Santa Clara, Cuba – A Day with Che

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During my time in Cuba, I took a quick day trip to the city of Santa Clara. I hadn’t heard much about the city, but my tour guide recommended stopping on our way to Cienfuegos and Trinidad. So I was like – yah sure, sounds dope!

As I climbed in his classic red car, he turned around to look at me from the driver’s seat. “Kay, do you…do you know of Che Guevara?”

I stared at him dumbly.

He waved off my silly American ignorance. “Don’t worry. You’ll learn today.”

Getting There

We were driving from Varadero, so the ride was about 2.5 hours. I was asleep for most of that, so I don’t remember if it was a scenic drive or not. You could also take a bus from Varadero for about 29 CUC, but it’ll take 3.5 hours.

If you’re coming from Havana by car, it’ll take about 3.5 hours. For the Viazul bus…surprisingly about the same amount of time. Maybe because there’s less stops than the bus from Varadero? Either way, there are two routes from Havana headed to the other side of the island, with Santa Clara as a pit stop. You can take either the Havana-Santiago line, or the Havana-Holguin, they take the same amount of time and are both about 20 CUC. So just pick whichever fits our schedule best.

For any bus route, I recommend getting to the station AT LEAST 30 minutes before departure!

What to Do

So we roll up in Santa Clara and I immediately see what my guide meant. We passed by a mural that took over the entire side of a building. On it, a man donned in olive green. “I’m guessing that’s Che Guevara?”

“That’s Che Guevara.”

As we kept driving, we passed dozen more paintings and murals of Che. It seemed like every other building was built to make sure he would never be forgotten. And, to solidify that, basically everything we did revolved around him.

Che Guevara Mausoleum

Officially called – Conjunto Escultorico Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara, a memorial forever honoring one of Cuba’s most recognizable revolutionary figures. The line to get in is long (and feels even longer in the Cuban sun), but thankfully it moves faster than you’d expect. No pictures are allowed inside the mausoleum, but it documents Che’s life from his childhood in Argentina through his death in Bolivia.

Admission is free, but you do have to check your bags! You can tip the bag check and the restroom attendants, but it isn’t required.

After his body was exhumed and returned to Cuba, Santa Clara was chosen because it was the location of the final battle in the Cuban Revolution, The Battle of Santa Clara. And speaking of that….

Derailed Train Monument 

You can visit the memorial of that battle! It’s full name is  Monumento a la Toma del Tren Blindado, and it is the site of where Che Guevara and his men derailed an armored railway car in 1958 during the Battle of Santa Clara.

In the most basic explanation, Che mobilized a bunch of tractors from a local university and raised the rails of the train tracks. The opposite troops surrenders because tbh, they were tired of fighting too. Badda bing badda boom. Within 12 hours, Cuban dictator Batista fled Cuba and Fidel Castro claimed overall victory.

So you can visit for basically free. It is located in a small park, and you can walk around outside for no charge. BUT, if you want to learn more about the battle, you can go inside the train cars and see more exhibits and art for 1 CUC. There is also a huge art shop across the street for souvenirs and like…art.

Tobacco Factory

I had already toured the tobacco fields in Vinales (which I recommend!!), so I didn’t personally visit, but if you don’t have plans to visit where tobacco is grown, then this is a good alternative. Since Santa Clara has less visitors than Havana, the Fabrica de Tabacos Constantino Perez Carrodegua is like 50x less crowded.

You can pay a 1 CUC entrance fee, or 3 CUC for a guided tour. I’d recommend taking the guided tour, especially if you’re skipping Vinales.

Teatro la Caridad

One of the last remaining colonial theaters, it’s an absolute beaut. It has been restored, but careful attention was paid to make sure to incorporate as many as the original pieces as possible. The entrance fee is only 1 CUC (do you see a pattern here?), and I thought it was worth it! It is a working theater, so you might get lucky and catch a show or ballet performance (5-10 CUC).

Estatua Che y Niño

It’s literally a statue of Che holding a small child. But it’s cool.

Parque Leoncio Vidal Santa Clara 

And if you’re visiting the theater then CONGRATS, you’re also in the town’s main square! There’s WiFi, the Jose Marti library, and a cool repurposed casino! There was also this really cool official looking building (I think like…something relating to politics?), but I wasn’t allowed to take pictures of the inside. The guard DID pose for me though outside of the building, like, he REALLY INSISTED, so I guess I will always have that on my phone.

Artes Decorativas Museum

Speaking of colonial times, this museum features the wealthy home decor during colonial Cuba. With the stunning courtyard and stained glass windows, you could get some super cool pictures. Admission was (surprisingly) 2 CUC.

Catedral de las Santas Hermanas de Santa Clara de Asis

If you are a fan of cathedrals, then this is a good one! If you aren’t (or are short on time), then you won’t be heartbroken if you miss it.

Loma del Capiro

This viewpoint is a cute option closer to sunset! One, because the sun will hopefully not kill you. And two, because it overlooks all of Santa Clara. It doesn’t take too long to reach the top, but you do have to climb up steps. During the Battle of Santa Clara, Che and his troops used these hills as a hideout. There is also a little plaque at the top to commemorate the battle. Bring bug spray.

Where to Eat

I covered this in my best restaurants in Cuba post, which included places in Santa Clara. I highly recommend checking it out because I also mention tips on how to distinguish privately owned restaurants (paladars) from government run establishments. But, if you don’t have time (save it for later!!), here are my suggestions for Santa Clara!

• Cafe-Museo Revolucion – $$. V, VE
• El Sol – $$.
• Saborearte – $.

Where to Party

Because of the university, Santa Clara has a large population of young adults! That means – party time. Since we had to head out at night for Havana, I didn’t stay to get plastered, but Santa Clara has some great options! There’s an annual rock concert, orchestra performances in the park on weeknights, and even drag competitions! But if you’re just looking for a place to grab a drink and dance, here are my guide’s recommendations!

• Club Mejunje (LGBTQ+ nights on Saturday!)
• Bar Club Boulevard
• La Aldaba
• Casa Mercy

Leaving Santa Clara

As we pulled out of the small town of Santa Clara, my guide looked at me in his rear-view mirror. “So,” he started. “What do you think?”

“Che was very important to Cuba.”

“Is,” he corrected.

And that much was true. In my opinion, Che Guevara is easily one of the most recognizable figures of Cuban history. He is all over Santa Clara, but also in Havana and on souvenirs and merchandise across the island. But, that may just be due to his marketable face, haha. On one hand, he was a critical piece to the Cuban Revolution. Even as a non-Cuban, I didn’t know how to feel. The Revolution impacted every person on the island differently. Che Guevara also was in charge of mass executions under Fidel. Hesitantly, I asked, “What do you think of Che?”

There was a silence. He was either contemplating his response, filtering through memories and school lessons and experiences on his island. Or maybe he was just paying attention to the road. Either way, he said, “I am not a politician.” A disclaimer he used whenever I inquired about his stance on a Cuban issue. “But you see, the needs of an individual does not always align with the needs of a country. And vise versa.”

And that was all. How very PC.

Touché.

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