Nancy Ortega Lopez Manuel Solano #17 e/ Francisco J. Zerquera y Patricio Lumumba Trinidad Sancti Spiritus Tel. ++53 (41) 99 37 34 Price: 15 CUC Note: Excellent food, nice patio and located in Trinidad's heart. Nancy organize for you some dance or spanish lessons (Through "Cooperaciones Paradiso" o "Casa de la Cultura" - official institutions), tours, taxis and so on.

Trinidad is a place where you can stay more than one or two days. The city itself is very beautiful, even more in the evening because then are the Cubans on the streets and the "day-tourists" back in Varadero... Around Trinidad there are many places to visit, for example the beach of Ancon, Topes de Collantes, Valle de los Ingenios etc.

Excursiones

• El Salton (waterfall) Caburni. It is located near of Topes de Collantes. Going by taxi cost about 20 - 25 CUC (both ways with waiting). The driver will wait some hours for you then you will have enough time to walk to the waterfall and enjoy the place. From Topes de Collantes to the Salton take about one hour by foot that's way good shoes are necessary. Go only by good weather, so you have the possibility to enjoy a natural swimming pool by taking a bath and the waterfall itself. There's only one very bad report... You will have to pay between 2 and 10 CUC por person to enter this area. Cubans sometimes have to pay the same, sometimes not, and also the prices depends on the person at the entry. In March 2003 we've paid 6.5 CUC a person and received not only the entry but also a fresh orange juice... A place more where you have to pay to much!

• Salton de Javira. You can go by horse to a place called "el Cubano". At this place you will se the waterfall. If you like to go close to the waterfall you have to swim through a cave (about three metres). There you can join not only the waterfall but also a nice small beach. This tour will cost you about 15 CUC a person (entries and rent the horses).
  
  
• Playa Ancon. The nice beach of Trinidad. It's not anymore so quiet, because there are now more hotels than some years ago and they're still building. There's operating a bus between the beach of Ancon and Trinidad. You have to pay 1 CUC one way, the bus's leaving from 7 am to 11 pm once an hour. By privat taxi this trip costs 10 CUC (both way), not more.
  
  
• Valle de los ingenios. Valley of the sugar fabrics. You can go by taxi or by public transport (rather dificult). At Iznaga you have to visit the famous slave watching tower so you will enjoy a great view of the Valley. Afterwards you can visit the village o walk just a little bit around in the nice sugar cane growing area. There exists also the possibility to go by a special train with a steam locomotive. This tourist train leaves at 9:30 in the morning de Trinidad. It's a trip through the valley with some stops at places of interest. They will also give you some information about the sugar cane. Also you will visit the tower of Iznaga. At about 14:15 you will be back in Trinidad. The price: 10 CUC a person.

How to go to Trinidad

• ASTRO. There are buses every day from Habana, Cienfuegos, Sta. Clara and Sancti Spiritus (2x).
• VIA AZUL. There are two buses daily from Habana, one from Varadero and one from Santiago de Cuba (with stops in every province). Check the timetable.
• Camiones (trucks). There aren't many trucks operating. So I suggest to go by Astro or Via Azul or by a collectiv taxi.

From Trinidad to Santiago de Cuba by train

• The best way is to go first to Sta. Clara by ASTRO. The bus leaves Trinidad at about 6 pm. The next day you can make a reservation for the train to Santiago de Cuba (it leaves at about 8 pm). You can also buy the ticket the same day you like to travel. Afterwards you've got enough time for visiting the city and its famous Che museum.
• Another possibility is going by taxi to Guayos (20 CUC). From Guayos you can go by train to Santiago de Cuba. The problem is that in Guayos aren't many tickets availables, so have an early start to get one!