Pinar del Rio

Pinar del Rio City - Other Cities and Attractions

Basic Information
Area: 10,925 sq. km
Capital: Pinar del Rio
Population: 721,900

Because of its near-perfect natural beauty, this province in the westernmost part of the country is also known as ‘the Garden of Cuba’. It is virtually surrounded by the blue, warm and affectionate sea. Its diverse geography, where we can find mountains and valleys, make from this spectacular region an ideal place for the people who love nature.

The region has been inhabited continuously for over 4,000 years beginning with the Guanahatabey, Ciboney, and Taíno indigenous tribes that settled this section of the island prior to the Spanish arrival. In addition to the province of Pinar del Río, the general geographic area of western Cuba also includes the Archipiélago de los Canarreos (the Canary Archipelago), considered a "special municipality". The 2 largest islands of the chain, Isla de la Juventud and Cayo Lago, are being developed for tourism.

One of the characteristics that makes Pinar del Rio different of the rest of Cuba is the abundance 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.

Pinar del Río is Cuba's prime ecotourism destination. Rock climbing, caving, mountainbiking, hiking, and bird-watching are all excellent in this area. La Güira National Park, the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, and the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve make this one of Cuba's richest and wildest areas.

The Valley of Viñales is widely considered one of the most beautiful in the country, and it is rapidly becoming the region's center for nature and adventure tourism. At the far western tip of the island, María la Gorda is one of Cuba's signature scuba diving destinations. And the diving at Cayo Levisa, Isla de la Juventud, and Cayo Largo is great as well. To top it all off, Cayo Largo has some of the nicest and least crowded beaches in Cuba.

Pinar del Río is also Cuba's most famous tobacco-growing region. Cigars made from tobacco grown in the Vuelta Abajo area, just west of the city of Pinar del Río, are loved the world over. The capital of Pinar del Río, Pinar del Río, is just 174 km from Havana, and the 2 cities are linked by a good highway.