7 days Cuba: Havana + Vinales + Trinidad + Varadero

Trip map

Click each numbered marker to see the corresponding day.

Day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   Arrival Havana

   Direct Paris-Havana flight (10h, Air France 3 times/week, €700-1,100 return). Tarjeta de Turista mandatory (tourist visa €25-35 to buy in agency or directly airline before departure). Land at Jose Marti International (HAV). Yellow official taxi transfer (€25-35 for 18 km to centre). Settle casa particular (room with locals, authentic Cuban experience, €30-50/night breakfast included) or Habana Vieja hotel (Hostal Conde de Villanueva €80-120, Hotel Saratoga €200-300). First walk Plaza Vieja (Old Havana UNESCO), first mojito at La Bodeguita del Medio (€4-6). Dinner La Guarida (legendary paladar in a decrepit palace, renovated Cuban cuisine, €30-50/person).

   Tips

   • · Tarjeta de Turista: €25-35, agency purchase or directly Air France (sometimes included in ticket)
   • · Casa particular: authentic Cuban experience, blue sign on door = official
   • · Cash in EUR or USD mandatory (US bank cards don't work, others very limited)
   • · La Guarida: MANDATORY booking 1 week ahead (legendary, very limited places)
   La Havane →
2. 2

   Day 2

   Havana: Old Town + Malecon + classic cars

   Havana day. Morning Old Havana UNESCO on foot: Plaza de la Catedral (18th c. baroque cathedral), Plaza de Armas (book market), Plaza Vieja and its breweries, Capitolio (Washington replica), Castillo de la Real Fuerza. Afternoon classic American convertible car tour (Cadillac, Buick, Chevrolet from the 50s, €30-50/person for 1h, iconic photo on Malecon). Sunset on El Malecon (8 km seaside promenade). Evening Casa de la Musica Centro Habana for live salsa night (entry €5-10, mojito €3-5).

   Tips

   • · Vintage American car: €30-50/hour for 4 people (negotiate hard), iconic photo guaranteed
   • · Casa de la Musica: authentic salsa nights with Cubans, Friday/Saturday 10pm-3am
   • · Habana Vieja: DO NOT venture into Centro Habana at night (uneven safety zones)
   • · Authentic cigars: buy at official La Casa del Habano, not in street (counterfeits)
   La Havane →
3. 3

   Day 3

   Havana -> Vinales (3h drive)

   Drive Havana -> Vinales (3h, 180 km, A4 motorway then national road). Changing landscapes: suburban areas then countryside. Arrive Vinales early afternoon. Settle casa particular (€40-60/night, traditional farms with mogote view - characteristic vertical limestone formations). Afternoon visit tobacco plantation with a farmer (free cigar + manual rolling demonstration, €5-15), Jazmines viewpoint (panoramic view over UNESCO-listed valley), Mural de la Prehistoria (modern rock painting, €5). Dinner criolla cuisine with locals (chicken, rice, black beans, fried plantains, €8-15).

   Tips

   • · Vinales route: collective taxi (€15-25/person) or private car (€80-120 with driver)
   • · Tobacco plantation: authentic experience, free cigar + €5-10 tip expected
   • · Cuban cigars: 1 authentic Cohiba box €30-100 (invoices provided for customs)
   • · Vinales: NO street cigars, guaranteed counterfeits (fake + poor quality tobacco)
   Viñales →
4. 4

   Day 4

   Vinales: caves + Havana return -> Trinidad

   Morning Cueva del Indio (cave with boat ride on underground river, €5) or horse ride in the valley (€15-25 for 2h with guide, photogenic). Brunch at the finca. Afternoon long drive Vinales -> Trinidad via Havana (5-6h, 510 km via motorway). Alternative: night in Havana and continuation D5. If Trinidad arrival in evening: settle casa particular historic centre (€35-55/night, colourful colonial houses). First mojito on Plaza Mayor at sunset.

   Tips

   • · Vinales-Trinidad route: 5-6h drive, possible but exhausting. Better to sleep 1 night Havana
   • · Trinidad casa particular: superb colonial houses (€40-60/night, rooftop terrace)
   Trinidad →
5. 5

   Day 5

   Trinidad: UNESCO colonial centre + Playa Ancon

   Morning Trinidad UNESCO: Plaza Mayor (cathedral + colonial museums), Convento de San Francisco (museum of fight against bandits, view from bell tower), 18th c. paved streets with pastel-coloured house facades, Plaza del Mercado. Iconic photo: Calle Cristo with its coloured pavés. Afternoon Playa Ancon (12 km by taxi, €10-15): crystalline turquoise Caribbean beach (3 km white sand), umbrellas + sunbeds + restaurant €15-25/person. Snorkeling possible (corals at 50m from shore). Back Trinidad in evening. Evening Casa de la Musica Trinidad (outdoor staircase turned into venue, free live salsa, mojitos €2-3).

   Tips

   • · Casa de la Musica Trinidad: outdoor staircase, free salsa nights every evening 9pm
   • · Playa Ancon: Caribbean beach 12 km away, €10-15 return taxi, local restaurant Grill Caribe (€15-25)
   Trinidad →
6. 6

   Day 6

   Trinidad -> Varadero (3h) + beach finish

   Drive Trinidad -> Varadero (3h, 200 km via Cienfuegos for nice coastal detour). Arrive Varadero midday. Settle all-inclusive resort Varadero (Iberostar Selection Varadero 5* €200-350/night, Melia Marina 5* €250-400) or boutique hotel (Mansion Xanadu, 4*, €150-250). Varadero = 20 km peninsula of crystalline white sand, beaches among the most beautiful in the Caribbean. Afternoon beach relax or snorkeling excursion (€50-70/person, 4h, coral reefs and shipwrecks). Sunset over the Caribbean sea.

   Tips

   • · Varadero: beaches among the most beautiful in the Caribbean (white sand, turquoise water)
   • · All-inclusive 5* recommended: Iberostar Selection (€200-350/night, varied restaurants, evening entertainment)
   Varadero →
7. 7

   Day 7

   Varadero -> Paris return

   Quiet morning Varadero beach or last swim. Resort brunch. Varadero airport transfer (VRA, 20 min) OR return to Havana HAV (2h30, taxi €80-100). Direct Varadero-Paris flight (Air France seasonal) or Havana-Paris (Air France 3 times/week, 10h). End of trip. Typical souvenirs: authentic Cohiba/Romeo y Julieta cigars (resort or airport purchase), Havana Club rum, Cuban coffee, Che Guevara t-shirts.

   Tips

   • · Cohiba cigars at airport: authentic + invoices, similar price to centre
   • · Havana Club rum: 7 years €20-30, 15 years €80-120 (excellent gifts)
   Varadero →

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