The Province has been the birthplace of outstanding Cuban intellectuals, writers and artists. Among the artists, it is worth highlighting Cirilo Villaverde (1812-1894), first great Cuban novelist, author of "Cecilia Valdés", born in Santiago Sugar Mill, San Diego de Núñez (Bahía Honda), María Teresa Vera (1895-1965), Cuban composer and troubadour, born in Guanajay; Luis Marquetti (1901-1992, Alquízar), composer and bolero singer; Arturo Sandoval, trumpet player and jazz player (Artemisa); Enrique Jorrín, musician, inventor of the Chachachá (Candelaria 1926-1987); the sculptor Jilma Madera, author of the Christ of Havana (San Cristóbal, 1915-2000), Pancho Amat, outstanding guitarist and tresista (Guira de Melena, 1950).
Among the intellectuals, writers and scientists is worth mentioning: geographer, spelunker and historian Antonio Núñez Jiménez (Alquízar, 1923-1998); wise naturalist and agronomist Tranquilino Sandalio de Noda (Puerta de la Guira, Artemisa, 1808 - San Antonio de los Baños, 1866); agronomist and chemist Álvaro Reynoso (Alquízar, 1829-1888); geographer, university professor and journalist Salvador Massip Valdés (Artemisa, 1891-1978); journalist and writer Fernando G. Campoamor (Artemisa, 1914-2001) and historian Manuel Isidro Méndez (1882-1972), José Martí's first biographer, born in Asturia, who lived in Artemisa for more than 20 years and was declared "adopted son of the city." Manuel Isidro Méndez is also the first "History of Artemisa".
San Antonio de los Baños is the birthplace of two great Cuban comedians and caricaturists Eduardo Abela (1889-1965) and René de la Nuez. San Antonio de los Baños hosts the International Biennial of Humor since 1979 and has the first Humor Museum in Cuba, unique in its kind in Latin America. The enclosure treasures the first cartoons that were published in the island in 1848 and thousands of authors from different countries. The International Film and Television School of San Antonio de los Baños was founded on December 15, 1986 by the Colombian writer and journalist Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Argentine poet and filmmaker Fernando Birri and the Cuban director and theorist Julio Garcia Espinosa. The Provincial Art School is also located in San Antonio.
Las Terrazas Community
Social, cultural and commercial centerwitha varied infrastructure of services for the local population and visitors, with places such as: Community Club House, Eco-Museum Reference Center, Cinema-video room and theater.
Aire Libre
Built in only 37 days, taking advantage creatively the space, Las Terrazas coffee place "Aire Libre" was inaugurated on July 25th, 2013, as a new recreational / cultural facility. At this place different cultural activities are carried out for locals and visitors together with a varied and light gastronomic offers: on Mondays, there is “Entre mujeres” (Among Women); the third Friday of each month, “Café con Trova”; Every Tuesday, “Entre amigos” (Among friends); On Saturdays, the meetings "My thought and the Sports", and finally at 5:00pm in wintertimes and at 7:00 pm in summer times,there is the "Open Shower".
Polo Montañez House-Museum
Located on one of the terraces of the Community, it contains the story of the prominent Cuban singer-songwriter. There are treasured Gold and Platinum Records achieved by the artist with his first CD called "Guajiro Natural" (Natural Farmer), white hat and guitar that he used in life, gigantographies, guayaberas and dissimilar personal objects that reveal the spirit, the human quality of the author of many songs.
Open: Monday - Sunday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., a guided tour and an exchange with Luis, his brother, always ready to share an anecdote of Polo with the visitor. This House-Museum is the site of the Peña Musical (meeting / gathering), which gathers singers of the region on the third Friday of every month, to sing his songs and to honor him.
Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
https://www.lasterrazas.cu/en/
phone: (53) 48578803/
Callejón de la Moka (Moka Alley)
It is a boulevard located close to Moka hotel, where there are the most varied services such as sales of souvenirs at El Cusco Bazaar, where the works of the local artists and artisans are shown and for sale; where the visitor can enjoy and buy aromatic fragrances made of our flowers, roots and leaves of natural plants; Café de María, enjoy a good Cuban coffee with the aroma of theplace and the personal touch of María. More than ten varieties and a single coffee tradition.
Café de María
A perfect place to spend the holidays with the family or friends, the result of the rescue of Cuban culinary tradition. Its origin dates back to El Cusco village, where Maria used to live at a house next to a grocery store, where you could enjoy of a cup of this infusion prepared typical style using the coffee grown in these mountains. After building Las Terrazas Community, the ritual continued: going to Maria's house to enjoy of a good Cuban coffee. Today this hospitality is extended to visitors every curious people who bet for trying café de Maria or Las Terrazas coffee, and thus discovering the well-kept . secret of each one of Maria's recipes.
Perfumery Ilang
The oldest method of alchemy with the secrets of plants for the manufacture of perfumes are combined. The plants are macerated and chemically treated to obtain the aromatic essence of them, then combine different scents according to their proportions, the result: unique flavors not availableindustrially. With citrus aromas of orange and tangerine floral rose, jasmine, gardenia and butterfly, , others as snuff and original combinations like tangerine, pink-vanilla; Ilang is characterized by the sharing with the visitor moments of its development. By buying bottles of different medicinal properties are explained the essence because many of their ingredients are also used in herbal medicine.
Bazar El Cusco
Good example of a social project inserted in the touristic activity aimed to raise the quality of life of their members. Small shop where women handicraft are exhibited and sold. This is a way to rise their personal income, through their creations using their time and talent in handicraft, carpets, doll, painting reproducing flora and fauna of the region, necklaces, bracelets, handkerchiefs ashtrays, sculptures, cups, bets, key holders, clips, fans, knitted purses, wallets and others creations are for those who love manual arts.
Community Club House
Ideal place for sociocultural activities for both locals and visitors. The varied gastronomic offers and the music played there every day, make this place an excellent choice for a visit.
Héctor Sagué Library
Its varieties of literary genres enrich the culture of the readers and visitors of the community.
Free Shower
Water show from a metal sculpture that comes to life when nature intervenes or otherwise by human creativity.
Reference Center
Its exhibitions show the Community's commitment to respect and preserve the historic and cultural heritage.
Other places of Historical-Cultural interest of the Artemisa province
The Angerona coffee plantation, the Mausoleum of the Martyrs of Artemis, the Eduardo Abela art gallery, as well as the San Antonio de los Baños BaseBall Stadium, the Sumidero Cave, the International Museum of Humor and its cultural projects. In addition to Güira de Melena, town of repentismo and agro-ecological productions, the Museum of Local History and the Emilio Rivero Merlin Art Gallery.
International Museum of Humor
Address: Calle 60 corner a Ave. 45,San Antonio de los Baños, Artemisa
Hours: 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
https://www.ariguanabo.gob.cu/es/museos-cultura
phone: (53) 47382817