Cuban food is often described by European palates as one-sided: too many carbohydrates, too much meat and too few vegetables, salads and fruit. Spicy, sour and salty dishes are rarely found. Sweet ones are all the more common. Nevertheless, there are many restaurants, especially the so-called “paladares” (private restaurants), which often offer very tasty and rich food, but which can also cost a little more, at prices that are hardly affordable for Cubans.
In the hotels, the food is a little cheaper, but the quality varies greatly. Cubans insist on their mojito as a welcome drink. A mojito usually costs 2.10 – 5.40 euros, a beer 1 – 2.50 euros. You can get a good bottle of rum for as little as 7 euros. In our experience, drinking tap water in Cuba is safe, but safety comes first and it is better to buy bottled water. The prices for canned and bottled drinks are generally between 0.40 and 1.30 euros, in bars and restaurants the prices are between 0.90 and 2.70 euros.
When traveling to Cuba, you can exchange your currency after you arrive. Here’s what you need to know:
Where to Exchange Money:
Havana Airport: You can exchange your currency for Cuban pesos (CUP) at the airport as soon as you land. This is often the most convenient option for travelers.
Hotels and Exchange Offices: Most larger hotels and official exchange offices (CADECA) offer currency exchange services. Banks also provide this service, but you may experience long waiting times due to queues.
Our Tip:
Based on our travel experience, we recommend that travelers from the UK, France, and Italy use Visa credit cards for withdrawing cash at ATMs or from bank counters. Visa tends to work better than Mastercard in Cuba, though ATMs can still be unreliable at times.
For U.S. travelers, it’s important to note that U.S.-issued credit and debit cards do not work in Cuba, so you should bring sufficient cash in U.S. dollars (USD) or euros (EUR) and exchange it upon arrival. The import and export of Cuban pesos is prohibited, so exchange what you need in Cuba and spend it before leaving.
Important Safety Advice:
We strongly recommend not exchanging money on the street, as this can be unsafe. Always exchange your money in official places, such as at the airport, hotels, or authorized exchange offices (CADECA).
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.
Visa cards work best in Cuba, and in almost every Cuban city. With a Mastercard, you may have problems at the ATM, but you can definitely use them to withdraw cash at the bank counter (be careful: queues).
You can find the most detailed description of the regulations on the website of the Federal Foreign Office (https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/DE/Laenderinformationen/00-SiHi/KubaSicherheit.html). Here are the quotes on the most important topics so that you don’t have to search for long:
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