology (see p29). cradle of revolt against Spanish
rule. Much of the original city was
destroyed in 1869, when citizens
razed their town rather than
surrender to the invading Spanish
forces. Fortunately, many key sites
survived this destruction, and today
the restored historic core is a
national monument. Most sights
are concentrated around Parque
Céspedes and Plaza del Himno,
including the not-to-be-missed
Sitio Histórico Birán Parroquial Mayor de San Salvador
church and the Casa Natal de Carlos
Sitio Histórico Birán
6 Manuel de Céspedes.
MAP N4 • (24) 28 6102 • Open
8am–4pm Tue–Sat (to noon Sun)
• Adm (guided tours available) COLUMBUS IN CUBA
The Finca Manacas estate, outside Baracoans say that Christopher
Birán, where Fidel Castro was born Columbus (right) landed at
and lived until his adolescence, Puerto Santo and that the
belonged to his father Angel Castro flat-topped mountain he
(see p40). The wooden mansion has described was El Yunque
been restored and is furnished with (see p33). Some experts,
however, believe that the
original family pieces. The grounds mountain was the Silla de
include Fidel’s parents’ graves, a Gibara and that Columbus
former school house, and build ings, landed in the Bahía de
which were relocated to create an Bariay on October 28, 1492.
idealized village.

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