Viñales

History

Before European settlement, the area was the home of a remnant Taíno population swelled with runaway slaves. The area was colonised at the beginning of the 1800s by tobacco growers from the Canary Islands, who settled in the Vuelta Abajo region. The first colonial settlement in Viñales is documented in 1871, in the form of a ranch belonging to Andrés Hernández Ramos. The town was established in 1878 as a typical community, with church, school, hospital and recreation park.

Economy

Viñales is an agricultural area, where crops of fruit, vegetables, coffee and especially tobacco are grown by traditional methods. Fishing is also an important part of the area's economy.

Tourism

Tourism centered on the Viñales Valley is developing, the area being protected by constitution since February 1976, and declared a national monument in October 1978.

Tourism in Viñales has grown significantly. The area was designated for protection under the constitution in February 1976 and declared a National Monument in October 1978. The Viñales Valley was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in November 1999 for its outstanding karst landscape, traditional agriculture, vernacular architecture, arts, and music. Attractions in Viñales include the Mural de la Prehistoria, tobacco plantations such as Alejandro Robaina's and the Casa del Veguero, the Viñales Municipal Museum, Casa de Caridad Botanical Gardens, Paleontological Museum (Viñales), the Maroon village Palenque, the village of Los Acuáticos, and the nearby caves «Cueva del Indio, Cueva de José Miguel, Cueva de Santo Tomás» which were shelters for runaway slaves within Viñales National Park.

Casas particulares (private residences that have been tailored and licensed to operate as bed and breakfasts) offer accommodations to visitors year-round. There are also three hotels located a few kilometers outside of town, rated three stars: La Ermita, Los Jazmines, and Rancho Horizontes San Vicente. The campground Dos Hermanas has 54 cabins available to tourists, a swimming pool and a restaurant.

Climate

Viñales has a tropical monsoon climate according to the Köppen climate classification, with a hot, lengthy wet season, and a warm and relatively short dry season. The average temperatures range from highs of 31.7 °C and lows of 22 °C in July and August to 26.2 °C and 16.1 °C in February. April–November represents the wet season, being especially wet May–October. December–March is the dry season, however only December and March qualify as true dry season months, as the threshold for such a month is less than 60 millimeters. The rainiest month in Viñales is June, with 226 millimeters, and the driest is December with 50 millimeters.

Demographics

In 2022, the municipality of Viñales had a population of 28,740 with a 0.33%/year increase. With a total area of 704 km2, it has a population density of 41 /km2.

Gallery

Image:VinalesCubaTransport.jpg|A man rides down the main street in Viñales Image:DowntownVinalesCuba.jpg|Downtown Viñales File:Valle di Viñales 01.jpg|Viñales Valley File:Mogote-and-lake vinales.jpg|View of lake and Mogote at Viñales File:Viñales - Vista d la Calle Real.jpg|View of the Calle Real in 1902.

References

References

1. Cuba Junky. [http://www.cuba-junky.com/pinar-del-rio/vinales-home.htm "Vinales"].
2. "Viñales Valley". United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.
3. Guerrillero:Pinar del Río. [http://www.guerrillero.co.cu/pinardelrio/2004/marzo/eltemplo.htm "El Templo de los Cimarrones"] {{Webarchive. link. (2008-05-08 {{in lang). es
4. Vinales.cu [http://www.vinales.pinar.cu/historia.htm History] {{Webarchive. link. (2007-09-27)
5. "Viñales UNESCO".
6. "Viñales, Cuba".
7. [http://www.hotel-la-ermita-cuba.com La Ermita]
8. [http://www.cubahotelreservation.com/hotel.asp?hotel_code=SCTHORLjazmines Los Jazmines]
9. [http://www.cubahotelreservation.com/hotel.asp?hotel_code=SCTHORRSvicente Rancho Horizontes San Vicente]
10. (May 2024)
11. "Viñales (Municipality, Cuba) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location".
12. Statoids. (July 2003). "Municipios of Cuba".