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Havana good time in Cuba

Visiting Cuba for the first time? Here is a beginners travel guide to this amazing destination. Cuba, the place where the streets are filled with cars from the 1950’s and taxis are not only automobiles but also foot peddle driven bikes and horses and carts. We didn’t realise how modern society impacts us and how cities all have a repetitive visual look. Billboards, the ubiquity of advertising, fast food franchises such as McDonalds and the arrogance of people conforming to the rat race of modern society is not what you will find in Cuba. Rather an environment that was so raw and independent, it was such a refreshing change. Cuba is a place where people stopped and helped you on the street if you were lost. The kindness and generosity of the Cubans together with their stronghold of independence of not conforming to a materialistic world is what makes it such a great destination to visit!

Ever wondered what life was like fifty years ago? Cuba would be the closest representation of “stepping back in time”.

BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN CUBA

For Max’s 30th birthday he had the desire to spread his curious wings and explore unfamiliar territory. Instead of having a party back home in Australia he wanted to celebrate the milestone by doing what he loves to do by visiting a place that was unique. Cuba seemed interesting as nobody we knew had been there before. For that reason Cuba was a perfect destination for us. Both our families are very knowlegable when it comes to the subject of world history and politics and Cuba has been a topic of discussion over the years. My own cousin Che was named after Che Guevara himself. A major figure of the Cuban Revolution.

There was a little more research involved when planning a trip to Cuba. At the time Cuba was not a tourist hotspot, the Embargo was still in place therefore it was going to be difficult to do it on our own. We booked a 12 day tour with Gecko Adventures (now Intrepid Travel) to relieve the stress from visiting a Spanish dominant country for first time visitors. In this blog we give our reccomendations on where to visit and what to do. ENJOY!

Emily walking the streets of Old Havana

HAVANA

The start of our adventure took us to the historical city of Havana. Havana has a vibrant history as being a major port for Atlantic shipping, particularly the Spanish treasure fleet. Today you will see colourful streets and vintage cars. Havana remains one of the great colonial cities of the Americas. An air of faded glory comes through in the peeling paint of some of its grand old buildings. Narrow streets, spacious plazas and Spanish architecture make it a charm to explore on foot. The people were very humble and accommodating. You didn’t get an underlying feeling that they expected small financial gratitudes in return unlike other countries.

Our first day we approached two men and asked if they could help us. We wanted to try a famous Cuban cigar and traditional Cuban coffee. They asked many people on the street, little of what we could understand because it was in Spanish. They then procedded to take us into a house. We were apprehensive at first. Max brought a box of cigars off them so he could enjoy one on his birthday (when in Rome). They then took us to a coffee shop and bought us a coffee. When it was time to make our separate ways they said goodbye without asking anything from us. This highlited the Cuban generosity and hospitality and sealed the deal for us in terms of Cubans being great people! For this reason we would always want to revisit Havana and we would recommend it to anyone thinking about visiting.

Vintage car in Havana

Max and his new cigar

The local guys that took us around

Other things to do in Havana

Museum of Revolution – Located in the Old Havana Section of Havana. The museum is housed in what was the Presidential palace of all the Cuban Presidents. The museums cabin history exhibitions are largely devoted to the period of the revolutionary war of the 1950s.
Old Havana – Located in the city centre. It has the second highest population density in the city and contains the core of the original Havana.
Catedral de san Cristobal – Havana cathedral is one of eleven Roman Catholic cathedrals on the island of Cuba. Described as music set in stone its perhaps the grandest church in havana.
El Malecon – A beautiful 5 mile long waterfront. The main purpose of the sea wall was to protect havana from the water but in reality its serves more for nighttime lovers and for fishermen.

Sunset over El Malecon

Emily in an old vintage car in Havana

Max next to a vintage taxi

SANTIAGO

The next destination was to Santiago. The hottest place in Cuba – in terms of both temperature and the vibe of the city!

Our first day there we went on a three-hour city tour of Santiago. Visit El Morro Castle which is an old fortress designed in the 1600 as a defence against the reading pirates, Ifigenia cemetery where Fidel Castro and Jose Marti are now buried and the Moncada barracks. While learning all about the city’s rich history. For nearly a century the city was the island’s seat of power and it also played a vital role in the Revolution. The people of Santiago were the first to rise up in arms against government troops in 1956, and it was in Santiago on January 1st 1959, that Fidel Castro declared the triumph of the Revolution.

With a strong Afro-Cuban heritage it’s no surprise that Santiago has a vibrant music scene, and is seen as Cuba’s capital of music. It’s the home of son music, which is a mix of Spanish guitar and African percussion. Santiago’s half million residents are proud of their cultural traditions, so you’ll find many museums and cultural clubs around the city. The city is also famous for its energetic Carnaval celebrations and lively Festival of Caribbean Culture.

We all stayed in a Casa’s all around Cuba which means house or home in Spanish. It was very enjoyable staying with families. We got a greater sense of traditional cuban life and we had the opputunity to eat traditional food with the locals. Everyone was very friendly and it felt very homely.

Sunrise in Santiago from the casa rooftop

El Morro Castle

Kids in the street carnival

CAMAGUEY

Cuba’s third largest city has managed to retain much of its colonial heritage. Exploring the city’s winding streets is half the fun. The city was planned in a deliberately confusing pattern to disorient any would-be assailants. As you walk through the city you may still see tinajones – large clay pots used for collecting water. On your explorations stop by the Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Soledad church to see its baroque frescoes. Camaguey has a rich tradition of cultural and technological leadership within Cuba. It is the birthplace of poet laureate Nicolas Guillen and home of the Ballet de Camaguey. Cuba’s first radio and television emissions were broadcast from Camaguey, and the country’s first airport and commercial flights were planned and executed here.

We explored the city via bicycle taxi. Cycling is a popular form of transport in Cuba, and bicycle taxis are very common. In the confusing streets of Camaguey it’s a particularly good way to get around. We got to visit local markets, parks, plazas and an art gallery. Each taxi carries two passengers and the tour is led by an English-speaking local guide.

We visited a ‘local farmers’ market which was a fascinating insight into daily Cuban life and the local economy. This is where farmers could sell their produce after meeting the quota they have to sell to the state. Camagueys markets are particularly busy and colourful. There are separate areas for produce sold by the state and produce sold by farmers directly to the public. There are plenty of interesting tropical fruits, vegetables and herbs available. This is where the locals come to buy their food once their monthly food ration runs out.

Local selling fruit at Market

Local selling meat at Market

Our bicycle taxi

Max playing soccer on the street with the local kids

TRINIDAD

One of favourite cities in Cuba. We travelled through the centre of the country to Trinidad (approximately 5-6 hours), which sits on the scenic Caribbean coast. For many visitors to Cuba, Trinidad is a standout destination and is Cuba’s best-preserved colonial town. The old part of Trinidad is a UNESCO heritage site since 1988. Trinidad, like most colonial towns, is gorgeous with brightly colored buildings and cobblestone streets, local residents are extremely friendly and festive.

Every where you walk you can see colourful public buildings, wrought iron grill-work and the famous cobble-stoned streets its great to walk around and soak up the atmosphere. We spent our days visiting the Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra los Bandidos. The most characteristic thing of the building is its yellow bell tower, the only remains from the original building from where you can enjoy wonderful panoramic views. Theres 6 exhibition rooms which deal with the process of the Cuban Independence from 1962 on and the fight against Bandidos. Inside the courtyard there is a GAZ 63 truck, a pirate boat formula-type and piece of the U-2 plane knocked over during the 1962 Missile Crisis.

The Casa de los Mártires de is also a must visit. The museum is dedicated to the 72 local residents that died during the struggle against Batista, the struggle against the counterrevolutionary forces in the Escambray Mountains in the 60´s and the wars in Africa during the 70´s and 80´s. Both chronicle the struggles of the revolutionary period in the town’s history.

We would often eat on in Trinidad, there were many Italian influenced restaurants that had live bands playing. Cuba has a hugely rich and varied dance and musical tradition that draws its roots from Africa and France. Many styles that have greatly influenced music worldwide originated in Cuba, such as Mambo, Cha-cha-cha, son and rumba. Me and Max had our first ever salsa lesson here. It was such a fun experience.

There are some beautiful treks nearby Sierra del Escambray mountains. We walked along the legendary windy road to El Nicho, then hiked to its beautiful Vegas Grande Waterfall.

One night a few of us went to Disco Ayala, which is a late night club hosted in an actual cave. It is a must visit venue hosting thousands of partygoers every night – complete with cabaret acts, five dancefloors, and three separate bars.

Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra los Bandidos

Cobble stone roads of Trinidad

Enjoying a delicious cocktail at a local restaraunt

Vegas Grande Waterfall

Inside Disco Ayala

Disco Ayala

SANTA CLARA

Santa Clara is the capital city of the Cuban province of Villa Clara. It is located in the most central region of the province and almost in the most central region of the country. With a population near a quarter million, Santa Clara is the 5th largest Cuban city by population. We only stopped in briefly on our way to Vinales.

The Che Guevara Mausoleum is a memorial in Santa Clara, located in “Plaza Che Guevara” (Che Guevara Square). It houses the remains of the revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara and twenty-nine of his fellow combatants killed in 1967 during Guevara’s attempt to spur an armed uprising in Bolivia. The full area contains a bronze 22-foot statue of Guevara is referred to as the Ernesto Guevara Sculptural Complex. Che’s remains were brought here after they were found in a remote corner of Bolivia in 1997, where he was assassinated by the CIA-backed Bolivian army. Check out the impressive bronze statue of Che bearing his rifle and learn about his incredible life.

Che Guevara Mausoleum

VINALES

Viñales is the perfect combination of natural beauty and traditional Cuban culture. Viñales is popular for its tobacco farms, languid lifestyle and the distinctive limestone hills of Valle de Viñales. If you enjoy cigars, nature, and culture consider this your spot.

You can also pay a visit to the Cuevas de Santo Tomas, Cuba’s largest cave system. Visitors can explore this unique natural feature by foot. There are over 46km of galleries on eight levels, with a 1km section accessible to visitors. No artificial lighting is in the cave but headlamps are provided for the 90-minute guided tour. Highlights include bats, stalagmites and stalactites, underground pools, interesting rock formations and a replica of an ancient native Indian mural.

For our last night we went on a guided walking tour through the lush green farmland passing horses, farmers and bulls. At a local farmers shed learn how cigars are made. We had our last group dinner on top of the hill and enjoyed panoramic views overlooking the hills of Viñales. It was Maxs 30th birthday this night and we all enjoyed a glass of wine and a piece of cake.

Cuevas de Santo Tomas cave

A farmers house and his horses

Max trying hand rolled cuban cigar

View from the restaurant

Our last group dinner

OUR TOP PHOTOS

Max had rehearsed in his head over and over “pwedo tomar una photo por vavor”? (can I take your photo please)? As we walked the scorching hot streets. Max wanted to photograph many people but he would always forgot the Spanish words. Nobody ever turned us down when we asked to take a picture of them and the people were very welcoming and friendly. We recommend Cuba to anyone who would be happy to become disconnected from the outside world and filled with Cuba’s vibrant cultural richness.