Hello, today I wanted to talk to you a little about the city of Santiago de Cuba. Protected by natural walls, its mountains make it the second largest city in Cuba. And it is not just that the mountains surround it, but the city itself is built on mountains. Here it is difficult to find a street that is not on some slope with different degrees of inclination, sometimes almost imperceptible and in the most notable cases bordering on 80° of inclination.
It was founded more than five hundred years ago by Spanish conquerors, like most of the cities of the Caribbean. Although with the particularity that Santiago de Cuba has a great French influence, a fact that is palpable in its architecture and in a certain way in the idiosyncrasy of its inhabitants. The French arrived in the city after the Haitian revolution and settled mainly in the region attracted by its potential for the coffee industry, with them came their slaves who today make up a significant part of the ancestors of the people of Santiago.
Likewise, migration from other Caribbean islands, such as the Dominican Republic or Jamaica, also had a great impact on the cultural formation of the city, which is now considered the most Caribbean city in all of Cuba. The Tierra Caliente, as it is also called, is considered the hero city of Cuba, because most of the country's revolutions have begun in the east of the country, fueled to a large extent by the fervor of the people of Santiago. Its very passionate people are also known for their hospitality and strength of character. This does not prevent it from being one of the most celebrated at the time of the festivities, with the carnival of Santiago de Cuba being considered the best in the country, not only for its color and extension, but for the festive and carefree character of its people when it comes to having fun.
Thus, the city of Santiago de Cuba is positioned as the cultural beacon of the nation. Endowed with a unique architecture that owes its topography and with more than 500 years of history to discover. If you ever venture to discover the most unusual city in the Caribbean, Santiago de Cuba is undoubtedly the first option to consider.
