Cuba - Lonely Planet [255]
There’s a tobacco factory, Fábrica de Tabacos El Sucro (cnr Libertad & Maceo), in town, though tours are normally group-only. Ask at the Havanatur office Click here and you may be able to tag along.
If you’re faced with a long wait for the bus or have a posse of hyperactive kids to amuse, the small Parque Zoológico (Independencia Este; admission free; Tue-Sun) might fill a vacant half-hour.
October to April, baseball games take place at the Estadio José R Cepero ( 22-82-83; Máximo Gómez), northwest of the center. Ciego’s Tigres (Tigers) aren’t as fierce as their name suggests and rarely qualify for the play-offs.
Sleeping
CASAS PARTICULARES
Ciego has some decent, well-signposted casas particulares and not much demand.
Belkis de Caridad Jiménez ( 22-46-09; Carretera Central No 76 btwn Antonio Maceo & Honorato del Castillo; r CUC$15-20; ) A private entrance from the Carretera Central (and two blocks from the city center) makes this place easy to find, but it’s surprisingly quiet once you’re inside. The hosts are friendly, no-pressure Avileñas who’ll cook you good meals.
Leonarda Guitierrez ( 20-27-22; Honorato del Castillo No 64 btwn Chicho Valdés & Joaquín Agüero; r CUC$15-20; ) Another house with independent entry and two rooms spread over two floors. It’s one block from the main square and the owner knows other casas if you’re stuck.
HOTELS
Hotel Santiago-Habana (Islazul; 22-57-03; cnr Chicho Valdés & Honorato del Castillo; s/d CUC$27/36; ) Your one-and-only town-center option is this musty but serviceable 76-room hotel, well-placed for most of the city’s sights. The rooms are 1970s motel-style and there’s a restaurant along with the Disco Centro Nocturno La Cima on the top floor.
Hotel Ciego de Ávila (Islazul; 22-80-13; Carretera a de Ceballos Km 1.5; s/d CUC$29/38; ) Where have all the tourists gone? Cayo Coco probably, leaving this Islazul staple 2km from the city center overlooking a small lake that’s the domain of Cuban sports teams and workers on government-sponsored vacation time. Nothing unusual here except for, perhaps, the solar panels on the roof which deflect from the monotony of the bog-standard rooms, noisy swimming-pool area and boring breakfasts. The friendly staff add a bit of much-needed color.
Eating
RESTAURANTS
Fonda La Estrella ( 26-61-86; Honorato del Castillo No 34 cnr Máximo Gómez; 10am-midnight) Quite possibly the cheapest quality food in Cuba, this small airy place serves four set dishes for just CUC$1.50. But it’s far tastier than your standard fried-chicken ration. For a few Convertibles more you can bag paella and a delicious ropa vieja.
La Vicaria ( 26-64-77; Carretera Central; 24hr) A safe haven next to the bus terminal, La Vicaria is a dependable national chain with affordable food and efficient service. The open-fronted sitting area on the Carretera Central is less than salubrious, but the food’s more than adequate for a pre–bus journey snack.
Yisan (Carretera Central btwn Calles 8 & 13; Wed-Mon) Alright, so it’s not dim sum; but if you haven’t yet tried chicken chow mien with a mysterious Cuban twist then you haven’t really been to Ciego de Ávila.
Restaurante Don Pepe ( 22-37-13; Independencia Oeste No 103 btwn Antonio Maceo & Simón Reyes; 8-11:45pm Wed-Mon) A bartender named Eladio invented the Coctel Don Pepe (two shots of orange juice, 1.5 shots of white rum, and half a shot of crème de menthe, stirred) here back in the day. They’re still serving them, along with the good old pork and chicken dishes, in this pleasant colonial building. There’s occasional live music.
Solaris ( 22-34-24; Doce Plantas Bldg, Honorato del Castillo) Enthusiastically recommended by the locals, this city-center joint, on the 12th floor of the rather ugly Doce Plantas building, offers excellent city views and has a menu that includes a special cordon