16 days
9 places
8
Individual travel
During our Cuba-Pure individual trip, you will get to know the capital of Cuba in all its charm in the first few days. Thanks to an optional day trip, you can also get to know the tobacco valley of “Viñales” before relaxing on the white beaches of Playa Girón or Playa Larga. Your individual trip takes you through the most beautiful cities in Cuba: Trinidad, Camagüey, Bayamo and Santiago de Cuba with beach days in Cayo Coco as a stopover. This way you will get a detailed and authentic impression of the whole of Cuba and get to know the most beautiful cities on the island.
Today your individual trip through Cuba begins and we are already waiting for you at the airport to take you to your accommodation. After the long flight, arrive and acclimatize. In the evening, enjoy a few delicious daiquiris on one of Havana’s many roof terraces and stroll along the Malecón, the famous beach promenade.
The next day you have time to get to know the city better. For example, take an exciting city tour through Havana – on foot and in a vintage car. You explore the famous old town on a city tour with a German-speaking guide before, after a delicious lunch, you can watch the hustle and bustle of the Caribbean city from the window of a genuine vintage car. A must when visiting Havana!
On the third and fourth day of your individual trip through Cuba, you have time to explore Havana on your own. Let yourself be overwhelmed by the charm of Havana. The Rum Museum of the Havana Club, the market hall with many stalls or the famous Malecón – we know many great places in Cuba’s capital and have the right tips for you.
If you feel like it, you can also take great day trips in the area around Havana. For example, we would be happy to organize a day trip to Viñales, the so-called Valley of Tobacco. There you can not only admire the magnificent nature, go on a horseback ride or a hike, but also learn many interesting facts about Cuban tobacco production. On a tobacco plantation, a local tobacco farmer will introduce you to the art of cigar rolling.
About 2 hours east of Havana is Varadero, a popular beach holiday destination in Cuba. About 2 hours west of Havana is Cayo Levisa. The island has only one hotel and can only be reached by ferry, which currently runs three times a day.
On your individual trip through Cuba, you will travel today to the historic Bay of Pigs on the south coast of Cuba. In the “Museo Memorial Comandancia de la FAR” you will receive detailed information about the defense against the attempted invasion of 1961.
A crocodile breeding farm and the Laguna del Tesoro, an open-air museum with replicas of the houses of the pre-Columbian Taíno culture, are among the cultural highlights. Of course, you can also linger on the beautiful beaches of Playa Girón or Playa Larga or snorkel on the surrounding reefs.
Your individual trip through Cuba takes you to Trinidad today. On the way there you can stop off in the port city of Cienfuegos, which is known for its colonial buildings.
Trinidad is a tranquil place where you can literally breathe in the nostalgic flair of Cuba. The charismatic colonial city has a very well-preserved city center full of magnificent colonial buildings and offers a lively music and cultural scene for your evening entertainment. In the evening, listen to the rhythmic sounds in the local Casa de la Música and enjoy a few refreshing cocktails.
If you would like to learn more about the history of Trinidad, a city tour with a German-speaking guide is worthwhile. The area surrounding the colonial city also offers many beautiful destinations. Plan your days as you wish and enjoy the culture, beaches and beautiful national parks in Trinidad on your individual trip through Cuba.
You continue your individual journey through Cuba and arrive today in the paradisiacal Cayo Coco. Cayo Coco’s beaches are particularly characterized by their crystal-clear, shallow shores.
The numerous different animal and plant species are under special protection, which is why only gentle tourism is permitted on Cayo Coco. You can therefore marvel at intact coral reefs, mangrove forests, swamp areas and, with a bit of luck, even observe some flamingos in their natural environment.
The next stop on your individual trip through Cuba is Camagüey – city of the “Tinajones” (clay pots), the capital of the province of the same name and the third largest city in Cuba.
Camagüey has many picturesque streets and alleys and only a few tourists find their way here. In 2008, the historic old town of Camagüey was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The importance of the city lies in the special layout of its streets, which, unlike what was usual during the Spanish colonial period, are very winding.
The labyrinthine layout of the city has its origins in a time when the inhabitants had to fight pirate attacks and the winding paths offered the population protection from the invaders. We recommend a tour through the labyrinth of alleys in a bicitaxi, a type of Cuban rickshaw.
Today, on your individual trip through Cuba, you will discover the small town of Bayamo. The provincial capital impresses with its great history. Important battles of the War of Independence against the Spanish crown were fought here, among other things. Bayamo also has a lot to offer culturally.
If you are in Bayamo on a Saturday evening, you should definitely not miss the big festival “Noches de la Cubanía Bayamesa”. It takes place from 6 p.m. and lasts until the early morning. Food stalls, bars, music – half of Bayamo meets here. It doesn’t get more authentic than this.
Bayamo is also a good starting point for hikes in the Sierra Maestra. You can either go on a hike to the Comandancia de la Plata, the former command center of the Cuban revolutionaries around Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, or climb the Pico Turquino, Cuba’s highest mountain. The entrance to the national park is in Santo Domingo, 50 km away.
About 2 hours from Bayamo, on the north coast of Cuba, lies the beautiful seaside resort of Guardalavaca.
Santiago de Cuba can safely be described as the liveliest city on the island. It is nestled in a unique natural setting of turquoise sea, lush mountains and small beach bays. It is not only the friendly residents that make this city unique; it is also Havana’s strongest competitor when it comes to literature, music and politics. The nightlife of the eastern capital is particularly popular with the locals. After all, Santiago is considered the home of the Cuban dance style Son.
We recommend a city tour through Santiago’s picturesque city center – if you want to be active on your individual trip through Cuba, a hiking trip to the nearby La Gran Piedra is also worthwhile.
Depending on your flight times, you will be picked up from your accommodation and taken to the airport in Holguín. Full of new impressions, your individual trip through Cuba ends today and you board your flight home.
Relaxed and full of wonderful memories, you can return home. Alternatively, you can fly from Santiago de Cuba back to Havana and take your return flight from there. Have a nice flight!
You can find the most detailed description of customs regulations on the website of the Federal Foreign Office . Here are excerpts from the most important topics so that you don’t have to search for long:
Only take things that are for your personal use or that you could do without. Excess quantities may be confiscated because they are considered unauthorized gifts.
“Electrical devices may also only be imported to the extent that they are intended for personal use, not as gifts for Cuban citizens. For gifts (non-commercial imports) with a value of between 50 CUC and 250 CUC, customs duty of 100% is levied. Further information is available from the relevant Cuban diplomatic mission abroad. The import of walkie-talkies, satellite phones and GPS devices is not permitted or requires prior approval from the relevant Cuban authorities. Laptops, cameras and mobile phones with GPS function are not affected by this. The import of fresh food (e.g. fresh sausages, dairy products, vegetables, fruit) is prohibited for health reasons.”
Do not take any objects from Cuba that could be considered Cuban cultural property. This may also apply to older coins. Information on this and export permits are available from: Bienes Culturales, Calle 17 #1009, entre10 y 12, Vedado, Telephone: 839658. The permit only costs a few pesos, but saves you potential trouble when leaving the country.
“Export regulations for tobacco products
Up to twenty (20) loose cigars may be exported without having to provide proof of origin and purchase. Up to fifty (50) cigars may be exported provided that they are in their original, closed, sealed packaging with an official hologram. More than fifty (50) cigars may only be exported upon presentation of an original invoice issued by the officially authorized state stores. This invoice must include the total quantity of tobacco intended for export. In these cases too, it is essential that the cigars are in their original, closed, sealed packaging with an official hologram.
Detailed information on Cuban import and export regulations is available on the Cuban Customs website at www.aduana.co.cu.”
You can obtain further customs information on importing goods from the embassy of your destination country. Only there can legally binding information be given.
You can view the customs regulations for Germany on the German customs website at www.zoll.de or inquire by telephone.
For round trips within the country, foreign tourists primarily consider buses (Viazul), organized bus tours, but also rental cars, although bus trips are less problematic in terms of road safety.
Cuba is suffering from power shortages. In order to save electricity, power cuts are carried out, especially outside of the tourist centers (important for individual travelers!), which can also lead to disruptions in the water supply and communication.
Cubans require a permit from the authorities for any kind of private business. For this reason, and because of the risk of robbery, private taxis that do not belong to an official taxi company and are not marked accordingly are expressly warned against. Likewise, you should ask for official permission before staying in private homes (even if you are an acquaintance), otherwise both parties (host and guest) risk getting into trouble with the police.
Casas Particulares: In Cuba it is different from most countries in the world. A Cuban is not allowed to simply accommodate tourists in his house. To do this, locals in Cuba need a license. Anyone who acquires this license is allowed to rent out rooms in their house and call their home a “Casa Particular”. All Casas Particulares are registered and can be recognized by the white/blue sign on the outside wall. Here, as in every hotel, all travelers are noted. The families need your ID and your tourist visa for this. The state hotels are an alternative if you are looking for a place to sleep. But not for gaining an insight into Cuban culture.
Travelers should make copies of their documents and keep valuables in different places or in a safe.
It is best to avoid taking photographs of queues of shoppers, dilapidated houses, etc., as the people involved may react angrily. In addition, military facilities (restricted areas and buildings) and official vehicle convoys may not be photographed. Not all military facilities or restricted areas in Cuba are fenced off or clearly recognizable as such. Instructions or requests from guards and security personnel should be followed without fail.
Smoking is prohibited in enclosed public spaces (e.g. shops, cinemas, offices, taxis, buses). In restaurants, smoking is only permitted in specially designated smoking areas.
“Even if small quantities of drugs are found for personal use, drastic penalties can be expected. Possession of small quantities by foreigners is also punished as drug smuggling. The penalty for this is four to thirty years in prison, and in particularly serious cases the death penalty is imposed. For criminal prosecution following traffic accidents, see above under road traffic.
Visitors should refrain from political activity, as this can be punished with long prison sentences.”
Of course, depending on how you travel through Cuba, you’ll need different equipment. If you’re taking a sailing tour along the cays, you’ll probably need less mosquito repellent than the birdwatchers in the swamp of Cienega de Zapata National Park.
Whether you’re a last-minute packer or planning weeks before departure so that you don’t forget anything and have everything with you, we’ve put together a packing list for you based on our experiences in Cuba. You can find it here .
Then all you have to do is pack, tick off the list and set off. We wish you an unforgettable trip!
Checklist before your trip:
Check if your passport is still valid
Read the Foreign Office’s travel advice
Organize tourist cards (e.g. About us )
Take out international health insurance and request proof in Spanish
Possibly take out travel cancellation insurance
In our opinion, the blog of viel-unterwegs.de offers a very good packing list
Since there is no guarantee that the ATMs will work, you should always carry enough cash with you. The availability of ATMs also leaves a lot to be desired. ATMs are mainly found in Havana and Santiago, and occasionally in smaller towns. As with credit card payments, a 10 percent tax is charged for using the ATM. It is best to withdraw cash from bank ATMs as rarely as possible to avoid unnecessary costs abroad. In isolated cases, unfortunately, a credit card can be held in the ATM during the transaction. You should not despair in this case. If you have problems with your credit card, you can contact the service agency Centro de Tarjetas Fincimex SA in the Hotel Habana Libre (Tel.: 0053 7 554466).
Climate information: You should expect a hot, subtropical climate in Cuba all year round. A constant wind moderates the heat. In summer there is more rainfall than in winter and temperatures are around 25-30°C. In winter around 20-25°C.
Best time to travel: November to April.
The main travel season in Cuba is from mid-November to mid-April. The temperatures are a little lower during this time than in the other months, although there are generally very little temperature fluctuations in Cuba. The temperatures are between 25°-28° with a water temperature of 25°. From November to around March/April it is also tobacco season and you get a great insight into the tobacco harvest.
Cuba can experience heavy rainfall, tropical storms and sometimes landslides from June to November (hurricane season). We recommend that you follow regional weather forecasts and heed the advice of local security authorities during your trip.
Current information is available online at www.nhc.noaa.gov and www.weather.com.
You can find more information about the best time to travel here .
The Cuban currency is called Peso Cubano or CUP. Until January 2021, in addition to the CUP, there was also the Peso Convertible (CUC), which was only for tourists.
The safest way to exchange money is in the hotel, in the Casa, in official exchange offices or banks, although you should expect long queues at the latter. It is best to take cash in euros with you and exchange it for Cuban pesos directly at the airport.
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