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The island of Cuba in the Caribbean offers travelers fantastic natural sites of rare beauty, such as Alejandro de Humboldt and Desembarco del Granma national parks. But more than wonderful sandy beaches, blue lagoons, and lush tropical forests, the country boasts plenty of beautiful cultural landmarks including remarkable examples of Spanish-American architecture. Check out this selection of five must see Cuba World Heritage sites for all art lovers and history enthusiasts on vacation in the Caribbean.

1. Old Havana and its fortifications

Founded by the Spanish in the 16th Century, the ancient city of La Havana (Havana Vieja) contains the harbor, the official center and Plaza de Armas square. The old town features Baroque and Neoclassical monuments, as well as picturesque private houses with wrought-iron doors, balconies, arcades and internal courtyards. With the restoration of the many buildings, Old Havana now offers a number of new attractions, such as a museum featuring the relics of the Cuban revolution.

2. San Pedro de la Roca Castle, Santiago de Cuba

Located on a rocky promontory about 6 miles southwest from the city center, the citadel of San Pedro de la Roca overlooks the bay of Santiago de Cuba. This massive 17th Century fortress was designed by Italian architect Giovan Battista Antonelli to protect the city from pirate attacks. Also known as Castillo del Morro, San Pedro de la Roca is a remarkable example of Spanish-American military architecture.

3. Trinidad and the Valley of Los Ingenios

Located in central Cuba, this World Heritage site was a center for sugar producing industry between the late 18th and the 19th Century. Featuring cobbled streets and colored houses, Trinidad is one of the best preserved towns in the Caribbean. Also known as the Valley of the Sugar Mills, the Valley of Los Ingenios is a series of three interconnected valleys, San Luis, Santa Rosa and Meyer, about 7 miles from the city of Trinidad. Some of the sugar mills remain intact, as well as some plantation houses in Guachinango, some original slave quarters (barracones) and a watch tower in Ignaza.

4. Viñales Valley

Characterized by impressive round-topped hills, Viñales Valley is one of the major tourist destinations in Cuba. With its specific fauna and flora, the unique natural beauty of the place attracts many hiking and rock climbing lovers. The Valley is also a site of interest because of the use of traditional methods of agriculture and the Vernacular architecture of its villages and farms.

5. Urban Historic Center of Cienfuegos

Located on the southern coast of Cuba, about 155 miles from La Havana, Cienfuegos is a center of the sugar, tobacco and coffee trade. Also known as the Pearl of the South (La Perla del Sur), the bay of Cienfuegos has a 18th Century fortress, called Castillo de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles de Jagua and erected to protect the city against Caribbean pirates. The historic center features a remarkable Neoclassical cluster, six splendid Spanish buildings dating to the 19th Century and more than thousand 20th Century buildings.