Casilda Cuba
Frequently Asked Questions
The harbour is shallow, so most ships anchor off the Ancón peninsula and tender passengers ashore. Casilda is a modest fishing village on the Gulf of Ana María; the treasure lies five kilometres inland.
By road, about fifteen minutes through palms and cane fields. Shared taxis, coaches and vintage cars wait at the pier. Agree the price and the return time before setting off, as everywhere on the island.
Trinidad, without hesitation: the Plaza Mayor, the Museo Romántico and the climb up the yellow and white bell tower of the former San Francisco de Asís convent. On the way back, Ancón beach is minutes from the pier for a swim before reboarding.
Because it is the best-preserved colonial town in Cuba. Founded in 1514 and enriched by sugar in the 19th century, it then slept for a century, which saved it from any brutal modernization. It has been World Heritage listed since 1988.
A frozen golden age. Around the Plaza Mayor, the sugar barons' mansions line up ochre, yellow and turquoise facades under Roman tile roofs. The streets are cobbled with round stones polished by two hundred years of hooves: you walk slowly, and that is the point.
The valley of the sugar mills, UNESCO listed together with Trinidad. In the 19th century it held dozens of sugar works. The 45-metre Manaca Iznaga watchtower was used to watch the enslaved people working the fields; local guides tell that story without softening it.
Yes, Ancón, four kilometres of pale sand minutes from the pier. It is often ranked among the finest on Cuba's south coast and the calm gulf waters suit families well. The nearby marina runs snorkelling trips to the Cayo Blanco reef.
The Cuban peso and Spanish. Bring cash in small notes: card terminals are scarce and cards issued by US banks do not work in Cuba. Keep coins for the bell tower climb and for musicians.
Yes, from the afternoon on. On the steps of the Casa de la Música beside the square, guitarists and percussionists play set after set. It is the simplest and surest appointment of the day.
Moderately. Trinidad's streets are paved with very uneven round cobbles, slippery after rain, and the bell tower is climbed by a narrow stair. Closed shoes with soft soles change the day; the tender landing adds a constraint.
