Formerly the smartest district in Cienfuegos, Punta Gorda extends across a long peninsula. Run down in places, the Malecón promenade is fronted by impressive villas, vestiges of the American period under Batista. Buildings of note here include the Hotel Jagua, a concrete former casino (1950) next door to the Palacio de Valle, an eclectic mix of styles where the Moorish taste predominates, and elegant wooden villas built by Louisiana colonists. Make sure you find time to relax in the charming little square overlooking the bay.