Santiago de Cuba

Santiago de Cuba is Cuba’s second most crowded province. Its city with the same name used to be the island’s capital before Havana and it has been awarded with the title of ‘Hero City’, in recognition of its political position during the Independence War and the Cuban Revolution. Fidel Castro (His and José Martí’s mausoleums are found in the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery) and his friends started the Cuban Revolution here with an armed attack to the Moncada Barracks and the name of this revolutionary group comes from the date of the attack (26th of July Movement). The other part of Sierra Maestra, which was also a field of struggle, is in Santiago de Cuba. The highest peak of the island, Pico Turquino is also in this national park area. The Caribbean culture is most prevalent in Santiago de Cuba, also known as ‘Capital of the Caribbeans’. The most important carnival in the country is held here and many genres of music have been born here, such as son, bolero and trova.