Located in central Cuba, this provincial capital played a key role in the 1958 Cuban Revolution. Home to the Che Guevara Mausoleum and the site of a decisive battle led by Fidel Castro.
Santa Clara, Cuba's fifth-largest city, spreads out from the Parque Vidal, where elderly couples play chess under shade trees and children chase pigeons across the square. You can walk through the grand Teatro La Caridad, a 1700s theater with gold-leaf details and red velvet seats, or climb the steep path to Loma del Capiro for a panoramic view of terracotta roofs and church spires. At the city's edge, the stark white Che Guevara Mausoleum rises above the surrounding plains.
Getting to Santa Clara
Abel Santamaría Airport connects Santa Clara with Canada, Panama, and several European destinations. From Havana, you can reach the city by Viazul bus (4 hours, 20 CUC) or train. The city has regular bus connections to Trinidad (2 hours), Varadero (3 hours), and Cienfuegos (1 hour).
Around Parque Vidal
Each evening at 7 PM, locals fill Parque Vidal's benches while trumpet players and guitarists set up near the central gazebo. A white marble statue of Marta Abreu anchors the square's north end. The Teatro La Caridad, built in 1885, welcomes visitors daily from 9 AM to 5 PM and stages classical concerts every Friday night. The Santa Clara Libre hotel, with bullet holes still visible in its modernist facade, towers eight stories above the square.
Revolutionary Sites
At the Che Guevara Mausoleum, you can view personal letters, photographs, and military items from Guevara's life. Entry costs 2 CUC and includes access to both the monument and museum. The Tren Blindado park-museum displays the actual armored train cars from the 1958 battle, with maps and weapons from the conflict. Signs in Spanish and English explain how Che's forces used a bulldozer to derail the train.
Cultural Venues and Entertainment
El Mejunje Cultural Center transforms from a family theater space by day to a music venue at night. Thursday through Sunday (entry 1 CUC), you can watch drag shows, listen to rock bands, or join salsa dancing sessions. Along Boulevard 1889, musicians play traditional trova music in small bars where mojitos cost 2-3 CUC.
Local Food Scene
El Castillo's menu includes ropa vieja (shredded beef in tomato sauce) and pescado en salsa de coco (fish in coconut sauce) for 5-10 CUC. Street vendors around Parque Vidal sell pizza slices and ham sandwiches for 10-20 Cuban pesos. Casa particular hosts prepare morning meals with mangoes, eggs, toast, and strong Cuban coffee (3-5 CUC).
Day Trips from Santa Clara
Taxis wait near Parque Vidal each morning for the 45-minute trip to Remedios (15 CUC), where you can explore the gold-covered altars of the Iglesia San Juan Bautista. The beaches of Cayo Santa María lie 90 minutes north, with regular shared taxis making the journey.
