Santiago de Cuba is an urban city of approximately 500,000 people, located on the far eastern end of the island- a 14-hour drive from Havana. The richness and diversity of Cuban music and dance is a mirror of the ethnic diversity of this city, since it was settled by many groups over the centuries, including African, Chinese, Indigenous, Haitian, and Spanish.

Carnaval de Santiago is an explosion of intense colors, contagious rhythms, and stunning dances and dancers. It is the largest, most famous, & most traditional carnaval in Cuba, and its fiery Afro-Haitian-Cuban blend simmers in the beautiful city center. 

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