15 Best Tourist Attractions Destination in Cuba - Cuba Travel Guide
Cuba combines beautiful beaches with colonial cities
and historic sites, making it a popular destination not only for sun and sand
holidays, but also for visitors who want a cultural experience. No doubt Cuba
has some of the Caribbean's best beaches with comfortable seaside resorts to
accommodate visitors. It is also home to the historic city of Havana with its
impressive colonial architecture and many other notable cities.
Havana is Cuba's capital, cultural, historical, and
political center, and a city that travelers should not overlook. Walking
through Old Havana's streets, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, reveals a glimpse
of the country's old days. For a long time, the Plaza de Armas was a central meeting
place for the city, and still offers a pleasant lingering environment with
shady benches and surrounding restaurants, cafes and baroque architecture. Stop
in at the Museo de la Ciudad (City Museum) in the Palacio de los Capitanes to
learn more about the area. Other attractions in Old Havana include the
Cathedral, built in the mid-1700s, the rediscovered mid-16th Century Plaza
Vieja, and the 19th C Palacio de Aldama.
There are many other important historical sites
beyond Old Havana. The Castillo del Morro, which guards the Havana Bay, dates
back to the late 16th century and offers excellent views of Havana and the
surrounding area. Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana, the largest Spanish
fort ever built at the time of construction, was used by the Spaniards, the
British, and in the recent past by Batista and Che Guevara, who used it after
the Revolution as their headquarters. Finally, another prominent tourist attraction
is the Plaza de Revolucion with a Jose Marti memorial.
The beach resort destinations are scattered
throughout the country at the heart of Cuban tourism. There's Varadero not far
from Havana. A beach stretch of postcard quality along the Hicacos Peninsula is
home to dozens of hotels and resorts that only serve foreigners. This is not
the place to experience Cuban culture, but visitors can go on excursions to
Havana from here. Cayo Coco, beaches near Holguin, and Cayo Santa Maria near
Santa Clara are other famous resort areas. All of these offer amazing white
sand beaches with turquoise waters that won't deceive holidaymakers.
Independent travelers wanting to see some of the
country should consider driving through the picturesque Valle de Vinales and
the Pinar del Rio Province National Park. This area is characterized by
calcareous hills known as mogotes and is a biosphere reserve recognized by
UNESCO. To see some of the best colonial architecture and historic city centers
in the country, head to Camaguey, Trinidad or Santiago de Cuba, all of which
have UNESCO World Heritage Sites designated centers or buildings. These are
also the areas where visitors have the opportunity to see the local lifestyle
and experience some Cuban culture.
Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean, is
dripping with history, culture and an exciting mysticism. Live music wafts
through the paved squares in the Old Town, listed as World Heritage in Havana,
vintage cars still travel the streets, and the beautiful old buildings in the
colonial cities of Cuba evoke the feeling of a frozen country in time.
There is also plenty of natural beauty in Cuba. This
vast island has a coastline of more than 5,000 kilometres, much of which is
surrounded by beautiful beaches. Coral reefs glimmer in the turquoise waters,
and Cuba's lush countryside and sublime islands have been hosting presidents;
providing shelter to revolutionaries; and inspired writers from all over the
world, including Hemingway. Cuba offers a depth and diversity that few
Caribbean islands can compete with, with all this history and beauty, as well
as superb diving and fishing.
01. Old Havana
(Habana Vieja)
Habana Vieja or Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage
site, is a well-preserved slice of Cuban history. Walking around the paved
streets and looking up at the grand Baroque and Neoclassical buildings, you can
easily imagine what Cuba's life was like two hundred years ago. In the historic
buildings, extensive renovations are now breathing new life. Plaza de la
Catedral, home to the Cuban Baroque Cathedral of San Cristobal; the legendary
restaurant and Hemingway hangout, Bodeguita del Medio; and Castillo de la Real
Fuerza, the military fortress.
Plaza Vieja is also one of the most vibrant
gathering spots in Havana in the Old Town. The main building of note here is
the Casa del Conde Jaruco from the 18th century, with beautiful first floor
stained glass windows. Nearby, from its 35-meter tower, the camera obscura
offers fantastic views. Allow, if time permits, at least one day to explore the
Old Town and more.
02. Varadero
Varadero is one of the most popular beach
destinations in Cuba and home to one of the Caribbean's best beaches. It
stretches along the Hicacos Peninsula, which juts off the north coast into the
sea where it is connected to the mainland by a drawbridge. More than 50 hotels
line this popular palm-fringed strip and attract visitors from all over the
world with its magnificent white-sand beaches. Highlights include the Punta
Hicacos Natural Park (Parque Natural de Varaderos), a beautiful beach reserve,
and the two caves, Cueva de Ambrosio and Cueva de Musulmanes.
The peaceful Parque Josone is also home to lush
flower gardens in Varadero, a restaurant, swimming pool, and a small lake where
visitors can paddle in rowboats. Northeast of Varadero, Cayo Piedra Underwater
Park is a popular diving and snorkeling area where shipwrecks and shoals of
brightly colored fish will be found by underwater explorers. Other popular
things to do are deep-sea fishing, golf, skydiving, and day trips to cultural
attractions, in addition to diving and snorkeling.
03. Trinidad
Exploring the city of Trinidad, which is a UNESCO
World Heritage Site, is like going back in time. The city center's beautifully
restored buildings and paved streets exude a quaint colonial feel. Much of the
architecture dates from the 17th to 19th centuries, when both sugar and slave
trade made Trinidad prosper. Today, besides Havana, Trinidad is one of Cuba's
best cities to visit. In the cobblestone Plaza Mayor, the central square of the
city, you can soak up its lively atmosphere. The Neoclassical Church of the
Holy Trinity (Parroquial Church of the Santisima Trinidad) stands above the
square. Other highlights are the Church and Monastery of Saint Francis
(Iglesiay Convento de San Francisco), with its distinctive bell tower; the
Museum of Colonial Architecture (Museo de Arquitectura Colonial); the art
gallery at Casa de Aldeman Ortiz; and the Palacio Brunet, a grand house built
in 1812 and still featuring original frescoes and marble floors.
East of Trinidad, on the road to Sancti Spiritus,
the lush Valle de los Ingenios, listed as a World Heritage site, contains
numerous relics and monuments dating back to the 19th century, when plantations
and mills of sugar cane flourished. It's also a great place to ride through the
beautiful scenery of green cane fields, palm trees, and mountains.
04. Guardalavaca
Rimmed by gleaming beaches, Guardalavaca is quieter
and more remote than Varadero in the province of Holguin. Lush foliage here
fringes the beach's sweeping beach, providing plenty of shady patches for those
seeking tropical sun relief. Divers and snorkelers can explore an abundance of
marine life along the coral reefs.
Guardalavaca day trips include adventures in the
jungle, sailing trips and Santiago de Cuba tours. West of Guardalavaca, Bahia
de Naranjo includes a large stretch of coastline and three islands, including
Cayo Naranjo and the popular Dolphinarium, offering close-up meetings with
these gregarious creatures. Chorro de Maita, with its native Indian burial area
and a recreated Taino Indian village, is another side trip option from
Guardalavaca.
05. Playa Paraíso,
Cayo Largo del Sur
Playa Paraíso (Paradise Beach), on the island of
Cayo Largo del Sur, is one of the best in Cuba in a country known for its
beautiful beaches. This sublime white sand and baby blue sea beach skirts the
island's sheltered western edge and merges with the equally ravishing Playa
Sirena. Cayo Largo del Sur Island is truly a destination for sun seekers with a
typically dry, sunny climate and few tourist attractions in addition to
beautiful beaches and many hotels and resorts.
06. Cayo Coco
Cayo Coco starred in Hemingway's novels, Islands in
the Stream and The Old Man and the Sea along with nearby Cayo Guillermo,
another of Cuba's idyllic beach destinations and one of its most isolated. Cayo
Coco is connected to the mainland by a bridge as part of the Jardines del Rey,
Sabana-Camaguey's combined archipelago, although most visitors arrive by air.
The prime attraction is the sun - splashed beaches.
On the Atlantic side of the island, Playa Los Flamencos is a standout with its
five - kilometer sun - bleached sand beach, while the quiet and undeveloped
Playa Prohibida offers a peaceful nature trail. The island offers great birding
as well.
Connected by a causeway to Cayo Coco, Cayo Guillermo
also boasts a bevy of beautiful beaches, such as the ravishing Playa Pilar, as
well as a string of all-inclusive resorts.
07. Parque Nacional
Viñales (Valle de Viñales)
The Parque Nacional Viñales, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site, is a beautiful, green valley in the Sierra de los Organos, north of Pinar
del Rio. Steep calcareous hills, called mogotes, slice through the valleys,
creating a dramatic scenery. Parque Nacional Viñales ' valley floors are
agricultural areas where tobacco, fruit and vegetables are grown. The park
offers fantastic hiking and riding in the hills for outdoor enthusiasts.
Nearby, Viñales ' charming town is a great base to explore the area. Tour
companies are also offering day trips from Havana here.
08. Baracoa
One of eastern Cuba's highlights is beautiful Baracoa,
the country's oldest town. It was founded in Guantanamo province in 1511, and
construction began around that time on the first church here. Cut off from much
of the outside world until the 1960s, when the highway La Farola was built, the
city still has a distant feeling. Today, visitors come here for the charming
colonial architecture and lush countryside, where waterfalls and beautiful
beaches give the steamy jungle a cool counterpoint. El Yunque's flat-topped
peak presides over all this tropical beauty, attracting hikers to take the
guided ascent to its peak of 589 meters. The hillside is a UNESCO Biosphere
Reserve where rare birds and plants thrive.
Take a drive down the winding La Farola highway, a
49-kilometer stretch from Baracoa across the mountains to Cajobabo, to really
enjoy the spectacular scenery. Also worth a look is the Municipal Museum.
Housed in the military fortress of Fuerte Matachin, it offers a glimpse of the
fascinating history of Baracoa, and the fort itself offers great views of the bay.
One of the best beaches in the area, Playa Maguana, is about 20 kilometers
northwest of Baracoa. You can rent a bicycle in Baracoa and peddle out here if
you're adventurous. Baracoa flights frequently depart from Havana.
09. The Malecon,
Havana
Designed in 1901 and partially built in 1902 and
beyond, the Malecon is the famous promenade on the seafront in Havana. A walk
along here is a walk through the city's history. The promenade runs from the
Habana Vieja quarter to the central business district, Vedado, seven kilometers
away. Along the way, you will find a variety of well-preserved buildings from
the 20th century representing a mix of architectural styles, including Art Deco
and Neo Moorish. The buildings, painted in pastel pinks and yellows, are the
delight of a photographer, especially in the dusk's golden glow. Watching
people here is a favorite pastime. Young lovers saunter hand-in-hand, local
fishermen cast their lines, and children clamber along the sea wall.
10. Che Guevara
Mausoleum, Santa Clara
When all beach towns and resorts begin to look the
same, Santa Clara, the famous site of Che Guevara's last guerrilla battle in
1958, will add some depth to a Cuban route. Here, the body of Che was laid to
rest, and his mausoleum (Mausoleo del Che Guevara) and monument, Memorial
Comandante Ernesto' Che' Guevara, are the major attractions of the city. His
final letter to Fidel Castro is Etched on Che Guevara's bronze statue in Plaza
de la Revolución, while the mausoleum lies below. The Museo Historico de la
Revolucion, adjacent to the monument, displays some of Che's personal items. Che
fans should also see the poignant Monumento a la Toma del Tren Blindado, a
small boxcar museum and the site of the final battle between Che Guevara and
the Batista troops.
11. Museo Nacional
de Bellas Artes
If you're an art lover, don't miss Havana's National
Museum of Fine Arts (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes) with its vast and
impressive collection of Cuban and international art. The collection is housed
in two buildings, with works from ancient times to today. The restored Spanish
Renaissance-style Palacio del Centro Asturiano was designed by Manuel Bustos in
the 1920s, clad in sumptuous Italian marble. It exhibits international art,
including works by European Masters; ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian art;
and works from Asia, the United States, and Latin America. Especially the
Spanish collection is a highlight.
At the entrance to the second venue, which dates
from 1959, the striking marble sculpture, "Form, Space and Light,"
welcomes visitors. This Palacio de Bellas Artes building in the Rationalist
style exhibits a thought-provoking collection focusing on Cuban art from the
17th to the present day, including sculptures, prints and paintings.
12. Castillo de San
Pedro del Morro, Santiago de Cuba
Castillo del Morro, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is
one of the 17th century's best preserved Spanish fortresses. It is at the
entrance to Santiago Bay, approximately 10 kilometers southwest of Santiago de
Cuba, the second largest city in the country. The structure was designed in
1587, perched high atop a cliff, but it took decades to build and was finally
finished in the late 17th century. It was originally intended to protect
against pirate attacks, but in the late 1700s it also served as a prison before
being converted into a fortress once again. Today, you can explore the many different
levels of the fort, learn about pirates and the fort history in the small
museum, and enjoy impressive views over the bay.
Santiago de Cuba's other cultural highlights include
the Diego Velazquez Museum and Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, home to the remains of
some of Cuba's most famous military figures. Less than an hour away by car from
the city, Parque Baconao is a World Heritage Biosphere Reserve where you can
visit coffee plantations, walk through beautiful botanical gardens, and enjoy stunning
360-degree views of the mountains and the sea from Gran Piedra, a large
volcanic rock, 1.234 meters high.
13. Peninsula de
Zapata (Ciénaga de Zapata)
The Peninsula de Zapata is a haven for birders and
nature lovers, a remote, sparsely populated area of Cuba with diverse
landscapes and one of the Caribbean's largest wetlands. The Cienaga de Zapata,
known affectionately as the Zapata Swamp, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, home
to approximately 150 different species of birds, including waterfowl, parrots
and herons. There are also common crocodiles. One part of the peninsula is a
designated nature reserve, Montemar's Gran Parque Natural, where you can see
some of these creatures in their natural habitats.
Playa Giron, the famous site of the 1961 Pigs
Invasion Bay, is located at the mouth of the Bay of Pigs (Bahia de Cochinos).
In the small Museo Giron you can explore this fascinating history. Playa Larga
is home to a long beach with lush vegetation at the top of the Bay of Pigs.
Avid divers can explore the wildlife underwater here along the reef at numerous
dive sites.
Boca de Guama is the tourist center of the peninsula
and its main attraction is the crocodile farm Criadero de Cocodrilos. Nearby,
Horizontes Villa Guama is located on Laguna del Tesoro (Treasure Lake), a
rustic tourist resort designed as an Indian village that can only be reached by
boat.
14. Parque
Historico Militar, Havana
The Militar Historic Park includes two of Havana's
famous fortresses: the Morro Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, also known
as El Morro, and the San Carlos de la Cabana Fortress. Presiding over the
entrance to Havana's Bay, El Morro was built to fend off pirates in the late
16th and early 17th centuries, and looks much the same as it did back then. In
the middle of the 19th century, the lighthouse was replaced by one of stone,
but its original lamp still shines out to sea. To admire impressive views of
the ocean and city, you can climb to the top of the fort.
A short walk from El Morro, Fortaleza de San Carlos
de la Cabana, built in the 1770s, was the largest and most expensive fort ever
built by the Spanish. During the Batista regime, the fort became a military
prison and was later used after the Revolution as headquarters for Che Guevara.
Here you can explore the museums that trace this fascinating fort's history,
but the most popular time to visit is at night when actors dressed in
19th-century costumes perform Ceremonia del Cañonazo, a cannon-fire ceremony at
9 pm.
15. Plaza de la
Revolucion (Jose Marti Memorial), Havana
The Plaza de la Revolución deserves at least a brief
stop because of its important place in the history of Havana, if only to absorb
the events that happened here. In this vast square, Castro gave speeches,
sometimes attracting more than a million people. And Pope John Paul II
celebrated mass here during a visit to Cuba in 1998.
A 109-meter gray tower stands in the center of the
Plaza de la Revolución, a memorial to the Cuban national hero, Jose Marti,
while at its base is a large, white marble statue of him. The entrance to the
Jose Marti Memorial's interior, which contains a museum on Marti, is below the
statue. Ascend the tower for amazing views of Havana. Che Guevara's famous
giant portrait adorns the Ministry of Interior building opposite the memorial.
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