Guane

Guane is small - a plaza, a stone church of the eighteenth century, a few streets - and it takes its name from the Guane people who lived in this country before the conquest and who were largely destroyed by disease and displacement within a century of contact. The Casa de Cultura museum holds a collection assembled locally: marine fossils from the surrounding hills, which were seabed in the Cretaceous, alongside Guane ceramics, textiles and several mummified human remains preserved by the dry conditions and displayed in the manner of an older generation of museum. Most visitors arrive on foot down the Camino Real from Barichara and take the bus back up. The setting is dry canyon country with cactus and views to the Suarez.

What you actually see

• A plaza and eighteenth-century church - the whole village around them.
• Cretaceous marine fossils - from hills that were seabed.
• Guane ceramics and mummies - displayed in an older museum style.
• The bottom of the Camino Real - where most arrivals come from.

When to go

December to March. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The village is very small - an hour covers it. The museum's display of human remains reflects an older approach and some visitors find it uncomfortable. Buses back to Barichara run on a limited timetable. There is little shade.

Nearby

Barichara is uphill; the Suarez canyon is below.