The city of Pinar del Río is in fairly well upkeep by Cuban standards, especially considering the nationwide shortages of paint and construction materials.  Like Havana, Pinar del Río features many beautiful pieces of beautiful architecture.  Pinar del Río has a particular abundance of highly decorated, well maintained neoclassical buildings.

Historically, the city of Pinar del Río the and surrounding area have been important in tobacco production.  In the 18th century, smugglers seeking to evade the Spanish' monopoly on the tobacco trade chose this area because of its distance from the government in Havana, as well as the prime soil and conditions.  As sugar cane became Cuba's primary cash crop, and single greatest source of economic income, however, the importance of Pinar del Río's tobacco crop fell and the city suffered from administrative neglect.  Today, Pinar del Río manufactures some of Cuba's finest cigars, using tobacco leaves grown near the city.  Pinar del Río is still considered an unimportant city by many Cubans, despite its size and economic significance relative to the rest of the towns in the province.