Worldwide 2024-25

CUBA • LATIN AMERICA
Discover Cuba
Cuba offers colourful heritage, intriguing
history, a lush interior and glorious beaches –
yet it is no ordinary Caribbean island. Classic
American cars, rum and cigars, intoxicating
Cuban music, crumbling colonial buildings
and Che Guevara murals all add to the charm
and character of this special destination.
Private homes, some with original colonialera
artwork, open their doors as family-run
paladar restaurants or casas particulares
and provide an opportunity to experience
the local culture. Tourist infrastructure in
Cuba remains less developed and a flexible
approach to travel is recommended.
Grand Theatre and vintage cars, Havana
Experiences
in Cuba
Havana
Ladies in traditional dress, Havana
Enigmatic time-warp city • Faded grandeur •
Famous seafront boulevard
A former port of call for ships to the New World,
Havana is built on a sweeping bay. The UNESCOprotected
old city, Havana Vieja, is currently
being restored to its former glory with beautiful
baroque churches, palaces and convents lining
its cobbled streets and squares. The state of
decay of some of the colonial buildings only adds
to the charm of this enigmatic city. Soak up the
atmosphere strolling along the streets, visit one
of many museums in converted colonial
mansions, dance to salsa and rumba, or just relax
with a mojito on your hotel’s rooftop terrace.
Viñales Valley
Trinidad & surrounds
The Viñales Valley
Peculiar limestone outcrops • Traditional
rural life & tobacco plantations
Trinidad
Beautiful colonial town • Valley of the Sugar
Mills • Che Guevara's memorial
Colonial Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site, has pastel-coloured buildings and serene
cobbled streets that seem frozen in time. Visit
the Cantero Museum, an old merchant’s home,
and the local Casa de la Musica. Not far from
town there are fine stretches of beach, ruins of
former sugar plantations, and the verdant slopes
of the Escambray Mountains. A trip to Trinidad is
often combined with stops at French-influenced
Cienfuegos; nearby Playa Girón, nestled on the
infamous Bay of Pigs; and historic Santa Clara,
site of the Che Guevara memorial.
The fascinating landscape of this fertile valley
is dotted with palm trees and peculiar mogotes
(rounded limestone outcrops). There are
countless caves and green plantations where
tobacco growing has remained unchanged
for centuries. In the nearby Sierra del Rosario,
the eco resort of Las Terrazas offers another
authentic glimpse into Cuba’s rural life.
Classic American car ride
These lovingly maintained vintage vehicles
from the 1940s and ‘50s roll up and down
the streets of Havana. For a memorable
experience, take a ride through the city
and along the famous Malecón, Havana’s
oceanfront promenade that bustles with
couples and fishermen.
Music & cigars
Cuba’s two most celebrated exports are
surely its iconic cigars and its infectious Afro-
Cuban music. Admire the expert skills of a
cigar roller at a tobacco factory or catch a
live performance of the extravagant Cabaret
Parisien, the Buena Vista Social Club or the
Legendarios del Guajirito in Havana.
A taste of revolution
Havana’s Museum of the Revolution, housed
in former dictator Batista’s palace, is a
perfect introduction to Cuba’s contradictory
history. The large Revolution Square has
an oversized bronze silhouette of Ernesto
‘Che’ Guevara and the final resting place of
the famous revolutionary in Santa Clara, as
well as the museum dedicated to his life, are
essential stops on any tour.
Cuba’s cays
Cuba’s northern coast is dotted with numerous
small islands and cays, some connected to the
mainland by long causeways. The less crowded
Cayo Santa Maria, with white swathes of sand,
crystal-clear waters and offshore reefs teeming
with marine life offer excellent opportunities
to relax. We recommend the Melia Buenavista
adults-only resort, set on a peninsula away
from other hotels.
For more information or to book, contact us on 020 3627 3097 or speak to your travel agent
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