• Havana
  • Cayo Santa Marina
  • Trinidad

Havana & Beaches

Perfect Cuban combination of city and beach holidays

Cuba is blessed with sublime beaches, a captivating capital and historic cities. Explore the best that this enchanting island has to offer by combining two contrasting destinations.
Soft sands, clear waters and some of the best diving in the world are all just down the coast from Havana, a city brimming with intrigue, a dazzling harbour and the legendary story of Che Guevara.

After a heady mix of museums, theatres and the colourful history that infuses Cuba’s capital city, relax on one of Havana’s beaches or enjoy an additional stay at one of Cuba's beautiful coastal resorts.
The vibrant cities of Trinidad and Santiago de Cuba have distinct identities and unique charms. Trinidad's cobblestone streets are lined with pretty pastel coloured buildings and the city boasts a plethora of museums and stunning colonial architecture. Home to poets, musicians, artists and revolutionaries over the years, Santiago de Cuba has a rich and colourful history.
You can choose to stay in three, four or five star accommodation in Havana and a carefully hand-picked selection of stunning beach resorts or spellbinding cities.


A selection of city and beach holiday highlights

•   On our Havana & Varadero multi-centre explore the fascinating old town by foot and visit the beautiful historic fortresses before winding down on a spectacular white sand beach in Varadero.
•   Why not select our
Havana & Cienfuegos multi-centre and enjoy the rich culture and vibrant nightlife of the capital before travelling to the beautiful French-style town of Cienfuegos, known as 'the Pearl of the South'.
•   Or you may choose to enjoy a stay in the lively capital before unwinding on the paradisaical and secluded beaches of the Cayos with our
Havana & The Cayos multi-centre.
•   Alternatively you could select our
Havana & Trinidad multi-centre and combine a stay in Havana with a few nights in Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site boasting beautifully maintained architecture and stunning churches and plazas.

Time difference / local time

GMT -5 hours

Language

Spanish. English is also spoken.

Currency

• Peso. • US dollars and US traveller’s cheques aren’t as widely exchanged as they used to be. • Traveller’s cheques are mostly accepted, but not all hotels exchange them – go to an international bank instead. • There’s a minimum fee of 8% to exchange

Flying time to destination

9¾ hours to Havana

Eating/Drinking

Food
In resort
• Our Cuba resorts serve a range of Cuban and international cuisine.

Local dishes
• Tostada is buttered and toasted bread, often dipped in coffee for breakfast.
• The local speciality is pork roasted on a spit and covered in lemon and honey, served with black beans and rice.
• Ropa Vieja is a stew of shredded flank steak in tomato sauce.
• Picadillo is a beef hash with onions, garlic, olives and herbs.
• Moros y Christianos is a dish of black beans and rice flavoured with spices including pepper, cumin and paprika.
• A traditional a stew of chicken, okra and plantains served with rice.
• Cuban sandwiches are a popular hot snack of Cuban bread with mustard, ham, pork, cheese and pickles.
• Empanada is a chicken or meat turnover, eaten with a side of plantain chips.
• Popular desserts include custard flan and rice pudding.

Drink
• Stick to bottled water.
• Cubans drink a lot of coffee, with milk or in espresso shots. Daiquiris and mojitos are also popular.

Good to know

Religion
Roman Catholic

Dialling code
+53

Tipping

A discreet tip here and there is welcome!

Climate data for this region

Best time to visit

Cuba’s hottest months are July and August, and February is the coolest with temperatures of around 22°C.

No climate data available