Holguín

Holguín (350,000 inhabitants) is the "City of Parks" and the main transport hub in eastern Cuba. The city itself is not the main destination — but it has the second-largest international airport (Frank País, HOG) and serves as a gateway to the beaches of Guardalavaca and Playa Pesquero (60 km north).

Anyone spending a day in Holguín should climb the Loma de la Cruz — 458 steps lead to the top of a hill with the city's cross and a fantastic panorama. The climb is strenuous in the heat (morning or late afternoon). There is a small bar at the top.

The Plaza Calixto García is the main square with neoclassical buildings and the Museo Provincial (small collection with the famous "Hacha de Holguín" — a polished stone axe of the Taíno). The Cervecería Bucanero on the outskirts produces Cuba's most popular beer and occasionally offers tours.

Holguín is not a city where you need to stay long — but a nice half-day on the way to or from the beaches or as a transfer station near the airport.