The Afro-Caribbean heart of Cuba
Santiago de Cuba, in the far east of the island, has a strong Afro-Caribbean character and is considered the home of son, the music at the root of salsa. Its July carnival is the most famous in Cuba. Parque Céspedes is the heart of the city, with the cathedral and the house of the conquistador Diego Velázquez, and the Moncada Barracks, attacked by Fidel Castro in 1953, are now a museum. The Castillo del Morro fortress guards the bay's entrance, and the Santa Ifigenia cemetery holds the tombs of José Martí and Fidel Castro.