Cuba
Wow. What a trip! Everything from the food to the music in Cuba was, being honest here, absolutely amazing. Despite the political environment that has kept most of the population quite suppressed since the late 1950’s, the people have managed to keep the culture thriving.
Our balcony from the Airbnb!
Yes, we can travel to Cuba…
Luckily for us as Americans, we are in fact able to travel under the reason: In Support of the Cuban People, amongst a few others. For us this meant that we must travel in such a way that the majority of the money we spent in Cuba did in fact go directly to the Cuban people and not the government.
To be quite honest, this can be difficult to do 100% of the time but we did our best! Here’s a snapshot of the things we did, and a few things I learned along the way. Otherwise known as my Travel Notes.
Where we stayed…
Inside our Airbnb
For starters, one way to “Support the Cuban People” is to stay at an AirBnb instead of a hotel. These are also known to the locals as a casa particulars where Cubans open up their homes to foreigners who are traveling. They are everywhere AND you can find amazing prices compared to a hotel. Ours was located in the heart of Old Havana and was amazing!
Walking the streets of Old Havana
Mojitos or it didn’t happen…
Mojitos! I think we collectively consumed 200+ mojitos in a matter of five days of Cuba. Apparently this is completely normal so don’t be alarmed. Take notes, you’ll be comparing your mojitos for the rest of your trip!
Drink choice #2: Café… Take it cuban style (a shot of espresso), personally how I think every cup should be made!
What to eat…
Next up: FOOD. I should have started with food, but I’m trying to build suspense here. As a Puerto Rican-American, Cuban food felt like home! Tostones, beans and rice, pork and potatoes, and so much more. I don’t think we had a bad meal. And yes, Cuban sandwiches are everywhere and you should totally have one. Have one fancy dinner, but just one. I definitely recommend La Guardia for a nice meal, but be sure to make a reservation before you leave the states!
Grilled lobster at Chacon 162 in Old Havana, amazing & about $13! Most meals were less than $5, so this was a splurge!
Our final meal (sad face) at a paladar in Old Havana
Peep the Morro Castle in the background! Here we’re seated on the Malecón, the seawall running along side Havana.
All the treats, per usual.
Who doesn’t love a man serving you churros? …. I’ll wait. A cone-full for $2!
Escape the city…
While Havana is the capitol and the busiest city you’ll find in Cuba, there is so much more to see if your schedule allows. This is why I think five days in Cuba is perfect if you want to see & get a small taste of it all.
We managed to visit Viñales and Verradero Beach in opposing directions from Havana, and both day trips were well worth it.
Go to the mountains of Viñales…
This one is pretty simple: go to Viñales, hike or ride the horses, visit the Cuban tobacco farm & smoke a Cuban cigar!
Mari Daniela was the best guide we could have asked during this part of our journey. All she wants is for you to have a great time and an authentic Cuban experience! It was one of the highlights of our trip. You can book directly with her at www.marimundo.com, she is a gem & truly a friend!
Hand rolled cigars from the tobacco farm
Classic card are everywhere! Even well outside of Havana!
Dinner with Mari’s family- hands down my FAVORITE meal.
A restaurant view overlooking the valley in Viñales
My first Cuban cigar!
Viñales was beautiful!
Heading to Verradero Beach…
For less than $200, we rented a classic convertible car to drive us from Havana to Verradero for the day. We used Taxi in Havana and they were amazing!
Our driver was so awesome!
Verradero Beach was beautiful and the best way to spend our Monday, the last day before our departure. We bought a $3.50 bottle of rum on the way and jammed out on the beautiful beach! For $2 each, we got chairs & umbrellas... no Folly or Virginia Beach prices here!
The beach!
We found a beach bar… enough said.
We capped off (or should I say uncapped) the evening at Casa de Al’s, Al Capone’s home which has been turned into a restaurant on the beach. A very cool experience but honestly the food is overpriced compared to everything else we had during our trip. Still recommend for a cocktail and the sunset, however!
The view from Casa de Al!
The outdoor patio of Casa de Al
Back to La Habana Vieja…
Maybe unconventional for some, but Cuba is an amazing country that I highly encourage everyone to take the opportunity to visit. The people, the food, the drinks, the music, I could go on and on about how much this country has to offer.
Here are some final “Pro Tips” on Cuba:
Don’t run out of money! There is no way to get money as an American, so come prepared. We budgeted about $100 a day and that was perfect.
Most people don’t speak English… at all.
Hand sanitizer and tp/wipes (ladies) are your best friends.
It’s HOT! Dress comfortably for a lot of walking during the day and leave your heels at home, you won’t wear them.
Cuba is very safe. There are hagglers in every country, but most people are very nice and helpful. Even as an American, they are just happy you are there.
Just don’t even bother with the internet, if someone needs to contact you locally they’ll use the land line! Disconnect and enjoy.
As always, please feel free to ask any questions! Remember that the people are not the government, so be kind.
Thanks for reading my travel notes on Cuba, stay tuned for Nashville!
xx, Sami