Cuba: Cuban art for sale on the street in Vinales, Pinar del Rio Province

Viñales, a valley hidden away in the Sierra de los Organos in Western Cuba ranks among the loveliest regions of the country.

The entire northern horizon is dotted with limestone outcrops known locally as mogotes. Geologists explain that during the Cretaceous period around 100 million years ago underground rivers eroded the high land near present-day Viñales, creating great caves which eventually collapsed leaving the spectacular outcrops visible today.

Viñales is really just a small village, with a population of around 5,000 and a single main street. The centre of the town is Iglesia Viñales, a fine colonial church dating from around 1880.