Las Tunas

Parque Vicente García and the historic center

The central square dedicated to the city's mambí hero, heart of Las Tunas life and starting point of the tour.

Parque Vicente García is the heart of Las Tunas and the best place to start getting to know the city. It's the central square, tree-lined and lively, dedicated to General Vicente García González, the great mambí (independence) leader of the region during the 19th-century wars, considered the local hero par excellence. His figure is very present in the city's memory, tied to the patriotic feats of Las Tunas. Around the park are concentrated representative buildings, museums, shops and the pulse of local life: people strolling, chatting on the benches, the quiet, friendly atmosphere typical of the provincial cities of the east. It's an ideal spot to sit and watch Las Tunas life, get your bearings and begin to tour the center on foot. From here you easily reach the central streets, several of the city's museums and the sculpture circuit that sets Las Tunas apart. The square is also the scene of events and celebrations throughout the year. Getting there: it's right in the center, a short distance from most lodgings and the terminal. Best time to go: late afternoon-evening, when the park comes alive. Tips: use it as a reference for your tours, take the chance to chat with people and ask where to see sculptures, museums and live music. Bring cash, since the city is little-touristy.

ℹ️ Distance: Right in the center of Las Tunas (on foot from lodgings) · Best time to go: Late afternoon-evening, when life in the park picks up · Entry: Free (public space) · Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour

The city of sculptures (open-air museum)

Dozens of sculptural works scattered around streets and squares make Las Tunas the 'Capital of Cuban Sculpture'.

The great hallmark of Las Tunas is its status as the 'Capital of Cuban Sculpture'. The city is populated with outdoor sculptural works —monuments, ensembles, pieces in squares, parks and avenues— that turn it into a kind of open museum explored simply by walking its streets. This heritage is the fruit of a strong local sculptural movement and of events that, over the years, gradually added works to the urban landscape. Exploring the city with an eye on its sculptures is an original and pleasant way to get to know it: each neighborhood and each square hides pieces of different styles and themes, from the patriotic and historical to the abstract and symbolic. There are emblematic sculptures well known by the tuneros (locals), which have become landmarks of the city and reference points. It's a free attraction, ideal to combine with a visit to the center and the museums, and a perfect excuse to walk Las Tunas without rushing. Getting there: the sculptures are scattered throughout the city; you discover them walking from the center. Best time to go: by day to appreciate them in good light; at dusk for the atmosphere. Tips: ask at your lodging or a tourist office if there's a sculpture map or route; comfortable footwear for walking; take the chance to take photos and discover pieces in unexpected corners.

ℹ️ Distance: Scattered throughout the city (walking tour from the center) · Best time to go: By day for the light; dusk for the atmosphere · Entry: Free (works in the public space) · Duration: Half a day (tour)

The Cucalambeana Festival and the décima culture

The great celebration of improvised poetry and Cuban peasant culture, in honor of the décima poet El Cucalambé.

Las Tunas is one of the great centers of the décima and repentismo, the tradition of improvised, sung poetry of the Cuban countryside, in which the repentistas challenge each other to compose verses on the spot with guitar and lute. This culture has its highest expression in the Cucalambeana Festival, the city's most important celebration, dedicated to the décima, peasant music (the punto cubano) and rural traditions. The Festival is held each year, around late June, and pays tribute to Juan Cristóbal Nápoles Fajardo, 'El Cucalambé', the famous 19th-century Cuban décima poet, a symbol of this tradition and a tutelary figure of the region. During the festival, the city and especially the El Cucalambé complex (on the outskirts) fill with repentistas, musicians, craftspeople, creole food and audiences from all over Cuba. It's one of the best opportunities to immerse yourself in the most genuine Cuban peasant culture. Outside the festival dates, the décima and the punto cubano remain present at peñas (gatherings), culture houses and events throughout the year. Getting there: the festival takes place in the city and at the El Cucalambé complex, on the outskirts (taxi/excursion transfer). Best time to go: late June for the Cucalambeana Festival (check dates); peñas and events during the rest of the year. Tips: if you travel in June, don't miss the festival; check the program locally. Bring cash for food, drink and crafts.

ℹ️ Distance: City of Las Tunas and the El Cucalambé complex (outskirts) · Best time to go: Late June (Cucalambeana Festival); peñas all year (check) · Entry: Many outdoor events are free; concerts and peñas approx. 25–100 CUP per person (verified July 2026) · Duration: From one day to several days (during the festival)

Las Tunas museums (memorial and provincial museum)

Spaces that tell the patriotic history of the city, the mambí feat and the local memory of Las Tunas.

To understand the history and identity of Las Tunas it's worth visiting its museums, concentrated in the center and with a cheap entry. The Provincial Museum (often housed in a historic building in the center) reviews the history of the city and the region: the origins, the colonial era, the independence feat and local life, with pieces, documents and exhibitions. The city also has memorial spaces dedicated to its patriotic history and to episodes and figures of local and national relevance, tied to the 19th-century mambí struggle (with General Vicente García as the central figure) and to more recent history. These museums let you understand why Las Tunas is a city of strong patriotic memory, marked by the fires of the city during the wars of independence and by its role in the east. They are short but enriching visits, ideal to combine with a tour of the center and the sculptures, and to give context to what you see in the city. Getting there: the main museums are in the center, on foot from Parque Vicente García. Best time to go: during museum hours (check opening days). Tips: confirm the hours before going (they may close on some day); admission is usually cheap; combine them with the sculpture tour and the historic center.

ℹ️ Distance: Center of the city (on foot from Parque Vicente García) · Best time to go: During museum hours (check opening days) · Entry: Approx. 25–100 CUP per person (provincial museums; usually very cheap) (verified July 2026) · Duration: 1 to 2 hours (several museums)

North coast beaches (Playa Covarrubias and Puerto Padre)

Little-known white sand beaches in the north of the province, with a resort, reefs and tranquility.

Although Las Tunas is known above all for its cultural side, the province also has a north coast with little-known and very quiet beaches, ideal for those who want to combine the city with a bit of sea far from the crowds. The most notable is Playa Covarrubias, a beach of white sand and turquoise waters in the Puerto Padre area, in the north of the province, with nearby coral reefs for snorkeling and diving, and an all-inclusive hotel complex in a remote setting. Unlike the big tourist hubs like Varadero or the cays, the north coast of Las Tunas is much quieter and more pristine, which makes it an attractive option for those seeking a beach without crowds. The Puerto Padre area, a northern port city, is the gateway to this coastal strip. It's a perfect complement to a visit to the city: after touring the sculptures and the culture of Las Tunas, a getaway to the beach rounds off the experience very well. Getting there: the north coast (Playa Covarrubias, Puerto Padre) is a considerable distance from the city of Las Tunas; reached by taxi, car or excursion (check distances and transport). Best time to go: dry season, with a calm sea and clear skies. Tips: confirm the distance and the transport (there are no frequent services); bring water, sunscreen and what you need for the beach; check whether there's sargassum and the state of the hotel/area services.

ℹ️ Distance: North coast of the province (Playa Covarrubias, Puerto Padre area), a good distance from the city · Best time to go: Dry season, with a calm sea · Entry: Public beaches free; resort day pass approx. US$ 25–50; snorkeling/diving US$ 10–40 · Duration: A day or more (with an overnight stay in the area)

El Cucalambé Cultural Complex Motel and House-Museum

The site on the city's outskirts, home to the Cucalambeana Festival and a center of Cuban peasant culture.

A few kilometers from the city, on the Carretera Central toward Holguín, is the El Cucalambé Cultural Complex, the emblematic place of peasant culture and the décima in Cuba. It's dedicated to the memory of Juan Cristóbal Nápoles Fajardo, 'El Cucalambé', the great 19th-century décima poet, a symbol of improvised poetry and Cuban rural identity. The site, next to a lagoon and surrounded by vegetation, has a motel, areas for shows and spaces dedicated to the peasant tradition. It's the main venue of the Cucalambeana Festival, the great annual celebration of the décima and the punto cubano that, each late June, fills the place with repentistas, musicians, craftspeople and audiences from all over the island. Outside those dates, it's a quiet place where you breathe the atmosphere of the Cuban countryside. Visiting it lets you understand why Las Tunas is a bastion of the décima and get to know an aspect of Cuban culture that goes beyond son and rumba. It's reached by taxi or car from the city in a few minutes.

ℹ️ Distance: A few km from the city, on the Carretera Central (taxi or car) · Best time to go: Late June (Cucalambeana Festival); the rest of the year, a quiet atmosphere · Entry: Access to the site generally free; events approx. 25–100 CUP per person (verified July 2026) · Duration: 1 to 2 hours (more during the festival)