Cuba Guide
Santiago de Cuba
Shopping
1 Casa de la Trova shop Heredia no.208 e/ San Pedro y San Félix For all things musical, try the shop in the Casa de la Trova, which has an excellent range of CDs, including a large selection of son, bolero, salsa and more by Santiago musicians, as well as books about Cuban music and musical instruments such as guitars, guiros, maracas and drums.
2 Librería La Escalera Heredia no.208 e/ San Pedro y San Félix An extraordinary little den filled with all manner of secondhand titles for sale as well as the eccentric owner's display of business cards and liquor bottles from around the world; there's also a small selection of foreign-language titles available on an exchange basis ($1CUC).
3 Fondo Cubano de Bienes Culturales Heredia esq. San Pedro A great place for high-quality souvenirs is, on, with a diverse collection of paintings by local artists, cloth wall hangings, trinket boxes, leather bags and silver jewellery set with semiprecious local stones, as well as some big and beautiful – though not very portable – precious-wood sculptures.
4 
Quitrín San Geronimo 
22/62-2528 Opening time: Mon– Sat 9am–5pmThe best place for women's clothes. Although somewhat off the beaten track, it's worth the walk as all the exquisitely made, 100-percent white cotton dresses, skirts and shirts are fashioned on the premises. If you can't find your size, ask about their bespoke service; the seamstresses can make up clothes within five or six days. The highlights include traditional guayabera shirts, dresses and sun tops with hand-worked lace insets and contemporary crochet work. A second pleasure is the space itself: an eighteenth-century house which belonged to Raúl Castro's wife Vilma but was donated to the revolutionary cause and converted into a workshop where former prostitutes could retrain as seamstresses. With crystal chandeliers and chequered flagstones, the house is an oasis where white clothes flutter on rails. The café in the courtyard is an excellent place to relax and admire your purchases.
5 Galería Oriente San Pedro no.163 Opening time: Tues– Sun 9am–9pmHas some excellent revolutionary and carnival posters and a few colourful surrealist oil paintings by local artists.
6 Galería El Zaguan San Pedro no.163 Opening time: Mon– Sat 9am–5pmSells a real mixture of paintings, from delicate landscape miniatures to thick oil portraits and rather ugly abstracts.
7 Barrita Ron Caney Ave. Jesús Menéndez s/n San Ricardo y San Antonio, near the train station Opening time: Mon– Sat 9am–6pm, Sun 9am– noonRum Aficionados will adore Barrita Ron Caney, which has friendly staff and a huge selection, including a wicked, silky-smooth fifteen-year-old Havana Club ($85CUC). The shop is furnished with tables and chairs so you can indulge in your purchases straight away.