Cienfuegos

Cienfuegos is one of the provinces of Cuba. Until 2011, it was the smallest. Dubbed, “Pearl of the South”, Cienfuegos was originally founded in 1819 as a settlement by French emigrants from Bordeaux and Louisiana. Rum-drinking men and sundrenched women made this beach town their home. It is a popular destination with locals and tourists for its amazing scuba diving. Despite it’s small size, there are over 50 dive sites in the province. For those interested in scuba, Cienfuegos has many underwater caves to explore. Visitors can also stroll the central Calle D’Clouet along the railtrack remains of the former urban tramway. Check out the Cathedral de la urisma Concepcion, Musea Provincial (a furniture and porcelain museum, dolphins and sea lions in the Delfinario saltwater lagoon and Rancho Luna Beach.

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Trinidad Varadero

Visitors to Varadero will find a variety of places to stay. The sprawling white sand beaches provide plenty of real estate a broad range of resorts, from family-friendly to all-inclusive and everything in between. When it comes to water sports, Varadero has everything you can think of. Do everything from scuba diving to sailing and swimming with the dolphins and be sure to try a gaurapo—a refreshing cocktail made with sugar cane juice, white rum and ice—while you’re sunning yourself on one of Varadero’s pristine beaches. If you want to be pampered, Varadero has an abundance of luxurious spas for you to enjoy. Golfers can find another form of pampering as they sneak in a round at the Varadero Golf Club’s championship course. If hiking is your thing, check out the history-rich Ambrosio Cave. Varadero may be known for its beaches but you will find plenty to do off the sand.

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Freedom Square (Plaza de la Revolucion)

History lovers won’t want to miss the opportunity to visit Freedom Square (Plaza de la Revolucion), a square in Havana, Cuba. At 72,000 square meters, it is the largest city square in the world. It is notable, not just because of its size, but because it has been the site of Cuba’s many political rallies from the time that President Fulgencio Batista’s power through the present. You can take the elevator up the Jose Marti Memorial to witness a spectacular view of the city. An iron sculpture of Che covers an entire wall of the exterior of the Ministry of the Interior. The words “Hasta la Victoria Siempre” (Towards Victory Forever) are written beside it. They say that Che’s office is still untouched but tours are not available. The best time to visit the square, for those interested in witnessing or taking part in one of the marches, is either May 1 or July 26.

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Museum of Rum

Who wouldn’t want to do a little rum tasting while on vacation? It’s only natural that your time in Cuba would be filled with white-sand beaches and splashing around in the ocean. After all of that fun in the sun you will certainly want to spend some time taking in another one of Cuba’s best offerings—authentic Cuban rum. Take an educational tour and learn all the interesting facts and details about how rum is made. An expert guide will explain the whole process behind rum making and a cute model train set will help illustrate the layout of the distillery. Ask lots of questions and impress your friends with your rum knowledge when you return home. The museum offers guided group tours with some rum tasting included.

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Playa Girón

To visitors interested in Cuba’s historically significant sights, whether you’re planning to say for an hour or a few days, this should be a required stop on along the tour. Playa Girón is the site of the historical conflict known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion. The Bay of Pigs took place in 1961 and was a failed attempt to overthrow Prime Minister Fidel Castro. It is located in one of the largest wetlands in the world, the Cienaga de Zapata (Zapata Swamp). Hotel accommodations are available and have a military base aesthetic. It’s recommended to check for customer reviews of any of the hotels where you plan to stay so that you can get a realistic picture of what to expect. Renting a scooter might be a wise decision as the distance between buildings is significant. Visitors will get a first-hand look at the site of the three-day battle as well as many palm trees along the windy beach.

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