Places to Visit in Cuba

Havana is the capital city of Cuba, filled with culture, tradition, music, natural beauty, and historic national monuments. It’s located on the western side of the country and made up of 15 different districts. Must-see neighborhoods include the Plaza de la Revolucion, Playa, Habana del Este, Centro Habana, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – Old Havana, which boasts some of the best architectural gems, cultural sights, and interesting attractions in the country. The cultural activities are vast with over 34 cultural houses, 35 art galleries, 52 museums, 22 theatres, 52 bookstores, and 4 trova houses. Havana,’s natural beauty is just as splendid, with sights such as the National Botanical Garden, Cojimar River, Rincon de Guanabo, and Laguna de Itabo. Havana Map

Named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Caguanes National Park is the ideal destination for eco and adventure tourism. The park includes Caguanes Cay, Ciénaga swamp, Guayaberas, and Piedra Cays. The park is best accessed from Yaguajay in Sancti Spiritus Province on the central Atlantic coast. There are so many ways to experience the park, but one of the most popular is hiring a guide to explore the 79 coastal caves, some of which go deep underground. Santa María Cay offers the clearest turquoise waters for snorkeling and swimming. The manglares, or mangroves, is home to numerous marine and land fauna, and the Ciénaga de la Guayabera swamp and mangroves support abundant flora and wildlife.

Travelers to Cuba looking for a more tranquil experience will find it in Baracoa, a geographically remote location on the northeastern coast of the island. This historical colonial village with its cobblestone streets is nestled between unspoiled rainforest and quiet beaches.

Visitors will find a beachside promenade (malecón) that runs parallel to the ocean and a quaint village scene of colorful one-story dwellings. Adventure seekers can hire a guide to explore the Cuchillas de Toa rainforest, which surrounds the village. After a day on the beach or trekking in the wild, visitors will want to enjoy a Baracoan meal of buttery lobster, plantain-stuffed fish, or garlic-rubbed shrimp. Baracoa’s local white chocolate and cucurucho are sweets not to be missed.

Bayamo, capital of Granma Province, is the second oldest colonial city on the island. As the headquarters of the war for independence from Spain, it is revered as the birthplace of Cuban nationality. Each October, the city hosts La Fiesta de la Cubanía, celebrating Cuban culture and tradition. Visitors can indulge in about two dozen guided tours in and around Bayamo, including city tours by horse-drawn carriage or by foot, Turquino National Park, Desembarco de Granma National Park, Rio Macío ecotour, Sierra Maestra jeep safari tours, seafari tours, fishing, snorkeling, trekking, diving, and more. Visitors to Bayamo in January can observe the Heroic Burning of Bayamo celebration. The Bayamo Gourmet International Event is a popular culinary festival.

Camaguey is a mecca of interesting tourism attractions that run the gamut from nature to culture to beaches. Once called Santa Maria del Puerto del Principe, the historic center of Camaguey bursts with plazas and squares, elegant historical buildings, impressive bell towers, and a labyrinth of streets and alleys. Along with a handful of museums there is a plethora of art galleries. Outside the city, the province teems with outdoor recreational opportunities. There are 120 km of beaches, the largest pink flamingo reserve in the west, numerous shipwreck dive sites, and the Jardines de la Reina keys and coral reefs for snorkeling.

Cardenas is a harbor town that is still much like it was in the past, with horse-drawn carriages and bicycles dominating the narrow streets. This popular foreign expat city is not far from Varadero, where many of the people from Cardenas work in the tourism industry. Buildings come in several architectural styles, and there are a few 19th-century military fortresses. Some popular points of interest include Parque Colon, where the first Cuban flag flew, Plaza Molocoff with its daily vegetable market, the renowned Arrechabala rum factory, and two museums – Museo de Oscar de Maria Rojas and the home of assassinated Cuban student leader Jose Antonio Echevarria. Cardenas

Cayo Coco, named after the white ibis, is part of the Jardines del Rey archipelago and is connected to Cuba’s Atlantic coast by a 17-mile causeway. It is primarily known for its white sand beaches, crystalline waters, and off-the-beaten-path ambiance. The islands are uninhabited except for hotels and other tourism facilities. The majority of the island’s interior is vegetation, and is home to over 200 bird species, including a flamingo colony. Activities at this ultimate beach destination include all types of watersports, fishing, diving, swimming with the dolphins, and kitesurfing. Visitors willing to venture away from all-inclusive resorts can experience modestly priced lobster feasts at local beach ranchons (bar and grill). Cayo Coco

Cayo Guillermo is part of the Jardines del Rey archipelago, and is connected by the short Puente Hemmingway bridge to its sister island Cayo Coco, which is in turn connected to the Atlantic side of Cuba by a 17-mile causeway. Like Cayo Coco and other cays in the archipelago, it is uninhabited, with the exception of a developing commercial tourism infrastructure. Similar to Cayo Coco, the most popular Cayo Guillermo activities include watersports, diving, swimming, lounging on the beaches, cycling, and horseback riding. The same natural paradise that characterizes other cays in the archipelago can be found here too – palm-fringed beaches and crystal-clear water. Cayo Guillermo

Vacationers looking for a resort-style Caribbean getaway on an uninhabited island can head to Cayo Largo del Sur in the Canarreos Archipelago. Miles of powdery white sand beaches and shimmering clear water are the big draw here. Those wanting to venture out of the resorts can do it best by renting a scooter or a Jeep.

There’s one main road on this 17-mile-long, 2-mile-wide island; the few side roads are mainly sand. El Pueblito is the only village on the island; travelers can visit a turtle farm, dine in local restaurants, and visit a dive center there. Resorts offer an array of watersports. It is illegal to remove the starfish from Playa Sirena as well any coral or other marine life, whether living or dead. Cayo Largo del Sur

Santa Clara, the capital of Villa Clara province in central Cuba, has been dubbed Cuba’s most revolutionary city. Che Guevara, the revolutionary leader who liberated the city from the Batista regime in 1958, is interned with fellow fighters at Che Guevara Mausoleum on the city’s west side. A bronze statue of Guevara adorns the site, and next door is Museo Histórico de la Revolución, which has a collection of artifacts commemorating his life. Vidal Park is the central square of the city, where visitors will find both free Wi-Fi and excellent people watching. This college town’s youthful, edgy ambiance includes boundary-pushing rock festivals, satirical political art, and Centro Cultural El Mejunje, which transforms into the country’s only gay club on weekends. Map