Page 18 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

16 ❯❯ Top 10 Cuba Highlights

Cordillera de Guaniguanico

The pine-clad mountains that begin a short distance west of Havana
and run through northern Pinar del Río province are a nature lover’s
paradise of protected national parks sheltering endangered fauna.
The mountains grow more rugged westward, where tobacco plants
thrive, dramatic rock formations called mogotes tower over lush
valleys, and huge cavern systems attract cavers. Centered on a
village that itself is a National Historic Monument, the Valle de
Viñales is rural Cuba at its most sublime.
Parque
Nacional 1
de Viñales
This exquisite valley, the
most scenic setting in
Cuba, is remarkable for
its limestone formations
called mogotes (right).
Many of these massive
structures are riddled
with caves.

Las Terrazas
Gran Caverna
3 5
de Santo Tomás
Built as a model
rural community, this Take a guided tour
mountain village is a through Cuba’s largest
center for eco tourism and cave system – 28 miles
is known for its artists’ (45 km) of galleries
studios and trails that adorned with stalactites
lead to beautiful water­ and stalag mites.
falls and coffee farms. Rancho
Tobacco Farms
La Guabina
4 6
This lakeside horse­
The valleys of Pinar
del Río are renowned as breeding center is set
cen ters for the production amid hills with trails
of the nation’s finest cigar (below). Horseback
Soroa
2 tobacco, often seen drying riding is offered, and the
in sheds. The fields
A lush retreat
farm can be explored in
within the Sierra del are tilled by ox­drawn horse carriages. It has
Rosario Biosphere ploughs even today. a lovely boutique hotel.
Reserve, Soroa (above)
is famous for its hillside
Orquideario – orchid
garden – and scenic
trails. Guests can enjoy
treatments in a bath­
house directly fed by the
fresh mineral springs.
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