The Basilica of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, the Patron Saint of Cuba, can be found 27 km from the city centre, in a mining town founded in 1830. The Basilica stands on a gentle hill and contains display cases with items such as the medal received by the writer Ernest Hemingway on being awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. The story of the Virgin dates from the early 1600s, when three men in a boat first saw her floating on water during a storm; tradition holds that the Virgin saved the men from certain drowning. Records show that the statue was most likely brought from Spain on order of the then-governor of Cuba, but don't play iconoclast with the millions of faithful who take seriously the Virgin's reputed miraculous powers. Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre was crowned by Pope John Paul II in 1998, during his visit to Cuba. Every 8th of September, her feast day, thousands of pilgrims come here to give thanks and beg favours of the blessed virgin.

The spirit of one of the Caribbean's most vibrant street parties, Santiago's annual July carnival, is recalled in photos and newspaper clippings, floats, costumes, and musical instruments. Late afternoons here give a better sense of what carnival is like; stop by at 4 pm Tuesday through Saturday for a performance by music and dance troupes. The short spectacle of colorful costume, Afro-Cuban rhythms, and stirring song might have you planning your next trip to coincide with the main event. 

Every night, the Tropicana cabaret offers its performance "Viaje al Caribe" (a Journey to the Caribbean), which narrates the history of the people of Santiago, the most Caribbean city in Cuba, where one can feel the influence of Haiti and its voodoo religion and French customs, Dominican Republic and its merengue, Jamaica and its reggae and Puerto Rico among others. Dinner and show in the same style as the famous Tropicana Cabaret from Havana. This modern facility has been elegantly decorated with traditional elements that blend-in with the lush natural vegetation surrounding the area

This venue is one of the symbols of Santiago de Cuba, where traditional rhythms such as the trova, bolero and son were born. Situated very close to the Parque Céspedes, it is the meeting place for 'trovadores', both old and new. Considered one of the most important cultural institutions in Cuba, it preserves a musical movement that is deeply-rooted in the traditions of Santiago and forms an integral part of the city's life.