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OUR CASA LIST BEGINS HERE | REGIONAL MAP HERE | |||||||
Neglected by visitors who drive by on the circumvalacion — the road which bypasses the town, El Balcon del Oriente or Victoria de Las Tunas offers a lot of campesino tranquillity in this, a large cattle growing and milk-producing region. The region boasts two fauna reserves some 18 km north in the Bahia del Malagueta and sea access through Puerto Padre barely 56 km north. Local hero is a 19th century soldier, General Vicente Garcia who fought for independence in 1868 and liberated the town 8 years later. The centre was recently renovated in time to welcome a dozen works by artists participating in its Sculpture Biennal confirming Las Tunas as the Cuban capital of sculpture. Among the 70 works permanently exhibited in public places around town are the Monument to Labor, the Opposed Faces of Maniabo and Jibacoa, the Cucalambé and the Taino Column. The tunero poet Juan Cristobal Napoles y Fajardo was the father of cucalambé, (verses of onomatopoeia from nature); he mysteriously vanished in 1862. A century and a half later, his style has reappeared in what some call spin, improvised verses. In summer at El Cornito, poets of the Fiesta Cucalambé mimic rythmic rhymes folkloric. In October, the annual Palabra Viva festival features groups from all over the island perpetuating the power of the "living word". In December, its the annual country fair, quite an affair. The Hormigo river meanders across the city. The city is called Las Tunas because of the lots of cactus planted in its backyards, gardens and terraced roofs. Nine beautiful and useful bridges link the banks of the river, to make life easier for its residents.
POPULATION 192,967 (2007) SEE.KNOW.DO Memorial a los Martires de Barbados — the 78 victims of a Cubana DC-8 explosion in 1976, a crime committed by terrorist Luis Posada Carriles, still harbored by the USA. The Museo-Casa is on Calle Lucas Ortiz 334 e/ Teniente Peiso y Mártires de Barbados Link • Museo Provincial General Vicente Garcia (history of the region) • Memorial Mayor General Vicente Garcia • Memorial 26 de Julio • Casa Natal del Vicente Garcia Gonzalez (birthplace of the local liberator) • Casa Natal Juan Cristobal Napoles y Fajardo • Galeria de Arte • The three large parks : Vicente Garcia, Maceo and Independence park, the Plaza Martiana with its Parque Solar. PALADARES Caballo Blanco on Frank Pais 85 (also a casa particular), La Bamba on Angel de la Guardia (Frank Pais), El Balcon Fernando Suarez 14 RESTAURANTS Cache on Francisco Varona; La Romana also on Francisco Varona; SERVICES Internet connections open daily 8h30-19h30 Telepunto de Las Tunas, calle Francisco Vega No. 237 e/ Lucas Ortiz y Vicente García • Cubana 4-27-02, Havanautos 4-93-28, • Radio Victoria 1050AM, 94,5FM CubaCEL Calle Francisco Vega No.237 e/ Lucas Ortiz y Vicente García Open Mon-Fri 8:30- 12:30 and 13h-16h Sat 8:30-11:30 TRANSPORTATION Bus Viazul (2xweek) Bayamo 6, Ciego de Avila 13, Holguin 6, La Habana 39, Sancti Spiritus 17, Santa Clara 22, Santiago 11 Air La Habana (4 x day) 66cuc Trains (sked link above) At least 6 times daily, a Viazul bus goes through Las Tunas, either on its way to or from Santiago and either daytime or night schedules — Sked link on click EXCURSIONS One of the largest protected nature areas on the island, Bahia del Malagueta (23,262 hectares of which 9,210 are underwater) includes the Cerro de Caisimú and Coto de Caza Yariguá (255 km2), flora and fauna reserves where hunting and fishing are permitted in season. About 18 km north. Excursion to the north coast and the bay of Puerto Manati and the nearby town of Manati : our notes here. NIGHT SPOTS Casa de la Cultura at Vicente Garcia 8; El Taino on Carretera Central; El Ranchon at the roundabout for Holguin 24/7, gets lively at 0300 hrs after discos close; Baseball : Estadio Julio Antonio Mella, Cabaret Taino, Cine Disco Luanda, Disco Bar La Cubana, Teatro de Guiñol; La Terraza El Caracol, La Terraza Fondo de Bienes Culturales (Bar), La Terraza del Hotel Cadillac. |
Plaza Cultural in town center © eyanex, panoramio Plaza Cultural Tanque de Buena Vista, a evitalization project turned into a parka and, you guessed it, a wi-fi zone © acn yaciel peña de la peña Playa Covarrubias, 72 km north of Las Tunas and one million miles from Canada, eh ? © sogestour |
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Fuente de las Antillas, a large fountain filled with sculptures by Rita Longa © eyanex, panoramio |
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WALKIN' THE TUNAS Memorial House — Mayor General Vicente García Gonzá [Vicente García no number e/ Francisco Vega y Julián Santana] • Ensemble of sculptures "Fuente de Las Antillas" (photo above) [Calles Vicente García y Lucas Ortiz] • Ensemble of sculptures El Quijote [Ave. Libertad] • Headquarters of the cavalry [Vicente García e/24 de febrero y 13 de octubre] • Finca / Farm El Cornito [Carretera Central Oeste km. 9] • Fort of the Loma Hill Fort [calle 25 de diciembre no number e/ Av. Libertad y Carlos M. de Céspedes] • Fort Castillo de Salcedo [Av. Libertad] • Parque de la Independencia [Calle José de Villalta y Saavedra] • Parque Vicente García-Antigua Plaza de Armas [Vicente García angle Francisco Varona] • Plaza de la Revolución "Mayor General Vicente Gar [Av. 2 de diciembre, angle Ave 30 de Noviembre • Teatro Raúl Gómez García [calle Vicente García 267, e/Lara y Heredia] |
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HEED THE HINTS IN THIS FINE PRINT
::: Make sure that in your first email or phone call you specify that you want to book a room in that particular casa and that you will reconfirm your booking on arrival in Cuba. Unless you only want a room in any house which may be of the same quality, not the specific casa you booked through photos on these websites ::: So as to not abandon expecting owners with empty rooms, reconfirm (or call ahead to cancel) your booking by phone as soon as you can after arriving in Cuba ::: Please write or phone a casa owner to cancel a booking. As late as it may seem, it allows them a chance to rebook. ::: Children under the age of 16 may share a bedroom with adults for free. Specify the child's age when booking. At the end of the casa name, the V signals the casa was suggested by travelers or owners but not verified. If you try it and like it, write us about it. ::: Unless otherwise mentioned, the average room rates and service prices are : 20-25cuc per bedroom per night [up to 40+ for 4 in a room]; breakfasts 3-5cuc, dinners 7-10cuc. ::: Note : monthly taxes have increased 15-50% for owners; this may be reflected on the aforementioned rates. ::: Any casa particular anywhere in Cuba must have a hot water shower, otherwise it cannot have a permit to rent ::: Please share your Complaints, comments & suggestions webmaster [@]cubacasas.net |
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BOOK BY PHONE • From Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by 31 for Las Tunas) • From Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by 31 for Las Tunas) ••• HOW TO DIAL A CUBAN PHONE NUMBER HERE ••• CELL PHONE NUMBERS on our town lists and casa pages are preceded by 05 for calls originating Havana; from anywhere else in Cuba, dial 01 + the 8 digits of the cell. BOOK BY EMAIL : Click on logo to open a message addressed to that casa in your email application; or right-click to copy address. Spanish vocabulary here. |
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Spot casas on our city map, spot the town on province map - both here | ||||||||
PEDRO y ELIZABETH Three ac br's (2 upstairs), ensuites, patio Lico Cruz # 29, entre Fernando Suarez y Maximo Gomez, six blocks from town center. Tel. (31) 34-8470 cel 53 13 80 12 |
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MARIA y PELAYO Upstairs, three ac br's, ensuites, balcony Aquiles Espinosa, No. 7 Altos (upstairs), e/ Israel Santos y Agustín Cebereco, steps from Camilo Cienfuegos (Angel Guardia or Frank Pais) straight from center -11 blocks. Tél. (31) 34-4010 cel 53 52 60 25 @ |
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CABALLO BLANCO + PALADAR V Whole floor with one ac bedroom, ensuite Frank Pais 85, à l'étage entre Gonzalo de Quesada y Durañona, reparto Primero. Tel. (31) 34-2586 ou (31) 37-3658 |
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HOSTAL MELINA V Two aircon bedrooms with ensuites Frank Pais 55 Tél. (31) 34-4205 Cell 52 71 30 84 LP18 Web site |
KAREN & ROGER V Upstairs, three ac br's, ensuites, garden Lico Cruz # 93, upstairs, e/ Villalon y JG Gomez Tél. (31) 34-3868 @ |
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RAMON V One aircon bedroom, ensuite, living, balcony Gonzalo de Quesada # 56, upstairs, e/ Joaquin Aguero y Nicolas Heredia Tél. (31) 34-3162 |
ESPERANZA FRESCO V
One aircon bedroom, ensuite Frank Pais (Angel Guardia) #62, e/ Villalon y R. Lopez Tel. (31) 34-5630 @ RG17 |
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LA VILLA - RICHARD CEBALLOS V Two aircon bedrooms with ensuites, parking Varona # 266, entre Nicolas Heredia y Lora Tél. (31) 34-2260 or 34-3305 |
MARIA DE PILAR V Modern casa, two ac br. , ensuites, parking Frank Pais (Angel Guardia) # 82, à l'étage, e/ Villalon y JW Gomez Tél. (31) 34-0467 @ |
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DOÑA NELLY V Large colonial, one ac bedroom, ensuite Lico Cruz 188, e/Gonzalo de Quesada y Coronel Fonseca. Tel. (31) 34-2526 @ |
BELLA VITA V Three bedrooms with ensuites Francisco Varona 324 Removed February 2018 : Villa Rosalba, Ramon y Haydée, Ana Maria y Osmar, Rolando Miguel. Removed April 2011 : Alcira Dominguez, Ruben y Maricel. |
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RECOMMENDED BY PAPERBACK GUIDEBOOKS DuMont Reisen Handbuch (DR), Footprint Handbook (FH), Lonely Planet (LP), Moon Handbooks (MH), Petit Futé (PF), Rough Guide (RG), Stefan-Loose (SL) and web site Trip Advisor (TA) ::: DR : Casa Mayra y Felix ::: FH : Casa Haydée, Karen y Roger, Villa Rosalba ::: LP : Hostal Melina, Mayra Busto Mendez, Karen & Roger ::: MH : Caballo Blanco, Maria de Pilar, Hospedaje Doña Nelly, Maribel y Jorge ::: PF : Mayra y Felix ::: RG : Casa de Esperanza Fresco ::: SL : Mirtha, Hospedaje Doña Nelly, Xenia Rodriguez ::: TA : Hostal Bella Vita, Franco y Leticia, Karen y Roger 05.03.18 |
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Content & photos © sogestour Updated |
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