Best attractions in Cuba – what is worth seeing?

Cuba – a country that sounds as mysterious as it is romantic. Rumors abound, some warn against it, others recall their Cuban vacation as the greatest adventure of their lives. It's certainly not for everyone, but if you possess even a hint of decadent nostalgia, you'll surely fall in love with Havana's narrow streets and its extraordinary atmosphere – and this is just the beginning of your journey. Revolution, rum, and cigars – these are the first, and in most cases, only, associations with this island nation, but in reality, they're a bit unfair. Because where's the music blaring in the evenings and couples swaying to the rhythm of hot Cuban salsa? Where's the charming village hidden among tobacco plantations and pristine beaches bordering magnificent coral reefs? This is one of those places that, upon closer inspection, reveals a completely different side, so it's worth seeing for yourself… The problem, however, is time. You can't fully explore the entire country in two weeks; you have to sacrifice something – and that's where we're here to help. We've selected the best attractions in Cuba for you – the must-sees – and we'll be happy to tell you about them before you start planning your trip to the land of salsa and cigars.

Attractions in Cuba – holiday guide

Havana

Our first stop is of course the wonderful Havana. This is a city like no other, and a walk through its oldest district, La Habana Vieja, is a real journey back in time. Be prepared for the Cuban atmosphere to hit you full force as soon as you get off the plane. A great idea is to travel to your hotel in a vintage car, especially if it is located in the city center, where classic oldtimers fit best. Sit comfortably and admire the beautiful baroque and neoclassical buildings that have witnessed many great moments in history, such as the sinking of the battleship USS Maine or the grand finale of the Cuban Revolution. In the evening, take a walk along the Malecón, a promenade along the coast that is always filled with noise, laughter and music. It will take you to the neighboring district, Vedado, associated with numerous hotels, office buildings and restaurants, where the famous Hotel Nacional de Cuba is located. This extraordinary building, built in an eclectic style, has hosted an impressive number of celebrities in its less than 100 years of existence – Jean-Paul Sartre, Winston Churchill, Jimmy Carter, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando, Ernest Hemingway, Yuri Gagarin and Alexander Fleming are just a few of the long list of names. What else can you do in Havana? You can visit, for example, the rum museum, where an experienced guide will tell you about the history of this drink and organize a tasting for you. You can also visit the cigar factory and museum – be sure to buy an original Cuban cigar there as a souvenir. And if you dream of feeling the hot Cuban temperament for yourself, take part in a salsa lesson – because where better to get to know this passionate dance than in its cradle? We also have a proposition for fans of literature, especially the work of the aforementioned Ernest Hemingway. The writer, who fell in love with Havana at first sight, spent seven years here, living in the Ambos Mundos Hotel during that time. Room 511, where he wrote one of his greatest works, “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” has been preserved unchanged and turned into a small museum, while in the hotel restaurant you can have lunch or dinner, choosing a dish from a special menu of Hemingway’s favorite dishes. Still not enough excitement? Then hide the map and simply delve into the labyrinth of streets, let yourself get lost a little and see where the Cuban capital will take you.

Havana and the Caribbean Coast of Mexico

Havana and the Caribbean Coast of Mexico | Havana, Valladolid, Playa del Carmen
During your trip to Cuba and Mexico, you will experience unforgettable moments, getting to know the authentic culture and everyday life of the Caribbean people. Hot salsa rhythms and the decadence of Havana, delightful Caribbean beaches, mystical Mayan pyramids and incredibly favorable weather!

What to see in Cuba

Trinidad

If you are enchanted by the streets of La Habana Vieja, which are steeped in history, you will surely fall in love with Trinidad. It is said to be a city where time has stopped – somewhere around 1850. It was founded shortly after the discovery of the New World, but its heyday did not come until the XNUMXth century, when it became one of the largest sugar producers in this part of the world and the largest in Cuba. It did not enjoy this position for long, because soon the continental blockade imposed by Napoleon and the nearby city of Cienfuegos caused Trinidad lost its importance and began to fall into oblivion. For the next 150 years it remained isolated, thanks to which it retained its original character and today it proudly presents its cozy, cobbled streets leading to a labyrinth of beautiful, colonial buildings painted in all the colors of the rainbow. Locals are happy to rent rooms in these houses, which is a great idea if you want to really feel the local atmosphere - because let's be honest, no museum will tell you as much about a given country as a home-cooked dinner with a local family. But if museums are more your cup of tea, you will find the remains of a former sugar plantation, along with the residence of its owners, near the city. And remember, if your plan includes trips to Cuba is Trinidad, a must-try is canchánchara – a cocktail invented here, consisting of rum, honey and lemon juice.

Cuba - what is worth seeing

Giron Beach

Tired of all the sightseeing? Then we invite you to Playa Girón! Spread your towels on the white sand and catch some golden tan – or take a dip to cool down in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. This place is the very essence of a holiday, one of the most beautiful seaside towns in Cuba. Smaller than the crowded Varadero, and therefore much quieter and more peaceful – fewer people also means less rubbish and more space on the beach. In addition, the coral reefs in Playa Girón are in no way inferior to those on the northern coast of the island, and if you fancy seeing them, there is a diving centre less than 100 metres from the beach, where you can rent equipment and – if you have never tried it before – hire an instructor. The uniqueness of this place is also evidenced by its history, as it was here that American troops landed during the Bay of Pigs invasion on 17 April 1961. When you get tired of swimming in the sea, head to the nearby museum dedicated to this event, where you will learn how it was possible for a tiny Cuban David to repel the attack of a mighty American Goliath with better equipment and more numerous troops. And if you want to organize a trip around the area, ask at the hotel reception about the possibility of renting a… horse. Galloping along the ocean shore towards the setting sun? An unforgettable experience guaranteed!

Cuba Autentica - in the homes of Cubans

Cuba Autentica – in the homes of Cubans | Havana, Vinales, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Cayo Santa Maria
Hot rhythms of salsa and rumba, delightful Caribbean beaches, romanticism and decadence of Havana, energetic music and extremely favorable weather. The last bastion of communism in a tropical edition invites you to its hot thresholds!

Cuba - what to visit

Casa Particular in Santiago de Cuba

Now that you have rested on the beautiful beach of Playa Girón, we are taking you to a place full of energy, music and passion – here we are Casa Particular in Santiago de CubaIf you are wondering what is worth seeing during holidays in Cuba, this city ranks just below the wonderful Havana. Founded in 1514, it quickly became the country’s capital, and although it soon lost that title, in subsequent years it regularly produced great personalities – and brilliant musicians. It was the flashpoint of the Cuban Revolution, and it is here that you can see one of the oldest monuments on the island – the Velázquez house, today transformed into the Museum of Cuban History. If museums are not your thing, head to Parque Cespedes, a small square in the city centre where there is always something going on. Maybe – if you’re lucky – you’ll catch a performance of traditional Cuban dance, the danzón. Right next to it is the impressive Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, which has lost its original appearance during the course of renovations, but its huge, neoclassical structure still makes an impression. It is said that the remains of the city's founder, the Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, were buried here, although this information has not yet been confirmed with certainty. To the south of the city, above the entrance to the bay around which Santiago de Cuba is located, are the perfectly preserved ruins of the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca fortress, dating from 1638. Built to protect the bay from pirate attacks, it is an example of brilliant engineering solutions, visible especially in the complex system of drawbridges. If you decide to visit this place, you will have the opportunity to admire the wonderful panorama of the entire bay and the city lying on it, but if you prefer to indulge in sweet laziness, you will easily find one of several large beaches in the area. And in the evening, take a walk through Vista Alegre, an exclusive district full of beautiful residences from the beginning of the last century. Today, they house shops, service premises, hotels and restaurants - and that is why we came here. Vista Alegre is the best place to try authentic Cuban cuisine in a place filled with an authentic Cuban atmosphere.

Cuba - tourist attractions

Isla de la Juventud

Ready to continue your journey? Then pack your bags, because we are taking you to the other end of the country – specifically to Isla de la Juventud, the romantic-sounding island of youth. It was this island that inspired Robert Luis Stevenson to write the famous “Treasure Island”, which was the name it bore when Caribbean pirates had their bases there. Because who said that the best attractions in Cuba are museums and monuments? If you are going to an island in the Caribbean Sea, it would be a sin not to take advantage of its numerous beaches, right? However, Isla de la Juventud is not just about beaches – it is a forgotten gem hiding an original culture and rare ecosystems. You may be interested in the Cueva de Punta del Este cave complex located about 60 km from the main city, where you can see over 200 well-preserved pictographs – which is why this place is often called the Sistine Chapel of the indigenous people of the Caribbean. And if you’re not afraid of strong sensations, head to Presidio Modelo, a former prison designed according to the panopticon scheme. This is where Fidel Castro and his younger brother Raul were imprisoned for three years after the failed attack on the military barracks in Santiago de Cuba, which started the Cuban Revolution. Today, this original building houses a museum, which is nicely complemented by the port in nearby Nueva Gerona, where you can see the ferry that the arrested revolutionaries took back to Cuba after being released from Presidio Modelo. However, if such strong sensations are not for you, we have another suggestion – Museo Municipal, where you can learn about the history of the indigenous people and see numerous archaeological finds. And then be sure to go to one of the nearby beaches and have a good rest before our last stop, because it will be very intense!

Luxury Vacations in Cuba – Decadent Havana and Paradise Cayo Santa Maria

Luxury Cuba Vacations – Decadent Havana and Paradise Cayo Santa Maria | Havana, Cayo Santa Maria
Do you feel like traveling to a country that lives for music, and the sounds of salsa and rumba resound from dusk until dawn? To a land where you can spend your days on heavenly Caribbean beaches or sip rum and cola in the shadow of colonial buildings? Do you dream of a sentimental, yet luxurious trip to Cuba, a country in the final stages of communism? Now you have the chance to go on a luxury trip to Cuba to get to know and love this hot island as it really is!

Top attractions in Cuba

Casa Particular in Viñales

If you're wondering where Cubans get the high-quality tobacco for their famous cigars, the answer is: right here. Casa Particular in Viñales, which is the name of both the valley and the town located in it, is full of tobacco crops, which owe their unique qualities to the fertile, reddish soil. Here you will see a completely different face of Cuba - calmer, simpler, in harmony with nature. You can of course treat your visit here as a rest surrounded by nature, but we strongly encourage you to explore the area, because it hides many treasures. You will probably have no problem renting a bike, every second local will offer it to you (for a small fee, of course), and having already a means of transport, go to Mural de la Prehistoria first - a huge painting made on a rock measuring 120 by 180 meters. The mural shows the process of evolution, from single-celled organisms to humans, and it took 5 years to make it. By bike you can also easily reach the Cuevas del Indio cave complex, which can be visited from the deck of a motorboat. The breathtaking rock formations are just a foretaste of what awaits the world once the rest of this vast underground complex is discovered and explored. Another cave, El Palenque de los Cimarrones, once served as a hideout for slaves who had escaped from nearby plantations, but today it’s worth visiting on a Saturday night when it transforms into a… disco! Still not enough excitement? Then try the zipline, which will certainly get your adrenaline pumping – you’ll come across it on the way to Mural de la Prehistoria. If you’re a real active person, plan a full-day trek around the area on one of the several trails running through the valley. And finally – and here again, bikes will come in handy – ride north to the coast, where you’ll find Cayo Jutias, a beautiful, if unpopular, beach where you can relax after the excitement of exploring the Viñales Valley. Rest well and take in the landscape of this beautiful island, because this is where we leave you. The next day it's time to return to Havana and leave wonderful Cuba with regret.