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Home > Travel > Go Crazy in Cuba >

Go Crazy in Cuba

Havana's one of the world's top 10 cities, so see it for yourself

The Cuban city is ranked at number five in the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2009, which is voted for by readers. So what makes Cuba so captivating?

Cuba lies just 93 miles (150km) from the Florida shore of the mainland USA, and is a mere island hop away from Jamaica, but the island's isolation following the revolution of late 1958 meant that for a long time few visitors ever reached it. Now, as Cuba expands its tourist trade in its quest for much-needed foreign currency, the island is open again and everyone can enjoy one of the most alluring islands in the Caribbean.

Flying into Havana from Europe, the visitor is usually treated to a superb view of Cuba's northern coast. The waters of the Atlantic – all shades from turquoise to a rich, deep blue – come as no surprise, but the marvellous tapestry of greens that forms the countryside, from the light green of sugar cane to the dark greens of the forested hills, is a far cry from the "desert island paradise" of the imagination.

These are the other Cubas – beaches of white sand lapped by the warm waters; ranges of hills, their flanks draped with lush vegetation; swamplands where crocodiles and rare birds are still found; old towns with glorious colonial centres; and fields of sugar cane, tobacco, coffee and lush grass where guajiros (farmers) tend the crops and vaqueros (cowboys) herd the cattle. Cuba is many lands, each one a fascinating place that will leave a lasting impression on the visitor.

The essentials

If you only have a short time to visit Cuba, and would like to sample the very best that the country has to offer, here are the essentials:

• Visit a Casa de la Trova. Every town and sizeable village has such a house. Here local bands will play traditional songs, such as son.
• Visit a revolutionary site. Visitors arriving at Havana's José Martí Airport are greeted by the slogan 'Creemos en la Revolución' – 'We Believe in the Revolution'. To understand Cuba the visitor must understand the revolution.
• Buy a T-shirt. Cuban T-shirts, especially those decorated with revolutionary slogans or pictures of Che Guevara, are among the most attractive to be found anywhere.
• Visit a site on the Hemingway Trail. Most of the best works by one of the century's most influential writers was written in Cuba. His house is the target for true pilgrims, but even casual readers can pay homage at La Bodeguita del Medio or La Floridita.
• Visit a cigar factory. Cuban cigars are still the world standard. Even non-smokers will find a visit fascinating.
• To gain an insight into the real Cuba, try visiting Cárdenas if you are staying in Varadero, or visit Baracoa if you are in Guardalavaca or Ciego de Ávila if you are in Cayo Coco.
• Go for a swim. You haven't experienced Cuba until you have submerged yourself in the warm, turquoise waters of the Atlantic or Caribbean.
• Sample a Cuban ice cream. Food is rationed in Cuba and as a result often disappointing, but the island still has wonderful ice cream. Try the coconut (the best) or mango flavours.
• Take a stroll through Old Havana. No trip would be complete without a visit to this magical quarter.
• Visit a cabaret to savor the louché carry-over from the 1950s. Havana's Tropicana revue is Cuba's sexiest cabaret.

Havana ball

Most visitors to Cuba will arrive in Havana, the country's vibrant but somewhat decaying capital. This sprawling metropolis fairly shakes and sizzles with excitement. Although both Vedado, in the west, and Centro have their share of modern high-rise buildings, it's La Habana Vieja – Old Havana, in the east – which is the heart of the city and the most important Spanish colonial hub in the whole of Latin America.

Huge, camel-shaped buses carrying as many as 300 passengers vie for space on the pot-holed streets with 50-year-old American jalopies. There's music in the air, and an astonishing range of architectural styles, from colonial Spanish to early 20th-century American to delight the eye. To the north, the waves of the Straits of Florida lap or lash against the sea walls. Everywhere there are national monuments, as well as some excellent museums.

Don't miss

The Malecón – Havana Bay's seven-kilometre sea wall
Museo de la Revolución – Museum of the Revolution
La Habana Vieja – Havana old town
El Morro and La Cabaña – a castle-like military complex

Book it

AA Getaways is offering escorted tours of Cuba that take in many of the country's key sights. Fifteen nights costs from £1,399 per person including Virgin Atlantic flights.

AA Members enjoy a 5% discount on AA Getaways breaks.

Make sure you're covered with AA Travel Insurance. An annual policy costs from just £34 with kids included free.

Check out our other inspirational ideas for days out and weekend breaks.

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