TRINIDAD CUBA

When traveling to Cuba and deciding on what cities to visit, a few nights in Trinidad Cuba should be a must. Trinidad is Cuba’s best-preserved colonial town, with the old part of Trinidad being a Unesco heritage site since 1988. Trinidad, like most colonial towns, is gorgeous with brightly colored buildings and cobblestone streets.

Trinidad is located in the center of Cuba and easily accessed from many of the best places in Cuba. Trinidad is only 15 minutes away from the white sandy beaches of Playa Ancon on the Caribbean Sea.

1 – 4 hours/315km from Havana

2 – 4 hours/265km from Varadero

3 – 15  minutes/11km from Playa Ancon

4 – 85 minutes/120 km from Cienfuegos

You can get to Trinidad several different ways: bus, taxi, or rent a car.

Trinidad by Bus: There are buses that head to Trinidad daily from most main cities in Cuba. Make sure to book your bus ticket at least a day in advance, the buses frequently sell out a day in advance.

You can book your tickets , but prices were cheaper at the bus stations. The Havana bus station is called the Viazul bus terminal which is located at the corner of Avenida 26 and Avenida Zoologico

There are more routes than this, please check current bus schedules at Viazul

By Taxi: If you’re traveling with a few people you may want to ask a local taxi driver their fare to Trinidad Cuba, we heard prices of $160 CUC. We were a group of four and we took a local taxi from Havana to Vinales for the same price it would have cost us for four bus tickets and a taxi to the bus station.

If you take a private taxi, then you’re on your schedule and you can stop along the way for photos. With the big old American cars in Cuba, you can easily fit a group of four comfortably along with a driver.

By Car: We rented a car and drove ourselves to Trinidad which is a great option if traveling with others or your budget isn’t a concern. There were so many things to do in Cuba we wanted the freedom of having a car.

Our rental car was $85 a day with insurance, and we picked it up right at the Havana airport. Booking a car rental in Cuba was not easy, make sure to book a car several weeks, if not months in advance online. The odds of a car being available for rent without a reservation at the Havana airport are not good.

The drive to Trinidad from Havana was easy, the roads weren’t in the best condition, but we felt safe and had no problems finding Trinidad.

Travel tip: When on wifi get directions on google maps, the GPS and map will still work offline. You may not get voice directions, but you can follow your position on the map. This can be a big help whenever traveling without an internet connection.

There are tons of things to do in Trinidad, we’d suggest staying at least two nights and possibly longer if your Cuba travel plans allow. Once you are here you’ll know why we suggest longer here. There is easily enough in Trinidad to fill 5 days to a week in Trinidad. Here are our top things to do in Trinidad.

1 – STROLL THROUGH PLAZA MAYOR

The Plaza Mayor is the heart of Trinidad. Like many Spanish colonial cities, the plaza is the center of the city with green spaces and stunning churches. There are many restaurants that fill the buildings surrounding the square, making it a great place to start your adventure.

2 – For the best views in Trinidad, head to the very top of the tower inside the Historical Museum. Make your way up the twisting spiral staircases to the top of the tower. From here is where you can get the quintessential picture of Trinidad and the beautiful yellow bell tower with the mountains in the background. On the ground floor, there are a number of historical items from the city’s past.

Cost: Free

3 – GET LOST EXPLORING THE BEAUTIFUL TOWN

Trinidad is a small town that would be hard to truly get lost in, so wander down the side streets and take in all of the city’s charm. Trinidad is painted in bright yellows, blues, and pinks. Wander down the small alleys for great pictures of vintage American cars surrounded by the beautiful colonial architecture.

4 – SPEND A DAY AT THE BEACH NEAR TRINIDAD – PLAYA ANCON

Just 15-minutes from Trinidad lies a nice beach on the southern shores of Cuba. Day trips or local taxis can be arranged in town to visit the beach. If you like beaches we also suggest Playa Jibacoa on the other coast

5 – VISIT TOPES DE COLLANTES NATURAL PARK

Just outside Trinidad sits a massive nature preserve, Topes de Collantes. The park is full of hiking opportunities and waterfalls to explore. From Trinidad, you can visit the park by horse or there are large 4×4 vehicles that take tourists into the park to the various waterfalls.

Tours can be arranged through locals in town, or take one of the big old Russian Trucks through the park with Cubatur

6 – HIKE TO THE TOP OF THE RADIO TOWER HILL

The best views of the countryside outside of Trinidad can be found from the radio tower. From high on the hill, you can see Trinidad and the sugar plantations in the nearby Valle de los Ingenios.

At the top, there is a man who watches over the tower and he is eager to show you around and bring you to places you probably shouldn’t with the hopes of a tip. In case, you didn’t bring enough to drink he has you covered there too with water and soft drinks to buy, at an inflated price of course.

From the Radio tower hike, you aren’t able to get very clear views of the city, but it was a relatively easy 30-minute hike each way. The hike is best done early in the morning before the daytime temperatures rise and the light isn’t as harsh for pictures.

7 – VISIT THE WATERFALLS NEAR TRINIDAD

Within an hour’s drive of Trinidad, there are hundreds of waterfalls ready to be explored. Salto del Caburni 75m waterfall is one of the most popular and is often highly recommended by locals and many tours run here.

The most impressive falls are El Nicho waterfalls, with several layers of cascading water. However, El Nicho is one of the most difficult to reach and generally requires a 4×4. Pictured above is Vegas Grande, one of the most picturesque waterfalls around Trinidad, Cuba.

A post is coming soon for more information on Hiking near Trinidad and for more information and pictures of Vegas Grande Waterfalls near Trinidad.

8 – VALLE DE LOS INGENIOS

Further down the valley from Trinidad is the Valle de Los Ingenios, or valley of the sugar mills. This is the heart of the sugar industry in the 18th and 19th centuries in Cuba, farmed by 30,000 slaves. Sugar is still grown here and makes for a nice peaceful day trip from Trinidad.

9- HORSEBACK RIDING

The lush green area around Trinidad is a great place to ride for an afternoon. Leave the city and explore the vast nature preserves around Trinidad.

10 – HIKING NEAR TRINIDAD

The city has very close access to Topes de Collantes Natural Park which is home to some great hikes and some of Cuba’s best waterfalls. The information online is very scarce about hiking in the park, but there is a visitor center inside the park with good detailed information on the hikes and waterfalls close to Trinidad.

11- VISIT TOBACCO FIELDS NEAR TRINIDAD

Although Trinidad is not the main tobacco-growing region, like most places in Cuba you can still find some tobacco fields near Trinidad. Just ask around, or look for the tobacco drying barns which are easy to spot with their quintessential shape.

Also note, if you are looking for Cuban cigars in Trinidad, they are simply called tobacco, not cigars (same in all of Cuba). There is a popular brand of cigars with the same name as the city, but the factory is in the west along with the rest of major tobacco production, and not in Trinidad.