Travel

IT’S TIME TO EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY OF CUBA NOW

by scaturchio. cuba. Varadero Beach, Cuba.

Cuba is a beautiful place, for so many reasons. And now, as the country is opening up more to the US and the rest of the world, it’s a great time to start to explore. We were in Cuba for the first time just last week, as we went to enjoy the Havana Biennial, see the sights, and meet the people.

We are sharing a few highlights of some of Cuba’s most beautiful places to visit. They are just the beginning...

VARADERO

Varadero is a famously beautiful vacation spot at the northernmost part of Cuba. It has been a tourist destination since the 1870s, with many famous visitors, including Al Capone.

The beach sits on a peninsula that is only 1.2 km. at its widest point. It runs more than 20 km. up the mainland.

At the tip, Punta Hicacos, holds an ecological preserve, home to 31 species of birds and 24 species of reptiles. Here you will find virgin forests, beaches, the Cave of Ambrosio, Mangón Lake, and the ruins of La Calavera (The Skull) Salt Works.

After the Cuban Revolution, many mansions in Varadero were converted into museums. In the 1990s, 4 and 5-star hotels were built. And the area is just beginning to open up, as Cuba opens up to the rest of the world.

CAYA COCO

For a trip off the beaten path, Cayo Coco is simply perfect. This small, secluded island off the north coast of Cuba is all about unspoiled beaches and exceptional diving.

It is separated from the mainland by a long man-made causeway.

Playa Pilar, on the western tip of Guillermo is considered by many to be the most beautiful beach of all.

CAYO JUTÍAS

Cayo Jutías is a beautiful beach, adorned with stunning driftwood sculptures. For an even more spectacular trip with less tourists, keep walking along the beach until you reach Playa de las Estrellas del Mar, or Starfish Beach, where gigantic burnt-orange starfish hang out in the shallows.

TRINIDAD

The western coastal town of Trinidad is brimming with historical ambience, from its narrow cobblestone streets to its colorful houses. The entire town is a living museum, packed with Spanish colonial history.

Hitch a ride on the Baldwin Locomotive, a 1900s steam engine that carries passengers to the Valley of Sugar Mills.

CIENFUEGOS

Cienfuegos is a beautiful Cuban beach town, nicknamed “The Pearl of the South.”

This nickname is well-deserved. The entire city is a UNESCO Heritage Site because of its historic buildings. 19th century landmarks, such as the beautiful Valle Palace and Triumph Arch, are must-sees in Cienfuegos.

HOLGUIN

Holguin, located on the southeastern side of Cuba, is a rich cultural hub, full of colonial architecture, art galleries, museums, and historic churches.

It is also close to magnificent natural landscapes, including Guardalavaca Beach, Emerald Beach, La Mensura National Park, and Alejandro de Humboldt National Park.

Christopher Columbus landed in what is believed to have been today's Holguín province in 1492. He declared that it was "the most beautiful country human eyes had ever seen."

SANTIAGO DE CUBA

Beautiful Santiago de Cuba, located on the southern coast of Cuba, is the country’s second most important city after Havana. It is filled with a mix of architectural styles, from Baroque to neoclassical. You also want to check out the extensive Bacardi family art collection housed in a beautiful museum here.

The city is dotted with wooded parks, coursed with steep streets, and lined with colonial buildings sporting huge windows and crowded balconies. It is home to many New World firsts, including the first home and the first copper mine in the Americas, as well as the first cathedral and first museum in Cuba.

The local citadel of San Pedro de la Roca is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is considered "the most complete, best-preserved example of Spanish-American military architecture, based on Italian and Renaissance design principles." And the Baconao Park is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Biosphere Reserve List.

The stunning beaches of Aguadores and La Estrella are located within driving distance of Santiago de Cuba, as is Baconao national park.

Santiago de Cuba has a rich history, and is still a hub of Cuban culture. Many residents adhere to Afro-Cuban religions, most notably santería.

Two of the country’s major carnivals, Carnaval de Santiago and Festival of Fire, are still celebrated here each July!

Cuban poet, writer, and national hero, José Martí, is buried in Cementerio Santa Efigenia.

On January 1, 1959, Fidel Castro proclaimed the victory of the Cuban Revolution from a balcony on Santiago de Cuba's city hall.

BARACOA

Baracoa is an isolated town on the edge of Cuba, bordered by the Atlantic to the north, and by rivers, mountains, and forests on its other sides.

Dense rainforests, filled with thousands of species exotic flora and fauna, many of which are endangered, make this area especially important -- and especially beautiful.

The iconic flat-topped mountain El Yunque, stands in the background.

Check out the UNESCO biosphere reserve Cuchilla del Toa, which contains Alejandro de Humboldt national park and the magnificent 17-meter high Saltadero Waterfall. And if you love cactus, head to the Cactus Garden, with over 2,000 cacti.

Beautiful culture is also a huge part of Baracoa’s appeal. Changüí music is unique to the region. The Tumba Francesca, a Creole dance inspired by the French minuet, was invented here as well.

VIÑALES VALLEY

The western end of Cuba is home to one of its most famous landscapes, Viñales Valley, part of the Sierra de los Organos mountain range.The striking karst landscape is notable for its mogotes, a series of tall, rounded hills that rise up dramatically from the flat plains.

Local multicultural traditions and practices have been preserved here, as reflected in the region’s architecture, crafts and music. It illustrates the cultural development of Cuba and the islands of the Caribbean, including Influences can be seen from the indigenous people, Spanish conquerors, and African slaves brought over in the colonial period.

HAVANA

Havana is the most famous city in Cuba, and for good reason- it’s simply stunning.

Rumba music, Cuban rum and cigars, classic 1950s automobiles, jineteros and La Vida Habanera.... all of these things come to mind when you think of Havana. You will certainly find all of these things here, but to truly discover the diverse beauty of Havana, you will want to explore all of its vibrant districts.

Culture is rich here, as Havana is home to some of the world’s best ballet schools, fantastic community theaters, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, and even spontaneous side-street salsa lessons!

El Malecón, the famous boulevard where you’ll always encounter couples taking romantic strolls, stretches 8 km. from Old Havana to the Vedado district. Havana’s 15 km. coastline shimmers, with white sands and unspoiled coral reefs.

Old Havana is full of beautiful colonial buildings, the gorgeous Catedral de San Cristobal, and Hemingway’s bar, “La Bodeguita del Medio.” The entire neighborhood is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 900 landmarks! Much is now under or awaiting much needed renovations.

In Havana Centro, you’ll want to visit El Capitolio, the breathtaking capitol building. One of Cuba’s oldest cigar factories, Real Fabrica de Tabacos Partagas, is also located here. Havana Centro is a working-class neighborhood, so a visit here will give you a taste of daily Cuban life.

But if you really and truly want to get to know Havana, and Cuba as a whole, you must dive more deeply, beyond the tourist delights, and study the history of its people, its politics, its struggles, and its triumphs.

Check out this “Video Postcard from Havana,” a short film, produced by Karen Ranucci, for Democracy Now!, an important look at Cuba as it opens up to new ideas and new visitors.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

Image: by scaturchio. cuba. Varadero Beach, Cuba.
Image: Courtesy of Planet Escape. Cuba.
Image: by Didier Baertschiger. Cuba - Cayo Coco - Fisherman. Cayos Coco, Cuba.
Image: by Borja Rius. cayo jutías. Cayo Jutías, Cuba.
Image: by Martin Abegglen. Trinidad. Trinid ad, Cuba.
Image: by Mikel Ortega. Cienfuegos Yacht Club. Cienfuegos, Cuba.
Image: by Jeff. Cactus Garden. Club Amigo Atlantico Playa Guardalavaca. Holguin, Cuba.
Image: by Adam Jones. Castillo de San Pedro del Morro. Santiago de Cuba, Cuba.
Image: by Dirk Van Der Made. A cabin in the hills near Baracoa. Baracoa, Cuba.
Image: by Robin Thom. The beach at Villa Maguana, Baracoa, Guantanamo Province, Cuba. Baracoa, Cuba.
Image: by Marina & Enrique. Viñales Valley, Cuba / Valle de Viñales, Cuba. Viñales Valley, Cuba.
Image: by Gerry Balding. Old Taxis. Old American Taxis Seen on the Back Streets of Havana. Havana, Cuba.
Image: by mariusz kluzniak. Everything Old. Havana, Cuba.
Photo by SF Brit. The Malecon, Havana, Cuba.
Photo: by Shira White. Havana under renovation. Havana, Cuba.
Image: by Gerry Balding. The Rooftops of Downtown Havana. Havana, Cuba.
Image: by Guillaume Baviere. Le Mural de la Prehistoria. Viñales Valley, Cuba.
Image: by David Steele. Havana Woman. Havana, Cuba.
Image: Courtesy of BeautifulNow. BN App.
Image: by Artur Staszewski. Cathedral in Havana. Havana, Cuba.