Around 600m west of the frenzy of República sits another sublimely beautiful square, one less visited than the central plazas. It's backed on the eastern side by the masterful Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen, one of the prettiest city churches.
More than a decade ago Plaza del Carmen was a ruin, but it's now restored to a state better than the original. The cobbled central space has been infused with giant tinajones (clay pots), atmospheric street lamps and unique life-sized sculptures of camagüeyanos going about their daily business (reading newspapers and gossiping, mostly).