The band plays on in Cuba's Trinidad

The town of Trinidad on Cuba's south coast is a colourful symphony of pastel paint and Spanish colonial architecture.

It was founded in 1514 and prospered as the sugar trade made the landowners of Sancti Spiritus province rich through until the late 19th century.

Wandering the cobbled streets of this picturesque town you will see why Trinidad is an essential stop for most travellers in Cuba and why Unesco has made it a World Heritage site.

Plaza Mayor is Trinidad's shop window and this central square with its palm tree-lined promenades and gracious mansions is where you will most likely start your explorations.

One large house has been turned into the prettily-named Museo de Romantica and displays the wealth of the Spanish colonial sugar plantation owners, with the best glass, furniture and porcelain imported from all over Europe.

Exquisitely decorated fans made with mother of pearl and enormous chandeliers made from Murano glass - all bought at the expense of slaves working long, hard days in the sugar-cane fields.

Back in town, a red and white 1950s Chevrolet cruises slowly up the road, followed by a horse and cart. Both are driven by men in battered cowboy hats.

Climb the pale green and yellow bell-tower in the late afternoon and look out over the red terracotta-tiled roofs toward the blue hills.

For another sunset view over the town and out to the coast, walk through Plaza Mayor and directly up the hill to the little chapel where children fly kites and hang about pestering tourists for money.

After nightfall the partying begins. Sipping a cocktail in the garden courtyard of our accommodation after supper we gaze at the stars and listen to the music starting up all over town.

The sound of a lone jazz trumpet here; a band warming up there. When you're ready, walk out into the street, follow the sound of music to that virtuosic trumpeter and start a slow salsa.

Take a relaxing ride into the heart of the Valle de los Ingenios on a 1932 steam train that leaves the station south of town every morning at around 09:30.

The old wooden carriages have open windows so you can lean out and watch the world go by as the train chuffs through lush jungle and endless banana palm and sugar fields.

This line was built to carry the sugar cane from the plantations to the coastal port and stops at the former estate of Manaca Ignaza, where the old plantation house has been turned into a restaurant.

You can climb the 45-metre tower built to impose the owner's will over his domain to look out over the surrounding countryside.

The train then potters slowly onward. Slow enough to smell the jungle and see the striped butterflies beside the tracks.

At the last minute before the train chugged out of the station in Trinidad a trio of caterwauling musicians leapt onboard, ready to entertain us with their rendition of La Bamba while the engine took on water 15 minutes out of town.

This was a very rare bad music moment in a Cuba holiday and was more than made for up by the family of musicians who sang and played their hearts out in the deep veranda of the old hacienda where the train stopped for lunch.

Lean cowboys mooch around the house and lean over the fence under the spreading acacia trees, listening to a mournful remembrance of Che Guevara. Like a mournful ballad for a lost lover they sing of their immortal commandante.

The band plays on until the train whistle calls us to return to Trinidad.

Details:

Trinidad is a five-hour bus journey from Havana with the Viazul coach company.

There are some run-down hotels but the best accommodation option is a casa particular - the official homestay scheme - which costs around 25 Convertible Cuban Pesos (£14) per night for a double room, with breakfast only a couple of pesos extra.

The writer stayed at Casa Tarmargo (felixmatilde@yahoo.com). Ask Matilde to cook you a lobster supper - only 12 CUCs (£6.50) for two fat juicy tails and all the accompaniments.

Another popular day trip from Trinidad is Playa Ancon, a lovely beach resort around 12 kilometres away that attracts holidaymakers to its white sands and azure sea.

Natasha von Geldern