Remedios, Cuba

Remedios, city located 6 miles from the northern coast of Cuba, in the center of the island. The city has approximately 30,000 inhabitants. It is part of the province of Villa Clara.

The city is one of the eighth oldest city in Cuba but its real date of foundation is not really known, it has been obscured in time and probably dates back to be the third Spanish settlement in the island. Historians place the foundation date sometime between 1513 and 1524 by Spanish nobleman Vazco Porcallo de Figueroa.

Documents reflects that it was only preceded by Baracoa (1511) y Santiago de Cuba (1515) making this a starting point that takes us to believe it was actually created before Trinidad and Havana, for instance.

It has being suggested that Vazco in order to avoid tax payments to the crown maintained the village hidden from the knowledge of the King of Spain as long as he could, but the village gained fast popularity and growth and at some point it had to be recognized.

Remedios is lovely. It's not a world-class tourist attraction and it's not particularly big, but this is one of the reasons why it's so charming. The main square is a great place to walk at night because everyone is so pleasant; there's practically no hassle, everyone seems pleased to see you.

Its long history is particularly evident in the city center, (declared National Historic Monument in 1980) where 17th century Spanish architecture can still be found intact.

Main attraction of this plaza is the colonial Grand Church "Iglesia Mayor" San Juan Bautista containing 13 beautifully decorated gold altars. The city was under constant siege by pirates of the Caribbean and therefore the altars where mascaraed with white paint.

In a renovation that took place between 1944 and 1954, thanks to the charity of Cuban philanthropist Eutimio Falla Bonet, was rediscovered the real gold under coats of paint. The results of this renovation are still striking; the church is as good as new and the spacious park in the middle of the plaza is a delight, with a pretty cupola in the middle where children play, and there are plenty of cool, stone seats for the locals to sit on and natter.

On the north side of the square sits the town's other church, Iglesia Buen Viaje, the less fortunate. Remedios is the only town in Cuba with two churches on its main square

The Central Plaza or 'Plaza Mayor' equally restored in 1970 is surrounded by colonial buildings, marvel monuments, trees, palms and a gazebo like many towns following a Spanish urban standard.

Remedios is distinguished by many Cubans for its Christmas festival, Las Parrandas de Remedios, one of the most popular events of the region. This is a festivity which really shows the way of life of a town, its closest relations with history and the national identity conformation process.

A strong centennial tradition able to achieve that ordinary people, moved by the necessity of perpetuating so ephemeral treasure and beyond their rivalries in the parrandas, got together in order to found and foster the first museum of popular art in Cuba.

Remedios is about 4 hours away by bus from Havana, around 50 minutes from Santa Clara and there is less than an hour from there to beach resorts in the Santa Maria - Las Brujas keys both situated north of the province.