Santa
Lucía

Santa Lucia
Beach
The
longest
coral reef
formation in
front of the
north east
coast of
Cuba,
shelters a
21 km long
beach: Santa
Lucía, main
tourist
destination
of Camagüey
and with a
highly
preserved
ecosystem
habitat of
important
colonies of
pink
flamingos.
Getting into
this
territory
means
excellent
beaches,
diving
sites, sport
fishing; and
also meeting
a city full
of history
and peculiar
splendor;
it’s the
unique
chance of
walking
among green
hills and
wet flora,
explore
caverns or
swimming in
a labyrinth
of almost
virgin
islands like
Sabinal or
Caguama.
Santa Lucía
de Cuba
beach
features
well
equipped
hotels and
complete
services,
from
restaurants
to stores.
In the city
of Camagüey
exist
comfortable
hotels as
well.
Located in
the north
coast of the
central and
eastern part
of Cuba. To
the east is
the Nuevas
Grandes Bay
and Las
Tunas
province, to
the west the
archipelago
of Jardines
del Rey and
to the South
the rest of
Camagüey.
 |
Places
to
visit |
Santa
Lucía Beach
With its
21-kilometre
strip of
dazzling
white sand
overlooking
the northern
coral reef,
is well
known for
the quality
and variety
of its dive
sites, with
romantic
names such
as Valentina
and
Poseidon.
Hotels and
resorts dot
the island,
which is
connected to
the mainland
by a
causeway.
Town
centre
Dating back
to 1514,
Camaguey has
been wiped
out several
times by
battles and
pirates (led
by Henry
Morgan).
When it was
rebuilt, its
streets
became a
labyrinth,
as if to
confuse any
future
invaders.
Today, these
winding
streets
lined with
rainbow-coloured
houses are a
delightful
treat.

Parque
Ignacio
Agramonte
At the
centre of
this
colonial
“town
square”
stands the
statue of
hero Ignacio
Agramonte on
horseback.
It was
sculpted in
1912 by
Buemi.
La
Merced
Church
Restoration
has begun in
this
magnificent
18th-century
church with
its
decorated
ceiling and
statue of
Jesus. In
the church,
art work
commemorates
the death of
a villager
in a duel.
San
Juan de Dios
Square
A restored
national
monument
dating back
to the 18th
century, is
surrounded
by a
convent, a
hospital and
a church,
which houses
a rare
statue of
the Holy
Trinity and
Holy Ghost.
Literature
(18th
century) is
surrounded
by a
convent, a
hospital and
a church,
the latter
with a rare
image of the
Holly
Trinity and
the
humanized
figure of
the Holly
Ghost.
Literature:
Literary
figures
Silvestre de
Balboa (17th
century),
Gertrudis
Gómez de
Avellaneda
(19th
century) and
Nicolás
Guillén
(20th
century) are
remembered
here in
displays of
their works
and statues
built in
their honour.
Balboa wrote
the epic
poem "Espejo
de Paciencia"
(Mirror of
Patience),
the oldest
known
expression
of Cuban
literature
(1608).
Teatro
Principal
A splendid
building
dating back
to 1850 is
now the home
of the
Camagüey
Classic
Ballet
Company.
Casino
Campestre
Is the
city’s lush
“green
centre”,
with its
gardens and
monuments,
one of which
is devoted
to Spanish
pilots
Barberán and
Collar. In
1934, they
made the
historic
first flight
between
Seville and
Havana.
Nearby is
Revolution
Square,
named after
Major
General
Iganacio
Agramonte y
Loynaz.