Cuba

Key facts

• Region: The Caribbean
• Capital: Havana
• Currency: Cuban peso (CUP); the convertible peso (CUC) was withdrawn in 2021
• Languages: Spanish
• Main airport: HAV — José Martí International Airport, serving Havana
• Best time to visit: November to April, the dry season; the hurricane season runs June to November, and August to October is also the hottest stretch

Overview

The largest Caribbean island, Cuba combines colonial cities, mid-century architecture and a political and economic system that shapes how visitors travel. Accommodation is largely booked through state-run hotels or licensed private houses. Its music, historic centres and preserved old cars are the main draws, and travel from the United States is subject to specific restrictions.

Airports

José Martí International Airport (HAV) serves Havana and is the main international gateway. Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport (VRA) serves the Varadero resort area. Frank País Airport (HOG) serves Holguín, and Antonio Maceo Airport (SCU) serves Santiago de Cuba. In central Cuba, Abel Santamaría Airport (SNU) serves Santa Clara and Ignacio Agramonte Airport (CMW) serves Camagüey.

Main cities

Havana is the capital and by far the largest city, with the colonial core of Habana Vieja, the Malecón seawall and the Vedado district. Trinidad is a well-preserved colonial town on the south coast. Santiago de Cuba, in the east, is the country's second city and a centre of Afro-Cuban music. Cienfuegos and Camagüey are smaller historic cities, and Viñales is a base for the western tobacco-growing valley.

Places to go

Habana Vieja's plazas and the Malecón are the core of a Havana visit. Varadero's beach is the country's biggest resort strip, while the Valle de Viñales and its limestone mogotes are a UNESCO-listed landscape. Trinidad's Plaza Mayor and the nearby Valle de los Ingenios reflect the old sugar economy. The Bay of Pigs area and the Ciénaga de Zapata wetlands offer diving and wildlife. Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo are reef-fringed keys off the north coast. In the east, Baracoa sits below the tabletop mountain El Yunque, and the Sierra Maestra is the country's highest range.

Getting there

Cheapest cached round-trip fare into Cuba, refreshed every 6 hours:

Where to stay

Practical information

Frequently asked