Page 147 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

WESTERN CUBA  145

8 Viñales
Pinar del Río. Road Map A3.
* 27,000. @
Viñales, whose name derives
from a vineyard planted here by
a settler from the Canary Islands,
was founded in 1607.
This small town, the econ omy
of which has always been based
on agriculture, is now the sub ject
The unusual façade of the Palacio Guasch, Pinar del Río of government protection as an
example of a perfectly preserved
the natural and geological P Fábrica de Guayabita colonial settlement. The main
history of Pinar and has on display Casa Garay street is named after Salvador
stuffed birds and animals, Calle Isabel Rubio 189 e/ Ceferino Cisneros Betancourt, a
including the tiny Cuban zunzún Fernández y Frank País. Tel (48) 752 19th- century nationalist and
hummingbird, and a crocodile 966. Open 9am–5pm Mon–Fri, one of the signatories of the 1869
more than 4 m (12 ft) long, as 9am–noon Sat & Sun. Closed 1 Jan, Cuban constitution (see p48). It is
well as rare plants and butter- 1 May, 26 Jul, 10 Oct, 25 Dec. 8 lined with many colonial houses
flies. In the inner courtyard are Since 1892 the Casa Garay has with charac ter istic arcades, which
sculptures of prehistoric animals. produced Guayabita del Pinar, make useful shelters from the
a liqueur based on an ancient hot sun and any sud den violent
E Museo Provincial recipe. It is made by distilling tropical rainstorms.
de Historia brandy from the sugar of the The town’s most important
Calle Martí 58 e/ Colón y Isabel Rubio. guayaba (guava), which is architecture is in the main square,
Tel (48) 754 300. Open noon–4pm grown in this area. Guided tours the Parque Martí, on which stand
Mon, 8:30am–10pm Tue–Sat, 8am– of the small factory finish up at the Iglesia del Sagrado Corazón
noon Sun. Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 26 Jul, the tasting area, where visitors de Jesús (1888), and the former
10 Oct, 25 Dec. & 8 can try the sweet and dry Colonia Española (diplomatic
This museum illustrates the versions of this popular drink. head quarters of the Spanish
history of the province from gentry), which is now the town’s
the Pre-Columbian period P Fábrica de Tabacos Casa de la Cultura.
to the present. On display is a Francisco Donatién Viñales also boasts a minor
major collection of 19th-century Antonio Maceo 157. Tel (48) 773 architectural gem, the Casa
arms, colonial furniture, works 069. Open 9am–1:30pm Mon–Fri. de Don Tomás, built in 1887–8
by local painters, including a Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 26 Jul, 10 Oct, for Gerardo Miel y Sainz, a rich
huge landscape by Domingo 25 Dec. & 8 = ^ merchant and agent for a
Ramos (1955), and mementos This tiny cigar factory, housed in a shipping line. The building
of the musician Enrique Jorrín, former 19th-century jail, is open was blown down in the 2008
the father of the cha-cha-cha. to the public. Visitors can watch hurricane, but then rebuilt true
the 70 or so workers making to the original.
P Teatro Milanés Trinidad cigars. These and other
Calle Martí y Colón. Tel (48) 753 871. cigars are sold in the small shop. P Casa de Don Tomás
A Neo-Classical gem and The factory is also a training Salvador Cisnero, e/ Adela Azcuz y Car-
the city’s pride and joy, this school for torcedores (cigar rollers). ratera a Pinar del Río. Tel (48) 796 300.
theatre is named after the
romantic poet José Jacinto
Milanés. It started out as the
Lope de Vega theatre, which
first opened in 1845 and was
then bought in 1880 by one
Félix del Pino Díaz. He totally
renovated it, modelling it on
the Teatro Sauto in Matanzas
(see p162). Its name was
changed in 1898.
This simple but functional
structure has a rectangular plan,
a linear façade and a portico
with tall columns. Its opulent,
three-level, U-shaped wooden
auditorium has a seating
capacity of about 500. The main street in Viñales, with its one-storey porticoed houses
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp258–9 and pp272–3

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