Historical & Cultural Landmarks in the Caribbean

Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve are located on the island of Saint Croix, USVI. The protected area preserves upland watersheds, mangrove forests and marine environments. It also contains the only known site where a Columbus expedition set foot on what is now U.S. territory.

This massive series of fortifications on a rocky promontory was built to protect the important port of Santiago de Cuba. This intricate complex of forts, magazines, bastions and batteries is the most complete, best-preserved example of Spanish-American military architecture.

After Christopher Columbus's arrival on the island in 1492, Santo Domingo became the site of the first cathedral, hospital, customs house and university in the Americas. The colonial town, founded in 1498, was laid out on a grid pattern that became the model for the New World.

Trinidad, together with the nearby Valle de los Ingenios was founded in the early 16th century but owes its existence to the sugar industry that flourished there and in the nearby valley from the late 18th century to the late 19th century.

Situated on the Caribbean coast of southern-central Cuba, the colonial town of Cienfuegos was founded in 1819 in the Spanish territory but was initially settled by immigrants of French origin. It became a trading place for sugar cane, tobacco and coffee.

Viñales Valley, in far western Cuba, exhibits an outstanding karst landscape, encircled by mountains and dotted with spectacular dome-like limestone outcrops that rise nearly 1,000 ft. The valley is home to an original culture who once worked the tobacco plantations.