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The province of Pinar del Rio has the deserved reputation
of being the most beautiful in Cuba, it is also the region
where the country's, and arguably the world's, finest tobacco
is grown.
One of the characteristics that makes Pinar
del Rio different of the rest of the Cuba is the preponderance
of fertile valleys, called hoyos, and the mogotes which much
are essentially flat-topped buttes made of limestone and peppered
by caverns and subterranean rivers.
Along the coast there are excellent yacht
anchorages, clear waters,spectacular corals and great expanses
of empty white-sand beaches.
Also scenes of oxen tilling red-earth fields
and cowboy peasants, called guajiros, on horseback, are commonplace.
Pinar del Rio City:
The area has a good reputation for the production
of high-quality ceramics and woven work and it is famous his
Neoclassical buildings. Although there is a fair amount of
traffic and activity on the streets, the city gives the impression
of being geographically isolated as well as a little behind
the times.
Among the main places to visit are the Provincial Museum of the
History of Pinar del Rio, Museum of Natural Sciences, Tobacco Museum
and Calle Jose Marti.
Vinales:
It is famed for its mogotes, large limestone formations which date back to the Jurassic period, is one of the most beautiful spots in Cuba.
This villagey town is surprisingly spruce, with a fetching arcaded main street and lovely rustic scenes down the back lanes, the tranquility of the place and the friendliness of the local people are as seductive as the scenery, there are walks to do, horses to hire and tobacco farms and caves to visit.
Soroa:
The big attractions of this town are the nearby botanical gardens which contain an excellent orchidarium, home to more than 700 different types of orchild. The surrounding countryside is lush, hilly and very pleasant to wander around.
For those into birdwatching, there are several viewing stations dotted around, for photographers, the area can affords a good opportunity for fauna and flora shots.
San Juan y Martinez:
Amid fields of big green leaves ripening in the sun and plantations covered incanvas sheets for the all-important cigar-wrapper leaves stand gorgeous wooden barns called casas del tabaco. Here leaves are hung on poles with a needle and thread to turn from green to brown.
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