What to see in Cuba?

2024 Author: Graham Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-09 10:26

More than 2 million people go on vacation to Cuba every year, with tourism on Liberty Island being one of the main sources of income. If you are interested in the answer to the question “What to see in Cuba?”, You should pay attention to the sights of Havana, Holguin, Santiago de Cuba, Cienfuegos.

Holiday season in Cuba

It is advisable to visit Cuba in November-April, but the cost of tours in these months increases by 30-40%. You can save money by flying to Cuba in May-October, when it is humid and hot. It is better to swim in winter (the water warms up to + 24-25˚C), windsurf in the rainy season, and diving all year round.

Liberty Island is a must-see for the Fiesta del Fuego Fire Festival (July), the Havana Cigar Tobacco Festival (February), the Caribbean Culture Festival (June / July), the Havana International Ballet Festival (October).

Top 15 places of interest in Cuba

Havana Capitol

Inside the 6-storey Capitol, there is a sculptural female image of Cuba (the role of the model was played by one of the residents of the Cuban capital - Lili Valti), conferences are held in its halls, and bronze doors are decorated with reliefs depicting scenes from Cuban history. The Capitol is also equipped with a library, the headquarters of the Ministry of Science, a historical museum, a 92-meter dome, which is crowned with a replica sculpture of the statue of Mercury (adorns the Bargello Palace in Florence), a zero kilometer mark (it was previously decorated with a diamond, and today it is kept in the Central Bank Cuba, and in its place is now glass). The building is surrounded by landscaped gardens, where you should come to relax.

Havana Cathedral

The location of the Cathedral (Colonial Baroque) is the Plaza de la Cienaga. Its walls are decorated with copies of paintings by Murillo and Rubens, as well as originals of works by the artist Batista Veremey. In addition, one wall of the cathedral is decorated with a sculptural image of the crucified Christ.

The cathedral can be freely visited by everyone on weekdays until 11 am or after 14:30.

La Cabana

La Cabagna

Fortified buildings of the 18th century La Cabana are located in the harbor of Havana, and from here it is convenient to take panoramic photographs of the old city (in order to become the owner of the most beautiful pictures, it is better to take them at sunset). The equipment of the complex is represented by restaurants, cafe-bars, souvenir shops, a museum of old weapons, a museum-commandant's office with Che Guevara's household items stored there. And next to the fortress walls, everyone will be able to see the 18-meter statue of the Havana Christ.

You should definitely visit the cannon evening ceremony: the guards, dressed in ceremonial uniforms of the 18th century, march to the cannon that fires at 21:00.

Villa Dupont

Villa Dupont in Varadero is located on the coastal cliffs at the tip of the Icacos Peninsula. Once this four-storey villa with 11 bedrooms, 7 balconies, 3 terraces, a private pier, a garage for 7 cars, gardens with avocados, papaya and coconut trees growing there, belonged to the multimillionaire Irene Dupont de Nemours, where, on his order, even an elevator was installed. But after the nationalization of the mansion (1959), first a school was opened within its walls, and then a restaurant that still functions today (serving international cuisine) along with a mini-hotel with 6 rooms, wine cellars and a panoramic bar.

The villa also attracts golf lovers, as every year it becomes the venue for international competitions (there is an 18-hole golf course on the territory).

Vinales Valley

Glory to the Viñales Valley, located 30 km from Pinar del Rio, was brought by the mogote (these are sheer cliffs with flat peaks, 160 million years old; their maximum height is 400 m), the Casa de Caridad botanical garden, the Museo Municipal museum, caves (Santo Tomas, Jose Miguel, Indian Cave).

In the valley (you can move along it on a sightseeing bus that runs 9 times a day) you can meet a small Cuban finch, a hummingbird-bee, a Cuban Todi, as well as engage in rock climbing and hiking.

Hemingway House Museum

The Hemingway House Museum is a landmark in Havana's suburban area of San Francisco de Paula. Having resorted to the services of travel agencies, you can go on an excursion "to the places of Hemingway", which involves not only inspecting the writer's house (guests will see shelves with books, photographs, badges, gear, guns and other personal belongings of the writer, and in the garden there will be a boat "Pilar", where Hemingway went fishing, lived and wrote great works), but also the village of fishermen Cochimar. In addition, everyone will have a walk to the Ambos Mundos Hotel (where Hemingway lived before he bought his house) and the Bodeguita del Medio bar-restaurant (one of the writer's favorite places).

Colon cemetery

At the Colon cemetery in Havana, you will be able to see more than 500 sculptural gravestones and monuments (in addition to white marble sculptures, there are Egyptian pyramids and spherical structures in the Art Nouveau style), in particular, a memorial in honor of firefighters, 23 m high (they died when they extinguished a fire in May 1890). Over 800,000 people are buried here, in particular, musician Ibraim Ferrer, composer Hubert de Blanc, poet Juan Chabas, Cuban President Jose Miguel Gomez, pianist Ruben Gonzalez, photographer Alberto Corda, ethnographer Fernando Ortiz. The grave of the girl Milagros deserves special attention (she died in childbirth and is considered the patroness of mothers). On the excursion, they will tell you what ritual needs to be performed in order to fulfill the requests made at her grave.

Jose Marti Memorial

Jose Marti is a national hero of Cuba, and a monument in his honor is erected in the capital of this country. The memorial complex includes a 109-meter tower (shaped like a five-pointed star), an 18-meter statue of Marty surrounded by 6 columns, the Marty Museum (the exposition of several rooms is represented by photographs, documents, letters and personal belongings of Marty, and you can also see Venetian ceramics there, which reflects 89 of his sayings from letters covered with gilding) and gardens. Tourists are allowed to climb the memorial to admire panoramic views of Havana from the glazed viewing platform, in particular the Vedado area.

Malecon embankment

The Malecon is both the Havana waterfront and the 7-kilometer promenade that runs through 14 quarters of the city, and is home to fishing for the poorest Havana, as well as the February carnival and Sunday performances of Cuban bands. The hotel "Miramar", colonial buildings, a watchtower of the 18th century, a house with caryatids, a monument to Gomez, a monument to Maceo are subject to inspection … It is best to come to Malecon at sunset.

Baconao national park

In the Baconao National Park, you can visit and see:

bohio (peasant huts with thatched roofs);
a prehistoric dinosaur park on an area of more than 11 hectares (visitors will see over 200 life-sized prehistoric animals created from concrete and plaster, as well as Cro-Magnon figures);
ruins of ancient coffee plantations (the guide will tell you about the cultivation and drying of coffee in ancient times);
an aquarium (here guests are shown a show of seals and dolphins, and they are offered to pay attention to a 30-meter underwater tunnel, walking along which it will be possible to better see the marine life);
museum of land transport (miniature cars and retro cars in the amount of 2500 copies are exhibited here).

Salto del Guayabo waterfall

The Salto del Guayabo waterfall is located at an altitude of 546 meters in the Sierra de Nipe mountains. its water stream is divided into 2 cascades, which flow down the slopes from a height of 85 m and 127 m. Those descending to the dam will be able to stand under waterfall jets or swim in crystal clear water. Near the waterfall you can see ferns (36 species), orchids (33 varieties), various trees, the height of which is 15-20 m, as well as meet the Tokororo bird and spend time in an area with a pleasant microclimate.

Fortress of La Fuersa

La Fuersa Fortress is located in the west of the Havana harbor. Until 2010, the Museum of Cuban Ceramics was opened here, and now - the Maritime Museum, where everyone can see numerous ships, as well as a 4-meter copy of the Santisima Trinidad ship (it is equipped with interactive touchscreens). Those who wish will go down into the hold of this vessel in order to inspect navigational instruments and finds that have been raised from the seabed.

A visit to La Fuerza will cost 2 Cuban pesos (opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 09:30 to 5pm).

Bellamar cave

Bellamar Cave is 3 km away from Motanzas. The fame was brought to her by crystalline formations of stalagmites and stalactites, several tens of thousands of years old. It was opened for paid visits in 1862, when a descent into a cave was arranged there (a staircase with 159 steps leads down) and several grottoes were equipped with a lighting system. The underground galleries stretch for 23 km, but not all of them are open to tourists. Here you will be able to see the Gothic Hall (grotto width - 25 m, length - 80 m), a stream with clean and cool water, a stalactite “Cloak of Columbus”, 12 m high.

Fortress of San Pedro de la Roca

The fortress of San Pedro de la Roca in Santiago de Cuba "guarded" the city from pirate attacks (it was equipped with a large storehouse for supplies, 4 levels of terraces, 3 shelter ramparts for artillery). In 1775, prisons were opened in the fortress (the most famous are “La Estrella” and “La Roca”). Today it houses a museum of the history of piracy, and next to it is a Cuban restaurant. And in the evenings, tourists are entertained with cannon firing (carried out by the guards).

The fortress is open to the public every day from 10 am to 9 pm (tickets cost 4 Cuban pesos).

Bakunayagua bridge

The Bakunayagua Bridge was built to shorten the route from Havana to Matanzas. Supports the bridge, 314 m long and 103 m high, 41 columns. Nearby, travelers will find an observation deck, where they head for the opportunity to admire the mangrove swamps (they are a refuge for 74 species of birds, 8 species of amphibians and 16 species of reptiles), green hills, the Yumuri Valley, as well as satisfy hunger in the Mirador cafe and enjoy Cuban music. performed by a traditional ensemble.

It is best to rent a car to drive across the bridge and appreciate its charms (from Matanzas, take the Via Blanca highway).