10 Unforgettable Day Trips from Havana

Wandering along the cobblestone streets of Old Havana, exploring off-the-beaten track neighborhoods, visiting the city’s museums and enjoying the local nightlife is a great way to spend your precious time.

COOL THINGS IN JAPAN YOU MUST SEE Learn more

But there is so much more to this country including coffee and tobacco plantations, perfectly preserved colonial towns, eco-tourism, bizarre art venues, snorkeling, beaches, history and so much more.

[{"selector":"#anim-1d8bac4a-6511-46f3-8a85-03f0b4e30ed2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bcb14e2c-9144-4f22-8339-b7c8f345c18b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 155.23627%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

Matanzas

[{"selector":"#anim-d61f1b7a-9e9b-4e64-a475-b17a4c1d83aa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9bd010bb-bd4c-4aa4-8dcc-2489acb2df95","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b97b0efb-74ff-4469-b540-3fa09da9e1f8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.53399%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e37b179-7c3e-4660-815e-40bbe7144f97","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58616535-48e1-46e0-9be4-68422a9c4e72","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.38226%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The town is home to San Severino Castle, a fortress where enslaved Africans were housed when they arrived in Cuba. There is a museum there that explains Cuba’s role in the slave triangle in the 1700s. Learn more

Varadero

[{"selector":"#anim-c36ae161-e474-4b6d-b8bb-4ad80e74d3fd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d32845af-d34b-4f03-b23a-4bf0fde2d379","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d85b484-6a00-4b33-b1f5-92314cca9b83","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.14196%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c05f1e88-a035-4627-969b-042cd61d6943","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d052762c-6b2e-4c2b-ad74-f0c2271b6f38","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.04096%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Stay in the town of Varadero in a local casa particular and walk or take a short taxi ride to the beach. It’s a more authentic experience then the hotel and a lot more fun. Learn more

Viñales

[{"selector":"#anim-5179f8bb-e57c-4b8a-9143-1304558fdb9d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fb84044a-19ad-412b-bc53-60fc0354433f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-953e4b04-b57d-4c92-b3bb-a7f10c96d005","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.14196%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9e088c30-85c2-4532-8ac5-e9f57804c853","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aaa9de34-5c82-4a66-8164-6b432b0ff8b2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.04096%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The Viñales Valley near the town of Viñales is one of the most spectacular natural landscapes on earth. That is soooo not hyperbole. I am totally serious and convinced of that statement’s accuracy. It’s just gorgeous. Learn more

Cienega Zapata

[{"selector":"#anim-f84d5f15-cdb0-49e3-a486-7637242b87b9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a1a6be73-c687-4000-b7ed-18212fed4abc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7a5f682a-3830-43fd-a677-479186f0b5ca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.14196%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7ea8e78-e711-4662-a793-528de68e7fff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-80a2d779-9d1b-4284-a6c7-4be2915c0210","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.04096%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] This 4,520-square-kilometer park is a hotspot for wildlife enthusiasts, especially bird watchers and travelers wishing to spot crocodiles from a safe distance. Learn more

Cienfuegos

[{"selector":"#anim-bca6118c-6043-4fcb-8dc0-79d67ed3a9ec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df881e04-fc14-4c6d-a595-3f2487f320b5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba0eed88-6d11-450a-981b-05587a64a32f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.28663%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e705e855-be0b-46f1-bd65-7df144888d17","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5056421d-4855-4ef7-8ae9-31a23d8b6a1b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.66667%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Another UNESCO World Heritage site, the city was founded in 1819 by French settlers from Bordeaux, France and Louisiana, USA. Visitors head here for its stunning colonial architecture, mosaics, and frescoes. Learn more

Trinidad

[{"selector":"#anim-36977b8b-20ae-4584-a626-416b7ef62a06","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8bfc0a6f-5a0c-4e1f-ba42-ee143201374c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-413f64ef-d677-4775-ae6b-22cb2ddbac04","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.08833%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-684f638c-72a8-454c-b3b2-3fd6885be813","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-363bf843-44e0-43ab-b6a0-fab82d3e0eda","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.38226%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Founded in 1514, this pretty, well-preserved colonial town is a delight! Trinidad is one of Cuba’s nine UNESCO World Heritage sites along with nearby Valle de los Ingenios with its abandoned sugar mills in interconnecting valleys. Learn more