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Entertainment

Sancti Spíritus has a wonderful evening ambience: cool, inclusive and unpretentious. You can sample it in any of the following places.

Casa de la Cultura ( 32-37-72; M Solano No 11) Numerous cultural events that at weekends spill out into the street and render the pavement impassable.

Uneac (Unión Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba; National Union of Cuban Writers & Artists; 32-63-75; Independencia Sur No 10) There are friendly nods as you enter, handshakes offered by people you’ve never even met, while the starry-eyed crooner on stage blows kisses to his girlfriend(s) in the audience. Uneac concerts always feel more like family gatherings than organized cultural events and Sancti Spíritus’ is one of the nicest ‘families’ you’ll meet.

Casa del Joven Creador (Céspedes Norte No 118) Instead of hanging around on street corners peddling dodgy substances, Sancti Spíritus’ youth head to this happening cultural venue near the Museo Casa Natal de Serafín Sánchez for rock and rap concerts.

Casa de la Trova Miguel Companioni ( 32-68-02; Máximo Gómez Sur No 26) Kicking folk-music venue off Plaza Honorato on a par with Trinidad. But here the crowds are 90% local and 10% tourist.

Café ARTex (M Solano; admission CUC$1; 10pm-2am Tue-Sun) On an upper floor in Parque Serafín Sánchez, this place has more of a nightclub feel than the usual ARTex patio. There’s dancing, live music and karaoke nightly and a Sunday matinee at 2pm (admission CUC$3). Thursday is reggaetón (Cuban hip-hop) night and the cafe also hosts comedy. Good groups to look out for in Sancti Spíritus are the Septeto Espirituanao and the Septeto de Son del Yayabo.

Estadio José A Huelga (Circunvalación) From October to April, baseball games are held at this stadium, 1km north of the bus station.

Teatro Principal ( 232-5755; Av Jesús Menéndez No 102) This landmark architectural icon next to the Puente Yayabo has weekend matinees (at 10am) with kids’ theater.

The city’s two main cinemas are Cine Conrado Benítez ( 32-53-27; Máximo Gómez Norte No 13) and Cine Serafín Sánchez ( 32-38-39; M Solano No 7), both on Parque Serafín Sánchez.

Shopping

Anything you might need – from batteries to frying pans – is sold at street stalls along the pedestrian mall on Independencia Sur, which recently benefited from a handsome refurbishment.

Casa de Comisiones (Independencia Sur No 6; 9am-4pm) Serious retro freaks will love this combination of pawn shop and flea market, a riot of prerevolutionary cameras, vintage jewelry, and stuff your Grandma never got around to throwing out.

Galería La Arcada (Independencia Sur) This place has Cuban crafts and paintings.

VideCuba (Independencia Norte No 50; 9am-9pm) Replace your well-worn batteries next door to La Época grocery store.

Getting There & Away

BUS

The provincial bus station ( 2-4142; Carretera Central) is 2km east of town. Punctual and airconditioned Víazul ( 2-4142; www.viazul.com) buses serve numerous destinations.

The Santiago de Cuba departure also stops in Ciego de Ávila (CUC$6, 1¼ hours), Camagüey (CUC$10, three hours), Las Tunas (CUC$17, five hours 40 minutes) and Bayamo (CUC$21, seven hours). The Havana bus stops at Santa Clara (CUC$6, 1¼ hours) and Entronque de Jagüey (CUC$10, three hours).

TRAIN

There are two train stations serving Sancti Spíritus. For Havana (CUC$14, eight hours, 9pm alternate days), via Santa Clara (CUC$4, two hours), and to Cienfuegos (CUC$5.50, five hours, 4am Monday) use the main train station ( 32-47-90; Av Jesús Menéndez al final; ticket window 7am-2pm Mon-Sat), southwest of the Puente Yayabo, an easy 10-minute walk from the city center.

Points east are served out of Guayos, 15km north of Sancti Spíritus, including Holguín (CUC$14, 8½ hours, 9:30am), Santiago de Cuba (CUC$21, 10¼ hours, 8:45am) and Bayamo (CUC$13, 8¼ hours). If you’re on the Havana–Santiago de Cuba cross-country express and going to Sancti Spíritus or Trinidad, you have to get off at Guayos.

The ticket office at the Sancti Spíritus train station