Self guided Trinidad Photography Tour in Cuba

Looking to explore Trinidad in Cuba? Want a more authentic interaction and see a more local side of Trinidad? Sounds like you need to go on the Trinidad Photography Tour.

You’ll also get to see lesser seen but equally as beautiful and photogenic places in Trinidad. Tie those walking shoes and get ready to set off for Trinidad’s Photography Tour.

If you haven’t got your copy, Lonely Planet’s guide to Cuba is where I found this route to visit amazing places in Trinidad. For those following along, you can see the entire rundown on page 283.

If you don’t have your Lonely Planet guidebook, don’t worry, there’s a rundown below on what you will see along the self-guided Trinidad Photography Tour.

If you’re not sure what else to do with your time, here’s a complete 2 week Cuba itinerary.

Here is a walkthrough of my personal experience following the directions of the Trinidad Photography Tour, listed on page 283 of Lonely Planets guide to Cuba.

What will I see on the Trinidad Photography Walk?

Walking the quieter streets of Trinidad in Cuba — Take the self guided photography walking tour of Trinidad, Cuba

Apart from strolling the streets, and plenty of unique things to see, there’s major points of interest in the streets of Trinidad. Lonely Planet’s marks out 10 specific places to visit in these rural Trinidad streets, so let’s get into It!

Quiet streets of Trinidad, Cuba — Lonely Planet’s self guided walking tour is a great thing to do in Trinidad, Cuba

Playa Mayor – Trinidads main plaza. It’s large, beautiful views all around and is by far the most visited area on Trinidads photography walk.
Iglesia Parroquial de la Santisima Trinidad – just across from Playa Mayor is this beautiful church, rebuilt in 1892 after the original was destroyed in a storm.
Convento de San Francisco de Asis – This beautiful spot has shots of the bell tower and cobblestone streets of Trinidad.

Colorful house of Trinidad, Cuba — By taking this self-guided walking tour of Trinidad, you’ll visit some much lesser known places around the city

“Park” – The next stop is listed solely as ‘park’, and no other reference anywhere I can find. It is directly across from the old Fidel Castro stronghold, now museum that’s in the same building as the bell tower.
T-junction – This street is known for its great photo opportunities if you wait long enough. It is the inspection on the corner of the bell tower. After your done, you want to head up Ciro Redondo and turn left on Juan Manuel Marquez.
Barrio Los Tres Cruces – this is another intersection where unique and local interactions take place.
“Plaza” – Another stop without an official name I can’t find. This little area is right next to the stop above. You’ll know you’re here by the 3 large wooden crosses in the open square.
“Houses” – the final stop that doesn’t have an official name! As you walk along, these colorful and beautiful houses line up perfectly on the right-hand side. As you continue down this narrow street, make sure to look up at the backdrop of lush green hills surrounding Trinidad.

Horses are common in the backstreets of Trinidad — Residents of Trinidad in Cuba use horses as means of transport

Taberna la Canchanchara – serving a Cuban cocktail known as a Canchanchara, it’s made with honey, sugarcane and lemon – it’s incredibly sweet. The outside is a pretty sweet building to look at and catch a classic car rumble by
Casa Templo de Santeria Yemaya – this religious center, dedicated to Yemaya the Goddess of the Sea, is the final stop of the tour before you complete your loop back to Playa Mayor. While it’s rare to find this center in action, it’s a lovely end to a photographic walk of Trinidad.

How long is this self-guided Trinidad tour?

The beginning of the colorful walking photo tour of Trinidad in Cuba — This bright yellow building was almost at the very start of the photo walk through Trinidad, Cuba

Make no mistake, this tour relies solely on you. There’s no guide to follow. So you can spend as little or as long as you want at each stop.

The photography walk of Trinidad in Cuba is around 2km in length and should take around 1 hour. Sure, if you run it, it wouldn’t take more than half an hour, but taking your time and soaking in the vibrant cobblestone streets makes this tour of Trinidad in Cuba a highlight.

Why is a Lonely Planet Guide Book of Cuba and why is it important?

This beer ended up being my favourite in all of Cuba - thanks to Lonely Planet! — Discovering off the beaten track places in Trinidad, Cuba is easy with the Lonely Planet Guidebook

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Accessing the internet in Cuba can be challenging. When you are able to connect, you’re faced with, at best, 3G speeds. So loading heavy webpages and directions take valuable time out of actually exploring this unique country.

That’s where a handy guidebook comes in. Lonely Planet’s guide to Cuba isn’t the cheapest out there, but there’s a good reason for that – it has an insane amount of value packed into it 543 pages.

Not only do you get tips on accommodation, restaurants and things to do all over the country from travelers just like you, you also get short itineraries and tours – like this photography walking tour through Trinidad in Cuba – that makes the country that much more special.

Other things to note about this self-guided photo tour of Trinidad

Three crosses mark an unknown landmark of Trinidad, Cuba — Very few tourists take the photo walk of Trinidad in Cuba – so you’ll have it mostly to yourself

As you walk the lesser-visited streets of Trinidad, you may have a completely different experience than I did. But that is the point, this self-guided tour of Trinidad isn’t orchestrated. It’s you and the locals, living out their day.

Here are a few points I noticed while walking around Trinidad, following the path laid out above:

At one time, a young girl approached my group of three. Normally, money would be the first thing most would ask for, but that was third on her list. Gum was first, and a pencil for school second. I do tend to be wary about giving locals items, especially kids. But if I had a pencil on me, I don’t see the harm in helping a child out for school.
While I did this tour in the hottest part of the day, around 3pm, it is better in the afternoon. Not only is it much cooler, but the softer light gives much more color and vibrant images.
If you’re looking for a refreshment, keep an eye out for a little corner store along the way. Here you will find a bottle of beer for 1 CUC called It was hands down my favorite beverage of Cuba. Plus, there were locals lingering on the streets, chatting with their mates over these beers. A really cool atmosphere.

Is The photography walk of Trinidad worth It?

There are plenty of unforgettable moments along the photo tour of Trinidad in Cuba — The self-guided photo tour of Trinidad in Cuba wouldn’t be complete without plenty of beautiful sights

Yes. Trinidad’s Photography self-guided tour is well worth the effort. This short and picturesque walk shows a side of Trinidad in Cuba a few tourists ever see.

These quiet streets are vibrant and the unique atmosphere is unlike the tourist areas of Trinidad. If you have a spare hour, then do yourself a favor and explore the unknown streets of Trinidad in Cuba.

Make sure you have your camera ready! Personally, I use the Nikon d3200 – all the pictures in this post were taken from it. It’s a bit bulky and heavy at times, but I feel its well worth it!

That’s it for the self-guided walking tour of Trinidad, Cuba

Have you taken Trinidad Photography Walk? What did you think? I’d love to hear your experiences, along with questions and suggestions in the comments below.