A week in cuba

VINALES

Visiting Viñales feels like seeing the real Cuba. It’s still a tourist town (and depends quite heavily on visitors), but with a local population of only about 10,000 Cubans, you get the feeling that it’s the kind of place where everyone knows each other’s names. Located in the Pinar del Rio region on the West side of the island, Viñales is the best place to experience the natural beauty of Cuba.

Day 5:

This will be the longest travel day, so strap in and get ready to nap during the 7-8 hour car ride — at least you won’t be driving! Cars are easy to hire around town in Trinidad. Your casa can either set this up for you or you can ask locals where to schedule a car and you’ll undoubtedly get steered in the right direction.

CHECK IN TO YOUR CASA

Arrive in Viñales around 5 pm, and check into Villa Farner’s, a modest little casa run by Lisette and Jimmy that sits in convenient proximity to the main drag in town .Plus, the breakfast and rooftop views are to die for.

GRAB DINNER IN TOWN

Dinner. Be warned, there’s not much (if anything) in the way of good food in the main center of town in Viñales, so expect very basic and you may be pleasantly surprised.

TAKE IN THE VIEWS OF VIÑALES

Head to the rooftop of your casa (many in the area have them) for a sunset viewing overlooking the Viñales Valley. We spent a memorable night drinking wine and chatting it up with our casa hosts on the roof while each sampling our very first Cuban cigar — not a regular thing for me, but when in Cuba!

DANCING IN THE SQUARE

Walk a few minutes to the main square of town for salsa dancing in the square and to mingle with locals.

Day 6:

VIEWPOINT AT HOTEL JAZMINE

Start the morning off by hopping onto the local Viñales bus which has multiple stops at tobacco houses, the Hotel Jazmine (great views overlooking the Viñales Valley, but terrible food) and other local tourist attractions. It’s the most convenient way to get around and often cheaper than taking a taxi, so if you’re looking to explore the area outside the main square this is the way to go. You’ll find the bus stop right in front of the main square.

LUNCH AT FINCA AGROECOLOGICA EL PARAISO

Once you’ve worked up an appetite, head over to the best lunch in town at Finca Agroecologica El Paraiso, which is a family-run organic farm with incredible food. The views are unreal overlooking the Viñales Valley, but it can be quite the tourist destination as it’s the #1 rated restaurant in the area on TripAdvisor and surpasses everything else by a long-shot. Try to go when the tourist buses are gone for a more enjoyable meal. Also, word to the wise — these are the largest portions I’ve ever encountered in my life (seriously, ever) and they won’t wrap them up in takeout boxes for you unless you bring your own. Bring tupperware — you’ll seriously get three extra meals out of it!

DRINKS AT PALENQUE DE LOS CIMARRONES

For drinks and dancing, finish your night at Palenque de los Cimarrones which is another Cuban cave club (I preferred this one over the Disco Ayala in Trinidad). This club also comes with a history lesson, as the caves were a main escape for slaves. If you’re lucky enough to be in town on a Saturday night, you’ll witness a weekly performance here and chances are if you’ve met any locals around town, you’ll run into them here for a dance session!

Day 7:

EXPLORE CUBA’S LARGEST CAVE

Rise early for a cave spelunking tour at the Cuevos de Santo Tomas, Cuba’s largest cave system. We enjoyed a 90-minute tour with a small group as this location is not overrun with tourists. It was a nice respite from the heat to duck into the cool interior of the cave while learning about the stalactites and other geological formations. My favorite part, however, was the local pup who joined us on our tour — quite impressive as we climbed stairs and ladders to get there!

PACK YOUR BAGS FOR HAVANA

Pack up and hire a share car back to Havana (about a two hour drive) to catch your flight out of town!

HIRE A VINTAGE CONVERTIBLE FOR YOUR AIRPORT TRANSFER

For your final few hours, give yourself plenty of time before your flight and hire a 1950s convertible (the drivers act as tour guides as well) to take you to any spots you may have missed during your previous time in Havana. This is the perfect way to go out in style and also saves you money on an airport transfer!

TRY THE “BEST” PINA COLADA IN HAVANA

Our driver took us through Miramar and more residential sides of Cuba to get a different feel for the local way of life. My favorite stop was to the Anfiteatro Parque Almendares, a park where our driver brought us to a spot where he claimed they made the best pina coladas in the city. As you can see, they came with an unlimited bottle of rum!

Make your way to the airport and say goodbye to this beautiful and lively country that I loved so much this year. Hope you get to enjoy a fabulous trip to Cuba soon!