Cuba
- Rotem Haskia
- Apr 20, 2020
- 5 min read
Although I usually recommend and travel to places with remarkable views or with many wildlife and nature this time I have to write about a unique place with a crumbling beauty and fascinating history that will take you back in time like in a time machine. In Cuba you will find many green views and heavenly beaches with crystal clear waters but the main thing here is to learn all about the local way of life! It's time to disconnect from the internet, to exchange your smartphone with a Cuban cigar, your modern car with a horse carriage or a convertible old car and the hotel with local people's casas.
Things you need to know before coming to Cuba:
1. As mentioned, you will not find here internet easily, you will need to buy a special internet card that works for a specific number of hours and only in specific areas! With that said, make sure you plan your trip and do your homework about Cuba in advance since the access to information here will be limited. I recommend downloading Maps.Me, an app that offers offline maps for getting around or to do what we did and rent a local guide (more about it next).
2. Cuba is a place that has a rich history and a lot of knowledge to offer you, I absolutely recommend visiting this country with a local guide especially in the old parts since although the streets are not the prettiest ones there is a certain crumbling beauty to them and they hold so many stories and hidden gems that only the locals know. I can 150% recommend our one of a kind guide Orlando that is truly one of the best people I met on my trips Orlando +53 5 3704994.
3. In Cuba you will find two types of coins- Pesos and Cuc. The Peso coin is used only by the locals and the Cuc is the one that you are going to use as a tourist and it's worth exactly to the dollar.
4. For Cuba you are going to need a visa! I heard you can do it right in the airport for 100$, we did it back home in advance for 50$.
5. Some countries are required to show their healthcare insurance copy in English when arriving to the airport in Cuba so I recommend bringing it just in case.
6. Cuba is known to be very good for 3 products: Rum, cigars and coffee! When rum is a thing that you will find easily in every corner but I can recommend you to buy a fresh coffee at Cafe Escorial (In Plaza Vieja).Cigars you can buy in the farms of Vinales that their product is being used in all the big brands like Cohiba but here you can buy then in half the price and they are more natural without Ammonia and nicotine.
Havana
Havana, ooh na-na... I can see why Camila left her heart in Havana- with architecture dripping with history, colorful cars, musical streets and the smell of the Cuban cigars, this city that is also the capital of Cuba is really something else.
Where to sleep?
Casa Arian: a wonderful local casa in a walking distance from the old Havana. The room was really big and clean, the owner helped us connect through him to the internet and the breakfast was delicious. The casa is also in the area of many taxis, restaurants and grocery shops which is extra comfortable.
What to do?
Old Havana: we spent the entire day with our tour guide Orlando around the old Havana part. In the old Havana we sew a lot of beautiful old buildings, interesting art, learned about the history and of course sew many beautiful and colorful convertible cars.
Beach: Havana is surrounded by breathtaking pastoral beaches.
Fortaleza Morro Cabana: here every evening in 20:30 you can see a small show of actors in old uniform of the Cuban army followed by a real and impressive cannon shot.
Convertible car: One of the symbols of Cuba that is also what colors the streets of Havana is the colorful, classic convertible cars so how can you not give one a try? In Havana you have the options to rent per hour one of the stylish cars and explore the remote neighborhoods in the right way (we visited all the next locations with the car):
Miramar: Offers a beautiful view over the coastline of the city.
Hotel National: is the fanciest hotel in Havana which offers every night cabaret shows and a tall viewpoint over the entire city.
Fusterlandia: a fisherman neighborhood that is completely covered with the famous Cuban artist "Fuster" art. Here you can also visit the Fuster's house that is basically a huge art piece and looks like an amusement park.
"Forest of Havana": which is a beautiful green part of the city with lovely walking trails by the river.
Vinales Valley
About 2.5 hours from Havana you will find this 132 km green and beautiful valley that is mostly known for Tabaco, other crops plantations and the many caves in the area.
What to do?
Caves: the "Cueva Del Indio" (the Indian cave) and the "Palenque" cave. Both caves are impressive and interesting to see and walk in and are a bit similar beside the fact that in the Indian cave you can take a boat ride inside the cave's river which is really nice.
"Casa Manolo": This family offers lovely horseback rides in the valley and are famous for their cigars. The family that works in the farm for over 60 years is happy to give you a free lesson about their history and how they grow and make the cigars, you will also try them!
City center: walk around the colorful town and its market with the many convertible old cars driving by.
Viewpoint: ask the locals for directions to the beautiful viewpoint over the valley in the area.
Trinidad and Cienfuegos
The drive to Trinidad is a bit long so I recommend making a stop at Cienfuegos. In Cienfuegos you can walk around the town's main square that is surrounded by old historical buildings that you can also get inside for a taste from the old times.
Tip: On the long drive back to Havana you can to include a visit to Santa Marta (sadly I have no further information since the road was troubled and we drove straight to Havana).
What to do?
Old town: explore the old town with your guide and enjoy the colorful beauty of the pastoral streets filled with Cuban magic.
El Cubano waterfall: What can be a better way to open the morning than with a lovely horseback riding tour to El Cubano waterfall. The tour takes about 4 hours and beside the waterfall you can choose to stop at local restaurants on the way and learn all about the Cuban coffee and the sugarcane juice
Ancon beach: this beach is considered as the most beautiful one in the south and is truly is heavenly.
The bell tower: climb up to the Bell tower for a breathtaking 360° view of all Trinidad.
Where to eat?
Trinidad 500: To be honest we came back to this restaurant twice, the food was delicious from the appetizers to dessert and the prices were ridiculous.
San Jose Restaurant.
I absolutely enjoyed this adventure in Cuba, it was very interesting to move from my modern travels to the classic Havana, a place that time stood still and give you a taste from a simpler and more challenging life. Cuba may not be the best-looking island at first sight but you will find out it is one of the most interesting ones and I feel that everyone should pay a visit here to learn about our world and about ourselves. For more pictures click here or search @Travel_Rotem on Instagram.
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