Las Terrazas, Artemisa, Cuba

Las Terrazas is a small community and natural reserve located in the municipality of Candelaria, in current Artemisa province. It is nestled in Sierra del Rosario, which was designated a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1984. The reserve is rich in flora and fauna, and it also includes lakes, rivers and waterfalls. It is a green paradise of 5,000 ha. of secondary forests, planted around the hills that were deforested by the terraces built to prevent erosion; hence the name of terrazas or terraces, now available to lovers of ecotourism. Furthermore, the human settlement of about 1,000 inhabitants reinforces the experience of promoting rural development in Cuba. Resident families of peasants, workers, artists, musicians and craftsmen currently welcome those interested in learning about, interacting with and sharing actions to promote human betterment.