Pinar del Río is located at the west end of Cuba. Known as the most colorful of the Cuban provinces, two of its multiple attributes would be enough to call the attention of visitors who have just arrived in the island: El Valle de Viñales (The Viñales Valley), and the fact that the lands of Vueltabajo produce the best tobacco of the world.

This portion of the Cuban territory was named New Philippines by mid 1770´s, but it was given its current name in 1778 (corresponding to the oldest town). It is the only place with two Reserves of the Biosphere within provincial limits: Sierra del Rosario and the Peninsula of Guanahacabibes.

This mountainous region and Sierra de los Órganos constitute the extensive Cordillera de Guaniguanico, which concentrates the most notable landscape and biological richness of the region. Pan de Guajaibón (699 meters above sea level) is the highest mountain of all the western region of the largest of the Antilles.

Viñales

This valley is one of the most attractive natural areas in Cuba, and it was declared National Natural Monument for its remarkable values. Its is know to have the oldest geological formations in Cuba.

It is 132 km2 long and is part of the Sierra de los Órganos, in Pinar del Río. Viñales is the most representative valley of all in Cuba and its mogotes along with its height, rounded peaks and the verticality of its slopes contrast harmonically.

In one of these peculiar hills, known as "Dos Hermanas" (Two Sisters) is where visitors can enjoy one of the world's biggest outdoors natural paintings, the Mural of Prehistory.
The painting on this huge beauty, on one of the slopes of a mogote with 120 meters high and 180 meters wide, is a singular representation of the biological evolution of the Sierra de los Organos.

According to experts, the vegetal layer on the slope had to be removed to paint the mural, while a score of local residents participated in the dangerous artistic work under the guidance of Cuban Professor Leovigildo González (deceased).

The flora in the region is closely linked to its ancient past, since it boasts 17 endemic varieties including the cork palm (Microcycas calocoma), considered a living fossil from the Jurassic period.

Viñales Valley has numerous caverns, like the Cueva del Indio crossed by the San Vicente River, the Cueva de San Miguel and the Cueva de Santo Tomas .The latter has been classified among the largest caverns in Latin America, with more than 45 kilometers of galleries.

Viñales Valley, declared World Heritage by UNESCO, is also Cuba's true Natural Monument, and receives thousands of visitors eager to enjoy nature in its entire splendor.