Camagüey – A City Designed to Get Lost In

Part of: Cuba – A Country That Doesn’t Quite Move Like the Rest of the World

Most Cuban cities cling to the coastline, benefiting from a constant breeze and a view of the sea.

Camagüey does not.

Founded in the 16th century and built on cattle and sugar, it grew inland—slower, wealthier in parts, and with a layout that feels almost deliberately confusing. Today, the historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, largely because of this unusual design.

I arrived by bus from Santiago de Cuba. The terminal sits on the outskirts, which gives you a gradual introduction: sparse buildings at first, then slowly tightening streets, until you find yourself pulled into the old town.

My first impression? Slightly chaotic.

Long cobbled streets intersect with narrow alleys, twisting and turning without much logic. You round a corner, and suddenly—another square. Then another. And another.

At the same time, everything is painted in colour. Not carefully coordinated tones, but full, unapologetic colour. Walking through it feels a bit like stepping into a paint box that someone shook rather than arranged.

Wealth, space—and what remains

The city was built on the wealth of sugar plantations and cattle farming—wealth that mostly ended up in the hands of a few.

Today, the city feels surprisingly balanced. Not polished, not overrun by tourists—just… lived in.

I stayed in a casa particular with a wonderful host. We didn’t share much language, but that didn’t seem to matter much. Communication has other ways of working.

Since it was my last stay in a private home in Cuba, I left behind some soap and basic painkillers. Small things—but clearly appreciated.

Street life, with its own logic

Street life here is, as expected, colourful.

One detail that caught my attention: boots. Long ones. Worn by everyone from older men to teenage boys who clearly consider it a statement.

In that heat.

Another moment of creativity came when the electricity disappeared—as it tends to do. The local barber simply moved his chair outside, under the covered arcade, and continued working.

Problem solved.

Onwards, eventually

My stay in Camagüey was short, but long enough to get a sense of the place.

Then it was back to the bus terminal, and onto a night bus to Havana.

After several rounds through Havana during this trip, this would be my last.