Trinidad Travel Guide

Valle de los Ingenios (Valley of the Sugar Mills)

This picturesque emerald valley was once the centre of the sugar trade industry, and home to the plantations that brought wealth and prosperity to Trinidad in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, the ruins of estates, sugar mills and other remnants are visited by tourists who are attracted by the beauty of the valley, and the historical significance of the slave trade that operated during the valley's boom years. The main site is the Manaca Iznaga, a striking 144ft (44m) high tower that was used by plantation owner and one of the wealthiest men in Cuba, Pedro Iznaga, to keep watch over his slaves working in the fields. Visitors can climb the tower for impressive views over the countryside. Horse riding tours to the valley, departing from Trinidad, are a popular way to see the sights.