Santa Clara, Cuba

One of the largest and most happening cities in Cuba, Santa Clara, landlocked near the centre of the province, is a must for anyone looking to experience Cuban provincial life at its most pure. Home to the country's third- biggest university, Santa Clara owes little of its vitality to the significant number of visitors it receives. Local life revolves instead around the vibrant Parque Vidal, at the very heart of the town, where tourist activity is also centred, though there are several more isolated venues also attracting large numbers of visitors, most especially the Memorial al Che, in the southeastern reaches of the city.