Santiago de Cuba

SANTIAGO DE CUBA is set on a deep-water bay and surrounded by mountains.

Santiago's proximity to Jamaica has encouraged a natural crossover of ideas and it is one of the few places in Cuba to have a strong Rastafari following.

Music is an important element of Santiaguero life, seeping from the most famous Casa de la Trova in the country.

Although music and the July carnival are good enough reasons to visit, the city offers a host of other attractions too such as Diego Velazquez's sixteenth-century merchant house and the elegant governor's residence.

There are many interesting museums to visit too.