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Sancti Spíritus is located on the Yayabo river. It is the commercial and processing center of an area that produces sugar cane, tobacco and cattle. Founded on 1514, the city was transferred to its present location in 1522. It was object of several attacks of pirates. During 19th century became one of the most aristocratic cities of Cuba. Sancti Spíritus was the first important city captured by the guerrilla directed by Fidel Castro (at the end of 1958). Declared historical monument, in its 450 anniversary, the city maintains something of its colonial atmosphere. The city hoards a bridge of 16th century over the Yayabo river, a church of the same time and a theater that dates from 1839.
It is the capital of province of the same name, located between Villa Clara and Ciego de Ávila and is one of the seven colonial cities founded by the Spaniards and is forced visit if it is wanted to appreciate deep Cuba. The paper and sugar industries are those that predominate in this region.
Moved away of the tourist circuits, Sancti Spiritus offers the opportunity to discover, in its purer state, the historical and human patrimonies of this country. This city, next to Trinidad, is a true relic that allows to contemplate the splendor of the old times.
With the 15 percent of the territory occupied by one of the more important mountainous groups of the country - the Mountain range of the Escambray -, this province also locates between its main attractive the city of Trinidad, well-known like the City Museum of Cuba and one of the more beautiful colonial localities of the Greater one of the Antilles.
Founded on 1515 under the name of Villa de la Santísima Trinidad, it received the condition of Patrimony of the Humanity by UNESCO to considered being one of the more complete architectonic sets of the American continent.
In its harmony, Trinidad combines characteristics of 18th and 19th centuries and the first years of the 20th century, thus the routes by its spotted streets take to the visitors to discover its artistic balconies, iron curtains admirably worked, perrons and facades multicolors of the houses, each one a museum in himself.
To the north of the province the National Park "Caguanes" is located, integrated to the keys Jardines del Rey (Gardens of the King), and that with its 22 thousand hectares of extension welcomes in a cave system where the sites abound with archaeological interest, murals and flooded caves, like the one of Cayo Caguanes (Caguanes Key), besides is the habitat of a variety to sponge as fresh water, is an unique curiosity in the world.
In the Escambray mountains, located to the south, in its commanding height in the Pico Potrerillo (Potrerillo Peak, 931 meters), there is the Center of Rest and Health “Topes de Collantes”, which offer at 800 meters sea level a perfect combination of the marine climate with the mountain one, complemented with a medical staff with a high qualification, for fishiotherapy treatments, against the obesity, anti-stress and other diseases.
Also the zone includes the natural landscape protected "Topes de Collantes", with more than 12 thousand 500 hectares and numerous endemic species of the flora and the fauna, where the climate with abundant precipitations, make a good habitat for orchids, mosses, ferns, pines and eucalyptuses.
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