Holguín: History, Coast and Nature

Five chronologically arranged halls at the La Periquera Provincial Museum of History guide visitors through important periods in the history of the Holguín area. The name La Periquera, in turn, refers to the siege of Holguín and gives this historical perspective a concrete anchor.

City History and Tradition

The name La Periquera refers to the color of the uniforms worn by Spanish troops who were quartered in the building during the Mambises’ siege of Holguín. While the halls arrange the history chronologically, the name recalls a specific episode associated with the building.

Loma de la Cruz is a lookout point in the city of Holguín. According to tradition, on May 3, 1790, Fray Antonio de Alegría erected a large cross there to drive away demons and establish a Catholic pilgrimage. Unlike the siege story of La Periquera, the focus here is on religious intent: the tradition links the cross to a precisely specified date and the beginning of a pilgrimage.

Chorro de Maíta is described as the largest Indigenous cemetery in the Antilles. Its subject differs both from the museum context of the siege and from the religious tradition at Loma de la Cruz, adding another perspective to the historical picture.

Landscape Between the Coast and the Highlands

The landscape of Bahía de Naranjo varies between the coast and the interior. Rocky-coast vegetation grows along the coast; for the most part, the bay’s landscape consists of scrub alternating with forest. Well-preserved mangroves lie in the low-lying, marshy interior. Rocky-coast vegetation and the mangroves in the marshy interior thus represent distinct parts of the bay. Activities in Bahía de Naranjo include hiking, horseback riding and rural tourism.

At the higher elevations of Loma del Templo, cuabales are found: thorny, xeromorphic scrub growing on serpentinite. Compared with the alternating scrub and forest of Bahía de Naranjo, this is a more narrowly defined vegetation type, also characterized by its underlying rock.

Pico Cristal and La Mensura are considered national parks in Holguín Province. Salto del Guayabo, described as one of Cuba’s highest waterfalls, is located in the La Mensura area. The place name thus brings together the park and a distinctive natural feature.

Beaches and Activities

Holguín’s 40-kilometer northern stretch of beach is also known for swimming at sunset. A hop-on, hop-off bus service to the beaches and surrounding towns is listed for Playa Guardalavaca, Playa Pesquero, Playa Esmeralda and Playa Baracutey. Check whether the service is operating before you travel.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Banes, Rafael Freyre, Pinar Del Río, Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Camaguey, Cienfuegos, La Habana.

For the main travel overview: Cuba.