North America
Cuba
Continent
Best States to Visit
- Sancti Spíritus
- Santiago de Cuba
- Villa Clara
- Cuba
Best Cities to Visit
- Santa Clara
- La Habana
- Pinar del Río
- Artemisa
- Mayabeque
Size
109,884 KM2
Population
11,300,000
GDP
$103,131,000,000
Spending Budget
$500 - $1,600
Famous For
- cigars
- Salsa
- 1950s era cars
Best Time to Visit
- January
- March
- April
- September
History
The territory that is now Cuba was inhabited by the Ciboney Taíno people from the 4th millennium BC until Spanish colonization in the 15th century. From the 15th century, it was a colony of Spain until the Spanish–American War of 1898, when Cuba was occupied by the United States and gained nominal independence as a de facto United States protectorate in 1902. As a fragile republic, in 1940 Cuba attempted to strengthen its democratic system, but mounting political radicalization and social strife culminated in a coup and subsequent dictatorship under Fulgencio Batista in 1952. Open corruption and oppression under Batista's rule led to his ousting in January 1959 by the 26th of July Movement, which afterwards established communist rule under the leadership of Fidel Castro. Since 1965, the state has been governed by the Communist Party of Cuba. The country was a point of contention during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, and a nuclear war nearly broke out during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. Cuba is one of a few extant Marxist–Leninist socialist states, where the role of the vanguard Communist Party is enshrined in the Constitution. Under Castro, Cuba was involved in a broad range of military and humanitarian activities throughout both Africa and Asia.
Present Day
Cuba is a founding member of the United Nations, the G77, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, ALBA and the Organization of American States. It has currently one of the world's only planned economies, and its economy is dominated by the tourism industry and the exports of skilled labor, sugar, tobacco, and coffee. Cuba has historically – both before and during Communist rule – performed better than other countries in the region on several socioeconomic indicators, such as literacy, and infant mortality and life expectancy.[
Future
Recent protests have rekindled the exile community’s hopes for the end of the communist regime. What is so new this time? Protests happened in Cuba earlier also though these were rare. This time, it is the combination of Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent collapse of tourism that seems to have provided the trigger. The Cuban government had no money to push vaccine development and manufacturing. It has been equally short of foreign exchange to import food and medicine to alleviate the situation.
Topes de Collantes
Located in the Escambray Mountains Range, Topes de Collantes is a nature reserve park. Tourist attractions in Cuba This place can be entered from nearby Trinidad or from the hotels of Topes de Collantes Tourist Complex which is located on the third highest peak in the reserve. Nature is the key Tourist Attractions in Cuba for tourists here. This place offers rivers, falls, caves, natural reservoirs with crystal clear water, canyons.
Maria La Gorda
Maria La Gorda is a small town situated in western Cuba. It is amazing how Maria La Gorda is one of the most sorted places to visit in Cuba despite the fact that it really doesn’t have any of that colonial architecture or lively ambiance that Cuba is most famous for. Adventure seekers flock here every year because of its vibrant and thriving marine life. However, what it lacks in architecture, its Cuban charm and spectacular beaches make up for it.
Cayo Largo Del Sur
It is a small resort island away from the mainland of Cuba. This area is popularly known as Cayo Largo and in the local dialect it means ‘Long Cay.’ It remains one of the perfect places to visit in Cuba to get away from the crowd and to enjoy the gorgeous beaches here along with some much needed solitude. A popular beach in this island, Playa Sirena attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every day and throughout the year. Another popular place amongst tourists in Cuba is the Marina that has fascinating sea turtles and tourists often witness seasonal hatchings there.
Santiago De Cuba
Situated in Eastern Cuba, popular Santiago de Cuba coastal city tour will literally make you feel like you have entered into the bygone era. The region is still heavily influenced by its colonial past as the magnificent architecture of that period show for it even to this day. The most popular place here is the Parque Cespedes.
Vinales
There are several national parks in Cuba, each one more beautiful than the other. However, the best one is the one located in the Vinales Valley. The valley is enclosed by mountains and has lots of greenery and tobacco plantations inside. Several caves are also here, for instance, the Cuevas del Indio or the Indian Caves, which are the most popular caves here. They are also the most sought out places by adventure junkies.
Havana
Havana is the capital city of Cuba and it is a worthwhile experience exploring this vibrant city. It has colonial mid-century buildings while it is still one of the unique and modern cosmopolitan cities in the region. It has an amazing nightlife culture and a coast that is an ideal place for the spectacular views of the landscape and the ocean. It, therefore, remains an ideal spot for tourists and one of the major places to visit in Cuba for unlimited fun.
Trinidad
It is a place for people to indulge themselves in history, architecture, scenic beauty and unique cuisines of the region. The most popular place here is the Plaza Mayor that is surrounded by exemplary neo-Baroque structures. There are also many museums here that walk you down the history lane of the great wars and the exceptional cultural artifacts. The Palacio Brunet mansion here is a replica of beautiful architecture that houses the most fascinating collection of 19th-century antiques and artworks.
Varadero
It is a popular beach resort that has several miles of the Atlantic Ocean that make for the popular stunning beaches of white sands and warm blue waters. It has lakes, great wildlife, botanical gardens, bridges and caves all inside the Parque Josone National Park itself. It also has the Bellamar Caves that have the most extensive cavern systems and are about 150 years old.
Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos is also called as the ‘Pearl of the South.’ You will find here the well preserved 1950s homes besides several unique structures with mid-century modern architecture replicas. Museums, beautiful parks and thriving city life are what you will get here. And, of course, the white gold beaches are worth visiting.
Baracoa
Also called as the ‘First City of Cuba,’ Baracoa has managed to retain all its colonial architectures that look stunning beauty in the region. It is situated amidst a rainforest and is an exciting place to get in touch with nature, all the while indulging in an adventure. It has a mountain overlooking the city called El Yunque where tourists flock to enjoy the scenic views and lush greeneries. It is only 30 minutes away from the spectacular beaches.