Along with the Vinales Valley, the small town of Trinidad on Cuba’s south coast is the most popular travel destination outside of Havana and, accordingly, is home to a huge number of casa particulares.
Is travel in Cuba safe? This is a question that I have been asked many times and understandably so.The answer, quite emphatically, is Yes.
Together with Havana & Trinidad, Vinales forms a triumvirate of Cuba’s most popular traveller destinations and yet only has 3, somewhat basic hotels to choose from.
Until pretty recently, mention to anyone that you planned to go shopping in Havana and you would have been met with either ridicule or bemusement……and rightly so.
Most visitors to Havana probably spend 2 or 3 days in the city and, with the vast majority of its attractions located in the historic Old Havana district, much of that time will be spent exploring on foot. Where city transport is required, Havana has plenty of options.
What do you think of when it comes to Cuba? Beautiful beaches, Fidel, Che & The Revolution, crumbling colonial architecture, fat cigars or, perhaps, those fabulous classic cars?
The Paradisus Rio de Oro in Guardalavaca. As voted for by me. Not very scientific, I know, so you’ll just have to trust me on this one.
The following is a 2006 report recounting a holiday centred on the birdlife of Cuba - the birds are the same but Cuba itself is changing fast.
Moros y Cristianos is a traditional Cuban dish that you will find served wherever there is a Cuban restaurant, be that on the island itself or around the world.
For the majority of independent travellers visiting Havana, staying in Old Havana is a must. Finding somewhere to stay with a swimming pool is a whole lot more problematic.
Hurricane Matthew is slowly making its way northwards through the Caribbean, with the eastern coast of Cuba directly in its path.
Havana is so famous for its classic American cars, a ride in one being almost ubiquitous, that many visitors disregard the equal fun to be had by taking the Havana ferry.
In a country where being a ‘National Hero’ is highly valued and the ultimate compliment, few stand in higher regard than Jose Marti.
There is surely no other major global city with such an acute hotel shortage as Havana and, at the same time, such a bewildering lack of progress in remedying the problem.
Casa Vitrales is one of a number of new, upmarket casa particulares that are springing up in Old Havana.
This is not a euphemism for jail, rather an issue that surprises and irks a number of visitors to Cuba, the number of hotels with windowless rooms.
Ernest Hemingway was born in Chicago in 1899 but spent much of his life travelling the world, including Cuba where he lived on-and-off from 1939 to 1960.
Melia Cuba is a division of the giant Spanish hotel management company that operates some 26 hotels across Cuba and over a thousand worldwide. Melia was the first foreign hotel management company to do business in Cuba and remains the largest such company on the island.
Perhaps few things embarrass us more than knowing where, when and how much to tip. In this respect, tipping in Cuba is no exception.
For many of those contemplating a holiday to Cuba, there is often that nagging thought, have I left it too late – has Cuba been spoiled?
Parque La Guira is one of those places that very few visitors to Cuba seem to know about, let alone visit.
Habaguanex was formed in January 1994 and is essentially the commercial arm of Havana’s City Historian’s Office; think of it in terms of the UK’s National Trust having their own tourism business and you will get the gist of things.
Located on the northern side of Parque Jose Marti, the Teatro Tomas Terry is probably the single most impressive building in the city of Cienfuegos on Cuba's south coast.
Although often referred to as the Morro Castle, the correct name of Santiago de Cuba's iconic castle is San Pedro de la Roca.
There can be no over-stating the importance of travel insurance – no matter where in the world you are visiting – although with Cuba there are additional factors that need to be taken into account.
No matter whether you have any interest in Cuba history, you cannot visit the island and escape the presence, almost 50 years after his death, of Che Guevara.
Driving in Cuba - are you mad? Well no actually, although that is probably the response you’ll get if you suggest the possibility of Cuba Fly Drive holiday to the not-so-adventurous travel community.
Although holidays to Cuba are now very much in the mainstream, there is still a fair degree of confusion regards many aspects of travel to the island, hence my own summary of Cuba FAQ.
Commencing Sunday 2nd April 2017, Virgin Atlantic will commence weekly flights from London Gatwick to the Cuban beach resort of Varadero.
A casa particular (normally abbreviated to just ‘casa’) is a cross between a traditional homestay and a UK style Bed & Breakfast
Referred to as either the largest, second largest or even third largest fort in the Americas, La Cabana Havana is a vast 18th century fort that overlooks Havana from the eastern side of the bay.
Museum of the Struggle Against Bandits - it’s doesn’t really roll off the tongue, and the (eventual) website name will be a challenge, but this quirky museum in Trinidad is well worth a visit.
Havana is a city full of museums so, for anyone whose time is limited, deciding which ones to visit is an important consideration. Amongst the best, at least in our opinion, is the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales.
After a major renovation program, the Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso (to give it its catchy, full title) is once again open to the public and showcasing the very best in Cuban cultural performances.
Although the US trade embargo with Cuba remains in place, severely limiting the ability of airlines to fly freely between the 2 countries, the phoney war is certainly beginning to hot-up when it comes to discussing US flights to Cuba.
No, nope not the famous film, nor even the Moroccan city, but a quiet waterfront district on the ‘other side’ of Havana Bay.
If you’re hankering to get off the tourist-radar in Cuba, but not have to travel for hours to the middle of nowhere, you could do a lot worse than Caibarien.
The Dhawa Cayo Las Brujas is set to open later this year and promises to be one of the most innovative and luxurious beach hotels in Cuba.
On a hill overlooking Trinidad, a new hotel is slowly taking shape. Very, very slowly. The Pansea Trinidad is the first of what is eventually hoped to be a collection of 4 luxury hotels in Cuba – the other properties being the Pansea Havana, Pansea Vinales & Pansea Santa Lucia.
The Cuba Tourist Office in London is located within the Cuban Embassy at 167 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6PA. Their website contains plenty of general information regards travel to Cuba as well as a helpful list of all the UK tour operators that offer holidays to Cuba.
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Whichever of our featured countries you wish to visit, we've been there several times. So, if you're after something beyond the ordinary to Cuba, Guatemala or the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, we'd love to hear from you.
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