Ciego de Avila is the flattest in province Cuba, never rising more than 50m above sea level. Although there are relatively few rivers running through the province, there is a good system of underground irrigation which makes the area fertile and productive; sugar cane and pineapple plantations make up the bulk of local crops.
The province was once home to a large Indian population and there are several semi-preserved sites which are worth looking up. There are also remnants of the fortifications, built during the late 19th century, which were used to divide up the island during the War of Independence.
Ciego de Avila City:
The city, 460km east of Havana and 110km west of Camagüey, has developed as something of an historical halfway house; travellers used it as an overnight watering hole before continuing on to the islands of Trinidad and Santo Domingo in the 19th century.
An interesting place to visit is Parque Marti and a few blocks from there it is the Teatro Principal, a 500-seater theatre which is due to undergo further restoration works. This was built by a rich socialite, Angela Hernandez Viuda de Jimenez, who battled to create a cultural mecca in her home town.
The Museo Provincial on Calle Jose Antonio Echevarria is worth a visit if you are interested in the area's role in the struggle to overthrow Batista while the Centro Provincial de Arte building on Calle Independencia may appeal to some. The Casa de la Trova on Libertad No 130 can occasionally deliver a raucous night out.
Traffic in the town is almost all horse-driven, and the longest possible journey should only cost a few pesos by pony trap. The town is built on a strict grid system centered on Parque Marti but there are few buildings of note, the most popular meeting place on the square is the Casa de Agua (Water House), which serves free glasses of the local mineral water, as well as homemade refrescos (soft drinks) and fruit juices.
Flights to Ciego de Avila
No flights to Ciego de Avila available at the moment.
