Pinar del Río

Pinar del Río

Pinar del Río is the capital city of Pinar del Río Province in western Cuba. It lies on the banks of the Guamá River, at the foot of the Sierra de los Órganos mountain range. Founded in 1775, the city was officially named Nueva Filipina in 1800, and was made the capital of Cuba's western jurisdiction. The economic importance of the region began around 1830, with the development of the tobacco industry in the Vuelta Abajo region. With the railway line from Havana, Pinar del Río has developed into a commercial center of the backcountry, producing tobacco, sugar cane, rice, pineapple, coffee and livestock. The Pinar del Río region's economy is strongly linked to tourism. Although the city of Pinar del Río has some cultural and historical attractions, such as the Cathedral of San Rosendo, most of its attractions are located in the countryside or in natural surroundings. One of the most important destinations is the Viñales Valley, a karst depression in the Sierra de los Organos mountains, just north of the town of Viñales. UNESCO designated the valley a World Heritage Site in 1999 for its outstanding natural beauty and the traditional farming techniques still used to grow tobacco and other crops, and the valley is a popular hiking and rock-climbing destination. Caves can be found on many of the surrounding hills in the valley for visitors to explore, and caving has also become a popular activity in the province. A famous cave is Cueva de los Portales, where Che Guevara set up his headquarters during the Cuban Missile Crisis.