After more than a hundred years, Trinidad may yet benefit from the architectural legacy left by the leading families of the old sugar industry and become one of Cuba's most important tourist centres. Visitors can tour the stone streets of the historic centre, and enjoy all the city's entertainment options and nightlife before spending the night in an 18th or 19th century mansion.

The principal attractions for many who stroll these streets are the performances at places like Casa de la Trova, where the Perico Tellez band plays, the Casa de la Música and La Canchánchara. You can also hear music at Restaurante Manaca Iznaga outside the city in El Valle de los Ingenios, and you can dance underground at Ayala. Places such as Casa Fischer and Ruinas del Teatro Brunet combine musical performances with theatrical sketches.

During the day one may view the façades in the old part of the city, look around inside at the preserved furnishings or visit museums located in ancient palaces and mansions. Three outstanding institutions of this kind are located around Plaza Mayor. The first, Museo de Arquitectura shows changes in architectural styles from the 18th century through the first half of 19th century. Museo Romántico displays a collection of dishes, furniture and other objects that once belonged to Trinidadian families. And the Museo de Arqueologí¬a exhibits artifacts of the primitive Cuban natives and the first Spanish colonists. A few steps from Plaza Mayor, you'll find a museum dedicated to the history of Trinidad, located in one of the city's most impressive buildings, Palacio Cantero. Another museum, located in the former Convento de San Francisco de Así¬s, describes the fight against the bands that established themselves in the Sierra de Escambray during the 1960s. This building's tower is a traditional symbol of Trinidad.

To learn about the handicrafts and painting of this region, visit Casa Ortiz, the Fondo de Bienes Culturales, or the two street markets near Plaza Mayor and Plazuela Real del Jigüe. The city also has private galleries such as Santander and others. Guests at the Kurhotel Escambray on Topes de Collantes will appreciate its large collection of Cuban paintings from the 1970s and '80s.

Trinidad's location between the sea and the mountains makes it an ideal place for outdoor activities. Visitors can ride horses, enjoy water sports at Ancón and Marí¬a Aguilar beaches and take ferries to the southern cays. You can also fish at dams like Zaza, hunt in game preserves such as El Taje, Los Molinos and Banao, and take climbing excursions to Caballete de Casas and the Caburní¬ waterfall.

Those who prefer something more contemplative should visit El Valle de los Ingenios on the outskirts of Trinidad and walk among ruins of mansions, machinery and church towers. Or spend an afternoon in Sancti Spí¬ritus, which is, like Trinidad, one of Cuba's seven original colonial settlements.