Camagüey Attractions

On the 10th day of my 3-week Cuba tour, we head to Camagüey, the third-largest city in Cuba and the capital of the same province. The historic center of Camagüey is the largest preserved one after Havana. The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

After a 4-hour bus ride from Trinidad, we reach Camagüey. Our hotel is located 6 km outside the city center. Our guide, José, convinces the bus driver to take us directly into the city. We make a stop at the train station, supposedly the largest (??) in Cuba.

For the fact that Camagüey is the third-largest city in Cuba, it is surprisingly calm here. Camagüey is known as a university town. The nightlife definitely does not disappoint.

What you will notice immediately are the many church steeples. Even though the entire country is very devout and Catholic, here it feels a bit more fervent. There are eight churches alone in the old town! Wow.

This historic center is worth seeing and is the second-largest in Cuba after Havana. The atmosphere is unique, and most buildings have definitely seen better days. One can only hope that everything is preserved and restored.

Best to explore the maze of streets on foot and just wander around.

I particularly enjoy the Plaza San Juan de Dios with the Iglesia de San Juan de Dios at its center. Here you will find well-preserved colonial buildings, some of which have been restored.

Also worth seeing is Plaza Agramonte, complete with a monument to the Major General. Accompanied by four royal palm trees that are considered a secret symbol for the former martyrs of the first civil war. Surrounding the square are the Catedral Metropolitano, the town hall, and Casa de la Trova.

Not far from Plaza Agramonte, you will find the birthplace of Ignacio Agramonte. This house is one of the oldest buildings in the city. Inside, you will find an exhibition to learn more about this hero of the independence war.

We also stroll past the Teatro Principal, Plaza del Carmen with the namesake parish church Iglesia del Carmen, and many pastel-colored buildings that I really like. If you're wondering why there are clay jugs here?

They are the landmark of Camagüey. Once, there was a water shortage, so clay jugs were set up to collect rainwater. Much later, they were used to store wine. Today, the clay jugs can only be seen as a memory on the streets of Camagüey.

Take a city tour with a Bici-Taxi (2-hour city tour) -

We had the finest Cuban food at Campana de Toledo. The menu was available for 10 CUC. Highly recommended.

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