Old Havana (Habana Vieja)
A UNESCO world heritage site, Habana Vieja or Old Havana is a well-preserved slice of Cuban history. Strolling around the cobbled streets and gazing up at the grand Baroque and neoclassical buildings, it’s easy to imagine what life in Cuba was like 200 years ago. Extensive renovations are now breathing new life into the historic buildings. Major attractions here include the Plaza de la Catedral, home to the Cuban Baroque Catedral de San Cristobal; the legendary restaurant and Hemingway hangout, Bodeguita del Medio; and the military fortress, Castillo de la Real Fuerza.Also in the Old Town, Plaza Vieja is one of Havana’s most vibrant gathering spots. The main building of note here is the 18th-century Casa del Conde Jaruco with beautiful stained glass windows on the first floor. Nearby, the camera obscura offers fantastic views from its 35-meter tower. Visitors should allow at least a day to explore the Old Town and more if time permits.
Varadero
Varadero is one of Cuba’s most famous beach destinations. It stretches along the Peninsula de Hicacos, which juts into the sea off the north coast where a drawbridge connects it to the mainland. More than 50 hotels line this popular palm-fringed strip, and its magnificent white-sand beaches draw visitors from around the world. Highlights include Parque Natural Punta Hicacos (Parque Natural de Varaderos), a nature reserve with a pretty beach, and the two caves,Cueva de Ambrosio and Cueva de Musulmanes.Also in Varadero, the peaceful Parque Josone is home to lush flower gardens, a restaurant, swimming pool, and a small lake where visitors can paddle about in rowboats. Northeast of Varadero, Cayo Piedra Underwater Park is a popular diving and snorkeling area where underwater explorers will find shipwrecks and glinting shoals of brightly colored fish. Besides diving and snorkeling, Varadero offers excellent deep-sea fishing, golf, skydiving, and day trips to cultural attractions.
Trinidad
Exploring the town of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is like stepping back in time. The beautifully restored buildings and cobblestone streets in the city center imbue a quaint colonial feel. Much of the architecture dates from the 17th to the 19th century when Trinidad prospered from both the sugar and slave trades.Today, Trinidad is one of Cuba’s most popular tourist towns and the streets are often packed with foreigners. Travelers can soak up the lively ambiance of this charming city in the cobblestonePlaza Mayor, the city’s central square. Above the square stands the Neoclassical Church of the Holy Trinity (Iglesia Parroquial de la Santisima Trinidad). Other highlights are the Church and Monastery of Saint Francis (Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco) with its distinctive bell tower, the Museum of Colonial Architecture (Museo de Arquitectura Colonial), the art gallery at theCasa de Aldeman Ortiz, and the Palacio Brunet, a grand home, built in 1812 and still featuring original frescoes and marble floors.East of Trinidad, on the road to Sancti Spiritus, the lush World Heritage-listed Valle de los Ingenios contains numerous relics and monuments from the 19th century when the sugar cane plantations and mills flourished. It’s also a great place to drive or horseback ride through the beautiful scenery of green sugar cane fields, palm trees, and mountains.
Guardalavaca
Rimmed by glittering beaches, Guardalavaca, in the Holguin province, is quieter and more remote than Varadero. Lush foliage fringes the sweeping strand of beach here providing plenty of shady patches for those seeking respite from the tropical sun. Divers and snorkelers can explore a plethora of sea life along the coral reefs.Day trips from Guardalavaca include jungle adventures, sailing trips, and tours of Santiago de Cuba. West of Guardalavaca, Bahia de Naranjo encompasses a large slice of coast and three islands, including Cayo Naranjo with the popular Dolphinarium offering close-up encounters with these gregarious creatures. Chorro de Maita is another side trip option from Guardalavaca with its native Indian burial area and a recreated Taino Indian village.
Playa Paraíso, Cayo Largo del Sur
In a country known for its beautiful beaches, Playa Paraíso (Paradise Beach), on the island of Cayo Largo del Sur, is one of Cuba’s best. This sublime strand of powdery white sand and baby blue sea skirts the sheltered western edge of the island and merges with the equally ravishingPlaya Sirena. The island of Cayo Largo del Sur is truly a sun seekers’ destination with a typically dry, sunny climate and few tourist attractions besides beautiful beaches and many hotels and resorts.
Cayo Coco
Another of Cuba’s idyllic beach destinations and one of its most isolated, Cayo Coco starred in Hemingway’s novels, Islands in the Stream and The Old Man and the Sea along with nearbyCayo Guillermo. As part of the Jardines del Rey, the combined archipelago of Sabana-Camaguey, Cayo Coco is connected to the mainland by a bridge, though most visitors arrive by air.Sun-splashed beaches are the prime attraction. Playa Los Flamencos, on the Atlantic side of the island, is a standout with its 5 kilometer strand of sun-bleached sand, while the quiet and undeveloped Playa Prohibidad offers a peaceful nature trail. Animal lovers will enjoy the El Baba Nature Park, home to turtles, crocodiles, and flamingoes, and the island offers excellent birding.Connected by a causeway to Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo also boasts a bevy of beautiful beaches such as the ravishing Playa Pilar, as well as a string of all-inclusive resorts.
Parque Nacional Vinales (Valle de Vinales)
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Parque Nacional Vinales is a beautiful, verdant valley in the Sierra de los Organos, north of Pinar del Rio. Steep limestone hills called mogotes slice through the valleys creating a dramatic landscape. The valley floors in the Parque Nacional Vinales are agricultural areas where tobacco, fruit, and vegetables are grown. For outdoor enthusiasts, the park offers fantastic hiking and horseback riding in the hills. Nearby, the charming town ofVinales is a great base for exploring the surrounding area. Tour companies also offer day tripshere from Havana
The Malecon
Conceived in 1901 and partly built in 1902 and beyond, the Malecon is Havana’s famous seafront promenade. A walk along here offers a stroll through the history of the city. The promenade runs 7 kilometers from the Habana Vieja quarter to the Vedado, the central business district. Along the way, travelers will find an assortment of well-preserved 20th century buildings that represent a mixture of architectural styles including Art Deco and Neo Moorish. Painted in pastel pinks and yellows, the buildings are a photographer’s delight, especially in the golden glow of dusk. People watching is a favorite pastime here. Young lovers saunter hand-in-hand, local fisherman cast their lines, and children clamber along the sea wall.
Castillo de San Pedro del Morro, Santiago de Cuba
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Castillo del Morro is one of the best-preserved Spanish fortresses of the 17th century. It stands at the entrance to the Bay of Santiago, about 10 kilometers southwest of Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second largest city. Perched high atop a cliff, the structure was designed in 1587, but took decades to build and was finally completed at the end of the 17th century. It was originally intended to protect against pirate attacks, but also served as a prison in the late 1700s before being once again converted into a fortress.Today, visitors can explore the many different levels of the fort, learn about pirates and the fort history in the small museum, and enjoy impressive views over the bay. Other cultural highlights of Santiago de Cuba include the Diego Velasquez Museum and Cementerio de Santa Ifigenia, home to the remains of some of Cuba’s most famous military figures. Less than an hour from the city by car, Parque Baconao is a World Heritage Biosphere Reserve, where travelers can tour coffee plantations, wander through beautiful botanical gardens, and enjoy stunning 360-degree views over the mountains and sea from the 1,234 meter summit of Gran Piedra, a large volcanic rock.
Parque Historico Militar, Havana
The Parque Historico Militar encompasses two of Havana’s famous fortresses: the Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, also known as El Morro, and Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana. Presiding over the entrance of the Bay of Havana, El Morro was built in the late 16th century and early 17th century to fend off pirates and looks much the same as it did back then. The lighthouse was replaced with one of stone in the middle of the 19th century, but its original lamp still shines out to sea. Visitors can ascend to the top of the fort to admire the impressive views of the ocean and city.A short stroll from El Morro, Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana, constructed in the 1770s, was the biggest fort the Spanish ever built, as well as the most expensive. The fort became a military prison during the Batista regime and was later used as the headquarters for Che Guevara after the Revolution. Visitors can explore the museums here, which trace the history of this fascinating fort, but the most popular time to visit is at night when actors dressed in 19th-century costumes perform Ceremonia del Cañonazo, a cannon-firing ceremony at 9pm.