Villa Clara or Santa Clara

Villa Clara is located right in the center of the island and was founded in 1689. Geographicaly speaking , it is near all the most importtant tourist resorts being the closest important city to Cienfuegos at 75 Km , 88 Km to Trinidad , it is at 207 Km from Varadero and at 267 Km from Havana City.

Villa Clara is well known and related to comander Che Guevara who was the legendary guerrilla leader who sieged the city and took is after derailing an armoured train with militar supplies for Batista's troops in the eastern part of Cuba. At the end of December of 1958,el Che carried out here decisive combats in Santa Clara for the definite triumph of the Cuban Revolution.

Some of the most important atractions in Villa Clara, which economy is maily agricultural, are the memorial Museum (see the picture in the head of this page), built as a tribute to Ché Guevara and his comrades, killed in combat in Bolivia. The museum to the Armoured Train that was derailed by Che guevara during the last fights for Santa Clara in 1958, La Caridad Theater (1885) and the Leoncio Vidal Park places visited by most of the tourists.

Cayo Santa María, known as the white rose of Jardines del Rey, its extension is only 13 Km and it is covered by beautiful white fine sands. The warm waters of Cayo Santa Maria are quiet,blue and transparent. Ideal for diving and snorkeling is the the sea bottom found in this area with great Coral formations and a numerous variety of species.

Another attraction is Lake Hanabanilla, one of the biggest artificial water reservoirs in the country, built right next to the mountainous region of Escambray where you will find a reserve of flora and fauna, and the resort of Elguea which treasures mineral-medicinal and thermal waters.