Vintage cars, crumbling colonial grandeur and music on every corner.
Cuba feels like nowhere else in the Caribbean. Old Havana's squares, the sea wall of the Malecón and the classic American cars are the famous images, but the colonial town of Trinidad, the tobacco fields and limestone outcrops of the Viñales valley and the Afro-Cuban music of Santiago de Cuba are just as rewarding. Varadero and the northern cays offer long white beaches.
Staying in casas particulares, family-run guesthouses, and eating in private paladares brings you close to daily life. Things do not always run smoothly, so patience, cash and flexible plans help. Long-distance buses and shared taxis connect the main towns. November to April is dry and comfortable; late summer is hot and humid, with hurricane risk peaking in September and October.
Best time to visit Cuba
January, February, March, April, December.
Places to visit in Cuba
Havana: Cuba's capital, where vintage American cars cruise past colonial plazas, crumbling mansions and the sea wall of the Malecón.
Trinidad: A beautifully preserved colonial town of cobbled streets and pastel houses, with the sugar mills of the Valle de los Ingenios nearby.
Viñales: A green valley of tobacco farms and dramatic limestone hills, explored on foot, by bike or on horseback.
Varadero: A long peninsula of white sand and turquoise water lined with all-inclusive resorts, Cuba's best-known beach destination.
Santiago de Cuba: Cuba's second city, the birthplace of son music and the revolution, set between the Sierra Maestra and the sea.
Essentials
Currency: Cuban Peso (CUP)
Language: Spanish
Plugs: Type A / B / C / L, 110 V
Driving: Right side
Time zone: UTC−5
Tipping: Tips are appreciated and expected for most services
Getting around: Víazul buses between towns; shared or private taxis for shorter hops
Entry: Check the official rules for your passport before booking