Page 249 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Cuba

EASTERN CUBA  247

E Fuerte Matachín El Malecón VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
(Museo Municipal) This is the seafront that connects
Calle Martí y Malecón. Tel (21) 642 the two 18th-century forts in Practical Information
122. Open 8am–noon, 2–6pm Baracoa: Fuerte Matachín to the Guantánamo. Road Map F4.
Mon–Sat, 8am–noon Sun. & 8 east, and Fuerte de la Punta to * 81,000. n Cubatur, Calle
Note: fee for photography the west, which is now a Maceo 149 esq. Pelayo Cuervo,
may apply. restaurant. The Malecón is ideal (21) 645 306; Ecotur, Hotel 1511,
This small museum, which for a stroll during the week. Calle Ciro Frías esq. Rubert López,
provides an interesting On Saturdays a bustling (21) 642 478; Infotur, Calle Maceo
overview of local history, food market is held here 129-A, (21) 641 781. ( Sun.
is housed in a military in the morning, and in Transport
fortress built during the evening the road is ~ 4 km (2 miles) W of town, (21)
the colonial period to prepared for the noche 645 376. @ Ave. Los Mártires,
defend the city from baracoesa – “Baracoan esq. Martí, (21) 643 880.
pirates. (Piracy was night” – a lively folk
particularly active in Statue of Columbus, festival during which
the 18th and 19th Museo Municipal people gather to eat, carved into spheres that were
centuries.) Along the garden drink and dance used to indicate a person’s age
fort walls, a battery of along the seafront. and social standing. Replica of
cannons faces seawards. relics and models complete the
The displays start with E Museo Arqueológico de display. The caves are hidden
archaeological finds of the las Cuevas del Paraíso in the lush vegetation of Loma
Pre-Columbian era, and are Loma Paraíso. Open 8am–5pm daily. Paraíso. It is also known for its
followed by documents, maps, 8 Note: fee for photography views of the town and the bay.
paintings and prints related to may apply.
Spanish domi nation, pirates, The pre-Columbian history
slaves and the plantations. of Baracoa is best explored in
There is an interesting this fascinating museum set
natural history section with in a series of caves. The Taíno
specimens on display, including Indians once used these caves
the Polymita snails (see p249). for ceremonies and as funeral
The museum is also a historical chambers. Some of the original
and geographical research archaeological finds are on
centre and fosters initiatives display, including 3,000-year-old
to preserve and develop local petroglyphs, skeletons and Visitors at Museo Arqueologico de las
culture; city tours are available. esferolitas – burial rite stones Cuevas del Paraiso

The Centre of Baracoa
1 Castillo de Seboruco
AVE. DE LOS 2 Catedral de Nuestra Señora
Fuerte de MARTIRES ATLANTIC
la Punta OCEAN de la Asunción
PLAZA DE LA
REVOLUCIÓN M AL E C ÓN 3 Casa de la Cultura
Playa 4 Casa de la Trova
La Punta
5 Fuerte de la Punta
6 Museo Arqueológico de las
JOSÉ MARTÍ
MÁXIMO GÓMEZ
MARAVÍ Cuevas del Paraíso
FLOR CROMBET
ANTONIO MACEO
CALIX TO GARCÍA
Bahía de Casa del FRANK PAÍS PELAYO 7 Fuerte Matachín (Museo
Chocolate
Municipal)
Baracoa Casa de la CUERVO 8 Casa del Chocolate
PRI MERO DE ABRIL Cultura Parque Casa de la Trova
Parque
Martí
Castillo
de Seboruco Independencia
Catedral de
Nuestra Señora
Airport de la Asunción
4 km (2 miles) CIRO
CORONELES GALEANO
CÉSPEDES M AL EC Ó N
EL YUNQUE FRIAS
LIMBANO SÁNCHEZ (Museo Municipal)
Fuerte Matachín
RODNEY COUTIN
0 metres 400 CALIXTO GARCÍA LÓPEZ PEÑA MONC ADA BOCA
0 yards 400 ABEL DÍAZ DE YUMURÍ,
LA FAROLA
Museo Arqueológico de
las Cuevas del Paraíso
For keys to symbols see back flap For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp262–3 and p275
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