Cuba holidays

Cuba can run with the best of the Caribbean Islands when it comes to beaches. The island has almost 6,000 kilometres of coastline, which amounts to nearly 300 natural beaches. Varadero and Guardalavaca are the best-known resorts, and for good reason. In the former, the longest beach is a 20-kilometre ribbon of powdery white sand. In the latter, the coastline teams up with national parks and rainforests to create an oasis-like region.

Type Varadero Beach into a search engine and you’ll find articles calling it ‘the best beach in the Caribbean’ and even ‘the best beach in the world’. The stretch of white sand here is half-marathon long – that’s 13 miles from start to finish.

Playa Larga, roughly an hour and a half’s drive south from Varadero, is part of the Gran Parquet Natural de Montemar, so it’s as unspoilt as they come. You won’t find sunloungers or parasols on the sand, but there are plenty of palm trees to shade under. There aren’t any sand-side restaurants here, so pack a picnic.

Nothing says ‘I’ve been to Cuba’ like a T-shirt with a Che Guevara print on it. You can pick one up cheap at the artisan market in Guardalavaca, alongside handmade jewellery and art work. The market itself is a short walk from Brisas Guardalavaca hotel. Alternatively, head to Varadero Market, on Avenida 1. Here, you can buy the likes of Che Guevara merchandise, Cadillac toys and Cuban straw hats.

Rum and cigars are part of the fabric of Cuba. You’ll find some of the best cigar shops on Avenida 1 in Varadero and there’s a good one on 31st Street, too. For rum, you’ll do far worse than the shops around Plaza de la Marqueta in Holguin, near Guardalavaca. The most popular brand is Havana Club but, if you want to push the boat out, splash the cash on some Havana Club 15-year-old reserve.

Shopping malls are few and far between in Cuba. In fact, Varadero is home to one of the only ones. The Plaza America has shops like Mango and Benetton. In Guardalavaca, shopping sprees tend to be limited to hotel gift shops. But it’s not as bleak as it sounds. In the bigger ones you can buy local art and traditional Caribbean cotton shirts called guayaberas.

Finding a place to have a quiet drink is a piece of cake in Varadero. The bar at Varadero Golf Club serves ocean views with its Cuba Libres. Then there are the colourful bars in Calle 62, which put on live Cuban music. If you’d rather catch a show, head to the Tropicana Varadero in Matanzas, roughly half-an-hour’s drive from Varadero. Dance and live music are performed here regularly.

Cabaret accounts for the lion’s share of nightlife in Varadero. The Casa de la Musica in Avenida Playa turns into a dance club after its 10.30pm performance. La Comparsita in Calle 60, meanwhile, is an open-air venue with a colonial style. Over in Guardalavaca, most of the hotels have in-house discos. For a night out to rival them all, though, you have to head to Havana. Pop into Bodeguita del Medio on Calle Empedrado – it’s where Ernest Hemmingway and Nat King Cole used to drink. Then top off your night in the Tropicana Club on Calle 72.

Roast suckling pigs are a party piece in Cuba. Locals tend to make them on special occasions, but restaurants are a bit less picky about when they put them on the menu. The dish is made by roasting a whole pig on a spit over hot coals until the meat is melt-in-your-mouth soft.

The food miles in this dish are minimal. In Varadero, lobster comes out of the sea and goes straight onto the barbecue. Most restaurants serve it virgin, with just a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. The thatched cafes on Varadero beach usually have it on their menus, so you can eat it with the sand between your toes.

Ropa vieja means ‘old clothes’ in Spanish. It got its name because the beef in the dish is shredded, like tattered cloth. Fortunately, it tastes better than it sounds. The meat is served in a tomato sauce and dished up with fluffy rice, hearty bean soup, and an avocado and tomato salad.

Ice-cream is a big deal in Cuba. Castro nationalised the industry, so every scoop is subsidised and affordable. Ice-cream makers take advantage of the local fruit, so coconut, mango and rum and raisin are among the most popular flavours.

The history of exactly who invented the Cuba Libre is a grey area, but everyone agrees it was first concocted in Cuba at the start of the 20th century. It’s created using locally-made rum, coke and lime juice, and it’s the perfect accompaniment to a sunbathing session or a night of salsa dancing.