A blend of Latin American and Caribbean influences, Cuba is a world of its own. Slowly opening to visitors, stylish boutique hotels, funky bars and innovative restaurants are popping up across the country.
Visit its heady capital Havana for vintage cars, dilapidated mansions and the sounds of salsa drifting through the streets. To the east, is the heart of Cuba’s tobacco region, Viñales, a land of fertile plantations, orchid gardens and hidden waterfalls.
Head either north or south for pristine Caribbean beaches. To the west, surrounded by plump green hills, colonial Trinidad has pastel-hued facades and cobblestone streets.
Cuba’s second city, Santiago, is the country’s cultural capital, its identity rooted in Afro Caribbean influences. Long nights of dancing salsa out on the street are part of the routine.
For those with a shorter time frame we recommend exploring the west, or travelling to the lesser visited east for a longer trip. Still reminiscent of the 1950s, Cuba’s appeal lies in its lack of modernity, at least for now, it is for those looking for an experience as opposed to high levels of service or comfort.
