Hostal Casa Lay - Cuba

Pinar del Río

Have you ever wondered where the best cigars in the world are from? You will find the answer in the tobacco plantations, grown with all the care and love in Pinar de Rìo. Anyway, these plantations are only a small part of this area's magic. With its peculiar mogotes (rounded limestone hills) lined up along the valley, Pinar de Rìo's astonishing scenario is unrivalled. These plains, where Cuban cowboys wander about while the villages are taking a nap, are surrounded by mountains and large tropical forests.

You can visit a factory to see how the best cigars in the world are manufactured, or you can stop by at the brandy distillery to find out how local people produce a local specialty, Guayabita del Pinar, which is a delicious guava liquor. You can book an ecotour from Las Terrazzas, a scenic sustainable resort in the middle of mountain paths which lead to the waterfalls, to the mineral springs and to the historical coffee plantations. Don't forget to visit Soroa, which hosts 750 species of orchids and the magnificent waterfall El Salto. You can explore the wonderfully isolated beaches on the cliffs of Pinar del Rìo, where the coral gardens and crystal waters attract keen scuba divers.

With a UNESCO world heritage site (Viñales Valley) and two bioshpere reserves (Sierra del Rosario and Guanahacabibes peninsula) Pinar del Rìo can boast more areas protected by UNESCO than any other province of Cuba.

The Viñales Valley

It is an actual paradise for wildlife and totally deserves the title of UNESCO world heritage site. The name (pronounced Viagnales) is referred both to the peculiar geological features of the area (including some extraordinary limestone hills) and to the peace and quiet of the town (less than 30.000 inhabitants) and of its surroundings. Among the folds of the Sierra de los Organos, at the end of a magnificent stunning road from the South, you can see the main attraction for the tourists in the area unfold in front of you: the Viñales National Park.

Even though almost forgotten for a long time, Viñales has recently revamped as a tourist destination with a wide choice of offers for a relaxing and eco-friendly holiday. Although it is a peaceful quiet place, it is endowed with tourist infrastructures and facilities which enhance the beauty of one of the most scenic landscapes of the Caribbean. With its renowned mogotes, weird huge limestone hills scattered in a green flat area, Viñales has become a destination for climbers, hikers and for all those who get moved in front of a breathtaking sunset. The government has lately set up an official climbing centre, since until recently climbing was considered to be an illegal activity.