Bayamo — South Coast Loop

There is a grand loop from Santiago de Cuba to Bayamo, Manzanillo, and along the south coast of Granma and Santiago de Cuba provinces. It passes through some of the loveliest and most spectacular scenery in Cuba. Nearly 500 kilometers, it can be done in five days, but we recommend a week or more if possible.

Bayamo is one of the most historically important towns in Cuba — the center of Cuba's first revolt against Spain. The area around the central square, Parque Céspedes, has been beautifully restored. In this church, Cuba's national anthem, "To the Battle, Bayameses!" was first sung in 1868, no doubt to the horror of Spain's colonial governor, who was present at the time.

The tour continues through gently rolling countryside to Manzanillo, then on to Niquero. It passes sites of historical interest including La Demajagua, the estate where Céspedes freed his slaves and proclaimed Cuba's first struggle for independence; and the home of the late Celia Sánchez, a heroine of the revolution. This statue and fountain are in her home town. A sidetrip leads to the site where the Granma landed in 1956, carrying Fidel and the comrades who became the nucleus of the victorious rebel army.

Riding the spectacular and challenging south coast is one of the greatest cycling experiences in Cuba or anywhere else. The route climbs over foothills at the extreme western end of the Sierra Maestra and then follows the shores of the Caribbean. The road is pinched between the sea and the tumbling peaks, occasionally climbing over steep headlands but offering spectacular views and thrilling downhills as compensation for your hard work.