Discover Cuba – Top-Rated Attractions

Cuba, the Caribbean’s largest island, is rich in history, culture, and enchantment. Live music wafts through the cobbled squares of Havana’s World Heritage-listed Old Town, vintage cars still cruise the streets, and Cuba’s colonial cities have the feel of a country frozen in time.

Cuba is also rich in natural beauty. This vast island has over 5,000 kilometers of coastline, much of it surrounded by beautiful beaches. Coral reefs glisten in the turquoise waters, and Cuba’s lush countryside and sublime islands have hosted presidents, given refuge to revolutionaries, and inspired writers from all over the world, including Ernest Hemingway.

With all of its history and beauty, as well as world-class diving and fishing, Cuba provides a depth and diversity that few Caribbean islands can match. Explore this captivating country by visiting the top attractions and places to visit in Cuba on our list.

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#1 Old Havana (Habana Vieja)

Habana Vieja, or Old Havana, is a UNESCO World Heritage site that preserves a piece of Cuban history. It’s easy to imagine life in Cuba 200 years ago while strolling down cobblestone streets and gazing up at grand Baroque and neoclassical buildings.

Extensive renovations are now giving the historic structures new life. The Plaza de la Catedral, which houses the Cuban Baroque Catedral de San Cristobal, is a major attraction here, as is the legendary restaurant and Hemingway hangout, Bodeguita del Medio, and the military fortress, Castillo de la Real Fuerza.

Plaza Vieja, also in the Old Town, is a must-see attraction in Havana. The 18th-century Casa del Conde Jaruco, with beautiful stained-glass windows on the first floor, is one of the area’s most notable buildings. The camera obscura, located nearby, provides spectacular views from its 35-meter tower. Allow at least a day to explore Old Town, and more if time allows.

Accommodation in Havana

#2 Trinidad

Exploring Trinidad, Cuba, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is like taking a step back in time. The city center’s beautifully restored buildings and cobblestone streets exude a charming colonial feel. Much of the architecture dates from the 17th to 19th centuries, when Trinidad thrived on the sugar and slave trades.

Apart from Havana, Trinidad is now one of the best cities in Cuba to visit. The lively atmosphere can be found in the city’s central square, the cobblestone Plaza Mayor. The neoclassical Church of the Holy Trinity rises above the square (Iglesia Parroquial de la Santisima Trinidad).

The Church and Monastery of Saint Francis (Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco), with its distinctive bell tower; the Museum of Colonial Architecture (Museo de Arquitectura Colonial); the art gallery at the Casa de Aldeman Ortiz; and the Palacio Brunet, a grand home built in 1812 that still has original frescoes and marble floors, are also highlights in Trinidad.

The lush World Heritage-listed Valle de los Ingenios, east of Trinidad on the road to Sancti Spiritus, contains numerous relics and monuments from the 19th century, when sugar cane plantations and mills flourished. Driving or horseback riding through the beautiful scenery of green sugar cane fields, palm trees, and mountains is one of the best things to do in Trinidad, Cuba.

Accommodation in Trinidad

#3 Varadero

Varadero is one of Cuba’s most well-known beach resorts, with one of the best beaches in the Caribbean. It runs along the Peninsula de Hicacos, which juts into the sea off the north coast and is connected to the mainland by a drawbridge.

This popular palm-fringed strip is lined with more than 50 hotels, and its magnificent white-sand beaches attract visitors from all over the world.

Highlights of Varadero include the Parque Ecológico Varahicacos and its two caves, Cueva de Ambrosio and Cueva de Musulmanes.

The tranquil Parque Josone in Varadero also has lush flower gardens, a restaurant, a swimming pool, and a small lake where visitors can paddle around in rowboats.

Aside from diving and snorkeling, other popular activities include deep-sea fishing, golf, skydiving, and day trips to cultural attractions.

Accommodation in Varadero

#4 Guardalavaca

Guardalavaca, in the Holguin province, is quieter and more remote than Varadero, with its glittering beaches. The sweeping strand of beach here is fringed by lush foliage, providing plenty of shady patches for those seeking relief from the tropical sun. Divers and snorkelers can explore the coral reefs to see a variety of sea life.

Day trips from Guardalavaca include jungle adventures, sailing trips, and Santiago de Cuba sightseeing tours.

West of Guardalavaca, Bahia de Naranjo encompasses a large stretch of coast and three islands, including Cayo Naranjo, which is home to the popular Dolphinarium, which allows visitors to get up close and personal with these gregarious creatures.

Chorro de Maita, with its native Indian burial area and recreated Taino Indian village, is another side trip option from Guardalavaca.

Accommodation in Guardalavaca

#5 Cayo Coco

Cayo Coco is another idyllic beach destination in Cuba, and one of its most remote. Along with nearby Cayo Guillermo, the island appeared in Hemingway’s novels Islands in the Stream and The Old Man and the Sea.

Cayo Coco is part of the Jardines del Rey, a Sabana-Camaguey archipelago, and is connected to the mainland by a bridge, though most visitors arrive by air.

The main draw is the sun-kissed beaches. The five-kilometer strand of sun-bleached sand at Playa Los Flamencos on the island’s Atlantic side is a standout, while the quiet and undeveloped Playa Prohibida offers a peaceful nature trail. The island is also great for bird watching.

Cayo Guillermo, which is connected to Cayo Coco by a causeway, has a number of beautiful beaches, including the ravishing Playa Pilar, as well as a number of all-inclusive resorts.

Accommodation in Cayo Coco

#6 Playa Paraíso, Cayo Largo del Sur

Playa Paraso (Paradise Beach), located on the island of Cayo Largo del Sur, is one of Cuba’s most beautiful beaches. This sublime stretch of powdery white sand and baby blue sea skirts the island’s sheltered western edge and merges with the equally lovely Playa Sirena.

Cayo Largo del Sur is a true sun seeker’s paradise, with a typically dry, sunny climate and few tourist attractions aside from some of Cuba’s most beautiful beaches and numerous hotels and resorts.

Accommodation in Cayo Largo del Sur

#7 Parque Nacional Viñales (Valle de Viñales)

The Parque Nacional Viales, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a beautiful, verdant valley in the Sierra de los Organos, north of Pinar del Rio. Mogotes, or steep limestone hills, cut through the valleys, creating a dramatic landscape.

The valley floors of the Parque Nacional Viales are agricultural areas that grow tobacco, fruit, and vegetables. The park offers fantastic hiking and horseback riding in the hills for outdoor enthusiasts.

The charming town of Viales is nearby and a great base for exploring the surrounding area. Day trips from Havana are also available through tour companies.

#8 The Malecon, Havana

The Malecon, Havana’s famous seafront promenade, was conceived in 1901 and partially built in 1902 and beyond. A walk along this top Havana attraction is a walk through the city’s history.

The promenade stretches seven kilometers from the Habana Vieja neighborhood to the Vedado business district. Along the way, you’ll see a variety of well-preserved 20th-century structures representing a variety of architectural styles, including Art Deco and Neo Moorish. The buildings, which are painted in pastel pinks and yellows, are a photographer’s dream, especially in the golden glow of dusk.

People-watching is a popular pastime in this town. Young lovers stroll hand in hand, local fishermen cast their lines, and children scramble up the sea wall.

#9 Baracoa

Beautiful Baracoa, the country’s oldest city, is one of the highlights of eastern Cuba. It was founded in the province of Guantanamo in 1511, and construction on the first church here began around that time. The city was cut off from much of the outside world until the 1960s, when the La Farola highway was built, and it retains a remote feel to this day.

Visitors come here today for the charming colonial architecture and lush countryside, where waterfalls and beautiful beaches provide a cool respite from the steamy jungle. El Yunque, with its flat-topped peak, presides over all of this tropical beauty, beckoning hikers to take the guided ascent to its 589-meter summit. The hillside is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, which supports rare birds and plants.

Take a drive down the winding La Farola highway, a 49-kilometer stretch from Baracoa over the mountains to Cajobabo, to really appreciate the spectacular scenery.

The Museo Municipal is also worthwhile to visit. It is housed in the Fuerte Matachin military fortress and provides a glimpse of Baracoa’s fascinating history, as well as great views of the bay.

Playa Maguana, about 20 kilometers northwest of Baracoa, is one of the area’s best beaches. If you want to do something adventurous in Cuba, rent a bicycle in Baracoa and ride out here. Flights to Baracoa leave from Havana on a regular basis.

Accommodation in Baracoa

#10 Che Guevara Mausoleum, Santa Clara

When beach towns and resorts become monotonous and you’re looking for unique things to do in Cuba, Santa Clara will add some depth to your Cuban itinerary. This is the famous location of Che Guevara’s final guerrilla battle in 1958.

Che’s body was laid to rest here, and the town’s main attractions are his mausoleum (Mausoleo del Che Guevara) and monument, the Memorial Comandante Ernesto “Che” Guevara. Che Guevara’s final letter to Fidel Castro is etched on the bronze statue in Plaza de la Revolucion, while his mausoleum lies beneath.

The Museo Historico de la Revolucion, located next to the monument, displays some of Che’s personal items. Che fans should also pay a visit to the moving Monumento a la Toma del Tren Blindado, a small boxcar museum and the site of the final battle between Che Guevara and Batista’s troops.

Accommodation in Santa Clara

#11 Castillo de San Pedro del Morro, Santiago de Cuba

Castillo del Morro, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the best-preserved 17th-century Spanish fortresses. It is located about 10 kilometers southwest of Santiago de Cuba, the country’s second largest city, at the entrance to the Bay of Santiago.

The structure, perched high atop a cliff, was designed in 1587, but construction took decades and was finally completed at the end of the 17th century. It was built to protect against pirate attacks, but it also served as a prison in the late 1700s before being converted back into a fortress.

Today, visitors can explore the fort’s many levels, learn about pirates and the fort’s history in the small museum, and take in the breathtaking views of the bay.

The Diego Velazquez Museum and the Cementerio de Santa Ifigenia, which houses the remains of some of Cuba’s most famous military figures, are also cultural highlights in Santiago de Cuba.

Parque Baconao is a World Heritage Biosphere Reserve less than an hour’s drive from the city, where you can tour coffee plantations, wander through beautiful botanical gardens, and enjoy stunning 360-degree views of the mountains and sea from the 1,234-meter summit of Gran Piedra, a large volcanic rock.

Accommodation in Santiago de Cuba

#12 El Nicho Waterfalls

Head to El Nicho waterfalls in central Cuba for a breathtaking slice of nature. These multi-tiered falls in Parque El Nicho, about a 90-minute drive from Trinidad or Cienfuego, flow into several jade-green jungle pools – the ideal place to cool off on a hot day.

Driving through the twisty rutted roads here is an adventure in and of itself, and the scenery is stunning. After paying the entrance fee, walk the 1.5-mile palm-lined trail to the park’s most scenic spots. It winds along a cool river before ascending through dense tropical forest to the falls, where you can swim and sunbathe. Keep an eye out for the tocororo, Cuba’s national bird, and the lovely royal palm along the way.

A scenic lookout with breathtaking views across lush valleys awaits you beyond the falls.

Are you looking for family activities in Cuba? This is the ideal back-to-nature adventure. Best of all, the waterfalls flow all year, even during the dry season.

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