Cuba Travel Report — Havana, Trinidad & Caribbean Beaches

  • Hotel Nacional de Cuba, built 1930 — with a cabaret show in the house
  • Daiquiri recipe from the Floridita: 5 cl rum, 3 cl lime juice, 2 cl sugar syrup, 6–8 ice cubes
  • A cabaret show lasts approximately 2 hours
  • Mural of Prehistory: 4 km west from Viñales, one of the world's largest open-air paintings
  • Xanadu Mansion by 1928 with beach views and guided tour

First Stop: Havana

You arrive in Cuba and are immediately catapulted into another time. Suddenly, the vintage cars in various colors are back on the streets. Which car would you choose? Right or Left? 😜😂 
 
Janet next to a pink vintage convertible under palm trees
Janet next to a turquoise American vintage car
 
Matching this, we checked into the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, which was built in 1930. 
 
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Hotel lounge with leather sofas and sea view
Janet in the courtyard of a colonial building with palm trees
Magnificent dining room with coffered ceiling and grand piano
We also visited the El Floridita Restaurant, where we learned about the process of making Daiquiris. 🍸 
This drink has made it onto my favorite cocktail list! 😅 

For preparation, you'll need:
5 cl white rum, e.g., Havana Club 3 Años.
3 cl freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice.
2 cl sugar syrup (either bought or dissolved sugar)
6 – 8 ice cubes.

Janet and Max with the bartenders behind the counter of a bar
Of course, a city walk through Havana, the capital of Cuba, is also worthwhile. Here, there's a lot to see, such as:
Plaza de Armas, the Malecon waterfront, the Capitol, many museums, Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, John Lennon Park & much more! 🫶🏼

Pedestrian alley in the old town with planters and balconies
Blue vintage car in front of weathered house facades
Cobbled alley with yellow and pastel-colored colonial houses
One of my absolute highlights in Cuba are definitely the cabaret shows. One was held at the Hotel Nacional and the other in an open-air revue theater at Tropicana. Both performances were absolutely amazing! Overall, a show lasted about 2 hours. Whether dancers, singers, quirky costumes, acrobats… you'll find everything here! 🤩
 
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Dancers in red feather costumes on the stage of the show
Two performers in green frilly costumes in the foyer of the Tropicana
Dance show with an ensemble in colorful costumes on stage
Not to forget: our visit to the art gallery ❤️ I would have loved to buy 1000 pictures, but as it is with world travelers 😁…….

A wall full of paintings with vintage car and city motifs
Long hall with stalls full of paintings at the art market
Colorful painting with a stylized face at an art market
Later, we enjoyed ourselves at the Packard Hotel's infinity pool. Great view! 🔥

Rooftop pool with loungers and views over the city's houses
Rooftop pool with views across the bay to the fortress
For a fancy dinner, the Hotel Gran Astor La Habana was great. At the same time, we enjoyed the excellent sunset there! ☺️🌅

Modern hotel bar with turquoise chairs and counter
Group eating at a set table with a sea view
Janet with a glass of sparkling wine by the pool overlooking the sea
A little ride to the Mural of Prehistory. This mural is one of the largest outdoor paintings in the world and is located 4 km west of the town of Viñale, on the wall of the Pita-Mogote in the Sierra de los Órganos. My horse was a bit stubborn, but somehow it worked out haha 😅🐴
 
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Painted rock face with prehistoric motifs in a green setting
Horsewoman in a meadow in front of the painted rock Mural de la Prehistoria
An breathtaking view of the beautiful nature of Viñales at Mirador los Jazmines! 🌿

View over the Viñales valley with palm trees and limestone hills
In addition, we made a stop at the Cueva del Indio, where we took a small boat tour inside the cave. 🚣

Boat trip through a dark stalactite cave
Murky river between dense tropical vegetation
View from the cave of the river and the green jungle
The Puente de Bacunayagua is definitely also a must-see! The birds were particularly impressive 🦅!

High steel bridge over wooded hills
We spent our remaining nights at the Hotel Internacional de Varadero. Pure luxury with all-inclusive! On the right in the picture, you can see the view from our balcony. We could overlook the second most beautiful beach in the world 🤩 ❤️ 

Hotel bathroom with round bathtub and pink lighting
Hotel room with double bed and turquoise lighting
View across meadows to beach huts and turquoise sea
Another romantic dinner we had at the Xanadu Mansion. From there, we also had a beach view & got a tour of the 1928-built Dupont family building. 

Janet with a cocktail in a bar
Restaurant with yellow tablecloths and wooden windows
Vaulted cellar with long wooden tables and wine racks
One day, we visited the cave "Saturno Cave". Here we had the opportunity to swim in the crystal clear, blue water. 
But remember: It's quite cold ☃️! 😂

Turquoise water in a cave with stalactites
Cave with stalactites above a turquoise pool of water
We had quite a bit of action on the safari tour 🚘! Here, I handed the steering wheel over to Max – better safe than sorry 😂

Rock formations and bushland under a cloudy sky
Palm-lined road through the countryside, photographed from a car
However, I also drove myself during the motorboat ride! That was so much fun!!!! 🤩
 
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Max is piloting a motorboat on a mangrove river.
Selfie of Max and Janet in life jackets on the boat
A particularly beautiful day was the private catamaran tour to Cayo Blanco. ☀️ The beach here is powdered sugar white!

Janet in a red dress on the bow of a boat over turquoise water
Janet with a plate of food on the beach terrace
Janet on the white sandy beach with outstretched arms
 In between, we jumped from the boat into the water and admired the beautiful underwater world while snorkeling. 🐠 
 
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Blue surgeonfish over a light coral reef
School of fish close to the camera in clear water
Coral reef with fan corals and small fish
Lastly, I'll show you some more pictures from beautiful Viñales: Viñales:

Weathered tree trunk with a carved face in the greenery
Thatched hut on stilts in a tropical garden
Stone sculpture of a face in a meadow

Conclusion:

Cuba is a socialist state in the Caribbean. Here you will find the most beautiful beaches in the world and friendly people ❤️. As you've seen in my pictures, the country has incredibly much to offer! 😉
  
In general, I recommend: Inform yourself thoroughly about every country before traveling! Of course, here there wasn't the same standard as in Germany! ☑️**

Next Stop: Morocco 🇲🇦



Frequently Asked Questions

How do I mix a Daiquiri like in the Floridita?

You need 5 cl of white rum, for example Havana Club 3 Años, 3 cl of freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice, 2 cl of sugar syrup, and 6 to 8 ice cubes. We learned the preparation process at the Florida Restaurant in Havana.

What should I see in Havana?

The Plaza de Armas, the Malecón waterfront, the Capitol, the museums, the Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, the Plaza de la Catedral, the Plaza Vieja, the Plaza de San Francisco de Asís and the John Lennon Park.

Is a cabaret show worth it?

For me, the shows are among the absolute highlights of Cuba. We saw one at the Hotel Nacional and another at the open-air Tropicana revue theater. Each show lasts about two hours and features dancers, singers, acrobats, and outlandish costumes.

What are some worthwhile places to visit around Viñales?

The Mural of Prehistory, 4 km west of the city on the wall of the Pita-Mogote in the Sierra de los Órganos — we got there on horseback. We also enjoyed the view from the Mirador los Jazmines and a short boat trip in the Cueva del Indio cave.