Cuba has gorgeous beaches and streets of old cities, fragrant cigars and famous rum, salsa and Latin American songs, a unique national flavor. Coming to Cuba to live in Varadero without leaving is almost a crime, since you can feel the whole energy of the country only after traveling around the island and visiting the most interesting places.
Traveling in Cuba is very easy. Firstly, it is one of the safest countries in Latin America for tourists. Secondly, renting a car here is inexpensive, and the roads are almost empty, which makes it convenient to travel by car. And a taxi is cheap if you travel with a company. Thirdly, there is still inexpensive housing here, "kasi particulars", the so-called private houses of Cubans, which are rented out as hotels. In any city, such houses can be found on the spot, it is not at all necessary to book in advance. This gives you additional freedom, since you can change the route as you like and stay in each of the places as long as you want.
Havana
Of course, Havana cannot be ignored. This is an amazing city with beautiful architecture, very expensive hotels, narrow streets and squares where they dance salsa. Here you can visit museums, go to workshops of artists, sit in the bars "Bodeguita" and "Floridita", where Ernest Hemenguey liked to drink daiquiri, stroll along the Malecon embankment. It is better to allocate at least two or three days to the capital, but, most likely, Havana will charm you and you will want to stay longer. As in any big city, it is worth observing basic safety rules, robberies of tourists are rather an exception here, but petty theft is very common.
Cienfuegos
It is a small, tranquil town on the Caribbean coast. There are no special attractions in the city itself, one day is enough. Nearby is Rancho Luna Beach, small and calm, accessible by taxi or bike. There are also private hotel houses on the beach itself.
Santa clara
For fans of Cuban culture and Ernesto Che Guevara, this is one of the main destinations. After all, it is here that the tomb of the famous Che is located. There is no sea in Santa Clara, and therefore it will be enough to spend here one day or just a few hours.
Trinidad
A charming colonial town on the Caribbean side. There are houses with huge windows, paving stones, roof terraces and very soulful inhabitants. In the central square, musicians play every day and Cubans dance salsa, just for their own pleasure. There is also the famous Cueva nightclub, in a real cave. The beach is not far away, taxis are inexpensive. The two closest beaches are Ancon and La Boca. If you have enough time, you can safely live here for several days or even a week.
Camaguey
This is already a bigger city, there is the Institute of Friendship of Peoples, large parks. People here are not so spoiled by tourists, so prices for "non-locals" are noticeably lower than in Havana and especially Varadero. Here you can enjoy real Cuban life for at least a couple of days, and then go to Santa Lucia Beach, one of the most beautiful on the Atlantic side. It is approximately 120 kilometers from Camaguey.
Santiago de Cuba
It is said to be the most "Cuban" city in Cuba. There are practically no organized tourists here, and there are not many travelers either. Hence the low prices for housing and food. The city is the second most important city after Havana. It is multifaceted, there is both beautiful architecture, museums, magnificent landscapes, and the dirt inherent in a large Latin American city. Santiago is a paradise for lovers of Cuban culture and dance, where authenticity is most preserved.
Islands
Perfect fine and white sand can be found on small islands. It would be nice to include at least one of them in your travel plan. Please note that prices for everything on the islands are very high, even by European standards. Therefore, the number of days on the islands will most likely depend on the budget. The most accessible by transport is Cayo Coco, there from the city of Moron you can get there by the dam.
Varadero
This is a territory of package tourists of little interest to the independent traveler. The only thing worth going there for is the vast beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. Otherwise, there are rather disadvantages: high prices, tourists drinking in all-inclusive hotels, greedy locals seeking to make the most of tourists, a complete lack of local flavor. More precisely, there is a semblance of it, played out to entertain tourists and make money.
After driving through Cuba, you will leave for yourself an unforgettable experience for a lifetime.
