Au auIn the same way, Cuba continues to maintain the legend of a country not like the others. This island with revolutionary accents reveals a unique history and heritage to visitors, but it also offers sublime landscapes in an endearing duality. Today, as a result of the reforms of Raul Castro, Cuba is changing. The country is not only anchored in its past, it has also begun its molt. This is a key moment and an exciting time to discover this mythical island.
Cities with exceptional cultural heritage
Cuba's charm is undoubtedly the time that seems to have stopped. Two moments of history are constantly intertwined: on the one hand, the colonial era of Spanish conquistadors, on the other, the 1950 s just before the Revolution of 1959, initiated by Fidel Castro and its troops, upset that established order to make it the communist country it became. While the thousands of American cars on the island dazzle all travelers with their vivid colors and scarcity, the colonial cities have even more impressive architectural wealth, between picturesque streets and preserved monuments. They leave an indelible impression of the spirit of any traveler who finds Cuba. This majestic past takes place excellently in three cities: Havana, Trinidad and Santiago de Cuba. The Cuban capital, founded in 1519, has a historical area classified as UNESCO's World Heritage Site: Habana Vieja. It has been continuously restored for some thirty years and the result is remarkable. From the Plaza de la Catedral to Plaza Vieja and Plaza San Francisco de Asis, the Plaza de la Catedral is a permanent wonder between restored xvie or seventeenth century buildings and baroque palaces of the eighteenth century. The imposing cathedral of Havana with neoclassical style, the beautiful museum of the city set up in an old palace or the Castillo San Salvador de la Punta built in the sixteenth century, perfectly illustrate the architectural style of this quarter-mosaic mosaic.
Trinidad, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the best preserved colonial city in the country. Born in 1514, the city proudly boasts its 500 years of history that ceremonies celebrated this year. A simple walk in the old paved historic center, articulated around the Plaza Mayor, which aligns the beautiful old palaces, is enough to understand the excitement aroused by Trinidad. Here, architecture makes sense, and it looks almost as if it's going back to the streets, where the pastel tones of colonial houses and their exquisitely outdated interiors balance perfectly.
Santiago de Cuba, formerly the capital of the country, is right opposite the Sierra Maestra, a long refuge of the Cuban revolutionaries. The city has a beautiful historical center restored. It is built around the Céque Céspedes, not far from its majestic cathedral. The ancient part of the city is also composed of the Tivolí neighborhood, built by French settlers of Haiti in the late eighteenth century, of which you will appreciate the charming alleys and tranquil roofs with red roofs.
Breathtaking landscapes
Between mountains and dream beaches, Cuba is also a prodigious nature. On the west side of the island, nestled in the heart of a beautiful valley with UNESCO's world natural heritage, the small village of Viñales boasts a unique landscape and quite exceptional colors. Located in the middle of fields to the red land, near the tobacco crops, it is at the heart of lush landforms whose green degrade seems unreal. The immense mogots (karst mountains inherited from the Jurassic period) that are extirpated reinforce this impression of prehistoric film because of their protuberant shape.
When you think of Cuba, you have to consider one of the first images that comes to mind is that of a sublime beach. If the Varadero Peninsula with its beautiful seaside resort is the best known, Cuba is also rich in paradise islands with fine sand and turquoise waters. They wear the sweet name of "cayos". Preserved and peaceful, these islands are an immediate invitation to rest and relaxation. In northwest Cuba, Cayo Levisa is a sublime confetti of white sand and coconut trees at the immaculate beach. More in the center of the country and not far from Santa Clara, Cayo Santa Maria is the largest islet in the Los Jardines del Rey archipelago, classified as a natural reserve and with exceptional seabed. Cayo Guillermo, further east, has one of the most beautiful beaches in the world: Playa Pilar. It has a particularity at the end of the Cayo. its dunes are the highest in the Caribbean as they peak at 15 meters high.
Life to the Cuban
In Cuba, the beautiful hotel complex is not lacking, but for anyone seeking to live in total immersion in Cuban culture, nothing is worth a stay in one of the many distinctive casas in the country. Then you have your room, a private bathroom, but also a home catering service with delicious dishes cooked by the home mistress, all for a modest sum compared to the prices offered by hotels. While some houses are modest, others are truly beautiful… Many of them are in the capital.
A Gastronomy in Full Swing
For a long time, Cuba was finger-pointing for its monotonous cuisine, which was essentially black beans and rice accompanied by fish or chicken. But times change and for the delight of the visitor palace… Since the reforms launched by Raul Castro in 2010 to develop the private sector, private restaurants are flourishing in Cuba, especially in Havana. In these institutions called paladars, chefs leave their creativity more open than in state restaurants. If they want to earn a living, they must show genuine originality because competition is tough. Thanks to this permanent emulation, a true Cuban gastronomy emerges. Hundreds of high-quality restaurants have emerged in recent years throughout the country.
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