Discover the top things to do in Cuba
But there’s more to Cuba than its abundant natural beauty. A heady melting pot of fascinating history, distinct cultural flavour, effervescent people and elegantly decayed architecture, there are many wonderful places to visit in Cuba to keep visitors entertained and intrigued.
Here are our top five things to do in Cuba:
1. Explore Havana’s architectural heritage
Exploring the UNESCO World Heritage site of Havana is a must for any visitor to Cuba with an interest in architecture and history. The result of a cocktail of historic influences, Havana’s architecture bears the marks of Cuba’s colourful past, boasting Spanish, Moorish, Italian, Greek and even Roman architecture along the picturesque streets and squares of the Old Town.
Some of the best preserved Colonial architecture in the Caribbean can be found in Cuba, but you don’t need to be an enthusiast to appreciate the beauty of Havana’s Baroque cathedral, historic forts and picturesque Old Town. Stroll around the city at your leisure and admire the architecture as you go or take an organised city tour to find out more about Havana’s architectural heritage.
2. Travel the Revolutionary Road
Cuba’s rich revolutionary history is ever-present as you explore the island, marked by museums and monuments dedicated to Castro’s guerrillas and the Revolution.
Learn more about this pivotal point in Cuba’s history and the victory of the Cuban revolutionaries on January 1st 1959, which ended two years of fighting against Fulgencio Batista, by travelling along the historic route of the rebels led by Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos.
Taking this route from the east of the island where the guerrilla war began to the capital of Havana also enables you to explore Cuba’s lesser-known eastern provinces, deserted beaches and historic towns along the way.
3. Walk Trinidad’s cobbled stone streets
The UNESCO World Heritage site of Trinidad is often referred to as a living museum and a walk along its cobbled streets to admire its perfectly preserved squares and beautiful colonial houses really is like a step back in time.
Visit the city’s museum to find out more about Trinidad’s history or simply soak up the enchanting Spanish atmosphere that lingers on from Cuba’s colonial past as you wander alongside horse-pulled carts and guitar-wielding troubadours.
4. Follow in Hemingway’s footsteps
Ernest Hemingway’s love for Cuba was well documented and his experiences on the island provided the inspiration for much of his work.
Discover what made Hemingway fall in love with this beautiful island by exploring Western Cuba’s spectacular scenery and colonial towns, stopping off to enjoy a cocktail in the bar he often frequented in Havana, El Floridita.
5. Discover rural Cuba
Cuba is renowned for its beautiful beaches and impressive landscapes but nowhere on the island is more scenic than the unique Viñales in Pinar del Rio, Cuba’s most westerly province.
Travel from Havana across two stunning mountain ranges to the Viñales Valley with its Indian’s Cave and iconic pincushion-shaped hills encircled by mountains. En route you can visit Veguero House, a drying house for tobacco leaves, and the community of Las Terrazas to uncover true rural Cuba.