In-depth country guide

Cuba

Plazas, mountain valleys and coastal towns, a country to understand in depth.

A country worth knowing

Make room for a different kind of journey.

Cuba’s appeal lies in the connections between its cities and countryside, Havana’s courtyards, the limestone hills of Viñales, Trinidad’s streets and the musical traditions of the east. This collection offers cultural background and places to research for a future journey. Current disruption and travel restrictions require careful attention before any booking.

Places and stories to know.

Western Cuba · Capital

Havana & Cuba on film

Expedia’s 2017 film introduces Cuba’s landscapes and cultural settings. The footage is background, not current access or travel advice. Start with Havana and read the notice above.

Explore Havana Watch the introduction ↗

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Western Cuba · Pinar del Río

Viñales

Limestone hills and a working agricultural valley.

Explore Viñales

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Western Cuba · Hicacos Peninsula

Varadero

A long shoreline with room to slow down.

Explore Varadero

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Central Cuba · Sancti Spíritus

Trinidad

Stone streets and a sugar landscape with a complicated history.

Explore Trinidad

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Central Cuba · South coast

Cienfuegos

An orderly historic centre and a broad bay.

Explore Cienfuegos

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Central Cuba · Villa Clara

Santa Clara

A city of public squares and revolutionary history.

Explore Santa Clara

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Central-eastern Cuba · Camagüey

Camagüey

An intricate street pattern and plazas made for looking closely.

Explore Camagüey

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Eastern Cuba · Santiago

Santiago de Cuba

Music, city history and a fortress above the bay.

Explore Santiago de Cuba

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Eastern Cuba · Guantánamo

Baracoa

A coastal town framed by rivers and green hills.

Explore Baracoa

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Eastern Cuba · Holguín coast

Gibara

A bay town with architecture and a film-making connection.

Explore Gibara

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Central Cuba · Villa Clara

Remedios

A town square and the stories behind the parrandas.

Explore Remedios

Where to stayDirect accommodation contact

Find your starting point

Choose the places that speak to you.

Orientation outline from Natural Earth. Not a route or access map.

The journey is in the details.

Sources, credits & editorial notes

Reviewed 11 November 2026. Pacing and base suggestions are ATA editorial choices. Accommodation links are direct enquiry points, not inspected-property endorsements or claims of ATA membership. Confirm current services, access and terms. Photographs are credited beside the images and may show earlier conditions.

Overview photography credits

Havana, Flickr User: Kuhnmi · CC BY 2.0 · Display crop.

Vinales, Velvet · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop.

Varadero beach, Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK · CC BY 2.0 · Display crop.

Trinidad, Marc-Lautenbacher · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop.

Palacio de Valle, Cienfuegos, Patrice78500 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop.

Santa Clara, Man-ucommons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Display crop.

San Juan de Dios church, Camagüey, Jackpot35 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Display crop.

City Hall and Parque Céspedes, Santiago de Cuba, Tina Li from Hamilton, Canada · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Display crop.

Baracoa, Adrofotos · CC0 · Display crop.

Gibara, Uvegna · Public domain · Display crop.

Church architecture in Remedios, Hyppolyte de Saint-Rambert · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Display crop.