The Viñales valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is encircled by mountains with impressive rocky outcrops

Los Jasmines Hotel

Conservation-conscious tours in unspoiled landscapes are available at a number
of hotels in Cuba. Eco trips can be booked at the Los Jasmines Hotel In the
Vinales Valley. This hotel offers a wide range of touring options, including
trails ideal for ecotourism.

La Moka Hotel

At the eco-friendly hotel La Moka in Pinar Del Rio a tree grows up through the
lobby and its branches disappear through holes in the roof. This hotel was
virtually made for Cuba eco holidays – some of its electricity comes from solar
panels and much of the food served is grown in hydroponic, organic gardens.

La Moka is a starting point for numerous nature trails and a wonderful location
for those interested in conservation and wildlife. One of their Cuba eco trips
takes visitors to the Las Terrazas Tourist Complex, 5000 hectares of mainly
untouched land in Pinar del Rio.

At Las Terrazas you can get a feel for Cuba’s natural wonders; tropical
forests, mountains, valleys and waterfalls. You will also spot some fantastic
flora and fauna on this eco trip. Cuba’s national flower, the butterfly lily,can be found on this trail. You can also find Bleteas, purpreas, curujeyes,
mastic trees and royal palm trees. The fauna includes water lizards, tiny frogs
and a number of native songbirds.

Cayo Levisa Resort

Another option is the low-key island resort of Cayo Levisa, with simple
accommodation in beachside cabanas, which have a very low impact on the
environment – also ideal for a Cuba eco trip.

Traditional Havana Street

When major cities, such as Havana, Santiago De Cuba, Matanzas, and Trinidad
were built, early in Cuba’s history, they followed the Ordinance of the Spanish
King, Philip II set out in 1573. These regulations required a cathedral, the
administrative office buildings, and a governor’s palace to occupy the four
sides of a city’s central plaza. Cities were laid out in a grid that expanded
as the urban population grew. Builders and craftsmen achieved impressive
results with the building materials available in Cuba by simplifying Spanish
designs. To enable them to deal with the heat, they created the maximum amount
of shade and ventilation provided the distinctive aspect of colonial Cuban
architecture and design. Typical features of a colonial Cuban home includes a
central courtyard, an arcaded gallery, decorative wooden ceilings and high
doors, with their own cooling device: a ‘postigo’ or panel which can open to
provide light and a breeze without the whole door having to be opened. Homes,
churches, and some public buildings added the stained glass windows of Arabic
origin that gave Cuban architecture its specific character.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the cities grew, giving rise to the fortress of
El Morro de Santiago de Cuba (1633), the Cathedral of Havana (1787-1811), Santa
Clara and San Agustin convents in Havana (17th century), Santa Maria Rosario
church (1779), and The Plaza de Armas of Havana (1772). Cuban architecture in
the 19th century followed the early colonial period. Things changed in the mid
20th century when architects took on new international styles, particularly
those of the Spanish architect, Antoni Gaudi, whose works blended neo-gothic,
art nouveau, and surrealist influences. Examples of this worth seeing on your
Cuba holidays can be found in Havana’s Miramar district, where buildings
exhibit these traits while retaining an open air, tropical ambiance.

More recently in Cuba’s history, post revolution, Cuban architecture followed a
single, utilitarian path, with new buildings constructed to be practical and
economical. Most architectural structures built after 1959 were apartment in
suburban areas and the countryside, intended to house the poor and
professionals who did not have homes. The architecture resembled that of the
prescribed Soviet styles. These rectangular apartment buildings were built with
concrete blocks, and pressed marble was used for the floors. These Soviet
models makes a distinctive landmark among the more tropical and colonial
examples of Cuban architecture that were built before 1959.

The beautiful turquoise sea at Varadero

As beach holidays in Cuba become more and more popular, we have picked out some
of the best kept tourist secrets from the island’s coast line. Here are our top
5 beaches in Cuba, unspoilt by tourism and overcrowding.

1. Cayo Santa Maria’s beach

On the north east coast, this small island, with its 7 miles of virtually
untouched beaches has been designated a UNESCO reserve, making it a stunning
location for a holiday. The island is home to some memorable wildlife, and
visitors should not be surprised to spot flamingos, endemic lizards, mollusks
and the island’s national bird – the Tocoroco bearing all the colours of the
Cuban flag. Plant lovers will also be delighted to find the island is home to
248 species of flora.

Cayo Santa Maria’s beach itself is one of the most tranquil in Cuba and
stretches for 13 kilometres of very fine white sands, with calm crystal clear
waters. The coral barrier protects the beach from winds, meaning waves are
never overwhelming and allows a selection of marine life to make this Cuban
beach paradise its home.

2. Varadero Beach

Varadero beach stretches to 20 kilometres of sands ensuring it is the most
popular Cuba beach holiday resort by quite a long way. 28 diving spots, shallow
clear waters and a huge variety of flora and fauna are just some of the reasons
Varadero beach is world renowned for its excellence.

Varadero beach’s water is shallow for several metres out, making it a safe
choice for children, and the waters are so clear that it is possible to see the
seabed for long stretches! For divers, a Cuba beach holiday in Varadero is a
real treat, with the area boasting a huge variety of fish, lobsters, crabs and
shrimps with over 40 species of coral and 70 kinds of molluscs. Those just
enjoying the sand and sunshine will also delight in the dolphins – which are
often visible from the shore!

3. Cayo Coco

Off the north coast of Cuba, and nestled in one of the most stunning coral
reefs in the world lies the island of Cayo Coco. The island is made up with
27km of some of the best beaches in Cuba, and is something of a scuba diving
haven. To the north, 9km of snowy white beaches, gently lapped by the Atlantic
Ocean, to the south tropical mangroves, and wildlife havens.

The coral reef around the island is touted as the second most important in the
world by experts (after Australia’s) and this is reflected by the vast array of
aquatic life that divers can see as they explore. The warm waters have
excellent visibility, and allow divers to clearly see the range of
tranchinatus, red snappers, tarpons, stonebasses, sharks and barracudas, as
they swim around the clean sea.

The Cuban beaches on the island host a wide array of fauna for nature lovers,
including pink flamingos (the island hosts a massive flock of over 30,000!),
grey herons, pelicans, mocking birds and ducks.

4. Guardalavaca Beach

Facing the Atlantic ocean, the golden sands and turquoise oceans of
Guardalavaca’s beach. At 3 kilometres long it’s one of the smallest beaches in
Cuba to make our list, but it’s still worth a visit. It’s protected by coral
reefs 300 metres out, making it a fascinating microclimate for sealife.

As with other Cuba beach holiday hotspots, Guardalavaca is a great area to dive
in. The water is clear, with visibility of 20 metres, and for those that want
something a little out of the ordinary; the underwater caves at Gibara allow
some intriguing exploration for the experienced diver. Even the regular
stretches of water are home to various coral beds, crustaceans and tropical
fish, including swordfish, Spanish mackerel and barracuda, making a trip to
Guardalavaca beach a nature lover’s dream.

5. Cayo Largo Beach

On the east side of the Island, Cayo Largo beach is a popular dive site and
boasts some of Cuba’s most beautiful coral reefs as well as gorgeous beaches of
white, unspoilt sands. Only accessible via a small airport or a six hour boat
trip from Havana, this may seem like a lot of effort for a simple beach holiday

in Cuba, but with only a handful of hotels, this is almost entirely unspoilt by
tourism.

The biggest selling point for Cayo Largo’s beach ahead of the island’s others
is that it really feels removed from the pressures of city life – there are
hardly any big restaurants, no bustling shopping centres and very little
commercialism. The result is an island so tranquil and calm that to do anything
other than relax and sunbathe would seem criminal! Although the island is
perfect for couples, families and singles alike, visitors should be forewarned
that there is often an overlap between the nudist and non-nudist sections of
the island!

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We recommend the street parties in Santiago de Cuba and the best time to go is 24th-26th.   You’ll be witness to some truly mesmerising scenes of people dancing and celebrating in colourful costumes, and sample some of the huge array of local delicacies and drinks on offer – a real treat for the senses!  The excitement builds before the annual performances at Cuartel Moncada.

This truly is one festival not to be missed!  Contact Captivating Cuba to make all the arrangements.