SANTIAGO DE CUBA, CUBA

As we take the winding road out of Santiago to La Gran Piedra, one of the Sierra Maestra peaks, we will be able to admire wonderful views of the coast and surrounding countryside. La Gran Piedra is really a big mountain with a huge rock on the top but is nevertheless quite spectacular.

Before our visit to La Gran Piedra, we shall enjoy a short sightseeing drive through the main streets of Santiago de Cuba. A brief stop is made at Céspedes Park, the heart of the city, where Santiago’s beautiful Cathedral overlooks the square, and we will see Revolution Square, with its huge statue of the 19th-century revolutionary hero, Antonio Maceo. As we take the winding road out of Santiago to La Gran Piedra, one of the Sierra Maestra peaks, we will be able to admire wonderful views of the coast and surrounding countryside. La Gran Piedra is really a big mountain with a huge rock on the top but is nevertheless quite spectacular. There are 459 optional steps to achieve the best views from La Gran Piedra (subject to weather conditions) but there are areas to catch our breath when needed during the ascent. After all our efforts we will visit the Isabelica Museum – an old coffee plantation founded in the early 19th century, complete with original coffee drying floors and a museum depicting the early coffee industry. We will also visit the Botanical Gardens, which have a large variety of indigenous plants and flowers for us to enjoy, before returning to our ship.Please note that this tour takes us up to 1,214 metres (nearly 4,000 feet) above sea level; come prepared for rain. There are 459 optional steps to achieve the finest views from La Gran Piedra (subject to weather conditions). Small buses are used for this tour, which is not recommended for passengers with limited mobility. Toilet facilities are very basic.

DESCRIPTION CORRECT FOR 2007 CARIBBEAN SEASON