Santiago de Cuba
Cuba's second city and one-time capital, dating back nearly 500 years, Santiago nestles in a valley of the tumbling Sierra Maestra mountains on the south-east shore.
Santiago is home to the island's oldest building, Velasquez' palace, and retains a distinctive Spanish colonial mood, thanks to a charming ensemble of 19th century town-houses and steep streets, blended with a tropical Caribbean charm that is uniquely Cuban. If you prefer your pleasures simpler then some of the island's 300 beaches are within easy reach!