Travel advice for Cuba
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Cuba
Book your individual trip, stress-free with local travel experts
written by Rough Guides Editors
updated 14.01.2021
Sitting just 160 km off Florida’s coast, Cuba is the largest of the Caribbean islands. From its bigger cities to its rural utopias, each area of Cuba has its own specific history and unique atmosphere. But at 109,884 km², the island is bigger than most people realise and you might just have to make some hard choices when it comes to your itinerary.
To give you a hand, we’ve put together a list of five of the best places to go in Cuba on a first-time visit.
15 days / from2961 USD
Cuba - Family, Beach, and Culture
Enjoy a 2-week family adventure visiting highlights and hidden gems of Cuba. Marvel at the colonial architecture in Havana, enjoy a ride in a Classic Car, explore the forests close to Trinidad, and relax on white sandy beaches of Cayo Levisa - this trip packs it all into one itinerary.
view tour ⤍5 days / from1007 USD
Bike Cuba
A moderately challenging cycling holiday through Cuban countryside visiting the tobacco fields of Viñales Valley and a pristine Caribbean beach in Cayo Jutias.
view tour ⤍13 days / from3510 USD
Western and Central Cuba by E-bike
Combine a leisurely activity with an insight into some of Cuba’s most fascinating cultural highlights on this new e-biking tour of Western and Central Cuba. Explore the tobacco region of Viñales, cycle along the Bay of Pigs and relax on the fine sandy beaches of Cayo Las Brujas.
view tour ⤍8 days / from1889 USD
Family Trip - an active adventure
Take the family a step back in time: Explore Havana in classic cars and on foot, take a boat trip to the Cueva del Indio in Viñales and relax on the white, sandy beaches of Cayo Levisa.
view tour ⤍8 days / from1922 USD
Salsa Cubana
Only have a few days? Take this Highlight Tour of Western Cuba to explore the main areas: From Havana over the Viñales valley to Trinidad and Che's monument in Santa Clara. This fast-paced itinerary is packed with highlights.
view tour ⤍11 days / from2205 USD
Salsa Cubana - Extended
Cuba, the island of rum, salsa, and the revolution. Explore the island's Western highlights on this trip: From Havana over the Viñales Valley to the famous Bay of Pigs and Trinidad - this trip has no shortage of highlights.
view tour ⤍6 days / from1495 USD
Compact Cuba: Havana to Trinidad
Fall in love with Cuba as you explore Havana’s enticing and fading colonial streets, where salsa music emanates from every window, and the sweet pungent aroma of cigar smoke holds the air. Continue to the beautiful colonial city of Trinidad, and the fascinating Bay of Pigs.
view tour ⤍8 days / from1950 USD
The Culture and Beaches of Cuba: From Havana to Varadero
This trip takes in three distinctly different areas of Cuba: begin at the iconic, cultural hub of Havana, before travelling to the picturesque rural town of Viñales, and then onto the picture-perfect Varadero Beach, one of the best in the Caribbean. Strike the perfect balance with this unique trip!
view tour ⤍15 days / from2645 USD
Cuba Completa - Off the beaten track
Go off-the-beaten-track in Cuba. Explore the birthplace of Fidel Castro, relax on Cayo Saetia, an island that used to be Fidel's private holiday home, and explore the Eastern part with Santiago de Cuba.
view tour ⤍15 days / from3191 USD
Complete Cuba: Nature, Tradition and Sights of the Revolution
This evocative country offers everything from rich history to exquisite cuisine, idyllic beaches, unique landscapes and charming, colourful cities. Discover the best Cuba has to offer with the complete itinerary encompassing sights related to its literary past and the revolution.
view tour ⤍8 days / from1836 USD
Highlights of Cuba: Havana, Trinidad and Cienfuegos
Discover the charismatic country of Cuba. Begin in the iconic city of Havana, where you'll explore the old town, and enjoy a classic car tour! Head into the country, to Viñales and then Trinidad, the former centre of Cuba's sugar production. Continue to the Bay of Pigs, then return to Havana.
view tour ⤍8 days / from1637 USD
Western Skyline Ride
Saddle up and enjoy a week-long cycling holiday through Western Cuba. Cycle through the countryside visiting Las Terrazas and the tobacco fields of Viñales via the spectacular Skyline Trail.
view tour ⤍5 days / from1062 USD
Havana: History and Hemingway
Havana is like nowhere else on earth: the jewel in Cuba's crown effortlessly blends dishevelled beauty with risqué and vibrant charm. Spend a few days exploring Havana, including the old town, Ernest Hemingway's favourite cigar smoke-filled jazz club, and a tour of the city in a classic car!
view tour ⤍10 days / from2320 USD
Cuba: A Feast for the Senses
Welcome to Cuba, an unbeatable bucket-list destination that is a feast for all the senses. This trip will take you beyond Havana's city limits, with its cigar smoke-filled jazz bars, to discover other towns, rural villages and plantations across Cuba, not to mention the idyllic Varadero Beach.
view tour ⤍17 days / from3661 USD
Mi Cuba Linda
Your journey starts and ends in Havana, with stops in Viñales, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad in between. Staying at Casa Particulares and dining at private restaurants allows an authentic peek into Cuban life. The grand finale awaits at an all-inclusive resort in Cayo Santa Maria, promising relaxation.
view tour ⤍Most trips to Cuba start and end in Havana. But Cuba’s capital deserves to be first on the list for many more reasons than its convenience as a transport hub. Full of free spirit, crumbling buildings and classic American cars, Havana is a heady mixture of the run-down and the sophisticated, charged with an under-current of excitement and vigour.
La Habana Vieja, Havana’s old town, is where most of the action takes place. Wander past colourful facades to check out grandiose monuments like El Capitolio (the National Capitol Building). Next, check out the baroque 16th century Catedral de San Cristobal. Then break for a cocktail at the Plaza de Armas, the city’s longstanding social hub.
Before delving headfirst into Havana’s legendary nightlife, spend the rest of the afternoon people watching at the Malecón. The seawall’s coastal views and carefree atmosphere make it one of the best places to go in Cuba.
A ride in an American classic car is a must when in Cuba. Take this 2-hour ride through the streets of Centro Habana, Vedado and Miramar before heading to the famous Hotel Nacional for a sunset cocktail. Cuba in style!
Spend 4 nights in Cuba's capital Havana before heading to the white sandy beaches of Varadero: The Culture and Beaches of Cuba trip is the ideal sample for those wanting to taste Cuban life in the capital before relaxing on the beach.
It’s been said that Castro’s favourite place on the whole of the island was the Viñales Valley. It’s not hard to see why. Interspersed with rocky karst outcrops, its fertile plains run against mountains to breath-taking effect. Most importantly, the Viñales Valley is also where the country’s finest tobacco is grown – likely another reason for the cigar-loving leader’s adoration. A few days in Viñales will give you a perfect snapshot into rural Cuban life. And while the town is certainly tiny, there’s a dance club if you feel like letting off steam in the evening.
Explore the region on an e-bike: discover tobacco plantations, stop en-route to chat with the ever-friendly locals and visit a cave that has since turned into a night club.
Discover Western Cuba in depth with this sample trip. After two nights in Havana you set out to explore Soroa and Vinales before returning for a final two nights in Havana again. And as with all of these sample trips - they're 100% customisable to your preferences, no matter if you want to change the route, activities or accommodation or just book it as it is - simply click 'modify this itinerary' to receive your quote.
Some time on the beach is definitely next on the cards. And where better than the archipelago where Hemingway was said to have sailed his yacht looking for German submarines? Connected to the mainland by a series of beaches, Jardines del Rey is a chain of idyllic islands. Tourism arrived late to Jardines del Rey with the result that it’s pleasingly underdeveloped. In fact, the entire area is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with no permanent residents allowed on the islands. One of the archipelago’s best beaches is the sublime Playa Pilar. Pilar sits pretty on the Cayo Coco, and its 21-kilometre stretch of white sand is framed by mangroves. Add a huge flamingo colony to Jardines del Rey’s list of attributes, and we think you’ll agree it’s definitely one of the best places to go in Cuba.
Complete Cuba - Nature, Tradition and Sights of the Revolution. Arrive in Havana and make your way all throughout the island with stops in Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Cayo Coco, Camaguey and Santiago before returning to Havana.
Trinidad is Cuba’s colonial treasure. Its Old Town boasts UNESCO heritage listing and to protect its narrow cobbled streets, it’s only accessible by foot or horse-drawn cart. The city is known for its iconic coloured buildings and the neo-baroque architecture at Plaza Mayor, the main square. Explore the fascinating Museum of the War Against the Bandits and then watch the sunset on nearby Playa Ancon. Finish with a night of salsa and canchánchara rum cocktails at Casa de la Música.
Take an e-bike ride along the coastline and the Valley of Sugar Mills to explore Trinidad's countryside. Afterwards, return to the city to learn more about Trinidad's history and culture.
If the idea of taking an e-bike for longer than a day excites you, take a look at our Western and Central Cuba by e-bike trip: 13 days of exploration and adventure await.
Baracoa sits on the spot where Christopher Colombus first made landfall in 1492. Diego Velazquez founded Cuba’s first capital here at the eastern tip of the island some 20 years later. The colonial history of this first city is captured in the lofty architecture of monuments such as the Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion. In more modern times, Baracoa has attracted a host of legendary characters, including the magic realist writer Alejo Carpentier. For those after active adventure, there’s the El Yunque mountain’s pristine rainforest to hike in.
Find more inspiration for visiting Cuba in our guide to the best things to do in Cuba.
written by Rough Guides Editors
updated 14.01.2021
Use Rough Guides' trusted partners for great rates
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Cuba