The development of Cuba's tourism industry, a fast-growing economic sector, is based on the country's huge potential, consisting of excellent beaches, exuberant nature, and rich history, culture and traditions.

Precisely, coastal resorts and nautical activities are the options most demanded by thousands of foreign tourists who visit the Caribbean island every year.

Cuba has also inherited the Spanish architectural wealth and the European influence that followed the colonial period.

Precisely, that element turns the Cuban capital, one of the first seven villages founded by the Spanish conquistadors and initially called San Cristóbal de La Habana, and especially its historic heart, into a key element in many tourist programs.

Called at the time the Fortified City of the West Indies and the Key to the New World, Havana is at present a living museum showing a wide range of architectural styles, as a result of the different stages of the development of the city.

Nearly 140 buildings in Old Havana were built in the 16th and 17th centuries; another 200 were constructed in the 18th century and more than 460 in the 19th century. They create a very attractive combination of architectural styles.

In central Cuba, Cienfuegos offers a score of libraries, 11 museums, more than 30 movie halls and five theaters, in addition to houses of culture, art galleries and monuments, are visited by both national and foreign tourists every year.

Among the city's many attractions is the José Martí Park, built on the site where the village of Fernandina de Sagua was founded in April 1819. Surrounding the park are the only Arc of Triumph in Cuba, built in 1902, and the Tomás Terry Theater, one of Cuba's three major theaters in the 19th century, where prominent artists such as Enrico Caruso performed.

The city of Camagüey, the capital of the eastern Cuban province of the same name, boasts a unique patrimonial wealth.

Founded under the name of Villa de Santa María del Puerto del Príncipe on the Bay of Nuevitas, the city was moved hinterland, on the banks of the Caonao River and was officially called Camagüey.

Also known as "the city of tinajones", Camagüey is famous for those large earthenware jars, which were used centuries ago to collect rainwater for human consumption and currently decorate gardens and parks.

The town of Puerto Padre, nicknamed the Blue Village or the City of Mills, stands out in Las Tunas province.

Puerto Padre is the capital of the largest municipality in Las Tunas, covering an area of 1,180 square kilometers. It was included in the map of the New World in the 16th century, under the name of Portus Patris.

As a singular element, one of few freshwater springs in Cuba is located off its waterfront drive, flowing into the sea and giving the town a distinctive touch for tourism.

Another interesting city is 500-year-old Bayamo, the current capital of the eastern Cuban province of Granma. It was the second village founded by Spanish Governor Diego Velázquez in Cuba.