Jibacoa Tourist Region offers a surprising landscape with its 7 km of extension, high cliffs and towering cliffs bordering the north coast. Its beaches have a great feeling of privacy. All this, together with the transparency of its waters and beauty of the seabed around the north coast and the mangrove areas around the south, and its peculiar vegetation, create a unique landscape that makes of Jibacoa an unforgettable tourist destination. The northern coast of the province of Mayabeque has historical and natural sites of great interest, such as the Jibacoa Beaches, Hershey Gardens and the Escaleras de Jaruco.
Hershey Gardens
Less than a kilometer north of the Hershey town, a natural paradise can be found in a deep ravine where the meanders of the beautiful Rio Santa Cruz flow. The vegetation is dense and with many native species. Milton Hershey created there in 1930 a recreational site for its workers, which still operates today, with a restaurant, a bar, a children's park and a bathing area with its Ranchón (grill) El Portón.
Hershey Electrical Train
Mr. Hershey also built 140 kilometers of railways for transportation of raw material (sugarcane) and produced sugar to the ports, and to transport workers on an electric train which began operating in 1922. This railway connects Hershey town with the cities of Havana and Matanzas. The train is still operating and the wagons that are currently uses are from 1944 and were donated in 1997 by the city of Barcelona in Spain.
Escaleras de Jaruco (Jaruco´s Stairs) are another of the attractions. There are located 45 km to the east-southeast of Havana and 7 km east of the town of Jaruco, in the middle of the homonymous heights that reach up to 300 meters of altitude.
The Escaleras de Jaruco (Jaruco´s Stairs) are a set of karstic hills with typical formations. There are many caverns on which beautiful landscapes can be contemplated in a natural environment. Ideal place of rest, relaxation and day excursions.
Escaleras de Jaruco Park was created in 1967 and here you can enjoy viewpoints, sculptures, monuments, places to eat and barbecue areas. This is all linked by a winding road that runs through most of the area with thick forests and lush natural vegetation and a large number of endemic plant species.
The park, which is visited mainly by “habaneros” (Havana residents and visitors) and people from nearby towns, is an ideal place to enjoy a bucolic weekend in a natural area. For those who like hiking, here are many trails in natural settings, caves for speleology-lovers, passive rest areas with grills, several bars and cafes and 4 restaurants specializing in Cuban cuisine (EL Arabe, Sitio Perdido, El Criollo and La Roca).
Most of the park facilities are located on the tops of the hills and elevations, which makes them viewpoints. From here you can enjoy an expanded view of the northern province of Mayabeque.