Cuba, which has a strategic location in the Caribbean region, has excellent conditions to develop the tourist industry.

That way, the Cuban archipelago combines traditional sun and beach offers with urban options that benefit from the architectural legacy from several centuries of history and culture.

Precisely, that element turns the Cuban capital, one of the first seven villages founded by the Spanish conquistadors and initially called San Cristóbal de La Habana, and especially its historic heart, into a key element in many tourist programs.

Havana's historic heart, declared Humankind's Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), holds most of the city's museums, churches, cultural centers and buildings from the Spanish colonial period. Old Havana covers an area of 4.5 square kilometers and has a rich colonial architecture and centuries-old customs and traditions.

Old Havana holds a true collection of castles, fortresses and buildings of high cultural and patrimonial value, which were constructed around squares, monasteries and temples.

Havana's historic heart holds most of the city's museums, churches, cultural centers and buildings from the Spanish colonial period, including 33,000 buildings, most of which were built from the 18th to the 19th centuries.

In central Cuba, Cienfuegos offers a score of libraries, 11 museums, more than 30 movie halls and five theaters, in addition to houses of culture, art galleries and monuments, are visited by both national and foreign tourists every year.

Among the city's many attractions is the José Martí Park, built on the site where the village of Fernandina de Sagua was founded in April 1819. In the park, there are bronze and stone busts of the most relevant personalities of the city.

Surrounding the park are the only Arc of Triumph in Cuba, built in 1902, and the Tomás Terry Theater, one of Cuba's three major theaters in the 19th century, where prominent artists such as Enrico Caruso performed.

In the east, Santiago de Cuba, which is the second major city in the island nation, is considered the capital of the Caribbean, due to its privileged location and centuries-old history.

Downtown Santiago, where there is a myriad of museums, is the former Arms Square, which is currently known as the Céspedes Park, in honor of the Father of the Homeland, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes.

Near Santiago's historic heart is Cuba's oldest house, which belonged to Conqueror Diego Velázquez and was also the Spanish Crown's Contracting and Minting House. It was built with stone blocs and still has several original elements, such as its tile roof and Moorish latticework.