Cuba Guide
Trinidad and Sancti Spíritus
Parque Céspedes and around
Address: Central Trinidad
Plaza Mayor may be the city centre for sightseers, but as far as the town's population is concerned, Parque Céspedes is Trinidad's main square. South of the cobbled streets that define the protected part of the town, a ten-minute walk from Plaza Mayor down Simón Bolívar and left onto Martí, Parque Céspedes may not have Plaza Mayor's enchanting surroundings but it's markedly more lively, particularly in the evenings. Schoolchildren run out onto the square in the afternoon, while older locals head here at the end of the day to chat on the benches lining the three walkways. In the square's centre, a distinctive dome-shaped leafy canopy provides plenty of shade, while flower-frilled bushes encase the simple gardens, which are marked in each corner by a handsome royal palm. On the southeastern side, local hustlers hang around outside the cigar shop on Lino Pérez, while town councillors walk to and fro past the stately yellow-columned entrance of the Asamblea Municipal building, which occupies the square's entire northwestern side. Set back from the southwestern edge of the square, next to the school, are a cinema and a modest tiled-roof church.
A few blocks north of Parque Céspedes, on the corner of Maceo and Colón, is the Fábrica de Tobacos, Trinidad's tiny cigar factory. There's no entrance fee, as visitors are allowed no further than the first small room. However, you can see most of the activity from here: workers sitting at desks sorting leaves or hand-rolling cigars, including the well-known Romeo y Julieta brand. Despite the inevitable brevity of a visit, this window on one of the country's oldest industries is fascinating. There are no fixed opening hours, but it's advisable to turn up before 4pm and to leave a tip.