Havana and Western Cuba offer exceptional diversity of experiences. In Havana, exploration is organised around three main quarters. Habana Vieja (UNESCO) concentrates the five colonial squares (Armas, Vieja, Catedral, San Francisco, Cristo), the baroque cathedral, La Bodeguita del Medio (Hemingway's mojito), the Capitolio, the Museo de la Revolución (former Batista palace), the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. Vedado (1950s) holds the Hotel Nacional (panoramic terrace for a sunset mojito), Plaza de la Revolución, Colón cemetery and the Fábrica de Arte Cubano (essential hybrid venue, open Thursday-Sunday). Centro Habana is rougher and more working-class, best discovered on foot for everyday Cuban authenticity.
Music is enjoyed in the evening in Havana. Casa de la Música Habana (Centro Habana) and Casa de la Música Galiano programme salsa orchestras almost nightly. The Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) in Vedado is the cultural institution of the new Cuban scene — live music, exhibitions, bars, restaurants. Purists head for rumba in Callejón de Hamel on Sunday afternoons (free) or at Gran Palenque. The Tropicana still puts on its 1939 cabaret show, knowingly kitsch but unforgettable.
Classic American car rides (€30-40/hour, arrange via your casa) are a signature experience — classic circuit along the Malecón, Plaza de la Revolución, Vedado and back. Prefer morning for the light or sunset for the atmosphere. Salsa classes (€10-15/hour private) in a casa particular or with an independent teacher are strongly recommended to fully enjoy the musical evenings.
In Viñales, activities are mostly outdoor. The horseback ride in the valley (€5-8/hour, €25-35 for 4 hours with guide) is iconic — memorable landscapes, stops at a tobacco finca with cigar-rolling demo and tasting. Hiking covers the same routes (8-15 km, 5-6h). Caving in the Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás (46 km of galleries) and visiting the Cueva del Indio by boat are unmissable. The Mirador de los Jazmines at sunrise offers one of the most beautiful panoramas in Cuba.
Read also
- Havana, the frozen capital — UNESCO Old Havana, the Malecón, American classic cars, nightly salsa: the Cuban heart.
- Viñales and the tobacco valley — Karst mogotes, tobacco fincas, horseback rides: authentic rural Cuba.
- Cuba — Complete country guide: visa, currency, regions, best time to visit.
- Central Cuba — UNESCO Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara: the colonial and revolutionary heart.