For the last two decades, the popular refrain on visiting Cuba has been “Go now before it changes forever”, which has seen tourism on this Caribbean island rocket.
Cuba is an island that regularly lurches forward, then crunches into reverse. And it is also a place renowned for its stagnation over the last six decades, since the 1959 Revolution stopped the clocks and turned everything upside down. When you travel to Cuba you’ll be struck by vintage radios, refrigerators and lamps, and swinging neon signs hanging over storefronts. There are antique pharmacies and traditional barbers, and iconic classic American cars everywhere. But this is no retro trend, it’s make-do-and-mend, frozen-in-carbonite Cuba.
However, the pace of modernization on the island is increasing exponentially. New swish hotels are springing up and first-class, family-run boutique hotels are flourishing. And house-based restaurants – paladars – are slowly putting Cuban cuisine on the culinary map.
There have been other transformations. In recent years this communist stronghold has lost its titanic patriarch, Fidel Castro and celebrated the first US presidential visit in 80 years. It has sworn in a new president of its own, Miguel Diaz-Canel, the first person outside the Castro family to lead the country since 1959.
But the uniqueness of Cuba is unwavering. Roadside billboards still proclaim “Socialism or death”, world-class ballerinas and baseball players earn the same meagre state salary as the ordinary workers. On your Cuba travels you can meet Cuban artists in their own front-room galleries and learn how to dance salsa in home-based studios. You can take a city tour in a 1956 Chevrolet and learn how to kite surf, rock climb, play the conga and ride a horse. And the island's breathtaking beaches, unspoiled seas and forest-covered mountains haven’t gone anywhere.
Aerial view of the Hotel Nacional in Havana © Kamira/Shutterstock
Festival-wise, the best celebrations in Cuba take place from July 25th to 27th where the locals take to the streets to celebrate the success of the Cuban Revolution. Expect rallies, speeches and dances. The Cubans celebrate these days as the happiest days in Cuban history.
Read more about festivals and when to go to Cuba.
Trinity Church in Plaza Mayor, Trinidad, Cuba © Maurizio De Mattei/Shutterstock
For more soft white sands head for Cayo Coco and the quieter Cayo Guillermo, off the north coast of Ciego de Ávila province. Base yourself in picturesque Morón if the luxury hotels on the cays are beyond your budget. Enjoy the surrounding countryside brimming with palm trees, sugar cane and citrus trees.
Camagüey, one of Cuba’s oldest towns and a UNESCO Heritage site, is crammed with architectural delights and atmospheric cobbled streets, and is particularly vibrant during its June carnival.
A short drive north is the low-key beach resort of Santa Lucía and the wonderfully remote and tranquil beaches of Cayo Sabinal.
Baracoa, a small vibrant coastal town set on Cuba’s southern tip is surrounded by some of the country’s most breathtaking mountains, rainforest and countryside.
Energetic and buzzing Santiago offers a laid-back, determinedly Caribbean vibe, enticing visitors with some of the best Cuban music, particularly during its lively annual July carnival.
Parque Agramonte in Camagüey © Alexandre G. ROSA/Shutterstock
If you’re travelling to Cuba from the US and you book via a specialist tour operator they’ll likely be licenced to take groups of US citizens. This removes the hassle of organising a licence yourself.
Get more information on how to fly to Cuba.
Taxis, especially shared ones, are an easy and fairly cheap way to travel in Cuba. Car hire is also a convenient option. Train travel is slow but a good way to see the country and cycling tours are gaining in popularity. For long distances it could be worth flying between destinations.
Read more about travelling around Cuba: the pitfalls of car hire and driving, getting around on buses, taxi options (Communal taxis, or taxis colectivos, long-distance taxis, tourist taxis, private taxis, bicitaxis and mototaxis), cycling and train travel.
This buzzing small town on Cuba’s southeastern tip is a must on the travellers’ circuit. Soak up its old-time atmosphere by wandering the streets of pastel-coloured colonial houses, and watch the world go by in Parque Central. Locals gather here to play chess and dominos. Baracoa is surrounded by some of the country’s most breathtaking mountains, rainforest and countryside, rich with banana and coconut trees. You can reach the flat summit of El Yunque, the flat-topped mountain in the Sagua Baracoa range in a couple of hours without breaking too much of a sweat. Your efforts will be rewarded with astounding views.
This archipelago on the north coast of Cuba offers soft, creamy sands, lapped by startlingly clear waters, gorgeous lagoons and pink flamingos, and dense mangroves. Playa Pilar beach on Cayo Guillermo is the top draw for beach lovers, while divers and snorkelers head for Cayo Coco’s northeast coast. It holds one of the longest coral reefs in the world, where angelfish, butterfly fish and surgeon provide a riot of colour. If underwater worlds aren’t your bag, explore Cayo Coco’s lush wooded interior, especially delightful for bird lovers. It’s a haven for hummingbirds and pelicans, and the marshes of the south provide sanctuary for herons and white ibis.
It feels as though time has stood still in this UNESCO world heritage site. Habana Vieja comprises cobbled plazas, crumbling colonial mansions, leafy courtyards, sixteenth-century forts and perfectly restored centuries-old buildings. With hardly any motorized traffic, it’s a delight to absorb the buzzing atmosphere simply by strolling. Plaza Vieja is the most animated and alluring square in Old Havana, alive with the hum of visitors in the cafés and restaurants. Pass the time and people-watch over a coffee or rum cocktail.
Giant humpbacked limestone hills (mogote) looming from the flat floor of lush Viñales valley are an arresting sight. This is particularly so early mornings when the valley can be shrouded in ethereal mist. Traditional tobacco farmers with their ox-driven ploughs add to the sense of time at a standstill. Enjoy the friendly vibe in the low-key village of Viñales, visit the nearby caves, perhaps explore the region on horseback.
Trinidad is the most visited town on the island and with good reason, for this UNESCO world heritage site oozes character. Wandering the cobbled streets of the old town, with its assortment of pastel-coloured, red-roofed houses and colonial mansions, is a delight. The beautiful Plaza Mayor is the focus of the old town with all the major museums close by. Scale the winding wooden staircases in the towers at the Museo de la Lucha Contra Bandidos and the Museo de Historia Municipal. You’ll get the best views of Trinidad, framed by coastline and mountains. Don’t leave Trinidad without experiencing the Casa de la Música. Drawing the largest crowds in town, this standout live music venue is Trinidad’s busiest, most animated spot. You’ll get the best big-band salsa and guaranteed dancing.
Trekking in the Sierra Maestra, Cuba’s highest mountain range will, literally and figuratively, take your breath away. Steep ascents make for some strenuous hikes, while the scenery of lush and untamed vegetation, wild seas, and far off sugar-cane fields, is spellbinding. You can only trek in the Sierra Maestra with a guide, but it’s well worth doing. The trail through the cloudforest of the Parque Nacional Turquino to the island’s highest point, Pico Turquino, is especially stunning.
The Sierra del Escambray holds some of the most stunning scenery in Cuba, with the Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes offering up wonderful hiking territory and horse-riding trails. Steep forested slopes of pine and eucalyptus trees give way to beautiful waterfalls and pools and awesome views. For access to a wider network of trails go with a guide, as access is restricted for independent travellers.
The journey to these remote, beach-blessed islets, the northern cays, along a 50km-long causeway skimming above clear waters, is reason enough to visit. But the star attraction is the paradisiacal, creamy soft sands of Playa Perla Blanca. Situated at the far eastern end of Cayo Santa María, this pristine beach feels remote and unspoiled, in part due to the absence of any facilities.
The waters around María La Gorda on the Península de Guanahacabibes offer some of the best diving in Cuba and the quiet town makes an ideal base. The protection of the bay means the waters are clear and calm, ideal for experienced divers and first-timers alike. The fifty or so dive sites offer the chance to witness a huge variety of underwater wildlife. This includes as the fierce-looking barracuda, lobsters, moray eels and whale sharks, among others.
Cuban cigars are generally known to be the best in the world – and the best of the best are produced in the fertile Vuelta Abajo region in the province of Pinar del Rio. While there are numerous tobacco plantations, the most famous is the Alejandro Robaina. Producing top-quality tobacco since 1845, it’s is the only plantation in Cuba to farm for its own brand, the Vegas Robaina, named after the founder’s grandson. Although Alejandro Robaina died in 2010 at the ripe old age of 91, the plantation is still thriving. You can go on an intimate and down-to-earth tour that vividly brings to life the journey of the plantation’s tobacco from seeding to cigar.
Get more information on things not to miss in Cuba.
View of Baracoa © Autumn Sky Photography/Shutterstock
Meet your Cuba local travel expert
For ideas on what to do in Havana over two to three days, take a look at our ‘Havana grand tour’ itinerary. If you’re interested in Cuba’s great outdoors and you have a couple of weeks to explore, take a look at our ‘Mountains and mogotes’ itinerary. And if you fancy getting around Cuba on two wheels our ‘Havana to Trinidad by bike’ itinerary will surely appeal.
We’ve created this sample itinerary combining city sights, culture and paradisiacal beaches – ideal for a first-time visit to Cuba.
Days 1 – 3: Havana
Havana, the 500-year-old vibrant capital made up of vintage cars, colourful colonial-style buildings, cigars and salsa. Head to charming Habana Vieja (Old Havana), to eat churros and explore the streets of crumbling buildings, new and interesting bars and restaurants. Embark on a classic car tour, where you will be driven to all the hot spots in Havana in a tasteful vintage car. Be sure to check out the Plaza de la Revolucion (Revolution Square) and the infamous Havana Cathedral. The Sinistro cigar factory is quite the icon in Havana. It provides tours in which you can roll your own cigars – perfect for a handmade souvenir.
Days 3 – 7: Playa Jibacoa and Varadero
About 60 km from Havana lies Cuba's best-kept secret, Playa Jibacoa. This picturesque beach is postcard worthy for its soft white sands and clear emerald waters. The beauty of Playa Jibacoa is that it is secluded and rarely known to tourists. Relax, swim and dive the sunken shipwrecks for a few days and enjoy the Caribbean heat. A little further away is the more well known beach spot, Varadero. Varadero offers the same gorgeous beaches but with more tourists and hotel chains.
Check out our other Cuba itineraries.
Read more about entry requirements: Cuba travel restrictions and visas for travel to Cuba.
See more on travelling with children in Cuba.
Morning view to Vinales valley, Cuba © Zaruba Ondrej/Shutterstock
Read more about accommodation in Cuba – the different types of hotels and hostales, casas particulares, campismos (similar to camping).
Read more about health matters in Cuba, such as food and water, mosquitos and ticks, sun exposure, hospitals, clinics and pharmacies, etc.
Women travelling alone in Cuba are generally safe, more so than in many Western cities, particularly at night. And women are treated with courtesy and respect. The problem women are most likely to encounter if they travel to Cuba is unwanted attention. However, it’s usually conducted with charm, so it tends to be more irritating than threatening.
Read more about safety in Cuba: women travelling alone, precautions against crime, etc.
Get more information on travel insurance for Cuba and information on purchasing travel insurance.
Meat tends to feature heavily on menus throughout Cuba, often roasted or prepared in a stew and accompanied by rice and beans, cassava or sweet potato. And you’ll find wonderfully fresh seafood in coastal areas. Street food is usually freshly made and very tasty, and provides a cheap lunch or snack. Common snack include tamales (steamed cornmeal, peppers and onions, wrapped in corn husks) and corn fritters.
Bear in mind that most establishments only take cash, and where credit cards are accepted, you can come up against problems. So it’s better to avoid card payment altogether.
Read more on food in Cuba: state restaurants and paladars, popular dishes, street food, fruit, sweets and snacks, etc.
Soft drinks, including Coke and Pepsi are sold in convertible-peso shops, alongside Cuba’s own alternative brands of fizzy pop. Other drinks in Cuba include granizado (a slush drink), guarapo (sweet frothy drink made from pressed sugar cane), Prú (speciality in Eastern Cuba and resembles spiced ginger beer) and fresh lemonade.
Unsurprisingly, coffee is a very popular drink among Cubans. It is served in all restaurants and bars and at national-peso coffee stands in town centres.
Read more on drink in Cuba.
Varadero beach © Kako Escalona/Shutterstock
From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Cuba
Cuba has two units of currency: the Cuban peso, or national peso (CUP) and the Cuban convertible peso (CUC), which can only be bought or sold in Cuba itself. Both are represented by the dollar sign ($), which can be confusing, although sometimes prices are specified as CUC, CUP, or MN (national pesos). Scottish, Northern Irish and Australian banknotes and coins cannot be exchanged in Cuba.
Always carry some money in cash, in low denominations, as many shops and restaurants, bus and train stations, simply won’t have enough change. The slightest tear in any banknote means it is likely to be refused.
The Banco Financiero Internacional and the Banco de Crédito y Comercio are the banks most used to dealing with foreign currency exchange; they have branches in all major cities.
Read more about money: costs, banks, currency exchange, and what to do in the event of financial difficulty in Cuba.
Read more on the media in Cuba.
Other outdoor sports and activities to try include kitesurfing, hiking (although access is restricted so you’ll probably need to go with a guide) and fishing – Cuba being one of the best fishing destinations in the Caribbean.
Spectator sports include baseball, basketball and soccer, and you can catch a game in the national leagues for next to nothing.
Find out more about sports and outdoor activities in Cuba.
Find out more about shopping in Cuba.
Get more travel tips for Cuba: such as opening hours, public holidays, working and studying in Cuba, LGBT travellers, travelling with a disability, tipping etiquette – and more.
© Shutterstock
Top image: Cuban flag in a doorway in Trinidad, Cuba © Sabino Parente/Shutterstock
In-depth, easy-to-use travel guides filled with expert advice.
written by Rough Guides Editors
updated 26.04.2021
