Santa Clara is a university city and the second most important cultural centre in Cuba right after Havana. It is in the middle of the country, so most travelers should find enough time to visit it for at least a couple of days. The general atmosphere is very relaxed and most locals are genuinely interested in foreigners. As in most parts of Cuba English is not very widely spoken but it is possible to take a course in Spanish at Santa Clara University.

The cultural scene in Santa Clara is very lively. There are concerts almost daily and you can visit local art schools and galleries. A very popular spot for nightlife is the El Bosque, an outside disco and cabaret close to the baseball stadium.

Horse and cart are still a very common means of people transport in Cuba. Santa Clara has lots of horse taxis covering most, if not all places of interest. A ride in one of these taxis shouldn't cost more than a couple Peso Nacional (Peso Cubano).

We had a lively discussion over a couple of refreshing Bucaneros with a local baseball fan. Their team "Villa Clara" is the best in Cuba, naturally ;)

Che Guevara's Monument and Mausoleum is in the outskirts of Santa Clara. You can see lots of Cuban tour groups here.

The monument of the Battle of Santa Clara. The last battle of the Cuban revolution took place in Santa Clara. Apparently the guerrillas used this bulldozer to achieve victory by destroying railroad tracks and derailing a train full of troops sent by president Batista.

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