"Valley of the Sugar Mills" Valle de los Ingenios Tip by JessieLang

The village of Iznaga was the site of the large Manaca Iznaga sugar plantation. The warehouse and factory buildings are long gone, but the owner’s house and watchtower are still there. The house is not elaborate, but it is large and attractive. It was only used during the few weeks of harvest, as the owners had a mansion in Havana. The 147-foot watchtower allowed the overseers to watch the 1,000 slaves working on the plantation. When the Soviet Union fell, Cuba lost its main market for sugar cane and they quit growing it. Some is now being planted again, but it won't be the major industry it was.

The path from the train station to the house is lined with vendors hoping you will buy their handicrafts. It is primarily embroidery, crocheted vests, and necklaces made from seedpods—and they do very nice work. They approach visitors, but they will accept a "No." (Although I said "Yes" quite a bit!)

Directions: About 50 km from Trinidad. It is an hour by train if you go that way.