"You're going to Cuba? Why Cuba? What would you do in Cuba?" they ask. As a girl who feels like she needs to see everything, I never understand the questions I get like these about a destination I'm visiting. Visiting Cuba is such a foreign thought to a lot of people here in the United States, but it's so beautiful and has so much to offer. Here is my personal itinerary from my trip and some photos to give you all the Cuba wanderlust and help guide you to start planning your own trip.
Day 1:
Tour Havana in an Old Fashioned Car
Arrange a tour in an old fashioned car to see the sights of Havana. You can arrange it with a company that will pick you up from the airport and start the tour from there, and drop you off at where you are staying when it’s over. On the tour, some of the stops we made were in the “forest” of Havana, Fusterlandia, and Revolution Square. Our driver came with a plan of where to take us, but was also flexible to take us to any places that we had in mind to visit like Fusterlandia. The forest was a beautiful area of Havana they left as a reminder of what used to be before the development of the city. Check out the gigantic ficus tree and grab a drink in the shade before you leave. Fusterlandia is a MUST when you are visiting Havana, it wasn’t on our tour but we asked our driver to take us there and he did. The best part of the tour is just watching out the side of the car and taking it all in, you will likely be exhausted after traveling and seeing so much, so be ready to relax when you get to where you are staying.
Day 2:
Spend the day on Santa Maria Beach
For $30 we had a cab round trip from the Airbnb to the beach for the day. When you get to the beach there are some restaurants and shops just outside of the beach and when you walk onto it you will see the most beautiful blue water lined with beach chairs, blue umbrellas, and people soaking in the sunshine. There are people walking around to take food and drink orders and bring them out to you, and where you can pay to ride in little boats and take part in various water sports. While we were at the beach we grabbed lunch before heading back to the airbnb and were not disappointed!
Dinner at La Guardia
Having dinner at La Guardia is worth the trip to Havana in itself. Be sure to make your reservation as far in advance as you can, we placed ours a month before and the only time available was at 9:15pm. This is one of the pricier restaurants in Havana with entrees setting you back around $20, so it’s still not too bad, and worth making room in your budget for.
Day 3:
Explore the Plazas of Old Havana
Walk the picturesque alleyways and see the vibrantly colored buildings I’m sure you've been dreaming of since you started planning your trip to Cuba. These buildings and squares are just as beautiful as you could imagine, but seeing them in person is something else.
While you’re out visit Conde De Villanueva if you want to get some Cuban cigars. This is the name of a hotel and inside is where you will find the cigar shop
One of these nights you have to find the time to visit Fabrica De Arte Cubano. This is an art gallery and bar that is in an old factory where you could get lost all night. Multiple buildings, rooms, and floors made space for every type of art you can imagine. There were paintings, sculptures, live music, photography, videography, clothing design, jewelry design, and so much more. FAC is truly unique and a must visit place if you are in Havana.
There is more to Cuba than Havana, and there is more to Havana than what is on this list, but this is a good place to start. People are so unfamiliar with Cuba that it seems hard for them to wrap their mind around visiting, but Cuba deserves a chance to be seen too.