Let's discover the main attractions of the enchanting Cuban valley of Viñales, known for its boundless tobacco plantations and its ancient history
The valley of Vinales, located in the western area of Cuba, about two hours away from Havana, it is one of the most beautiful and interesting areas of the entire Caribbean archipelago. The wide valley takes its name from the city of Viñales, the main urban center of the province of Pinar del Río, and is known throughout the world for its extensive cultivations of tobacco, a typical product of Cuba, which in this area is cultivated according to traditional methods.
In 1985 the Viñales valley was included in the list of protected areas of the World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to its uncontaminated territory and the presence of endemic flora and fauna. The valley is characterized by the presence of vast hills near which there are numerous caves, which constitute one of the main attractions of the area and represent an ideal destination for all those who wish to explore the enchanting area Cuban in its wildest and most archaic naturalistic aspects.
The valley of Casa Particular in Viñales it is also known for its rugged peaks, known as mogotes, which are an exclusive and excellent destination for those who wish to go trekking. The mogotes were formed by means of an ancient, constant and slow process of erosion, and over time they have assumed their current shape as peculiar limestone hills, whose height can reach up to four hundred metres. We advise you to plan an excursion to these verdant hills, which will win you over thanks to their breathtaking views and lush flora!
The entire Viñales valley, with its extension of over 130 square kilometers, is characterized by the presence of vast and fruitful plantations of tobacco, which represent one of the main sources of income on the island of Cuba, as well as constituting one of its undisputed symbols throughout the world. The cultivation of tobacco, which is absolutely suggestive, is managed from the month of November to the month of May: once the harvest has taken place, the drying process proceeds, which is generally carried out in the remaining months. These processes respect ancient cultivation systems and also involve the use of pack livestock, mainly cattle.
An important and significant tourist destination in the Viñales valley is the Prehistoric murals, which is located at the foot of the hill known as mogoto de las dos Hermanas. The important pictorial work was created by the Cuban artist Leovigildo González, who was an important pupil of the famous painter of Mexican origin Diego Riviera.
The mural, characterized by the typical bright and loud colors of local art, has truly considerable dimensions, with a height of over one hundred meters and a width of eighty meters. The theme of the work, of great interest due to its peculiar theme, as well as its impressive dimensions, is the development and progressive natural evolution of the Viñales area and depicts animals, human beings and prehistoric creatures.
The Viñales area is also characterized by the presence of numerous splendid caves, among which we would like to point out two, both located about five kilometers from the city. The first is the Indian cave, a cave of modest dimensions, full of stalagmites of various sizes and near which an underground stream flows. This cave is located a short distance from the imposing one Saint Thomas cave, which represents the largest set of caves in the entire Cuban archipelago.
Il cave system it extends for about fifty kilometers, and the entrance is located near a small villa called El Moncada. These majestic caves of karst origin have countless stratified floors, some of which can be visited. These caves represent one of the places of greatest interest in Cuba and are collectively considered a national monument. Countless archaeological finds and numerous wall inscriptions dating back to the arrival of the Spanish have been found in some of these caves.
