Page 142 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

140  CUBA REGION B Y REGION

1 Sierra del Rosario brothers, Lorenzo and Antonio
Soroa Muñagorri, who, in
Artemisa. Road Map A2.
around 1856, bought various
This area of 61,750 acres coffee plantations in the area
(25,000 ha) of unspoilt and soon became the propri-
Cuba has been declared etors of the entire territory.
a biosphere reserve by One of the estates in the
UNESCO. Woods consisting valley, Finca Angerona, was
of tropical and deciduous in the 19th century the setting
trees and plants cover the for a legendary love story
Sierra del Rosario range, involving the French-German
which is crossed by the San Cornelius Sausse, who built
Juan river with its small falls. the farm in 1813, and a
The area is home to abundant, Haitian girl, Ursule Lambert.
varied fauna: 90 species of Soroa, today, is a small town
bird as well as many different with a hotel (Villa Soroa) and a
reptiles and amphibians. number of tourist attractions.
The walks here are lovely The most photographed is
(permission is needed from the Saltón, a spectacular Bathing under the falls (saltón) of the
the resort area), on paths waterfall on the Manantiales Manantiales river at Soroa
lined with flowers, inc- river, a 20-minute walk
luding wild orchids. from the Villa Soroa. Hemingway, was founded
But the major sight in 1943 by a lawyer from
2 Soroa here is the Orquideario the Canaries, Tomás Felipe
de Soroa, an orchid Camacho. He had orchids sent
Candelaria (Artemisa). garden which has here from all over the world in
Road Map A2. £ A flower in the Soroa been declared a memory of his daughter, who
Candelaria. n Hotel Soroa, orchid garden national monument. had died at the age of 20 in
(48) 523 556. It has one of the childbirth, and his wife who
largest orchid collections in died shortly after.
The town of Soroa lies 250 m the world, with more than Outside the town is the
(820 ft) above sea level in 700 species, 250 of which Castillo de las Nubes, a
the middle of tropical forest are endemic, in an area of medieval-like construction
in the Sierra del Rosario region. 35,000 ha (86,500 acres). built in 1940 for Antonio Arturo
It was named after two Basque The park, often visited by Sánchez Bustamante, the

Beaches of the North Coast
An alternative route to the Pinar region from Havana
is the road that skirts the coastline at the foot of the
Guaniguanico mountain range. The drive from the capital
to Viñales, with fine panoramic views and scenery, takes
about five hours. From the northern coast there is access
to the splendid beaches on some of the small islands in Cayo Jutías is still unspoilt and
the Los Colorados Archipelago. For the most part, the frequented more by Cubans than
locals make their living by fishing, but the islands have by tourists. The island is an oasis of
already attracted some tourism. The sea can be rough peace and white sand, populated
by many species of local and
and a general lack of facilities makes this area more migratory birds.
suitable for visitors who love water sports rather
than a place for a relaxing beach holiday.
Bahía
Cayo Honda Playa San Bahía
Cayo Levisa Cayo Playa Pedro de Cabañas
Inés de Soto Paraíso El Morillo
Marina
Around 3 km (2 miles) from Cayo Palma Hemingway
Santa Lucía, which has hotel Jutías Manuel Rubía CN Cabañas
facilities and connections, is a Puerto Sanguily Bahía Honda CN Mariel
Playa
causeway connecting the CN Esperanza Las Pozas Orlando Nodarse Baracoa
mainland with Cayo Jutías. La Palma
Santa Lucía
Minas de
0 kilometres 15 Matahambre
0 miles 15
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp258–9 and pp272–3
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