Cuba is one of the world’s most distinctive countries. Thumb-thick cigars, rum, salsa, images of Che Guevara in his black beret, and Cadillacs that sag on their suspension in the streets are just a few of the icons of this emblematic place. The country’s sun-soaked location, 90 miles off the coast of Miami, means you can expect balmy temperatures throughout the year, too.
Cuba’s capital, Havana, is an all-consuming city. It’s possible to lose days in the historical La Habana Vieja part of town, alone. The cathedral here has been described as ‘music set in stone’ and, just a few steps away, you’ll find the Bodeguita del Medio, a traditional watering hole where legendary American writer Ernest Hemingway and jazz icon Nat King Cole used to drink.
Two hours’ drive east of Havana, there’s Varadero. The first tourists arrived at this beach resort in 1870, so it’s had more than a century to get its laidback atmosphere and scenic beachfronts down to a tee. Most of the hotels in this part of Cuba are pulled up to the peninsula’s 20-kilometre-long coastline, where sunbathing on the seafront and snorkelling top the to-do list. In classic Cuban fashion, Varadero lines up plenty of jazz clubs and sea-view bars for you to unwind in, too.
Cuba’s history and culture are unlike anything else you’ll find in the Caribbean, thanks to a few decades of strict trade embargos that have had a knock-on effect for the economy. Because of this, things are on the rustic side. The hum of air-conditioning isn’t a given, and meals mostly rely on a few simple ingredients. However, what the country lacks in the usual mod-cons it makes up for with off-the-beaten-track experiences, tropical landscapes and an unmissable way of life.
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