Cuba
Day 1: Let me just say... Cuba is simply amazing. You can't help but fall in love with this country, with its almost kitschy blend of vintage cars, cigars, rum, idyllic beaches, and Caribbean lifestyle, and it possesses this unique, slightly faded charm. You could easily spend days just taking photos in Havana. To experience Havana more intensely, we're leaving for Cuba a little earlier, as our travel agency offers pre-trip accommodations. After landing, we start our first day of vacation in true Cuban style. We're driven from the airport to the hotel in an open-top vintage car . It was absolutely fantastic, and our anticipation for the rest of the trip is growing.
Day 2: Today we explore Havana on our own. We start by walking along the bustling O'Reilly Street to the famous and beautiful Plaza de Armas . Nearby, the Castillo de la Real Fuerza is definitely worth a visit. The Castillo is the oldest fortress in the Americas built by Europeans. The bronze weather vane in the shape of a woman atop the fortress's bell tower (La Giraldilla) is considered Havana's unofficial symbol. Next, we head to the Plaza de San Francisco de Asís with its Lion Fountain , and then to the beautifully renovated Plaza Vieja in the heart of the Old Town. In the Old Town , we wander through the narrow streets, taking countless photos of old Baroque Spanish houses and facades . We know of no other Old Town district where semi-derelict buildings create such a unique atmosphere. We return to the famous Paseo de Martí , a promenade lined with hotels, restaurants, and shops. Here you'll also find many colorful vintage cars, perfect for taking photos . We stroll along the boulevard to the end at the Malecon, take another photo at El Templete and end the day with a few mojitos.
Day 3: Today we're again exploring Havana on our own. With glorious light and weather, we start by relaxing on our hotel's rooftop terrace, enjoying a fantastic view of the city and treating ourselves to a mojito. Then we stroll to the Capitol , whose architectural style is similar to the Capitol in Washington, D.C. The building is currently hosting the National Assembly of the People's Power twice a week and is otherwise open to the public. Somewhat hidden behind the Capitol are the old factory buildings of the Partagas cigar brand . We wander through the city's magnificent streets until we reach Callejón de Hamel . This alley, only 200 meters long, is lined with colorful murals, sculptures, mosaics, ornaments, and other works of art – it's really cool. Next, we head to the Malecón , the 8-kilometer-long and perhaps most beautiful waterfront promenade in the world. We could have walked along it forever – it's simply breathtaking. Finally, we visit the "Hemingway Bar " El Floridita and take the obligatory photo in front of the bronze statue of Hemingway .
Day 4: The last day of our private tour in Havana has arrived. After breakfast, we head to the Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro on the "other side" of the city. Since it's a bit outside the city center, we decide to take a taxi, which ultimately goes completely wrong. Upon arriving at the fortress, the taxi driver offers to wait for us at no extra charge. This allows us to explore the imposing fortress at our leisure, which offers a fantastic view of the bay and the city . Afterwards, we take the taxi back to the hotel. When we go to pay, we're shocked; the price quoted is simply outrageous. He claims there was a misunderstanding during the price negotiation. We decide to call the police at reception to clarify the situation. As we get out of the taxi, the crook flees. After we've recovered somewhat from our frustration, we walk to the Plaza de la Revolución , one of the largest squares in the world, where Fidel Castro often spoke. A truly special experience is the "City of the Dead" in Havana. The Cristóbal Colón Necropolis, also known as the Columbus Cemetery, is one of the largest and most beautiful burial grounds in the world. We let the impressions of the past few days in Havana sink in on the Plaza Vieja , enjoying good food, cold mojitos, and a cigar. It can be so wonderful.
Day 5: We meet up with our tour group. Things start off a bit chaotically, as the group was booked into two hotels. Apparently, neither the tour guide nor the tour leader had noticed this, and she isn't actually a tour leader at all, but rather a student doing volunteer work in service of Cuba. After we finally find each other, we unfortunately only get a very meager city tour of Havana. We do a short program in Havana. A brief stop at the Plaza de la Catedral and the famous bar La Bodeguita del Medio . We then continue through the city to the Plaza de San Francisco de Asís with the sculpture La Conversation and the aforementioned Lion Fountain. Afterwards, we visit the Plaza de la Revolución . The tour ends at the famous Hotel Nacional de Cuba , before we are dropped off back at the hotel. We are incredibly relieved that we had enough time beforehand to explore Havana at our own pace. The program offered by the travel agency was simply insufficient. In the evening, a wonderful dinner in a private apartment in one of these old houses somewhat compensates. Cubans are allowed to conduct private business to a limited extent.
Day 6: We leave Havana and travel along the Tobacco Route towards the province of Pinar del Rio . Our first stop is at the stunning panoramic viewpoint " Mirador Los Jazmines, " overlooking the Mogote Valley with its imposing limestone cliffs. Then we have lunch at " Palenque, " surrounded by beautiful scenery. Afterward, we board a boat and travel along the underground river through the " Cueva del Indio " cave. We make a stop in Viñales at the beautiful Parque José Martí with the Iglesia del Sagrada . Next, we visit the " Prehistoric Wall ," a large rock painting depicting the evolution of humankind. Of course, tobacco is a central theme in the Viñales Valley. We visit the " Casa del Veguero " (House of the Tobacco Farmer) and learn all sorts of interesting facts about the famous Cuban tobacco of this region. Back in Havana, a special evening program awaits. At Cafe Taberna, some very old ladies and gentlemen from the famous Buena Vista Social Club still perform regularly. Since we were in Cuba, we didn't want to miss it. The music and the atmosphere were wonderful. The entrance fees weren't so great, but they did include all the food and drinks. With the cool music still ringing in our ears, we headed to bed after a long day.
Day 7: We continue our journey towards central Cuba to the port city of Cienfuegos . Thanks to its French colonial architecture, the city boasts some very beautiful buildings. A stroll through the main square, Parque Martí , with its nostalgic Terry Theater , is highly recommended, as is a side trip to the Punta Gorda peninsula . For dinner, the El Tranvia restaurant is quite cool... it even has an original red tram on its rooftop terrace. In the afternoon, we drive along the coastal road to Trinidad , a dream of a town in classic colonial style. The setting sun provides the perfect light on the colorful houses – simply beautiful.
Day 8: Today we have a day trip planned in the surrounding area. We drive to Topes de Collantes in the Sierra Escambray and then continue by Russian truck along adventurous dirt tracks to the starting point of the Guayanara Trail . Afterwards, we hike along the Rio Melodioso through the fantastic scenery. There are opportunities to swim under waterfalls along the way, so don't forget your swimsuit. In the afternoon, we return to Trinidad for a city tour . By now, our "tour guide" is really annoying, as she has hardly any interesting information and simply reads from the Cuba travel guide. The young woman's supposed social service for the fatherland is completely misguided, so we wander around Trinidad on our own with our tour group. The evening program at a casa particular is quite nice. With great salsa music and the usual mojitos, a wonderful day comes to an end.
Day 9: We leave Trinidad and head towards the Valley of the Sugar Mills, home to the Iznaga sugar barons' hacienda and the legendary " Slave Tower ." Following the foothills of the Sierra Escambray, we reach the still relatively untouched tourist destination of Sancti Spíritus . The well-preserved, colorful colonial buildings around Parque Serafín Sánchez are beautiful. A particular highlight is the Yayabo Bridge on the world's smallest Malecón (waterfront promenade). We continue on to our destination for the day, Camagüey , the city of large clay pots and the birthplace of the poet Nicolas Guillen. In the evening, we take a stroll through Plaza Agramonte, where the birthplace of the freedom fighter of the same name is located. And of course, no trip to the Plaza del Carmen would be complete without a photo with the three gossips .
Day 10: A day that ranks among the most legendary of our vacation. This morning we continue our journey to eastern Cuba. Our first stop is the city of Bayamo , considered the cradle of the Cuban nation . Here, Manuel Cespedes proclaimed the fight for independence against the Spanish occupation. One of the rebels used the battle as inspiration for the song that has been the Cuban national anthem for approximately 125 years. The corresponding monument is located in the city. We then travel on to the most famous pilgrimage site in Cuba, El Cobre , where we visit the basilica housing the Cuban patron saint, the Virgen de Caridad . In the evening, we arrive in Santiago , the cradle of Cuban music and a melting pot of cultures. And now things truly become legendary. During our evening stroll through Santiago, we are approached, as is so often the case in Cuba, by people trying to sell us cigars. Of course, all genuine Cuban cigars at the best amigos' prices. This time we cave, and in a dark corner in front of the hotel, our friend pulls out a box of Cohibas. Our fellow travelers then leave us to deal with this on our own... fantastic. After endless negotiations using hand gestures, a rudimentary inspection of the merchandise, and our pulses practically at the point of a heart attack, we finally strike a deal. Cigars tucked under our arms, we head back to the hotel, where our tour group greets us with a big hello on the rooftop terrace. We have to explain our deal in minute detail. Naturally, we light up a Cohiba, drink plenty of mojitos, can't stop laughing at the whole situation, and enjoy cocktails, cigars, and music in high spirits as we wind down the evening on the rooftop terrace of the Melia Santiago... what a night!
Day 11: After the excitement of the previous evening, today's activities take a more serious turn with a city tour of Santiago de Cuba . First, we'll visit Revolution Square with its monumental complex honoring Antonio Maceo , a key military leader in the Cuban War of Independence (1868–1898) against the Spanish. Next, we'll see the Moncada Barracks , which Fidel Castro stormed in 1953, marking the beginning of the fight against the Batista regime. The bullet holes in the facade are still visible today. A must-see is the Santa Ilfigenia Cemetery, home to the graves of the Bacardi dynasty and the national hero José Martí. It might sound strange, but the cemetery is truly worth seeing. A visit to the central Céspedes Park, with its cathedral and beautiful colonial houses, is also highly recommended. The Casa Velázquez , arguably the oldest house in Cuba, is another noteworthy attraction. We then strolled to Plaza Dolores and mingled with the vibrant atmosphere of the Cuban scene. We then boarded the ferry to Cayo Granma in the harbor bay, where we visited the El Morro fortress (officially: Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca). The fortress is truly impressive and wonderfully preserved. It also offers a magnificent panoramic view of Santiago de Cuba Bay . On the last evening of our tour through Cuba, a visit to the legendary Casa de la Trova was a must. Over some fine drinks and a good Cuban cigar, everyone agreed... Cuba is simply magnificent, and we're looking forward to our beach extension. Hopefully, the charm of this slow decay, with all its wonderful facets, will last for a long time to come.
Day 12: We fly back to Havana. The tour thus ends in Havana , as beach extensions in Varadero or on the Cayos typically start from there. Alternatively, a beach holiday in Holguin/Guardalavaca would also be possible from Santiago . We're now off to Varadero.
Days 13 to 18: Varadero is a picture-perfect dream beach. It's no wonder this beach is regularly ranked among the world's top beaches. The time there is wonderful. We even take a sailing trip, including a close encounter with dolphins. Otherwise, it's simply about enjoying the laid-back Cuban lifestyle, aware that life in this country isn't so easy for many people. Shortly before the end of our trip, we meet up with some fellow travelers at the neighboring hotel. When we leave our hotel in the evening, we realize that there's nothing else besides hotels. Strolling along the promenade or browsing in bars or cafes is simply impossible. There are no such things. Truly bizarre. On our last day, we take a few more photos and then it's already time to head back to the airport in Havana.