It’s not easy to decide what places to visit in Cuba. Every place in this incredible country has something unique to offer.

Cuba has a long, richly vivid history and an authentic atmosphere that you can see nowhere else. I was one of the lucky ones who visited Cuba before Fidel Castro’s death and before it started to change. I spent 18 fantastic days in this incredible country.

Here are 6 Best Places to Visit in Cuba!

1. Havana

Havana is definitely one of the most amazing cities I’ve ever visited. This picturesque city, with its impressive architecture and vibrant atmosphere, has stolen my heart.

In Havana, unlike anywhere else in the world, you can see people playing cards and dominoes in the streets. Cubans are very friendly and eager to help. You’ll not have any problem to make a small talk or even make friends.

Havana is well-known for its music, classic cars, cigars and colonial architecture. The smell of the best cigar, amazing taste of mojito, dance and wonderful music will force you to forget about all your responsibilities. All you need to do is to relax and follow the music.

Old Havana, or Habana Vieja, is a breathtaking part of the city with an outstanding architecture. It’s also one of the cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Cuba. In this part of the city, you’ll find a lot of bars and restaurants where musicians play and sing for locals and tourists.

Walking down the streets, you’ll see a lot of stilt-walkers who wear colorful costumes and dance to the rhythm of the conga. Many years ago, you could only see them dancing at the Carnival of Havana, but nowadays you can see them every day on the streets of Old Havana.

When you get tired of walking, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to have a ride in one of the many vintage cars which are used as taxis. I used this kind of transportation for short, as well as long distances. The taxi fare is about 30CUC (or 30USD) per hour, what is one of the most expensive kinds of transportations in Cuba.

Where to Eat and Drink in Havana

• El Chanchullero de Tapas

I love this place so much! It’s my favorite bar in Havana.

This tapas bar has a unique atmosphere, top-quality food, and amazing cocktails.

• Bar La Dichosa

If you are looking for live music, good food, and great atmosphere, you should visit La Dichosa bar in Old Havana.

• Paladar Doña Blanquita

Paladars are private restaurants run by self-employees, not by the Cuban government.

Doña Blanquita restaurant is located on the 2nd floor of a private house. There’s a terrace with a very nice view of the Avenida Prado. Here you’ll find delicious homemade Cuban meals at reasonable prices.

• Hotel Nacional de Cuba

This splendid hotel is a symbol of Cuban history and culture. It was built in Art Deco style in 1930 and has hosted many celebrities, such as Frank Sinatra, Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway and many others.

I’d recommend you to have some cocktails in its lovely gardens overlooking the Malecon.

• La Bodeguita del Medio

This was one of Hemingway’s favorite bars in Havana, and it has become the most popular bar in Cuba. Its mojitos are so famous that you can see the dozens of mojito glasses in the bar.

• El Floridita

Together with La Bodeguita del Medio, it was one of Hemingway’s favorite bars in Havana. There is a life-sized bronze statue of the author. The place is famous for its Daiquiri.

• Casa de la Musica de Miramar

Casa de la Musica is a famous place for salsa and concerts. The entrance fee is 15CUC.

• Club Don Cangrejo

This nightclub is a fantastic place to hang out. It’s an outdoor, oceanside club with live music. You’ll not only enjoy its great music but also the sounds of waves crashing. I highly recommend this place. The entrance fee is 5CUC.

• Club 1830

If you love salsa, this is your place. The club is situated in a lovely garden facing the sea, which is crowded with locals, but there are also some tourists. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to dance, you’ll have an opportunity to learn it. The locals are very patient and will give you free salsa lessons. The entrance fee is 3CUC.

• See Also: Top 20 Things to Do in Havana

2. Viñales

Viñales is a beautiful rural town, which is famous for its plantations that grow the world famous Cuban tobacco. This small town is a real Cuban gem, which can’t be avoided. North of the town is Viñales Valley, which is an outstanding karst landscape and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We hired a man and his VW classic van to drive 6 of us out to Viñales. It was a three-hour drive from Havana.

When we arrived at our destination we found a picturesque landscape and silence. It was time to visit a tobacco farm and learn how Cuban cigars are made.

Everything started when Cristopher Columbus reached Cuba in 1492, after what he discovered the cigar and introduced to Spanish people a new way of enjoying.

Nowadays, Cuban cigars are world-famous. The most appreciated brands in the world are Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Diplomaticos, and Partagas. Cohiba was Fidel Castro’s favorite cigar, and it was made exclusively for him.

After seeing the process of hand-rolling cigars and learning about their history, we decided to take a boat ride through the Indian cave and try sugar cane cocktails.

We enjoyed the delicious cocktails and got the opportunity to see the process of making them. First, they juiced the sugar cane, then they mixed it with a pineapple and rum, and our cocktails were ready.

The Indian Cave (La Cueva del Indio) is an interesting cave, but not breathtaking.

3. Trinidad

Trinidad is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was built in the 19th century. This charming town, with its colorful houses and cobblestone streets, made me feel like I’d stepped back into colonial times.

The historical center of Trinidad is quite compact and can be explored on foot easily. The best start point to explore Trinidad is Plaza Mayor, which is the heart of the town. There are some historic buildings from the 18th century which surround this beautiful area. You’ll see the impressive yellow Church of the Holy Trinity, Romance museum, Municipal History Museum and Museum of Colonial Architecture.

If you want to take some fascinating photos of an impressive landscape, then you should visit Convento de San Francisco and climb its yellow and green Bell Tower.

After exploring the historical center, you can visit Ancon beach and swim in the warm Caribbean waters.

Ancon beach is a beautiful white-sand beach which is located 12 km from Trinidad. The easiest way to get there is by taxi and the fare is about 8CUC each way.

Where to Eat and Drink in Trinidad

• Sol Ananda Restaurant

Sol Ananda restaurant is situated in one of the oldest houses in Trinidad, dating from 1750. This restaurant, with its impressive interior, looks like a museum. Also, it has to offer some very delicious food and wonderful atmosphere.

• Taberna La Canchanchara

It’s famous for its Canchanchara cocktail made from rum, honey, lemon, and water. The cocktail was invented during the period of independence wars against Spain. I was fascinated by its soft and sweet taste.

• Disco Ayala

This club takes place in a natural cave and it’s crowded with tourists and some locals. The place opens at 11 p.m.  At 1 a.m. there are acrobats, fire walkers, and glass eaters, who make a night performance.

• Casa de la Musica

This is a very iconic salsa place.

• Casa de la Trova

It’s an open-air bar where many local bands perform, and a good place to have some cocktails, dance salsa and listen to Cuban music.

4.Cayo Blanco

This secluded island is definitely one of my favorite places to visit in Cuba. It’s what I dreamed about- a tropical paradise. I took a catamaran day trip from Marina Marlin Trinidad. An open bar was included, as well as lunch at the beach.

Cayo Blanco has one of the best beaches in Cuba, with the whitest sand- powdery and silky. Also, the water is crystal clear with the most beautiful shade of turquoise.

The island is surrounded by an amazing coral reef, full of exotic fish, that makes this place perfect for snorkeling. There are also some iguanas and crabs, which inhabit the island.

5.Cienfuegos

Cienfuegos was a complete surprise for me.

This picturesque port city has beautifully painted facades. With its gorgeous French architecture and very clean streets, it’s totally different from the rest of the country.

The colonial town of Cienfuegos is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s a good place to walk around. Here you’ll see lots of colorful houses, the impressive Palacio Ferrer, the old theater (Teatro Tomas Terry) and some other magnificent buildings.

The main reason I visited Cienfuegos was its Dolphinarium which is located about 17 km from the city center. It’s open every day from 9 to 5, except on Wednesday. If you only want to see the dolphin show it will cost you 10CUC, while you’ll need to pay 50CUC extra for swimming with dolphins.

This 30-minute adventure was a memorable experience and the highlight of the trip.

6.Santa Clara

Santa Clara is well-known as a place where the revolution was won. It’s also the place where Che Guevara was buried and the home to the Che Guevara Mausoleum.

The Che Guevara Mausoleum contains the remains of Che Guevara and 29 other guerrillas who died with him in Bolivia. There’s also a very nice exhibition of Che’s belongings, such as the guns he used and medical equipment he practiced with. Note that you will have to leave your bag with a guard at the entrance and that taking photos is forbidden.

The Mausoleum is the main reason why people visit Santa Clara since there aren’t too many things to do in the city. I made a day trip from Trinidad and visited Santa Clara and Cienfuegos.

Where to Stay in Cuba

There isn’t a better way to discover Cuba and meet local people than to stay in a private house (Casa Particular). In this way, you’ll see the real Cuban life, hear some interesting stories from your host and have homemade Cuban breakfast.

If you book your accommodation through this link, you’ll get up to €33 off your first trip.

Where to Book Day Tours and Activities

You can book day tours and activities in advance with Get Your Guide. They have a great selection of tours. You can easily cancel it and book last minute too.

 

Have you ever been to this incredible country? What are your favorite places to visit in Cuba?