Regions of Cuba

Cienfuegos lies in Cuba’s central region on the southern coastline, a location that made it especially vulnerable to pirates in years gone by. Founded by French settlers from Burdeos, Cienfuegos became a villa in 1829 and a city in 1880.

The regions main crop production consists of sugar, most of which is exported from the province’s port, in the Cienfuegos capital. Although its economic activity was once focused mainly on agriculture, ever since the Revolution, Cienfuegos has experienced significant development and has become one of Cuba’s most industrialized areas.

Tourism is very important to Cienfuegos and it has a great many attractions to offer a visitor. Beautiful unspoiled beaches stretching along the southern coast are washed by waters of the Caribbean Sea and are ideal for those who are interested in trying out their nautical or scuba diving skills. Towards the east there is more nature to enjoy with the picturesque foothills of the Escambray Mountains and the one-hundred-year-old Botanical Gardens, which are home to an enormous collection of plants. There are around 1450 different species and 80% are exotic. The city of Cienfuegos is also a great place to visit, with several striking buildings such as the Palacio del Valle and the Teatro Tomas Terry.

Cienfuegos has a great balance of natural beauty and interesting historical and cultural traditions to learn all about.