6 Best Sights in Trinidad, Central Cuba

This mouthful of a name translates as the "Museum of the Fight Against Bandits." Those so-called bandits were fighters who waged guerrilla warfare—with a little help from their friends at the CIA—from the Sierra de Escambray for the first six years of Castro's Revolutionary government. The museum documents that struggle and their defeat. Doctrinaire exhibits aside, this is Trinidad's most famous landmark, and it adorns postcards, brochures, and T-shirts. The tall, yellow bell tower is all that remains of the original 18th-century Convento de San Francisco, a Franciscan monastery. You can climb the tower for a sweeping view of the city.

Although the city's cathedral was consecrated in 1892, the building took the better part of the 19th century to complete (it was built to replace the 17th-century church that was destroyed by a hurricane). Don't let the rather bleak exterior (or limited hours) deter you from stepping inside; its interesting interior is replete with a dozen hardwood altars that date from the early 20th century and various colonial icons.

Local people usually refer to the cathedral as the Parroquial Mayor (major parish).

If you really wish to delve into Trinidad's amazing architecture, this museum documents the city's development. (Of course, nothing replaces actually wandering around the city's fabulous streets themselves and soaking it all in.) Exhibits on its most important 18th- and 19th-century buildings fill the rooms of a sky-blue 18th-century house, once the home of the Sánchez Iznaga family. Don't miss the lovely garden patio.

Set in the impressive Palacio Cantero, which was built by a sugar baron in 1830, the History Museum's displays trace the development of Trinidad from its founding by Diego Velázquez to the early years of the Revolutionary government. Two rooms are furnished with antiques, and elaborate murals cover some of the walls. A lookout platform atop the building's large tower affords a wonderful view. (The stairs look rickety, but are safe, although you probably won't want to negotiate their narrowness if you are claustrophobic.)

Rather than the stuff of Cupid's arrows, the romance in this museum's name refers to the one that Trinidad's prominent families had with their precious things. A great variety of antiques—most imported from Europe—fill the 14 rooms of this imposing mansion. Built in 1704, the house belonged to Count Burnet, though nearly all the antiques in it came from the homes of other families. Don't miss the view from the second-floor balcony.

The heart of Trinidad's historic center gets our vote for Cuba's loveliest central plaza. This charming little park is dominated by royal palms and has cast-iron benches, ceramic urns, marble statues, and two brass greyhounds that were probably once cannons. It's surrounded by houses that once belonged to sugar barons and merchants, a few of which now contain museums. The square fills with life each evening as townspeople gather to chat with friends.