Remedios

Colonial Cuban town founded in 1514, centered on a square with two facing churches.

Remedios is one of Cuba's oldest and best-preserved colonial towns, tucked away on the north coast of Villa Clara province. Founded in 1514, it is among the first seven cities established by the Spanish on the island, yet it has largely escaped the tourist circuit — which is precisely what makes it worth visiting.

The town centers on a handsome main square, the Plaza Mayor, flanked by two churches facing each other across the cobblestones — an unusual arrangement that hints at Remedios's long history of internal feuds. The streets are quiet, the houses painted in faded pastels, and the pace of life slow enough that you notice things: a rocking chair on a porch, children playing in the dust, the smell of tobacco drifting from a doorway.

Remedios is also famous throughout Cuba for Las Parrandas, a festival held each December that turns the town into a battleground of competing neighborhoods, floats, fireworks, and music. The Museo de las Parrandas Remedianas captures the scale and colour of the event year-round. Outside of December it is a place to wander rather than tick off sights, though the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista alone is worth the detour.

The nearby town of Caibarién, 8 km to the east, is the starting point for the 48 km causeway to Cayo Santa María — one of Cuba's finest beach keys. Remedios makes a good base if you want a colonial atmosphere alongside beach access.

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Eating Out

Remedios has a handful of paladares (private restaurants) around the Plaza Mayor and on the surrounding streets. The options are limited but generally decent — the advantage of a town this small is that the restaurant owners know everyone and the food is fresh. Lobster and pork are the most reliable options. Prices are lower here than in Trinidad or Viñales, and the absence of tourist crowds means you are more likely to be eating alongside locals. Check what's available the evening you arrive rather than counting on any specific place being open.

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Getting There

Remedios is in Villa Clara province on Cuba's north coast, about 45 kilometres northeast of Santa Clara. The nearest city with bus connections is Santa Clara, from which shared taxis (colectivos) run regularly to Remedios. The journey takes about 40 minutes. Víazul buses do not serve Remedios directly.

From Havana, the drive is about 4.5 hours via the central autopista to Santa Clara, then north. Renting a car in Havana and driving directly is the most flexible option. The town of Caibarién, 8 km east of Remedios, sits at the start of the 48 km causeway (Pedraplén) to Cayo Santa María — one of Cuba's finest beach resort keys — making Remedios a logical base if you want colonial atmosphere alongside beach access.

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Things to Do

Remedios is a small town and you can walk the center in an hour. The pleasure is in the wandering rather than ticking sights off a list — but there is one church that genuinely demands a stop.

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When to Go

Remedios has a tropical climate with a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October. The dry months are the most comfortable for visiting.

The highlight of the year is Las Parrandas, a festival held from December 4 to December 24. Since 1829, the town's two rival neighborhoods — El Carmen and San Salvador — have competed in an escalating battle of floats, fireworks, music, and elaborate decorated structures. The rivalry is fierce and genuine, and the nights before Christmas Eve are genuinely spectacular. If you can time a visit to coincide with Las Parrandas, do it.