3 Days in Trinidad Cuba

I’m sorry, I’m going a little out of order recapping this Cuba trip.  There is so much I want to say about Havana that it is taking longer than expected to finish my travel guide. Given that, let’ talk about what to do in Trinidad Cuba!  My parents and I spent 3 days in Trinidad.  We initially only planned to spend 2, but I’m glad we decided to spend an extra day here and skip Cienfuegos!

Trinidad Cuba is an old colonial town about 4 hours outside of Havana.  You can take the bus (6-7 hours trip) or you can hire a taxi to take you.  Don’t take a yellow cab as it will be almost twice as much as a private car.  We learned that lesson the hard way!  If you stay at a hotel or Air BnB, they can arrange a car for you.

The nice part of hiring a private car is that you can stop wherever you want along the way.  My dad loves fresh fruit so he was in heaven when we stopped at this fruit stand for some of the ripest mangoes you have ever had!

Trinidad is a smaller town, so don’t expect anything nearly as developed as Havana. There aren’t many cars so be prepared to walk a lot.  It is still very quaint though.

What to Do in Trinidad Cuba

Explore Old Town – Almost all of the attractions in Trinidad are in a several block radius in the Old Town.  Most of the Old Town dates back to the 1500s, when Trinidad was founded.  It is very quaint with beautiful colored building, and cobblestone streets.  Simply wander around and get lost admiring the beautiful architecture.

Plaza Mayor – This is the main plaza in town.  It is a great place to relax for a minute and people watch.  At night, it is home to the main nightclub.

Museo Historico Muncipal – This museum is in the former house of one of Trinidad’s original families.  Each room is a different exhibit, highlighting historical pieces from the family and Trinidad.  The guides in the rooms don’t speak English, but are happy to answer any questions in Spanish.  The best part of this museum is the view from the tower, the highest point in the city.  The stairs to go up to the tower are very narrow, spiral, and dark, so I didn’t climb them.  However, my 75 year old dad climbed up and captured the beautiful views of the entire city.

Galeria de Arte – We initially wandered in to get a picture of me on the upstairs balcony (#bloggerproblems).  This is a small museum and gallery, but the best part is upstairs.  Upstairs, there is a gallery full of works from Cuban artists. The paintings aren’t cheap, but they accept dollars and it is a wonderful souvenir to take home.  Also, take a minute to wander out on the roof for a beautiful view of the city.

Playa Ancon – This beautiful beach is only 15 minutes outside of town.  Grab a few chairs (no one asked us to pay for ours, oddly enough) and have a few mojitos while enjoying  the surf and sand.  There are a few very casual restaurants to grab a snack.  Quick warning: The bar at the Hotel Ancon might refuse to serve you as it is for hotel guests only.  No worries, the bar next door serves cheaper and better mojitos!

 The Cathedral

Kids taking a ride around the town square

Plaza Mayor

View from the top of the Galeria del arte.  The tower in the back is the talles.t point in town at the top of the Museo Historico Municipal.

 

The beautiful piece of art my parents bought.  It is a by a Cuban artist as part of his exposition on slavery.

My mother and I on the balcony at the Galeria del Arte

Casa de la Musica

Where to Go Out in Trinidad Cuba

Since I was traveling with my parents, we didn’t go out that much.  However, we stopped by Casa de la Musica (above) 2 nights in a row to see the performances.  Casa de la Musica is an outdoor venue built on the stairs of the Plaza Mayor.  Get there earlier (9ish) to get a good seat or table.  The drinks are just okay, but the musical acts are the real attraction.

Where to Eat in Trinidad Cuba

You don’t really need reservations at many of the restaurants in Trinidad.  If they are full, they will tell you to come back in an hour or so.  However, I would make a reservation if you have your heart set on eating somewhere.  Also, do you research ahead of time as getting a good meal at a random restaurant is really hit or miss.

Paladar Sol y Son  – This is very much a throw back restaurant located in a beautiful colonial house.  The house is decorated with cool antique pieces.  The restaurant has a beautiful patio, which you should sit on if you can.  The house specialty is the ropa vieja (or stewed beef in a tomato-based sauce), which was delicious!  It is one of the best versions of ropa vieja we had in Cuba.

Restaurant La Redaccion – The name of this restaurant translates into Writing Restaurant and there is a very strong newspaper theme.  The menu is broken in to the different parts of a newspaper (headlines, gossip section, etc).  The lobster was the standout here as was the chocolate desserts (sorry can’t remember the name!).  Make sure you go to the bathroom, as it is a huge beautiful antique bathroom.

Restaurant San Jose – This is listed as the top restaurant in Trinidad on Trip Advisor.  While it was good, I’m not sure I would go that far.  Restaurant San Jose definitely had the most extensive menu of any restaurant we visited.  You can have anything from pastas/pizzas to seafood.  We stuck to local seafood dishes and my parents said this was the best lobster she had all trip.  Be prepared to wait for 1 hour+ if you arrive after 6:30/7.   However, you can order drinks from the restaurant while you wait (outside on the street).

La Botija – We didn’t get to eat here and our hosts were a little upset with us for missing out on it.  It is open 24 hours a day, so you have plenty of time to stop by.

A quick note on accommodations.  Most people stay in casa particulars (homes where hosts rent out rooms).  Ours was like an bed & breakfast with a guest entrance leading to the rooms.  My parents were a little skeptical since it was so cheap.  It was actually one of the more expensive casa particulars and our first choice hotel was booked…  However. we loved our hosts and the rooms were very clean and comfortable.  I would definitely stay there again.

Thanks for reading and have a great day!  I’m happy to answer any questions about what to do in Trinidad Cuba in the comments below.

You can also see the more of our trip here, here, and here.

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy, Pumps & Push-ups, Get Your Pretty On, Color & Grace, Straight A Style, On the Daily Express, Living in Color Style, Stylin’ in St. Louis, What’s Up Wednesday

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