The most atmospheric part of the city is Old Santiago. Céspedes Park constitutes the political, religious, administrative and social center more important of the city. The attractive square is a genteel place with tall trees, gas lanterns and iron benches. In their perimeter were located by disposition of the Laws of Indias, the representative buildings of the power: Town Hall, Cathedral, the house of the governors and the mansions of the main families of the village. Parque Céspedes is dominated by its twin-towered cathedral. A basilica was built on this spot in 1528, but what you see was rebuilt in the early 19th century after a series of earthquakes and fires.

Abel Santamaría Historic Park is compounded by the museum, a library and a monument in the place in which you will find the ruins of the Former Saturnino Lora Civil Hospital. The museum of the enclosure which binds together all these buildings was opened in 1973 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the assault to the Moncada Headquarters, and exhibits the history related to the famous assault and the trial of Fidel Castro. The monument opened in 1979 in memory of Abel Santamaría and his colleagues who were tortured and murdered after the failed raising. It has four faces in which there is a sphinx of José Martí, another of Abel Santamaría, six bayonets symbolizing justice; the solitary star and a verse of the National Anthem. The water curtain which seems to support the compound symbolizes the ideals of the young men of the Centenary Generation.

The Spanish fortress known as El Morro, south of Santiago, was constructed between 1638 and 1700 and was designed by Giovanni Antonelli, the Italian architect and engineer responsible for fortresses bearing the same name in both Havana and San Juan, Puerto Rico. El Morro was built to ward off pirates (and rebuilt after a 1662 attack by the English pirate Henry Morgan). Today, its solid walls house the Museum of Piracy, its rooms also reflects the main events connected with the naval battle of Santiago de Cuba, episode of the Spanish-Cuban-American in 1898 and photographs related to the events of Maine , the Spanish and U.S. military leaders, Admiral Pascual Cervera and Vice Admiral Sampson and planes and coastal defenses and batteries of El Morro. There are wonderful views from interior rooms, which have wooden floors and stone walls, as well as from various terraces.

This ceramic-tiled terrace is all that remains of a fort once used by authorities to monitor boat traffic. It's a great place to linger while taking in views of both the city and the bay. Music shows and other events are often held here, particularly on weekend evenings.