Viñales
Viñales is a valley in the Pinar del Río province of Cuba.
Understand
Viñales is set in a beautiful and lush valley about 26 km north of the city of Pinar del Río. The city has a population of around 10,000, while the municipality has about 29,000 people (2018). It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Landscape
Cuba was once covered by limestone ("karst"). Much of this limestone has eroded away, leaving mountains with steep sides and rounded, jungly tops. The mountains are called mogotes, which means "haystacks." Many mogotes have caves. Several caves are developed for tourists to visit.
The red farmland and unique microclimate produce the best cigars in the world. Some tobacco farms are set up for tourist tours.
People
Start at a tourist office or your hotel or casa particular. Point out something in the guidebook you'd like to see or do, and offer to pay someone to take you there. Or offer to pay for a Spanish lesson or a salsa lesson. Hire a local guide for a few hours and you will make a friend, and he or she will introduce you to his or her family, and they will invite you to do more stuff, and you will not be bored the rest of your visit.
It is illegal to pay someone to drive you somewhere, unless it is a licensed taxi. And you can not pay for lodging, unless it is a licensed casa particular (bed & breakfast).
Get in
By bus
Viazul runs buses twice a day from Havana (CUC12) via Pinar del Rio. There’s an early morning bus to Cienfuegos and Trinidad. Buses arrive and leave opposite of the ticket office near the central town square.
- 1 Viazul ticket office, Salvador Cisneros, 63 A (on main street opposite town square). Open daily. They will book your bus to Havana, and can organize transfers in smaller coaches to Soroa, Las Terrazas and other locations.
By colectivo
You will likely be offered a 'colectivo' already at the Havana bus station. They run to Viñales for CUC20 per person. Transport back can also be found by taxi touts near the Viazul ticket office. You typically inquire at least a day before the intended departure to make a taxi reservation. The driver will then pick you up at your casa. It is easiest to find a transport for morning departures.
Colectivos also run to other destinations such as Cienfuegos (CUC40), and Trinidad (CUC40 or more) if there is sufficient demand. Taxi drivers will sometimes claim to have transport to Trinidad or Cienfuegos, but in fact require a change of vehicle in Havana, which may involve re-negotiating the price for the remaining trip.
- 2 (at the south junction of the main street). These run relatively frequently and depart on demand once the car is full. CUC1.
Fees and permits
Entrance to the valley is free. Some attractions like the Cueva de la piscina will charge a fee though.
Get around
On foot
The town is easily walkable on foot. Most amenities such as banks and restaurants are clustered on the main street (Salvador Cisneros) and accommodation is found everywhere off this street, esp Calle Rafael Trejo which runs on south parallel to the main street essentially only consists of casas particulares.
Many sights are in the proximity of the city and not more than 4 km away, so it’s possible to walk. Riding on a bike or a horse would be less strenuous, especially considering the often very hot weather.
By bus
Other sights such as the Santo Tomás cave are further away and out of walking distance.
There is a green minibus that takes tourists around the valley. For CUC5 you can ride all day, with stops at the tourist hotels, in the village, at the caves and other sights.
By bicycle
This is another good way to see the valley up close. As it is a valley, it can be a bit hilly and the paths are mainly unpaved tracks, that are not fun to ride with anything but a decent mountain bike. Nevertheless, exploring by bike is a great way to explore the valley and Viñales is one of the best places to cycle in Cuba. Bikes can be organized through your casa or rented at various locations in town. Quality of the bikes varies quite drastically, so check your bike before starting and probably shop around a bit, especially if you’re planning to rent for more than one day. See the #Hiking section for some ideas where to go. Cycling tours can also be booked at the travel agents in town.
Price ranges: CUC1/hr, CUC5/half day, CUC10/day
Bike rental locations in town are:
- from a desk located in front of the restaurant, Casa Don Tomas
- sometimes on the main plaza
- 3 Bike repair. Also rents a few bikes for CUC6/day.
By motorbike
You can rent a motorbike (a scooter) for about CUC20 per day and ride it either to Cayo Jutias or to Cayo Levisa. The road is magnificent and you may even enjoy it more than the beaches. You will need your passport and driving license in order to rent a scooter. There is no need for a motorbike license.
Other
You can also hire a taxi or join an organized tour.
See
- Calle Salvador Cisneros. The main street was named after Salvador Cisneros Betancourt, who was a leader in the war of independence (1868-1878) and later was President of Cuba from 1895 to 1897. It has many restaurants that cater to tourists.
- 1 Casa de la Cultura. In the central plaza, the Casa de la Cultura puts on events every day (or night), including music, fashion shows, and children's events. cover charge typically ~CUC1.
- 2 The Central plaza. Also on the central plaza is an art gallery and the church. On Saturday mornings there is a farmers' market at the plaza.
- Museo Municipal (further down the main street). The small municipal museum is in the former home of independence heroine Adela Azcuy.
Around Viñales
- Parque Nacional Vinales visitor centre (close to the hotel Los Jazmines (2 km from Vinales)). The park covers 150 km². The visitor centre offers information, hiking and guides. The visitor centre does not have a lot to see, some wall charts with walking routes and a small model of the valley. It is the view that is stunning and from here you can organise your excursions into the valley.
- 3 Mural de la Prehistoria (3 km west of Viñales). Perhaps the worst tourist attraction in Cuba. In 1961 Fidel Castro visited the beautiful "valley of the two sisters (Valley de Dos Hermanas). He commissioned a cliff to be painted with snails, dinosaurs, and a family of cavepersons, in garish colors! There is a restaurant, bar, and gift shop. The food in the restaurant is reputed to be excellent and the live music is good. Also there is horseback riding. So consider visiting the mural and doing something other than looking at the mural. You do not have to pay the entrance fee to see the painted mountain cliff, its visible from the road.
- El Palenque de los Cimarrones (4 km from Vinales). Tiny museum as you walk through a smaller cave (Cueva de San Miguel) showing how slaves hid out in centuries past. There is a restaurant at the back with a slave show, mostly for bus tours. The cave has a disco at the weekends where all the locals go to hang out. Food is also served.
There are dozens of tobacco and coffee farms that love to explain the manufacturing process and sell their goods:
- 4 Tobacco Farm Casa del Veguero (500 m from Vinales). To learn about tobacco farming, visit this tourist-oriented tobacco farm and drying shed. Food is also served.
Do
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Your casa paticular can very likely organize all these activities for you. It’s probably also possible to do so from the visitor information center. If you book through an agent, a commission fee is part of the price, e.g. of an hour horse-riding (CUC5) only CUC3 go to the guide and CUC2 is the commission that your casa makes.
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- Explore the valley on two wheels, either by bicycle or motorbike.
- Horseback riding. Explore the valley riding on the back of a horse. No experience is necessary. The paths can be quite rough, but the horses are very capable (the locals call them "semi-automatic") Depending on the amount of time you would like to spend there are several routes that your guide can choose. You will likely explore some of the sights in the area about 2-4 km around Viñales or visit the tobacco-farm. Put on sunscreen in advance, wear long jeans, and bring plenty of water (although on longer trips you will stop at primitive cafes with amazing views). CUC5/person/hour.
- Birdwatching. There is a bird-watching trail starting at the El Ranchón restaurant near the Cuevas del Indio. You can also take guided tours. Ask at the information office near the central plaza.
- Tobacco Farm Tours. Learn how tobacco is produced. Such tours are often included in horse-riding packages.
Swimming
- Beaches. There are day trips to the beaches Cayo Levisa, Cayo Jutias and Maria la Gorda. Sample prices:
- Day trip to Cayo Jutias: CUC22 for transfer, entrance fee to beach and lunch available with travel agents. Departs 09:00. Cayo Jutias is about 60 km from Vinales.
- Day trip to Cayo Levisa: Transfer by coach and boat to Cayo Levisa, CUC29 to include lunch and CUC35 for hot lunch. Departs at 08:30 to take boat at 10:00 from Palma Rubia. Cayo Levisa is about 50 km from Vinales.
- Swimming pools at the hotels. All three hotels (Los Jazmines, La Ermita and El Rancho) have swimming pools. CUC7 (includes a CUC6 voucher for the poolside bar).
- Cave swimming. Several caves have pools inside. E.g. the Cueva de la Piscina or the Cueva de Palmarito. See #Cave Exploring for details. from CUC2.
- 1 Lakes & Rivers. A nearby lake allows for some swimming. There’s no good shade though if you plan to spend the day there. Horse-riding tours often stop here to let the customers cool down in the lake. There’s also river bathing in Los Resvalosos and La Jagua.
Rock climbing
The focus of rock climbing in Cuba is the Valle de Viñales in the western, mountainous province of Pinar del Río. Overhanging limestone faces on 300-m (1,000-foot) freestanding crags called “mogotes” rise above traditional thatch-roofed Cuban houses, red-soiled farms, and verdant palms and pines. The climbing is superlative, cranking jugs and pockets in chiseled karst limestone on improbable lines through stunning overhangs of stalactites and tufa columns.
Cave exploring
- 5 Cueva del Indio (6km north of Vinales). An easy to visit cave well-developed for tourists, featuring a boat ride through the cave. Nearby is a restaurant, gift shop, etc. CUC5-10 per person.
- 2 Swim in the Cueva de la Piscina (likely the same as Cueva del Palmarito) (4 km north of Viñales in the Valle de la Guasasa). The cave is only accessible through a trail. It is at the edge of walking distance from Viñales and most visitors come here by bike or horse. You’ll be walked in by a guide until you reach a pool after about 200 m. It’s about 30-m long, you can go swimming inside and the cool water will be a welcome refresh from the hot air outside. The depth of the water varies and there’s rocks reaching up every now and then. The guide has a small light, otherwise the cave is completely dark. CUC2 per person.
- 6 Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás (15 km west of Viñales near El Moncada). This is the biggest cave in Cuba. Basic tours are two hours and you must hire a guide. Helmets and headlamps are provided, although you might want to bring a more powerful flashlight, if you have one. Also you're required to wear shoes, which is a problem for female Cubans, who seem to own nothing but sandals. The cave is spectacular, especially where the roof has collapsed and you walk into a green jungle paradise sunk into a mountaintop. The cave has 45 km of galleries on eight levels. Also, the town of El Moncada was another of Fidel's ideas, and the streets are laid out to form a C, U, B, and A. Probably at least CUC10.
- A great place to use as a home base for caving and exploring the area is the National School of Speleology in El Moncada. The School is located at one of the main entrances to the Gran Caverna de Santo Tomas. For a low price, you can rent a room or bed, have meals, and guide service. The school is rustic, but for real explorers the location can not be beat. For more information contact Eduardo, the school manager, by phone at 681274.
Hiking
Exploring the area on foot is possible since many sights are within walking distance. Do not expect to actually hike up to the mogote peaks. There are no paths and allegedly doing so would even be forbidden since it’s a national park area. The national park building (near the Hotel Los Jazmines) has maps and exhibits showing fourteen excursions.
The main hike everyone does circles around the 7 Mogote de Valle.. From Viñales follow the Calle Adela Azcuy north-west. 3 Walk through the Cueva de la Vaca. The cave is not exciting at all, but it is great that you can pass through the mountain and continue your hike on the other side.. Make a brief stop for shade at the Ancient large tree. It has some religious history.. Next you’ll continue a bit through the Valle de la Guasasa, can take a refreshing swim in the Cueva de la Piscina and continue further through the valley. it is worth taking a brief detour to the 1 Mirador (viewpoint). It has a great view on the valleys and offers refreshing fruit juices starting from CUC3., before heading into the Valle de Dos Hermanas where you’ll get a glimpse at the awfully painted hill Mural de la Prehistoria. Passing the Campismo, the now paved road returns to Viñales. Since it’s not that exciting, its worth taking a cab or bus or hitchhiking these last 4 km.
You may be able to hire a hiking guides at the Museo Municipal Adela Azcuy (Calle Salvador Cisneros #115) and you can also hire horses for this trip.
Buy
Money
Cash money can sometimes be a scarce resource in Viñales, so it is best to be prepared.
- 4 Banks (on the main street north of the town center). Two banks next to each other. One has an ATM that’s out of order most of the time. Both allow cash withdrawals with credit card, and often have long queues of foreigners.
- 5 Cadeca (on the main street, south of the central square). Currency exchange office. Can also do cash withdrawals, but their credit card terminal often breaks. Expect about 30 min of queuing time.
More banks & ATMs can be found in Pinar del Rio.
Shopping
Cuba is not renowned for its shopping but there are some things worth considering. Cuban rum, cigars and coffee are excellent and prices here are much better than at home. Music CDs, DVDs and instruments are also worth looking at. In terms of souvenirs, the leader of the pack is anything to do with Che, from t-shirts to the key rings and so on and so on. Leather is not of great quality nor are the wooden carvings but you can find some nice artwork and prints if you look hard enough. Most of these items can be bought in all of the tourist attractions in and around Vinales. The town park also has stalls selling items geared at the tourist. The art gallery on the park also has artwork for sale. Coffee cups with designs from Cuban modern artists are a tasteful souvenir and this series, available in all tourist attractions, also features plates, oil and vinegar, shower curtains, towels and aprons.
- 1 Convenience store (near the central plaza). This is the only convenience store or supermarket in town, but it’s rarely fully stocked. Especially goods like large water bottles run out quickly and you’ll be forced to pay inflated prices for the small bottles here or at restaurants. Larger supermarkets can be found in Pinal del Rio.
- 2 Bakery, Azcuy street (north-east of the main street). From 07:00. Here you can sometimes buy bread. The small rolls are only given to Cubans with the libreta. Larger bread is sometimes available for foreigners as well.
- 3 Fruit cars. 08:00-17:00. Here you can buy a cheap and fresh bananas, papaya (fruta bomba) or pineapple (piña).
Eat
Self-catering
If you’re travelling on a shoestring there’s some self-catering options—see the #Buy section). There are also some cafeterias selling simple sandwiches or pizza places. Most close before the evening.
There is a bakery that sells sweet bread or cake for pesos at the junction of Adela Azcuy (north) and the main road. Around the same area but again on the main road you can find pizza and sandwich shops (great for breakfast because they also have coffee) all selling for national pesos. But remember that in Viñales peso-venders quickly run out of ingredients so go there early and be fast when there is already a crowd.
Restaurants
In contrast to most other cities in Cuba, Viñales has a great selection of restaurants, with a variety of food. Almost all restaurants can be found on the main street. Prices do not vary very much. A typical meal with a drink will set you back CUC8-12.
- 1 La Berengena. Labels itself a vegetarian restaurant despite also serving some meat dishes. The vegetarian food is delicious and fancy though. This seems to have the same menu as El Romero in Las Terrazas. Lots of space for outside seating is available. Mains around CUC6.
- 2 El Olivo. This restaurant serves very delicious dishes on small plates. It is quite famous and visible so it is wise to make a reservation esp. if you want to sit outside.
- 3 Balcone del valle (Outside the city, close to Hotel Los Jazmines). This calm restaurant is named quite correctly as balcony of the valley. You’re literally seating on a wooden balcony constructed over the hill incline. It offers a spectacular view over the valley and is a great place to watch the sunset. They only serve a set multi-course menu of creolean but nonetheless very good and tasty food. Multi-course menu for CUC8.
- 4 Casa de Don Tomás. This state-run restaurant is in an old building. In the evening there may be live music. If you fancy to sit on the balcony, you’ll likely need to reserve ahead of time. The house dish is a paella (CUC10). The other dishes are neither very special nor tasty and plates are small.
Drink
- Patio Central Cultural Polo Montañez, Calle Salvador Cisneros (off the central plaza, between the Casa de la Cultura and the church). During the day a restaurant and snack bar serve food and drinks. At night salsa bands play here. Polo Montañez was a singer world-famous in Cuba.
- Patio del Decimista, Calle Salvador Cisneros. A few blocks down from the plaza, a.k.a. the yellow bar. They also have live salsa music.
- El Palenque de Los Cimarrones. The nearby Cueva de Viñales (Cave of Viñales) has a discotheque built into it. You just can not beat a discotheque in a cave—there is another one in Trinidad. Saturday night there is a cabaret espectáculo followed by dancing. Saturday night they host the hottest nightlife in the province — the place is packed, almost all Cubans.
- 2 bar in nature. Bar that you can reach by horse or by foot. Has great 360° view of the nature.
Sleep
Hotels
Viñales has three tourist hotels: Hotel Las Jazmines, Hotel La Ermita, and Rancho Horizontes San Vicente. Each is rated three stars. Expect to pay about 50-70 CUC per night, plus meals. The hotels are a few kilometers outside of town, which is not conducive to nightlife (Rancho Horizontes San Vicente is within walking distance of El Palenque).
- 1 Hotel Los Jazmines, ☏ +53 8 79 62 05. This hotel has one of the best views you will ever see. In 1960, Fidel said, "Great view! Build a hotel here." It was one of his good ideas. The rooms are nice. The pool is big and clean. Breakfasts and suppers are good.
- 2 Hotel La Ermita, ☏ +53 8 79 60 71. Also has an incredible view, especially at sunset.
- 3 Rancho Horizontes San Vicente, ☏ +53 8 79 62 01.
Tourism in Viñales is skyrocketing and accommodation options have expanded. Everyone who can afford it is building another guest room in their house as quick as they can. In fact, nearly every house you’ll see in Viñales is a casa particular. In 2015 there were more than 300 of these. The competition is very tough, which makes it easy for travelers to get a good deal.
The typical default price is CUC25 per night for a double room (sometimes for up to 4 people), but even in high season it is fairly easy to bargain this to CUC15. Breakfast is normally CUC4 per person, dinner CUC10, but it is worth not to eat in the casa every day, since Viñales has a variety of fairly good restaurants.
There is a crowd of touts that greets visitors arriving by bus. There will be 20-50 touts or house owners offering their casas. This can be troubling. The easiest way to get through this is to say you already have a reservation at the house of... (any Spanish-sounding first name will do here). However, since these people are competing hard and have available rooms, this is also a good place to catch a cheap room. Inspect it first before agreeing on anything though.
If you want a true Cuban experience, stay in Los Jazmines 3-4 km west of town. Los Jazmines is Viñales' hidden gem. In the countryside tucked away there are virtually no tourists, casas with everything they serve being 100% organic and from their own gardens, quiet and the person to person interaction. The city center of Viñales is becoming more and more crowded with the rise of tourism. The town is reasonably small so you’ll never have to walk much more than 15 min anyway. There’s a hill to the east of the town and some houses have rooftops with great views. Few casas have swimming pools, however note that in the dry season, these are typically not in use due to the water scarcity.
Since this can not be avoided, here’s a list of casas particulares in Vinales:
- [dead link] Villa El Rinconsito, Calle Séptima, No. 22, ☏ +53 48 69 5478, villaelrinconsito@gmail.com. The house is very nice and welcoming, with all amenities. It has 2 double and triple rooms, spacious, bright, good ventilation, air conditioning and private bathroom in each. The house has a large porch, lounge, kitchen, a terrace exquisitely decorated shack that serves delicious meals and a garage to park your car. Ideal for tourists looking for quiet and rest. CUC10-15.
- 4 .
- [dead link] Villa Cándida Tatio, Calle Orlando Nodarse, No. 17, ☏ +53 48 69 5395, osvielalvares@gmail.com. Magnificent home with all amenities, offers 3 bedrooms, double, triple and quadruple, with air conditioning and private bathrooms. It has a terrace with mountain views, porch, 2 dining rooms and parking. The best Creole food served here Viñales. Ideal for large groups. CUC15-20.
- Casa Ernesto y Marlen, Calle Salvador Cisnero, No. 20, ☏ +534 8 79 32 61. Wonderful hosts (best mojitos anywhere), great homecooking, a five-minute walk from the town square and bus station.
- 5 Casa Grether Carlos, Calle Orlando Nodarse, No. 26, ☏ +53 48 695460, CasaGretherCarlos@gmail.com. It offers one comfortable and clean room with all modern facilities. The room is equipped with an air conditioner, private bathroom and private entrance. It’s possible have breakfast, dinner and salsa lesson with professional teacher. CUC15-20.
It is possible to stay in a private house (casa particular). The only requirement is that the Cuban host take his or her documentation to be recorded with the visitors.
- 6 Papaya Porch (Casa Felicia) (Los Jazmines), casa.felicia.vinales@gmail.com. Check-in: Flexible, check-out: Flexible. In a quiet little hamlet a few kilometers from the centre of Viñales in Los Jazmines. Felicia, José Luis and Nancy are wonderful hosts who enjoy sharing their culture with guests. Here you will be able to enjoy delicious home-cooked Cuban meals made with organic ingredients, many of which are grown in their own backyard. At breakfast you will try fruits picked fresh from the property: papaya, plantains, mangoes, limes, guava, mandarines, mamey, oranges and chirimoya. If you arrive at the right time, you might even be lucky enough to try the honey José Luis collects from the nearby honeycombs. CUC20.
- 7 Villa Jesus, Calle 1 ra Salvador Cisneros (On a sideroad to Salvador Cisneros), ☏ +53 048 68 45 38, marthadovales@nauta.cu. Very quiet place view amazing view of the nature. Jesus has a garden with bananas, mango, avocado, etc. Simple room with air conditioning. CUC25.
Camping
- Campismo Dos Hermanos (near the Mural de la Prehistoria), ☏ +53 8 79 32 23. Campismos were built by the government for Cubans to go on vacations. This is not a campsite and it is not clear that they will take non-Cuban guests. This campismo has 54 basic cabins, a restaurant and a big swimming pool, although the water is remarkably green.
Go next
- Make a brief stop in Pinar del Rio, Soroa or Las Terrazas before going back to Havana
- Cayo Levisa: The boat dock is about a 1-hr drive away from Vinales, from there its a ½-hr boat ride to the island. The island features stunning white sand beaches and there are diving facilities available.
- Cayo Jutías is the closest beach to Viñales, 60 km on mountain roads. You can book a roundtrip to the beach from Viñales for CUC15 at the major local travel agencies (such as Infotur). There are two roads—before you leave Viñales ask which road is better. In 2008, the road via Minas de Matahambre was good, and the road via the Baños de San Vicente was bad.
- To escape the mass tourism head south to the small Cuban fishing village Puerto Esperanza and relax at the coast.
