Santiago de Cuba Fast Facts
Population | 420,000 (approx.) |
Country | Cuba |
Languages | Spanish |
Geography | Located in the southeastern part of Cuba, between the Caribbean Sea and the Sierra Maestra mountains. |
Climate | Santiago de Cuba enjoys a tropical climate with hot temperatures all year round. The rainiest months, by far, are May and October while the driest months are December through April. |
Average Temperatures | Year-round high temperatures around 85ºF (29.5ºC) Year-round low temperatures around 75ºF (24ºC) |
Local fare | Known as "comida criolla" (Creole food). Plentiful, tasty and generally pretty greasy. Cuban staples: congrí (rice with black beans), fried plantains, chuletas (thin filets), lomo ahumado (smoked loin), lobster or shrimp "ajillo" (sauteed in garlic & oil), mojo (tasty sauce), ropa vieja (dish of shredded beef simerd in tomato-based sauce), ostiones (oysters with tomato sauce & lime juice), fried chicken, rum cocktails, ice cream, flan (baked custard). |
Did you know? | Santiago de Cuba is recognized as the birthplace of practically all genres of popular traditional Cuban music: son, rumba, trova, etc. |