Cienfuegos

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One taxi driver I met said that Cienfuegos is, in his opinion, the most livable city in Cuba. That I believe, as it connects easily to other areas of the country, is close to mountains, beaches, and La Habana, and is quite clean and wealthy.

However, unless you have a lot of time or a specific interest there, Cienfuegos is only worth stopping for a night. There are a fair number of interesting and creative art galleries in the main square and Teatro Terry is definitely worth a visit.

Still, it's its livability that makes it ordinary. The main roads are filled with department stores and while the locals use the public spaces more than in its touristy neighbor, Trinidad, there are a fair number of touters. The malecon and port are more functional than atttractive, and the water smells foul.

Again, it was worth a day, but after walking around the city, my friend and I changed our reservations from two nights to one. We stayed at la casa de Violeta Blanco Rodriguez. She was a wonderful cook and there is a photo below of the courtyard where meals are served. It was comfortable and clean as well.

There are more photos below.

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