Americas
Cuba
Where time is measured in boleros, hand-rolled cigars, and cars from the fifties
I suggest a journey through the real Cuba: colonial Havana and its live music, the tobacco valley of Viñales, and a finish in the Caribbean, on a white-sand cay or sailing between Trinidad and Cienfuegos.
Cuba is best traveled slowly, letting the island set the pace. I almost always start in Havana, with its four colonial squares declared World Heritage Sites, a ride in a convertible from the fifties, and nights that stretch late in son and salsa clubs. From there, the Viñales Valley, with its limestone mogotes and the tobacco fields where tobacco is still grown and rolled by hand. The rest of the trip is decided with you: an extension through Cienfuegos and Trinidad, with several days sailing by sailboat or catamaran between the two, or a beach finish at a resort in Cayo Guillermo or Varadero. It is a destination that combines living culture — music, food, artisans — with landscape and rest, without any of the three weighing more than the others.
Datos del viaje
Experiences
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Batá drumming on the terrace of one of Cuba's great musicians
An afternoon on the terrace of a Cuban composer and percussionist, learning the oldest rhythms of Afro-Cuban music.
View experience: Batá drumming on the terrace of one of Cuba's great musicians
The host, one of Cuba's most renowned musicians, opens her own terrace to teach you to play the batá, a key instrument of Afro-Cuban percussion with Yoruba roots, and to move to its rhythm. Together with her mother, she talks about life in Cuba and its people, in an atmosphere of good humor and music, in one of Havana's best-known and most eccentric corners.
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Ration market and cooking with a chef in Old Havana
A produce market, the Cuban ration book, and a meal cooked on the spot by a local chef in a little-known corner of Old Havana.
View experience: Ration market and cooking with a chef in Old Havana
With a local chef, you visit an agricultural produce market and one of the state ration stores, to understand the different ways — and prices — at which Cubans access food. Afterwards, she cooks with what was bought that same morning, in a small restaurant decorated with salvaged architectural pieces, one of Old Havana's best-kept secrets.
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Cocktails at the restaurant that inspired Strawberry and Chocolate
A cocktail class with the bartender of one of Havana's most celebrated restaurants, the real setting of the film Strawberry and Chocolate.
View experience: Cocktails at the restaurant that inspired Strawberry and Chocolate
Set in an early twentieth-century mansion that it now shares with its neighbors in Centro Habana, this restaurant was the real setting of one of the most memorable scenes in Cuban cinema. With its head bartender, the class goes through classic Cuban mixology, from the mojito to the house's own variations, in an atmosphere that blends discreet luxury and neighborhood life.
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From the field to the hand: a cigar factory with its master rollers
An in-depth visit to a factory where cigars have been hand-rolled the same way for more than fifty years, with tasting and pairing included.
View experience: From the field to the hand: a cigar factory with its master rollers
Master rollers who have been rolling cigars by hand in the same way for more than fifty years explain the craft from start to finish, from drying the leaf to the final roll. The visit closes with a tasting and pairing session that lets you tell apart the work of each master.
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Sailing days between Trinidad and Cienfuegos
Several days sailing on a private sailboat or catamaran along the south coast, between two of Cuba's best-preserved colonial cities.
View experience: Sailing days between Trinidad and Cienfuegos
A private catamaran or sailboat, with its own crew, for several days of sailing along the south coast between Trinidad and Cienfuegos, anchoring off virgin cays with free time for swimming, far from any usual route.
Itinerary ideas
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8 days
Essential Cuba: Havana and Viñales
Colonial Havana and the Viñales tobacco valley, with a beach finish
View itinerary idea: Essential Cuba: Havana and Viñales
A base in Old Havana for the colonial squares, live music, and restaurants with a history of their own, with a full-day excursion to Viñales for the tobacco valley and its fields. The trip closes with a few days of beach on a northern cay or in Varadero, with nothing scheduled.
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16 days
Cuba in Depth: from Havana to Trinidad by sailboat
Havana, Viñales, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, and several days sailing along the south coast
View itinerary idea: Cuba in Depth: from Havana to Trinidad by sailboat
The same start in Havana and Viñales, followed by an overland journey to Cienfuegos and the colonial city of Trinidad, a World Heritage Site. The heart of the trip is several days sailing on a private sailboat or catamaran between Trinidad and Cienfuegos, with nights anchored off virgin cays, before returning to Havana via Santa Clara.
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18 days
Luxury Cuba: Havana and a five-star Caribbean resort
A luxury hotel in the heart of Old Havana, followed by a long stay at an all-inclusive resort
View itinerary idea: Luxury Cuba: Havana and a five-star Caribbean resort
Several nights in a luxury hotel in the heart of Havana's historic center, with the city's experiences available à la carte, before transferring to an all-inclusive five-star resort on one of the northern cays or in Varadero, for the rest of the trip with nothing scheduled.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to travel to Cuba?
From November to April, in the dry season, with sunny days and lower humidity. The rest of the year is hotter and wetter. If your dates are different, we can talk it through and see which areas and what pace work best in those months.
How long should a trip to Cuba last and how long does it take to get there?
Between 8 and 16 days, depending on how much you want to cover. There is a direct Madrid–Havana flight of about 9 to 10 hours, so you arrive without a connection. Eight days is enough for Havana and one more area; with longer you can add other regions without rushing.
What do I need to enter Cuba from Spain?
A passport valid for at least six months, an electronic tourist visa (at evisacuba.cu), the QR code from the digital form, medical insurance and a return ticket. As of November 2026 that is what Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and official Cuban tourism state, but the requirements change often, so confirm them before travelling.