In the Main Square is a bust of Hatuey, the brave Indian leader who resisted early conquistadores until he was caught by the Spanish and burned at the stake. There’s also a very lively Casa de la Trova here. It is worth wandering along the Malecón, the seaside avenue, from the snug Fuerte Matachín (an early 19th-century fort that has a small but informative municipal museum inside) to the Hotel La Rusa, which is named after a legendary Russian émigrée who over the years hosted celebrities such as Che Guevara and Errol Flynn.

Baracoa's third fortress, Fuerte de la Punta, was built in 1803 on a spit of land over the entrance to the bay. During the pseudorepublic it housed a radio telegraph office. The fortress now contains the Restaurante La Punta.

An ideal place in the countryside to experience nature, the rural lifestyle and the fascinating world of cocoa, an opportunity to learn in depth about Baracoa's deeply rooted cocoa. A tour takes you past mango and coconut trees as well as coffee and cocoa crops. There are educational trails where the plants of cocoa are displayed and the entire traditional growing, harvesting and processing methods used by local farmers are shown. You'll also visit a typical bohío, or peasant's hut, where staff members actually live. A rustic restaurant serves typical dishes from the Baracoan cuisine and chocolate based preparations. 

One of Baracoa's three fortresses, Fuerte Matachín, was completed in 1802. In 1868 it became a guard post of the Spanish army for the recognition and registry of all those entering and departing from the city. After the installation of the pseudo-Republic, it was used firstly as a bastion against the pirates and later was used by the Spanish as a prison. Today it houses the Museo Histórico Matachín, whose displays discuss the city's history, including its Taíno roots. There are examples of Taíno pottery, sculpture, and other artifacts; exhibits on famous citizens; and displays explaining the community's role in the wars for independence and the Revolution.