The Other Cuba

Want some action mixed into your 3-week Cuba adventure holiday? This comprehensive itinerary offers lots of freedom and exciting activities. During this Cuba adventure you'll see Havana, Viñales and Trinidad. However, there's so much more that's worth seeing. In the comfort of your rental car you'll drive deep into the heart of Cuba, swapping cultural experiences for moments of complete relaxation.

You'll spend the night in a French colonial-style hotel and you'll explore Cuba's highest mountain in the Sierra Maestra mountain range. Very little tourists venture out into far eastern Cuba, so it's almost as if you'll have it all to yourself. After Holguin you'll arrive in Santa Lucia, an extraordinary diving destination. The beach here is beautiful, but it's the underwater coral reefs that are simply spectacular. Santa Clara has quite a remarkable history as well; it played a pivotal role in history of the Cuban revolution. This trip ends at the foot of the monument of Cuba's iconic hero, Ché Guevara.

Prefer to build your own Cuban holiday? Check out our shorter Cuba trips, which you can piece together to create your perfect travel plan. Just contact our friendly Cuba travel specialists if you have any questions.

Duration	20 days - 19 nights, departs daily (please note: the Che Guevara museum is closed on Mondays)	Accommodation	19 nights in double occupancy room Accommodation category 3 and 4
Price	Please see our Contact Us page for more details	Includes	Transport, 16 nights' accommodation with breakfast, 3 nights all inclusive, 19 days medium category rental car with air conditioning, excursions as described in the daily itinerary below, visa and roadmap
Transport	Transfer on arrival, rental car	Excludes	International flight, airport tax, car insurance (from 15 CUC per day), if applicable car hire extras, other meals, excursions and entrance fees

Day 1: Arrival in Havana

Once you've landed in Havana, a transfer will be waiting to take you to Latin America's largest colonial city centre where your Cuba adventure can really begin. Classic American vintage cars, an abundance of music in the air and bustling plazas will make it feel as if you've stepped back into the 50's.

Your accommodation on this part of your Cuba trip is located in the city's most beautiful area, Habana Vieja. Most of the hotels here were built before the 50's and have tremendous ambiance and flair. During your first night in the city we recommend dining at El Patio on the Plaza de la Cathedral. As you look out from your table on the balcony of this historic colonial building you'll see the lights being turned on across the plaza. Enjoy your first mojito or Cuba libre and let the city's nostalgic atmosphere sink in.

Day 2: Havana

Today you can head out into the city and explore Havana on your own. Limited finances and a lack of building materials have kept Havana from becoming a city filled with unsightly modern buildings. The city's nostalgic atmosphere is enhanced by the fact that relatively few cars drive around and most of the ones that do are classic cars. There are no hamburger joints, no neon lights and no billboards here and you will see traditional Cuba at it's best. However, the many parks, cathedrals, museums, shop-lined streets, markets, monuments and fortresses will keep you busy for hours. Deciding what you would like to see first isn't easy on this Cuba adventure. If you have some time to spare, visit Cuba's 'White House', the Capitolio and have a mojito at the famous 'Bodeguita del Medio' bar where Hemingway once had his mojitos. Also visit the Gran Theatre and go for a stroll through the mafia neighbourhood Vedado towards the Plaza de la Revolucion where former President Fidel Castro once addressed his people during his famed speeches.

Day 3: Havana - Viñales

This morning you'll pick up your rental car at Havana's famous seafront boulevard, the Malecon, around 8:30 and you'll be all set to leave town. Next up is a relaxing drive through one of Cuba's most beautiful provinces. There's very little traffic in this area, which will make the drive even more pleasant as you pass by lakes and tropical forests.

When you reach the province's capital, Piñar del Rio, you'll leave the highway and for the last 45 minutes you'll drive through lovely green undulating landscape. After a while the blunt mountains typical for this region start to pop up. These 'mojotes' or karst mountains are the result of centuries of erosion. Scattered between the mojotes lie plantations; this is where tobacco for the famed Cuban cigars is cultivated. You'll spend the night in a bungalow hidden in a tropical garden with a swimming pool on the outskirts of the small town of Viñales. Driving time on day 3 of this Cuba adventure holiday is 2.5 hours, not including stops along the way.

Day 4: Viñales

On Day Four of your Cuba adventure holiday you'll either go hiking or horseback riding through the local tobacco fields. You'll notice how horses are just as much a part of Cuba's heritage as tobacco is; you really can't do without them in this region. If you decide to saddle up, you'll ride one of the small and easy to ride Cuban working horses. A guide will lead you across winding paths through fields of tobacco. The tobacco plants grow from October until March. From time to time you'll see a small farm surrounded by chickens pecking at the dirt and pigs foraging around in the mud. You'll also see how tobacco leaves are laid out to dry under slanted roofs throughout the landscape. The local farmers who grow the tobacco also try to sell cigars to tourists who walk or ride by, just to make a little extra money.

The rest of the day is free to spend as you wish. We recommend driving to Hotel Jazmines for the panoramic view of the Viñales Valley.

Day 5: Viñales - Cienfuegos

This morning you'll leave the tobacco province bright and early for a drive through the countryside on route to Havana. It may take you a little effort to find the A1, but once you do you'll be glad you found it. There's hardly any traffic on this broad highway, so you can concentrate on cruising along and enjoying the sights. You can stop off at Jaguey Grande for a bite to eat at lunchtime. Then as you continue on you'll pass by the famous Bay of Pigs where the Americans once invaded Cuba before driving on to Cienfuegos. We recommend leaving this barren stretch of historic beach for what it is and heading straight to Cienfuegos, a lovely city rich with French architecture buildings on its central square. You'll spend the night in a hotel in the city centre. In the evening you can stroll over to the beach where local residents come together to watch the sun go down. Total driving time on day 5 of this Cuba adventure holiday is 7 hours including a 1-hour lunch break.

Day 6: Cienfuegos - Trinidad

There's enough time today to relax at the hotel, go for a walk on the beach or to go swimming with the dolphins at the Delfinario (approximately £35) if you decide to take the coastal road to Trinidad as you continue on your Cuba adventure later in the day.

If the weather's nice you could take the picturesque route through the Escambray Mountains and the protected Topes de Collantes natural reserve. If you would prefer this route, then we recommend heading out early in the morning. You can stop off for a picnic lunch in the heart of nature and you can even go for a swim at one of the waterfalls.

We recommend arriving in Trinidad around 16:00 in the afternoon. Total driving time is 4 hours including stops or 1.5 hour if you choose to take the coastal road to Trinidad.

Cuban families have started opening their own kind of bed & breakfasts known as casa particulars. The casas offer a very welcome addition to their income and they offer a second to none, unique first-hand look into the Cuban way of life. You'll have your own key to the house and naturally you'll have your own room with a shower, toilet, warm water and electricity. The casas are generally very modest. Cubans are very warm and welcoming people, but they aren't very affluent... so don't expect to see telephones or televisions in these casas during your Cuba adventure holiday.

Cuba adventure- Trinidad casa particular

Day 7: Trinidad

Trinidad was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. As soon as you drive past the pastel-coloured houses in its' historic hub, you'll understand why. The city is an open-air museum of cobbled streets, small houses with red tiled roofs, vintage cars, donkeys, horse drawn carts, art shops and friendly bodegas. There are plenty of interesting sights to see near the palm tree-lined promenades of Plaza Mayor. For instance, you can visit the city's iconic yellow San Francisco Monastery and the bell tower. One of Trinidad's best museums is the beautifully renovated Museo Romántico overlooking the main square (closed on Mondays, entrance fee 1 CUC). The colonial mansion it's housed in was once owned by a wealthy family of Spanish sugar cane plantation owners.

Starting around 16:00 Cubans and tourists alike head towards the stairs at Plaza Mayor. Bands start to play and people start dancing along to the music. Music and dancing are in the blood of Cuban people and this is your chance to be a part of a spur of the moment celebration during your Cuba adventure holiday.

Day 8: Trinidad - Camaguey

Right on the outskirts of Trinidad lies the Valle de los Ingenios. This sugarcane valley was once filled slaves harvesting sugarcane to make rum. Be sure to stop off at hacienda Mancada Iznaga for a firsthand impression of how the sugar barons once lived. As you near Camaguey, the scenery will become more and more like something out of a classic western movie as you pass by ranches, cowboys, grazing cattle and goats. As you arrive in Camaguey, you can pay a bicycle taxi to ride ahead of you to lead you to your hotel. This will save you the headache of having to navigate through a maze of one-way streets. You'll spend the night in a colonial hotel in the city centre. If you would like to go sightseeing in Camaguey, have the same bicycle taxi that lead you to your hotel take you on a tour of the city. For 4 CUC you'll receive an hour-long tour of the city. Total driving time on day 8 of your Cuba adventure trip, including stops, is 5 hours.

Day 9: Camaguey - Sierra Maestra

Today you'll cross through the flat Las Tunas province and you'll arrive in the city of Bayamo sometime in the afternoon. Bayamo is the most important city in Granma and most of the Sierra Maestra Mountain Range can be found nearby. It's a very friendly mountain city, but to make your visit to this area even more special we'll arrange for you to spend the night surrounded by nature. Going back to basics and being one with nature is generally one of the main reasons for venturing off to the Sierra Maestra. You can stop off for lunch at Bayamo and have a look around and then drive on through a few very picturesque towns until you reach El Salton. The hotel is named after the waterfall that plunges down to earth from 30m up in the air and spills into three natural pools. Keep in mind that it can get quite chilly in the mountains, especially in the evenings... don't forget a sweater when packing for your Cuba adventure holiday.

Day 10: Sierra Maestra

Today is a free day without planned activities. There are several hiking trails set out around the hotel that you could explore. Spend the morning on the trails and visit Cuban mountain villages to see how local families live in this mountainous area. Not only will you enjoy the sights and sounds of the stunning natural surroundings, you'll also get a feel for traditions in this part of Cuba. After the hike, we have the following tips: the hotel offers lovely massages and in the evening the hotel regularly hosts barbecue dinners with roasted pig. Live Cuban music is guaranteed to make the Cuba adventure holiday atmosphere complete.

For those who want to visit Fidel Castro's mountain headquarters during their visit to Sierra Maestra, be sure to let us know when filling out the online quote request form. You'll stay at the 2-star Villa Domingo (located slightly more to the west). It was here in the mountain headquarters, the Comandancia de la Plata, that Fidel Castro planned and prepared for the revolution with the help of his guerrilla fighters.

Cuba adventure- The Sierra Maestra Mountain Range

Day 11: Sierra Maestra - Santiago de Cuba, 85km

After breakfast you'll continue on to Santiago de Cuba. It's about a 3-hour drive so you'll have plenty of time to enjoy the scenic route. This area is often a bit hazy, making the landscape somewhat mysterious and full of depth.

Santiago is the birthplace of Cuban music and has always been a very vivacious city. There are live music performances almost every night of the week. Naturally you'll want to get a taste of the unmistakable Cuban musical atmosphere, so we'll arrange for you to stay in the city centre, a real highlight of your Cuba adventure holiday.

Day 12: Santiago de Cuba

On Day Twelve of your Cuba adventure holiday, you can explore the city on your own. Not all of the city's attractions are located in the city centre. The Ifigenia cemetery, where for instance national hero José Marti, Cuba's first president and 'Mister Bacardi' are buried and Morro Castle, idyllically located by the bay, are both about a 15-minute drive away from the city centre. You can either drive there in your hire car, or have a taxi cab take you there for about £25. Have the cab drop you off at San Juan Hill where Fidel Castro once lost an important battle. You can have lunch here and then head back to the city centre at your own pace.

Head into town in the evening to hear Cuban bands playing original son music in Cuba's traditional music houses which are known as trovas.

Day 13: Santiago - Baracoa

Getting to Baracoa is quite a unique experience in itself. When arriving from Santiago de Cuba, you'll start out with a drive through the Sierra Maestra foothills to Guantanamo. You can stop off for lunch here, but won't be able to see the US Naval Base located in town.

From here you'll continue on to the arid southern coast of Cuba. During the drive you'll see quite a few cacti, not a common sight in other parts of Cuba. All along the road you'll see vendors selling fruit and coconut cream. It'll take you about 1.5 hour to complete the drive and as you go you'll notice how the scenery becomes increasingly more tropical. Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere you'll see the sea again and Baracoa, a town of 60.000 inhabitants and Christopher Columbus's first settlement on Cuba. On day 13 of your Cuba adventure holiday you'll spend the night in a former fortress perched upon a hill overlooking the city.

Day 14: Baracoa

On Day Fourteen of your Cuba adventure holiday you'll head out on your own sightseeing expedition of Baracoa and the surrounding area. This jungle region has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 2001 and is inhabited by farmers who cultivate small patches of land. Coconuts are their most important crop; everywhere you look you'll see palm trees.

You can book a guide on the spot to go on a 5km hike with you. Occasionally you'll have to walk up a hill or two, but the hike isn't very strenuous. During a portion of the hike you'll walk along a jungle river. After a while you'll reach a waterfall so don't forget to bring along your swimwear. There are also excursions to the stunning Yumari Canyon (boat rides or hikes) or you could go on a bike ride through the tropical area surrounding the Yunque table mountain (you can climb the mountain as well if the path isn't too muddy).

Day 15: Baracoa - Holguin

After breakfast you'll have the difficult task of saying goodbye to Baracoa for the next part of your Cuba adventure holiday. Today you'll drive 75km from Baracoa to the industry town of Moa. You'll travel along Cuba's worst, albeit most beautiful road... so take your time and enjoy the view. After a while the road will get better and it'll take you another 3 hours to reach Holguin.

You'll spend the night in a hotel overlooking the city of Holguin. The hotel has a small, intimate lobby with rocking chairs, a small shop and a swimming pool. You'll stay in a bungalow nestled between the trees.

Day 16: Holguin - Santa Lucia

Time for some fun in the sun... on the beach! On Day Sixteen of your Cuba adventure holiday you'll drive to Santa Lucia where you'll check into a very comfortable all inclusive resort. The resort is situated right off a long stretch of white-sand beach. There isn't a city or village near the resort and so it's very quiet and peaceful here. You'll still have your rental car if you want to cruise around the area for some sightseeing.

The resort has several bars and restaurants and a large swimming pool with a sun terrace and sun beds. The animation team organises sports and games during the day and entertainment in the evening. The resort also has a gym, bikes for hire, a tennis court, ping pong, volleyball, basketball and a disco. If you would prefer to spend time on the water, you could go catamaran sailing, windsurfing or diving.

Day 17 - 18: Santa Lucia - Diving, optional

The next two days of your Cuba adventure holiday are free for you to spend as you wish. You can spend them however you would like to, however if you enjoy diving... this is the premier diving location in Cuba. We'll make reservations for you to sail out to sea two days in a row for two daily dives. The water temperature is approximately 25 degrees Celsius and the average diving depth is 25m. During the dives you'll see coral walls, shipwrecks and swim throughs. At Shark's point you'll get a chance to see bull sharks all year round. In between dives you can relax on deserted Coco Beach. The price of our diving package, including 4 dives, transport and a dive master is £173 per person.

All meals, local drinks, non-motorised water sports and the entrance fee for the disco are included in the all inclusive formula.

Day 19: Santa Lucia - Santa Clara

On Day Nineteen of your Cuba adventure holiday you'll embark on a fun, versatile drive across the Carretera Norte from the one Santa to the other. For part of the drive you'll follow along the coastline and you'll catch a glimpse of the islands at sea. Along the way you could stop off for lunch at Ciego de Avila. Once you arrive in Santa Clara you'll check into a cosy little bungalow on the outskirts of town.

Santa Clara is where Che Guevara won the battle against General Batista in '58. It was a defining moment for communism in Cuba. Ché's mausoleum, a museum with Ché's clothing, guns and other personal possessions as well as a monument in his honour are reminders of this victory (museum is closed on Mondays). As you near the museum you'll start to hear marching band music flowing softly from crackly loudspeakers, helping to bring the atmosphere and the history of this town to life.

Cuba adventure- Santiago de Cuba street musicians

Day 20: Santa Clara - Varadero, or Havana - UK

The last leg of this itinerary is a great way to end your Cuba adventure. It's another 4-hour drive from Santa Clara Havana or an hour longer to Varadero. Since most flights to Europe leave in the evening, you can take your time today. If you still want to pick up a few souvenirs, you can do so in Remedios. This country town has been a protected national monument since the 60's. It really does seem as if the town has eluded time; horse drawn carts are the most popular mode of transport here. From time to time you'll see a 'modern' classic American car dating back to the 50's drive by. Roam the muddle of small, narrow streets past colourful colonial houses and wide-open floor-to-ceiling length windows giving you glimpse of the Cuban men and women sitting in rocking chairs behind them. If there's any space left on your digital camera, this is the place where you'll take your last memorable pictures of your Cuba trip!