Trinidad is a city that defies logic. It’s insane how well-preserved it is. Havana is stuck in the 1960’s, but in Trinidad time seems to have stood still from the 19th century onwards. Cobblestone streets, guajiros on horses, welcome to my favourite town in Cuba!

Trinidad’s City Centre

Between Trinidad and Viñales, we stayed a few nights in Guajimico. A “resort” town near Cienfuegos. What should have been a relaxing few days, turned into party nights filled with fun locals, salsa and mojitoes. A lot of mojitoes… When the bus drove us into Trinidad some of the group were feeling worse for wear. Add to that the fact that it’s considerably hotter in Trinidad and you have the perfect recipe for a potential disaster.

It didn’t turn into a disaster though, because we were too busy falling in love with the town to notice our hangovers. We arrived and started the walking tour straightaway. It’s easy to navigate Trinidad’s historic city centre on foot, actually it’s the only way since cars are not allowed.

You could rent a horse or a bicycle if you would be so inclined but I would like to recommend the old-fashioned feet to lead the way.

Trinidad is a picture-perfect city. It’s one of those cities that doesn’t have many sights, but where it’s impossible to put your camera down.

It’s not surprising that Trinidad is on the UNESCO heritage list. It’s impressive how well the city has preserved its architecture, and much of its urban fabric, including the irregular system of squares and plazas, cobblestone streets.

Let’s get into a few sights I would recommend checking out when you’re in the city. Please note that the itinerary is only for a day, but I would advice you to stay in the city longer to soak up the atmosphere properly (you’ll need a day to recuperate from my nightlife tips anyways).

Plaza Mayor
All roads in the historic centre lead to Plaza Mayor. It’s a surprisingly peaceful square in the middle of the city. It’s suprising because a square like this with so many benches calls for tourists and locals to lounge,  however not many people sit around here. It might be due to the lack of shade or the lack of internet signal. Nevertheless, it’s a nice place to take a little breather.

Iglesia Parroquial de la Santisima Trinidad
An impossible name to remember, but a very difficult church to miss as it’s located right on the main square Plaza Mayor.

I found the outside to be more remarkable than the interior.

Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra Bandidos
One of my favourite things to do when I’m in a new city is to climb on top of buildings or hills to enjoy the view. In Trinidad, the best place to do this is a bell tower with a very interesting name: “Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra Bandidos”.

It has this name because it’s actually a museum. I skimmed through the exhibits and swooned at Che’s picture right before I ran up the steps to enjoy the view.

Trinidad became a very rich city in the mid-19th century, because the area around the city was producing a third of the country’s sugar. That explains the countryside around the city. We didn’t get around to do any day trips (thank you for that rainy day), but if you have time and good weather it’s worth checking out Topes de Collantes.

Taberna La Canchánchara
After sweating in the city centre for a few hours, our tour guide Amed thought it was time to introduce us to the courtyard of Taberna La Chanchánchara. Did I mention he’s the best tour guide ever?

It was exactly what we needed to quell the hangovers a little bit further. A shady courtyard, some music and an enthusiastic dancer.

Not to mention the delicious house cocktail made of rum, honey, lemon, and water. Don’t forget to stir the drink for at least 53 seconds before drinking it, otherwise you’ll find the honey on the bottom of the mug.

Plaza Carillo
Plaza Carillo isn’t really worth making a detour for, unless you’re looking for internet and some serious shade. It’s not easy to find an internet connection in the city and even though Plaza Carillo’s internet is spotty at best it’s worth a try if you’re desperate.

Nightlife: Casa de la Música & Disco Ayala
In terms of nightlife, Trinidad is a great city to visit. It’s worth checking out Casa de la Música, which during the day are normal stairs near Plaza Mayor.

At night, these stairs are transformed into an open-air arena. If you feel brave you could even try dancing salsa along with the others. If you’re less brave (like me) you can drink a mojito or cuba libre on the stairs & enjoy the dancing from a safe distance.

Then, if you’re eager for more nightlife you can head out to Disco Ayala. An underground disco. Literally, underground. If you visit the toilet the formations of the cave will actually drip on you. I have to warn you, it’s a bit of a seedy place but I never felt unsafe. The best way to reach this disco is by taxi as it isn’t in the city centre. Opening time is in Cuban time mas y menos around 10:30pm.

Where to stay

If you haven’t stayed in a “Casa Particular” yet, now is the perfect time to try one.

A privately owned casa has many advantages over a state-run hotel. You can compare a casa to a bed & breakfast. Often it’s a single room in a family’s house, therefore it’s a great way to meet locals in Cuba. You will get a better feel of the “real” Cuba by talking to the families and they could also help you arrange tours and such.

Our casa owner in Trinidad cooked a delicious dinner for us, which is another perk when you stay at a local casa. Not to mention the fact that everyone walking in and out of the house greeted us, which made us feel at home after only one day.

Conclusion

Trinidad is one-of-a-kind. It’s captivating and alluring and I can’t praise it enough. I haven’t seen such a perfectly preserved Spanish colonial settlement anywhere in the world, and I loved roaming the streets “in the past”.

What about you? Have you ever been to Trinidad or would you like to visit it?