Cuba information and useful advice
We spent 7 wonderful days on the magnificent island of Cuba.
We have been to Havana, Casas Particulares Pinar del Rio, Casas Particulares Cienfuegos, Casa Particular in Santa Clara, Trinidad and Cayo Santa Maria.
Arrival in Cuba: We arrive in HAVANA at 15:45 and begin the routine of checks: first we fill out the form for swine flu, then the queue at passport control and finally we ask ourselves: where are the bags? We look for but nothing and after about 35 minutes we find them in a corner off the belt.
After changing the money at the airport, we go out and take the taxi.
Arrived in the center of ad HAVANA we are staying in a PARTICULAR HOUSE, booked on the web.
Cuba places to visit and beaches
We leave for VINIALES (I recommend buying the road map through the lovelycuba website, the guide and map can be found here www.lovelycuba.com/mappe.htm is up-to-date).
After a few km we take the autopista towards PINAR DEL RIO, and from here our real Cuban adventure will begin.
Holidays in Cuba: what to see and what to do absolutelyCows, Goats graze peacefully on the highway, people walk, people on horseback, the autopista is in good condition, however, every now and then there are some holes.
After approx. 2 hours journey near a service area 2 boys practically block the road and ask us if we can accompany them to work (Tobacco Plantation) to tell their boss that the car was broken.
I accept but I am not very convinced of the 2.
We start chatting, and after a while I understand that they were 2 good guys, they invite us to the cultivation of tobacco and they explain us all the processes to make a cigar.
In the end I buy 22 for 100 CUC and leave the boy 10 CUC, obviously the boy happy with the gesture immediately calls his neighbor in PINAR DEL RIO and has us prepare 2 very good Langoste (Lobsters), with rice, salad and chips.
Around 4:00 in the afternoon we continue to VINIALES and arrive at the Casa di Maritza y Tato around 16:30.
We immediately fell in love with the town.
As the following day we were leaving for HUNDRED FIRES, I immediately organize a horse ride with Maritza and a visit to the INDIAN CAVE.
2 Day: Wake up at 8:00 and departure for HUNDRED FIRES.
We take the highway to HAVANA and of my own free will I load 3 hitchhikers headed for HAVANA (they slept the whole trip).
Arrived at HAVANA unloading the 3 hitchhikers and we continue for HUNDRED FIRES, halfway we leave the autopista and head towards GUAMA in the crocodile and Indian reserve.
Crocodile meat can also be eaten.
After long walks and a boat trip in the reserve, we continue to HUNDRED FIRES and around 18:00 we are there.
We arrive at the particular house but unfortunately it is occupied.
The very kind lady had already organized another room with a private bathroom from a friend nearby. In the evening and the next morning we stroll through the city.
7 most beautiful beaches in Cuba, unique terrestrial paradises in the world3 Day: In the afternoon we leave for SANTA CLARA to visit the mausoleum of CHE then we walk through SANTA CLARA.
The mausoleum is nice but nothing exceptional, anyway it's worth going there.
Towards evening we leave and head to TRINIDAD and also in this case I load 2 hitchhikers headed right to TRINIDAD.
For our kindness they offer us coffee and dinner but we do not accept.
Arriving at the particular house (very colonial style) we leave our bags, and after a chat with the hostess we go to visit the town and try the specialty of a local bar, the Canchanchara based on Rum and honey and I drink 2 on an empty stomach.
We spend the night at the Casa della Musica, where we also eat some chicken and rice and enjoy the Salsa of a Venezuelan group.
4 Day: Trip to Valley of the Sugar Mills (the valley of the sugar factories), wonderful panorama.
Instead we spend the afternoon in Playa Ancon, the beach is very white and the sea is green even if a little dirty.
The sun is beating down and I realize I have forgotten the sunscreen in my room.
In the evening I was red as one Lobster.
We ask our hostess for a traditional place to eat, she recommends a palates private called Sol y Son, we order pork, vegetables, rice, caramel pudding, some mojito e buccaneer and we go home and talk a bit with the hosts and sleep.
5 Day: At 8:00 we leave for CAYO SANTA MARIA 3 hours of narrow streets and scattered villages here and there but in the end always thanks to our LovelyCuba map we arrive in REMEDIOS, pass a police check and pay at the toll booth 2 CUC and from here begins a road for over 40 km on the sea.
SANTA MARIA is the largest cayo (the cayos are islets).
We arrive and immediately decide, before going to the hotel, to make a dirt road.
Intrigued by the signs WHITE BEACH we follow a dirt path like Paris Dakar, but in the end we arrive on a very white beach and a green and blue sea, transparent water.
Let's go back to the paved road and enter our Resort, the Barcelo Cayo Saint Mary. There are no particular houses, only resorts.
Il Resort it is brand new and the 5 stars are all in fact at the reception they give us the blue bracelet for All Inclusive and I drink all day Mojito, sea, pool and relaxation. Oh I forgot, bring your mosquito spray because they ate me.
6 Day: We leave the CAYO with bitterness and we leave in the afternoon for HAVANA.
On the journey to HAVANA we almost have to hitchhike, because I don't notice that the petrol tank was emptying.
We arrive at the petrol station when the pointer was now below zero. Safe.
Once in HAVANA we return the car and visit everything in one day, in the evening I was dead.
We sleep in another house, especially because Graziela's house had no water, however, we organize another house, especially near them.
The hostess kept talking and never stopped, however she was very nice and friendly.
7 Day: Around HAVANA and in the evening at 20:45 return flight.
Total expenditure in 2 about 3000 € including everything, including gifts and souvenirs.
Photo gallery Cuba
