Bayamo

About

Founded in 1513, Bayamo was the third Spanish city in Cuba. While it thrived in its early years as an inland port, specializing in trading contraband in the Antilles, it cemented itself in history as an insurgent stronghold in Cuba’s war for independence - a position that saw much of the city reduced to ash from arson in 1869. Today, things are more tranquil, with life revolving around Parque Céspedes, one of the largest and leafiest plazas in Cuba. At its center is a large statue of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, the leader of Bayamo’s insurgency. His house borders the north side of the park and is now a museum dedicated to the local hero. From here, walk a block to the Plaza del Himno to see the charming Iglesia Parroquial del Santísima Salvador, another survivor of the 1869 fire, where you’ll find a mural of Céspedes above the altar. Transportation here is unique if you’d like to travel around the city - nearly half the residents rely on horse-drawn-carts, many of which operate like buses.