If you decide to go to Liberty Island to relax on Caribbean beaches and enjoy Cuban charm, you will have to decide where to fly: a direct flight to one of the resorts or to the capital.
In the first case, the most popular option is Varadero, where most tourists from Russia rest. When choosing a destination, you will be looking for information about the difference between Havana and Varadero, and we will help you with this.

Choosing wings

A direct flight from the capital of Russia to Havana or Varadero takes approximately the same time - 11-12 hours, depending on whether the plane flies there or back. The rest of the flight conditions are somewhat different:

• Regular direct flights to the Cuban capital are operated by Aeroflot and Cuban Airlines. The cost of a round-trip ticket is 40 thousand rubles or more, depending on how far in advance you book your flight.
• It will be a little cheaper to get to the capital of the island of Freedom with a transfer at one of the European airports. Usually, Air France has the most profitable options - from 35 thousand rubles for a flight with a connection in Paris.
• If you are planning an independent trip without the participation of travel agencies, you can get to Varadero only with transfers and are almost twice as expensive as in Havana. Canadian Airlines has the lowest prices, but in order to buy a ticket for Air Canada, you will need a Canadian visa. There are no transit zones at the airports of the maple leaf country.
• You can fly to Varadero cheaper only by charter, and therefore you will almost certainly have to buy a tour.

The only option to organize an independent trip to Varadero and not pay more than $ 1000 for tickets is to fly to the capital of Cuba, and then get from Havana to Varadero by land.

Sea and beaches

Varadero and Havana are located on the northern coast of Cuba. The Atlantic Ocean in these latitudes is very warm and you can swim almost all year round. In summer, the water temperature on the beaches of the northern part of the island reaches +28°C, and in winter it can drop to +20°C. However, organizing a beach holiday is much more convenient in Varadero. It is there that the snow-white strip of sand stretches for more than 20 km, and the hotels located right on the seashore are most suitable for a serene rest and relaxation.
In Havana, within the city limits, there are no beaches in the general sense of this, except for the rocky coast that stretches along the embankment. Usually only local boys swim there. To sunbathe on a real Cuban beach, tourists in Havana have to travel several kilometers by bus. The journey takes about half an hour, the ticket will cost a couple of euros. A taxi will cost an order of magnitude more expensive, but a little faster.
Keep in mind that the Havana beaches, unlike the beaches of Varadero, do not offer special infrastructure. Umbrellas and sun loungers are rare there, and to buy water or a cocktail, you will have to look for a roadside shop or cafe. But there are more than enough natural charms in such places! The absence of hotels and other benefits of civilization makes you feel like a Robinson.

About cultural heritage

Few people want to fly many thousands of kilometers just for the sake of a beach holiday. As the main advantage of Havana over Varadero, inquisitive tourists will name an abundance of architectural sights. The old center of the capital of Cuba is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and therefore city tours will be a pleasant addition to a beach holiday. Many fly to Cuba for the sake of the Havanese colonial architecture, which is rare in the world, where you can find it.
There is nothing special to admire in Varadero and a sightseeing tour of the resort on an open bus takes only an hour. However, while relaxing on the beaches of Varadero, you can always buy a two-day tour to Havana, where you will get acquainted with all the delights of the Cuban capital.

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This Cuban city is easy to describe in one word - beach. 20 km of terry sandy coast, warm water of the Atlantic Ocean and an endless string of hotels create the atmosphere of Varadero. The local beaches have repeatedly been included in the top of the best in the world. And even though Cuba has not yet been spoiled by the benefits of civilization, and the journey here from Russia takes more than 13 hours, Russian tourists have long chosen this heavenly place.

Varadero belongs to the province of Matanzas and occupies the Hicacos Peninsula, which is 135 km from Havana. It is inhabited by 27 thousand local residents and X thousand tourists, and at any time of the year. People come here to swim and bask in the sun, listen to salsa rhythms and play golf, hang out at discos and sip rum. And, of course, breathe the air of Freedom.

It is possible to fly from Moscow to Varadero with a connection in Belgium and Germany. The price of round-trip tickets starts from 800 USD, the journey takes 22 hours or more.

It is convenient for Petersburgers to fly to Varadero with a change in Vienna or Frankfurt am Main. The total travel time is from 16.5 hours, a one-way ticket costs about 420 USD. The second option - through Moscow and further - directly to Havana.

From airport to city

Guides to Varadero

Entertainment and attractions

Return to the arms of Varadero in the evening for some reckless Cuban fun. Discos and dance shows are held everywhere in hotels and clubs; anyone can get here for 10 CUC. The most popular dance floors rumble in Casa de la Musica, Internacional hotels, Tuxpan. You can dance to live music in the Calle 62 cafe or Mambo Club, and Cuevos Los Pirates is famous for its location - the club is built in a cave.

5 things to do in Varadero

1. Do sand therapy on the beach. And forget about everything.
2. Dance with the local amigo.
3. Play golf or its mini-version.
4. Dine at Al Capone's house on Avenida Kawama.
5. Swim with dolphins.

Varadero for children

The Cuban resort is welcoming to young tourists. Many hotels provide children's zones, where neither a three-year-old nor a skeptical teenager will be bored. The main thing is to clarify in advance the conditions of residence, the availability of a children's menu.

Tired of beach and hotel animation, little travelers will not refuse to visit the dolphinarium. Here it is allowed not only to watch the dolphin show, but also to swim with them after the show. (off. site). June

It is best to relax here in winter or off-season (November and April). There are many tourists, but the weather is more stable. In winter, the ocean warms up less and cold snaps occur, but they last only a few days.

Surprise, delight, nostalgia. Cuba will capture you with a hurricane of impressions and will not let you go until the last day of your vacation. And already buckled up on the plane, you seem to wake up and realize that you left a piece of yourself here, that you were happy here. It's like having a magical dream and then waking up in tears. And it's not even about luxurious beaches, pristine nature, revolutionary romance, masterpieces of colonial architecture and the never-disheartened Cubans. Cuba is a different, unusual and unusual world. Cuba is "a holiday that is always with you." So the great Hemingway said about Paris... or is it about Cuba, where he lived so long and happily and wrote his best works? The best resorts in Cuba and the most interesting places are in our review.

How to get there?

By plane. This year, regular carriers operate direct flights from Moscow to Havana, while charter flights fly directly to Varadero. The flight time is approximately 12 hours. If you use the flights of European airlines, then in addition to Havana and Varadero, you can also get to Santiago de Cuba and Holguin. And take advantage of the opportunity to make a transfer in Europe - for some this makes a long flight easier.

Which resort to choose?

There are more than a dozen resorts in Cuba. An important point - since you still need to fly to any of them (except Varadero) with local airlines, it is better to plan the first and last night in Havana. Why - read on.

Varadero

The undisputed leader in the rating of tourist preferences of Russians. The local airport is only 40 km away, or can be reached from Havana in 2 hours by car. Varadero is somewhat reminiscent of Cancun, a narrow sandy spit 25 km long is cut into the Atlantic Ocean. Along the entire length there are hotels of international hotel chains, there is a large congress center by local standards with a supermarket for tourists, about a dozen worthy nightclubs, bars and discos, a marina with yachts and catamarans, a dolphinarium. The local population is represented only by hotel staff, taxi drivers and other service people. The entire resort is one large tourist area closed from ordinary Cubans. Most of the entertainment on site, which, like food and drinks, is already included in the price. Each hotel offers excursions to different interesting places, you can order fishing or diving. The only inconvenience is the long distances between hotels, shopping and entertainment outlets. You have to travel by taxi. In the evening, you can go to a theatrical performance or show at your hotel or look for adventure on the side at one of the local clubs. Many tourists prefer not to sit still and rent a vehicle. The best rent-a-car services (repeated personal experience) are offered by the local REX office. Prices are average European.

Cayo Coco

A few years ago, the Cuban tourism authorities made a bet on the development of this region. Today there is a modern airport (it takes about an hour to fly from Havana) and excellent roads. But everything is built very carefully, the island has the status of a state biosphere reserve with a huge number of rare birds. Only the colony of pink flamingos has more than 40 thousand individuals, which in these parts stop to rest during seasonal migrations. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to see the sky pink from the birds. And if not, flamingos, like our cats, easily walk on their own on hotel lawns. It is comfortable to relax on Cayo Coco with children. Milky sandy beaches are wide and long, the entrance to the water is gentle everywhere. Even in the coldest winter (very rarely, no more than once every 10 years), the temperature of sea water does not fall below 23 ° C, and air temperature does not fall below 25 ° C. Usually these are comfortable 26-28 ° C of air and water. All club hotels, as we like, work on "All inclusive", "fours" and "fives" are very decent. The island is connected to the mainland (La Isla Grande, as the Cubans call their homeland) by a bulk dam 17 km long. Therefore, it is very easy to go on a tour of interesting places in Cuba.

Cayo Guillermo

This is a paradise, in fact, a continuation of Cayo Coco. Another 20 minutes of travel along the dam, and you are there. We can say that this is Cayo Coco in miniature. There are even fewer hotels and tourists, and the sand on the beach is half a ton whiter. And a very unusual color of the sea. All shades of blue and green seem to touch in layers, but do not mix and shine in the sun. The local atmosphere of bliss and peace is guaranteed to relax even the most weary traveler. It was here that the great Hemingway wrote most of the novel "Islands in the Ocean", inspired by local beauties. And very close, literally 5 km, begins a huge reef, a diver's dream, which stretches almost to Nassau, the coast of the Hawaiian Islands. By the way, the sand on the beach does not burn bare feet at all, even at noon. The color is so white that the sun's rays are almost completely reflected from it.

Cayo Santa Maria

For about 20 years, Canadian engineers designed and Cuban workers built an almost 50-kilometer dam that connected land to the islands of Cayo Santa Maria and Cayo Ensenachos. There is also a small local airport Las Brujas. The flight from Havana will take an hour and a minute on a small ATR-42 of the local airlines. The hotel base on the islands is small, but very decent, only 4 * and 5 *. Naturally, everything is on All inclusive. The hotel areas are huge, the buildings are no higher than a palm tree, and the length of the beach in some reaches 10 km. Great place for romantic couples and families with children. Rest chamber and calm. Of course, more expensive (not much) than Varadero, because everything is imported. The only inconvenience is that mosquitoes appear at sunset in the evening hours.

By the way, this is typical of most islands, because there are a lot of mangroves around. Cubans are very sensitive to their ecology and rarely use air fumigation. Therefore, repellents can be asked for free at the reception and without the need to touch the mosquito nets in the rooms. Nature here is so close to man that in a few days you will no longer be surprised by the huge colored shells thrown onto the beach by the morning wave. And if you walk until night (the rhythms of salsa at the hotel disco with mojito, daiquiri, cuba libru or piña colada make you forget about time), then on the beach it’s so easy to see a giant sea turtle the size of a piano or burning the darkness of dozens of palm crabs eyes in the thickets of blooming bougainvillea near your bungalow. How to dilute beach boredom? Take a tour of Santa Clara. You need to go back along the dam to the shore and it will take about half an hour more on the road to one of the main revolutionary sights of Cuba. This is a memorial to Che Guevara and a museum of his life and struggle. You definitely won't regret it!

Cayo Largo

Knowledgeable tourists choose this island in the Caribbean for its excellent beaches, quietness and amazing diving. There are few hotels, mostly 4 *. Here you can have a good and inexpensive rest for two or just fly (1 hour 15 minutes) from Varadero or Havana for a day trip. An important tip - sunscreen should be applied in a thick layer (especially in the first days of vacation) not after swimming, but before entering the sea. Here the sand is so white, and the water is so clean and transparent that the sun's rays in the water practically do not refract, but are completely reflected from the white bottom. There is an effect of tanning under water. Don't get burned!

Holguin Province Resorts

Cubans believe that somewhere in these places in 1792, Christopher Columbus set foot on the coast of Cuba and was delighted with the whiteness of the sand and the crystal clear sea waters. The province of Holguin is the most economically developed region of Cuba and the birthplace of Fidel. The flight from Havana takes 2 hours and 20 minutes. The elite resorts of the country are located on the beaches of Esmeralda, Pesquero and Gvardelavaka. And the best resort hotel in Cuba, Paradisus Rio de Oro, traditionally accommodates top officials of the state and wealthy tourists from France and Italy in their villas. Here is a real expanse for lovers of water sports and diving. And from here it is convenient to go on an excursion to Santiago de Cuba, the unofficial "Caribbean" capital of the country. Reckless and cheerful, the city is definitely worth at least a short visit. Take a look at the Museum of 26 July, which is located in the left wing of the former barracks of Moncada, the Museum of Piracy, and in the evening, be sure to watch a colorful costume show at the local branch of the Tropicana Havana.

Havana

Being in Cuba and not visiting Havana is an unforgivable omission. Moreover, a standard three-hour guided tour will only pique your curiosity. But a day or two is the most it. This is an amazing city, it is not at all like the world capitals familiar to tourists. About him and about which seaside resorts of the country were at one time undeservedly deprived of the attention of Russian tour operators, we will tell in our next review. If by that time you don’t drop everything and come here, inspired by this article.

07.01.2019

In the life of every tourist there comes a moment when countries located two or three hours away by air cease to excite the imagination. I would like to leave them for later, "to retire", and break out of the continent, on the other side of the globe - in general, to make a grand journey, and not just a trip. And when in the end everything depends on the price of the issue, in most cases preference is given to Cuba.

First, Cuba is the most accessible country in the Western Hemisphere. Tour operators have established a strong and reliable tourist connection with this island state, since our compatriots do not need any visa to visit Cuba. Secondly, the Cuban climate provides tourists with complete freedom from seasonal boundaries when planning a vacation: even in January, the air here is on average warmed up to 22 degrees. Thirdly, Cuba is undoubtedly a gastronomic and natural exotic, which guarantees vivid impressions and a long memory. Well, how not to mention rum and cigars, the country of origin for which is a quality mark? Finally, a rather large number of local residents who speak Russian will be a pleasant surprise for inexperienced travelers who are poorly versed in foreign languages: many citizens of this socialist republic once studied in the USSR.

So, we decided to fly to Cuba! It remains only to choose a specific resort. And this turns out to be the most difficult task, because the territory of the Cuban Republic is not limited to the island of the same name, but includes more than one and a half thousand small islands and coral reefs, which means that the choice will be extensive and complex. Let's figure out together how rich and how the resorts of Cuba differ from each other.

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Varadero is one of the largest resorts not only in Cuba, but in the entire Caribbean. It is located a couple of hours east of Havana and is located on the narrow Hicacos Peninsula. In general, Varadero is the face of Cuban tourism: photographs of this particular paradise place are most often decorated with specialized booklets and brochures. It’s not easy to resist the image of white sand, peaceful turquoise expanse and bowing palm trees, right? And this is not a picture corrected by a professional designer at all, it is this beauty that meets all travelers who have chosen Varadero as their vacation spot.

By the way, according to UNESCO, Varadero beach is one of the cleanest in the world, and the coral reef reliably protects it from ocean waves. Summer reigns here all year round - the January minimum almost never goes beyond 25 degrees, and August-September are characterized by the highest water and air temperatures. Another remarkable climatic feature of the peninsula is the abundance of sunny days: even in the rainy season, thunderclouds do not linger over Varadero for a long time. Already for this, the resort is adored by tourists, who are enough here at any time of the year - numerous coastal hotels never suffer from a lack of guests.

Noisy and crowded Varadero is also the party center of tourist Cuba - with the onset of darkness, vacationers smoothly move to restaurants and discos, of which there are plenty and variety. For example, you can visit the Al Capone House restaurant, located in a building that actually served as the home of the famous mafioso at the beginning of the last century. A variety of Varadero cabarets are also very popular with tourists. So, in the cabaret "Cave of the Pirates" (La Cueva del Pirata) is always full of people: the institution is located in a real cave, which once sheltered real pirates of the Caribbean. Those who prefer peaceful unity with nature to a night of revelry can also strongly recommend a trip to Varadero: diving, fishing, playing golf are great relaxing, and you can also rent a motorcycle or scooter and go explore the surrounding grottoes, caves and dense forests.

If you look around Havana in an instant - a paradise-country, a country that is necessary! Vladimir Mayakovsky admired the capital of Cuba back in the mid-1920s, and after almost a hundred years it continues to delight everyone who comes here on vacation. Being the largest city in the Caribbean, Havana is ready to offer a 100% complete and rich vacation for every tourist.

Firstly, Havana owns almost fifty kilometers of coastline, half of which are beautiful beaches. Sunbathing, swimming, water sports, diving - all this is guaranteed to you. Speaking of diving: 12 kilometers from the capital there is Bakuranao Beach, widely known among snorkellers for the fact that at the bottom of the sea, in the middle of coral thickets, lies a sunken ship.

Secondly, there are so many sights and museums in the five-hundred-year-old Havana that you will have to try hard to get around them all during your vacation. The old city center itself is one solid attraction and is protected by UNESCO as part of the world heritage: according to experts, about 900 buildings and structures in Old Havana alone are of historical and cultural value. It is worth visiting the Havana Capitol - outwardly it is not much different from Washington. The most popular and lively street of the city is the Malecon embankment: young people hang out here, fishermen are on duty over their fishing rods, and all carnival processions take place. In the evening, tourists flock to the Malecon to watch the sunset. The city's fortifications (the fortresses of San Carlos de la Cabaña and Castillo El Morro), which once held back pirate raids, are also of great interest, as they are among the largest in Latin America. The Hemingway House Museum, the Roma Museum, the Museum of the Fight against Illiteracy - inquisitive guests of Havana will have something to spend their time on. In the suburbs of the resort there is a large botanical garden with a Japanese corner inside, and there are also many karst caves in the vicinity, so nature lovers will not be bored either.

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And thirdly - for lovers of noisy nightlife: Havana, as it should be the largest city in the country, offers a huge selection of restaurants, bars, clubs and cabarets.

This is the second Cuban resort after Varadero - both in size and in importance. But we must immediately indicate that Holguin is considered a status resort: there are no hotels with a star rating below the "four" and vouchers in them cannot be called budget. Due to this, there are not a dime a dozen tourists here and the audience is also appropriate. In other words, Holguin guarantees you a leisurely, measured and rich vacation.

The resort's beaches stretch along the northeast coast of the Atlantic Ocean for 40 kilometers. High-quality service and developed infrastructure await tourists at each of the four dozen beaches. The most popular are Playa Esmeralda ("Emerald Beach"), Guardalavaca and Playa Pesquero.

Not far from Playa Esmeralda, the ship of Christopher Columbus moored more than five centuries ago, and I must say, the great navigator did not fail with the parking place: nature here still breaks its breath with its beauty. A powerful line of spreading palm trees comes very close to the emerald water, casting a thick shadow on the snow-white fine sand - you should visit such a beach at least once in your life. In general, nature has done its best here - caves and rivers, mountains and waterfalls, mud springs and a whole coral reef nearby!

Another gem in Holguin's diadem is Guardalavaca Beach. The translation of its name into Russian is not very poetic - "looking after the cows", but do not rush to frown in disgust, there are no cows here. So the Cubans call the Egyptian heron that nests in these places. In addition to the heavenly terrestrial beauties, Guardalavaca is also famous for its underwater ones: the nearby coral reef descends to the bottom in terraces, on which both flora and fauna are represented in all their diversity, so diving here is excellent.

Playa Pesquero is the youngest of Holguín's beaches. There are few hotels here, so mostly families come to rest in this quiet corner.

If we talk about off-the-beach entertainment, then in the vicinity of the resort there is the largest waterfall on the island - Guayabo. Lovers of history and archeology will remember an excursion to Banes and its museum with a rich exposition of various household items of the Indians of the Caribbean, children will happily spend the day in the dolphinarium, and adults will take part in a jeep safari.

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Cayo Coco

30 kilometers from the northern coast of the Cuban province of Ciego de Avila stretches a chain of Jardines del Rey islands, the most famous and largest of which, perhaps, is Cayo Coco. In the late 1980s, the construction of an artificial road was completed, which connected Cuba with Cayo Coco, so now you can get to this island by land.

True, the construction of the dam was accompanied by violent protests and fears of environmentalists: Cayo Coco, together with the little Cayo Guillermo, with which they are connected in a natural way, are a unique ecosystem and are protected by the state as a natural reserve. Here is a paradise not only for people, but also, for example, for birds - more than two hundred species of birds nest on this island. One of them - the white ibis, which is called here the bird of coconuts (Coco) - gave the name to the island. And pink flamingos live here! The neighborhood of such a unique fauna and a highly developed civilization is impossible, therefore there are no restaurants, noisy nightclubs, large shops on Cayo Coco - only a few self-sufficient hotel complexes that are in great tourist demand.

The total length of the island's beach line is 26 kilometers. The nearby coral reefs reliably protect the coast from strong waves, and also create excellent conditions for diving.

Cayo Santa Maria

Very close to Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo is another tidbit for tourists of the Royal Islands group (Jardines del Rey) - Cayo Santa Maria. It is quite small: 13 kilometers long and 2 wide. You can get to it along the same man-made route from the island of Cuba, and from other islands you can sail on a yacht or catamaran. Of the eleven kilometers of sandy shores of Cayo Santa Maria, half is occupied by hotels and their infrastructure, the rest of the coastal space is wild beaches, where there are few tourists. You can get to them on a rental scooter or bike, but be careful: the roads on the island are ordinary sandy paths.

Local beaches are characterized by a gentle entry into the water, which, however, ends quickly, so parents should not leave their children to frolic in the water unattended. Unlike neighboring island resorts, Cayo Santa Maria is not protected from the winds of the Atlantic, so the sea here, to the delight of surfers, is stable and often strong.

Despite the fact that Cayo Santa Maria is still a young resort compared to its neighbors and, moreover, very modest in size, there is where to have fun. The island has a tourist village called Pueblo la Estrella, which concentrates everything that can interest visitors: shops and restaurants, bars and clubs, souvenir shops and spas. Special minibuses constantly run between hotels and the village for the maximum convenience of tourists. Among other entertainments available to vacationers on Cayo Santa Maria, it is worth recommending a visit to the fishing village of Caibarién, where you can treat yourself to a fresh catch, get acquainted with the fishing life and even ask for sea fishing with the locals, and the town of Remedios with excellent colonial architecture.

Cayo Largo

This resort island, once a pirate haven, is located on the other side of Cuba - off its southwestern shores. Also, having a rather modest size, Cayo Largo at the same time has its own airport and an excellent road connecting all local hotels. Which, by the way, are many. This is a purely tourist island, there is no local population here - only a small area for hotel workers.

The resort's most popular beach is the five-kilometer-long Playa Lindamar, and the most secluded is Punta Mal Tiempo, where there is not the slightest trace of civilization. On the western beaches of the island (Playa Tortuga, Playa los Cocos) you can periodically observe pelicans, large turtles and iguanas, but in general you can take advantage of the excursion offer and go to the island of Cayo Iguana, where exotic lizards are found in large numbers. Also on Cayo Largo you will be offered to do various types of water sports, diving, snorkeling, fishing and other joys of island tourism.

Active tourists who cannot stand long lying on the beach should go to Matanzas, the administrative center of the province of the same name, which includes Varadero. Matanzas is a major cultural center of Cuba and offers its guests a lot of new interesting knowledge and impressions about a still unfamiliar country.

In the city itself, you will find many museums and architectural sights, among which bridges are worth mentioning in the first place. Matanzas is often compared to Venice: the San Juan and Yumuri rivers flowing through the city are framed by almost two dozen original bridges. The most interesting tourist sites here are the castles of Castillo del Morillo and San Severino, historical, theater and pharmaceutical museums and a fresco of Che Guevara made of stone.

Five kilometers from the city is Belyamar - a unique cave, accidentally found by shepherds only a century and a half ago. Bizarre stalactites, iridescent crystals resembling stars, seemed too beautiful to superstitious natives to be created without devilish participation, and therefore they forgot about Bellamar for another hundred years, and only in the middle of the 20th century researchers became interested in it, and subsequently elevated it to the status of a landmark. In these parts, it is necessary to visit another incredible cave - Saturno. Visitors are allowed to snorkel in a cool underground freshwater lake that is home to shrimp and blind fish. Experienced scuba divers will appreciate the Fish Cave located in the Bay of Pigs. Since the underground lake here is very deep, it is better for novice divers not to take risks and admire the natural wealth from the shore.

On the territory of the province of Matanzas there are several most curious natural reserves - Laguna de Maya with a swamp ecosystem, Leon with an endemic melocactus, and the Great National Park of Montemar. Having reached the Zapata Peninsula, it is worth visiting the village of Aldea Taina, which is a reconstruction of Indian life, and a huge crocodile farm.

Santiago de Cuba

This second most important city of Cuba is located in the very south of the island, in the bay of the same name, and is primarily known throughout the world for the annual carnival, which takes place here in July since the 17th century. But this does not mean that in the remaining months there is nothing to see here and the hotels are empty: in Santiago de Cuba and its environs there are many historical, cultural and natural attractions.

The best beach of the bay is Playa Siboney - a very picturesque place where not only tourists, but also indigenous people like to relax. The coral reef close to the shore and the local diving center guarantee tourists an exciting and educational leisure.

Nature did not deprive Santiago de Cuba of its gifts. Not far from the city is the Baconao National Park, which is listed as a UNESCO protected site. Children will especially remember visiting the park: there is a Prehistoric Valley with sculptures of more than two hundred extinct animals from the Paleolithic era, and an aquarium with a glass underwater tunnel from which you can observe the life of the Caribbean Sea. Another national park - Pico-Turkino - is waiting for those who like to climb higher: on its territory there is the highest point of the republic - Mount Turkino with a height of 1972 meters. At its top was the headquarters of Fidel Castro, and now - a museum. Another reserve, Gran Piedro Park, is marked in the Guinness Book of Records thanks to a huge monolithic rock - the third largest in the world.

The miracle of fortification - the fortress of San Pedro de la Roca, which with honor coped with repeated pirate raids - is the pride of the city and a curious object for study. Representing Spanish colonial architecture, it is protected by UNESCO. Inside the fortress is a museum of piracy. Among other man-made attractions, tourists highlight the Padre Pico staircase street, the Santa Ifigenia cemetery, Revolution Square, Fidel Castro's house and the Carnival Museum.

On the southwestern coast of Cuba, in the depths of the most beautiful bay of Jagua, the city of Cienfuegos is located, which is often called the southern pearl of the country. This resort is very attractive not only for its geographical location, but also for its very comfortable climatic conditions for recreation. The first and best thing to do here is to go diving. A number of modern dive centers, dozens of diving points in impressive water areas - all this is at the disposal of tourists. A coral reef stretches along the entire coast, "responsible" for the diversity of underwater flora and fauna, there are also skeletons of sunken ships overgrown with shells, as well as your own ... Notre Dame! Yes, you heard right: nature - a builder no worse than man - created its own coral masterpiece in the waters of the Caribbean Sea, very similar to the cathedral sung by Victor Hugo.

Underwater charms of natural creations in this region are not exhausted. In the vicinity of the resort, in the Escambray mountain range, there are healing thermal springs of Ciego Montero and El Nicho waterfalls, and even further, towards Trinidad, there is one of the most famous caves of Cuba - Martin Infierno. Here you will see one of the largest stalagmites in the world (its height is more than 62 meters), as well as a colony of the smallest bats on this planet, which are called "butterflies".

If you are determined to relax passively, then go to Rancho Luna - the most beautiful and clean beach of the resort, washed by calm waves, or Guahimico - the most picturesque beach located near the confluence of the La Jutia River and surrounded by mountains. To all of the above, it remains to add the fact that Cienfuegos is recognized by UNESCO as an outstanding example of Latin American urban planning and therefore taken under the protection of this UN agency. And this means that in the city itself there are a lot of unique and interesting places - the Central Square, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the Thomas Terry Theater, Jose Marti Park, Paseo del Prado Boulevard, the Valle Palace, the quarter with colorful houses of Punta Gorda and the fortress Castillo de Jagua.

Trinidad is called an open-air museum, considered the most beautiful city in Cuba and compared with a time machine: there is no other place in the Americas that has so well preserved its colonial appearance. Trinidad spent a whole century of its history in isolation from the rest of the island, which helped to preserve the cobbled streets and houses built in the late 17th century in their original form! Of course, it was not without the auspices of UNESCO here, and the preservation of the historical appearance of the city has been prescribed in local legislation for more than half a century. Squares, palaces, churches, bell towers, towers, museums - does it make sense to list in detail the sights of Trinidad, if even a welcome sign at the entrance to the city belongs to them?

Being at the same time a resort, Trinidad is rightfully proud of its beaches. 12 kilometers south of the city begins the six-kilometer spit of Ancon, on which are located Playa Ancon and Playa Maria Aguilar, reputed to be the best on the entire southern coast of Cuba. There are also two luxurious diving sites - Casilda Bay and the islet of Cayo Blanco. Underwater landscapes here are extremely picturesque: grottoes, tunnels and caves, species diversity of corals, an abundance of fish.

Twelve kilometers north of Trinidad, in the Escambray mountain range, the Topes de Collantes National Park begins, replete with mountain streams and waterfalls, canyons and grottoes, hills and caves, orchids and ferns. There are also coffee plantations here, through which one of the most popular hiking trails passes, leading to the 62-meter Kaburoi waterfall.

Another natural park, El Cubano, is located very close to the city, just five kilometers from the center. There is also a river and a waterfall, many rare plant species. In El Cubano, you can ride horses, take a walk with an eco-tour, and even stay with a tent at a campsite.

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