The island of Cuba had always been on my bucket list, and in 2022, I finally convinced my girlfriend to make that dream a reality. She meticulously planned our itinerary, and we had an incredible trip. Throughout our 12-day adventure, we had the privilege of staying in cozy Cuban casas particulares (private homes), exploring various Cuban cities, using shared taxis, and even embarking on a memorable four-hour horseback ride through the Viñales valley.

Join us as we recount our unforgettable journey. 

Day 1 – Arrival in Havana

We arrived in Havana after a tiring nine-hour airplane journey, with the night sky welcoming us with warm and humid weather. A friendly taxi driver, accompanied by his son, was there to pick us up from the airport. They even provided us with accommodation for our first nights in Havana at their home (Casa La Viviana). Fortunately, our hosts exchanged our Euros for Cuban Pesos at a rate of 1€ for 180 Cuban Pesos, which was much better than the official rate of 1 to 25. Before calling it a night, we found a restaurant called RicarDon, Restaurante Tecnológico, which was still open and offered a satisfying dinner.

Just a reminder for travelers to Cuba: it’s better to have bills instead of coins because they are not widely accepted by local businesses, and electronic payment methods may not work there.

Day 2 – Havana

Our second day began with a walk through the narrow streets of central Havana in search of a place to have breakfast. It can be challenging for tourists to visit stores frequented by Cubans, as they are not always welcoming to outsiders. Fortunately, we found a private café catering to tourists. After breakfast, we took advantage of the morning to explore the city’s main tourist attractions. In the afternoon, we took a bus to Playa Santa María del Mar, a beach near Havana.

During the day, we encountered some attempted scams by locals. While Cuba is generally a safe country for tourists, its high poverty rate makes tourist scams very common.

Our itinerary for the day included:

• Museo de la Revolución
• Catedral de la Habana (Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana)
• Palacio de los Marqueses de Aguas Claras
• Seminario de San Carlos y San Ambrosio (or Seminario San Carlos y San Ambrosio)
• Plaza de Armas
• Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (or Palacio del Segundo Cabo)
• Plaza Vieja
• El Capitolio (or Palacio Nacional de la Artesanía)
• Real Fábrica de Tabaco Partagás (or Fábrica de Tabacos Partagás)
• Parque Central
• Barrio Chino
• Callejón de Hamel
• Malecón
• Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro (El Morro)
• Casablanca
• Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña
• El Cristo de La Habana
• Praia Santa María del Mar

Day 3 – Havana to Viñales Valley 

One of the best ways to travel between regions is by taking a shared taxi. The host of the private house (Casa 2 sonrisas, vale silencioso) where we stayed in Viñales arranged it for us. We traveled with a young German couple. The vehicle was aged and pieced together using components from various automobiles, as acquiring a car was financially out of reach for a typical Cuban. The trip to Viñales was fantastic; we passed through the rural zone of Cuba and got a glimpse of how Cubans live.

We arrived at Viñales Valley in the afternoon with no electricity, hardly any tourists around, and a large number of trees knocked down by a storm a few weeks ago. Viñales was a shadow of its former self compared to its golden days, but it was still a beautiful place. We spent the rest of the day visiting the mural of prehistory, exploring the small town of Viñales, and taking some time to rest.

Day 4 – Horse riding

Our host organized a horseback riding tour exclusively for us, as there were no other tourists that day. Despite our inexperience in horseback riding, the well-trained horses made the experience smooth. We ventured along mountain trails, taking in breathtaking vistas, and even visited a tobacco and coffee farm during our nearly four-hour excursion.

Next

In the next part of this article, we’ll share our journey from other parts of the island, such as Varadero and Trinidad.