Best Cuban Cities to Visit and Towns to Explore

Top destinations, fun activities and popular vacation spots in Cuba

Are you wondering what to do and where to go in Cuba? Whether you're a first-time visitor or returning for more, Cuba’s bold character, colourful heritage, striking, unspoiled landscapes, delicious food and relaxed island vibe will deliver fresh experiences each time. 

While Cuban cities and towns share many endearing traits, each has a unique personality, atmosphere and range of attractions. Enjoy water sports? Head to Cienfuegos. Appreciate art? Visit Camagüey and Havana. Love museums and exploring a culture in depth? Trinidad is your best bet. Here’s a list of what you can expect in some of the best Cuban cities to visit and smaller towns to explore.

Havana: For classic Cuban culture, art and architecture

Uncover the charm of Havana—pastel coloured buildings and Baroque mansions, music playing in the background, rustically elegant rooftop restaurants, vivid murals and classic cars poetically dotted along the streets. Also a UNESCO World Heritage site, Cuba’s complex and many-layered capital comes complete with historic sites, interesting buildings and intriguing customs. Take a walk through some of its colonial squares and cathedrals on a Havana day tour, shake things up with a Cuban cocktail-making class or hop into a vintage American convertible and cruise through popular neighbourhoods before stopping at the Malecón seafront, a favourite local hangout. 

To experience traditional Cuban daily life in Havana, join our five-day Havana Weekend Tour package or take a day tour. We show you the highlights of Cuba’s best-known city, including accommodation in local guesthouses, Cuban cuisine and cultural activities, while also exploring Viñales, Cienfuegos and Trinidad.

Santiago de Cuba: For Cuba’s revolutionary history and music

Feel the presence of the Cuban Revolution in Santiago de Cuba, often considered the nation’s second capital. See the bullet holes from the 1953 attack at Moncada Barracks where the revolution began, walk city streets named after revolutionary heroes and hear locals talk about Fidel Castro with familiarity. Evenings in Santiago de Cuba belong to music, an expression of the city’s heritage, with influences from African, Indigenous, French Haitian and Spanish cultures. On our tour of Santiago de Cuba, you’ll feel the rhythm of this energetic city, home of son cubano and salsa. Listen to the local musicians jamming and enjoy a spontaneous dance session to the hypnotic beats.

Camagüey: For art and labyrinthine streets

Be amazed by Camagüey’s famously disorienting layout, where getting lost becomes part of the adventure! Navigate its winding streets, intentionally designed that way to confuse pirates. Seek out its narrowest street—just 1.4 metres wide—and its shortest street, a mere 15 metres long, while you explore the city. Camagüey offers an unfiltered view of the daily routine that is reality for many Cubans as locals commute on bicycle taxis and shop for food at farmers’ markets. Experience all aspects of the city’s thriving arts scene and visit galleries, private studios and regional artists in their homes. The Galería Martha Jiménez is a highlight, showcasing sculptures, ceramics and paintings by one of Cuba’s most beloved living artists.

Santa Clara: For the Che Guevara Mausoleum

Youthful energy flourishes alongside time-worn facades at Santa Clara, a city that strives to be modern while retaining the roots of its past. Dive into an open-air history lesson at the Che Guevara Mausoleum with its iconic towering bronze statue of Che. The complex houses his remains, while the nearby museum shares details of his life as a soldier, father, doctor and idealist through artefacts and handwritten letters. Santa Clara is also one of Cuba’s most LGBTQ-friendly towns, so immerse yourself in the dynamic vibe of the El Mejunje Cultural Centre, a hub of theatre, art, music and dance that openly welcomes everyone! 

Cienfuegos: For natural beauty and water sports 

Plunge into the untouched scenic wonderland and neoclassical architecture of Cienfuegos. Explore its white-sand beaches and mangrove forests, trek the Escambray Mountain hiking trails and cool off in the shaded pools beneath El Nicho waterfalls. Aptly referred to as the Pearl of the South, this city moves at a slower pace than larger, more popular Cuban destinations. Enjoy watersports ranging from kayaking in Jagua Bay and diving at Rancho Luna Beach, to snorkelling at the Bay of Pigs and enjoying the serenity of a sunset boat tour around Cienfuegos Bay. 

Trinidad: For cultural depth and proximity to natural attractions 

Step back in time when you explore Trinidad! Admire its well-preserved 18th-century buildings, colonial homes with red terracotta roofs and cobblestone lanes. Experience what life was like during the sugar-boom era on a Cuban Life Tour, where you’ll visit grand mansions from that period that are now museums. Between the mountains and the Caribbean coast, Trinidad is ideal for hiking in nature reserves, swimming at powdery white-sand beaches and fishing. Keep an eye out for hand-painted signage and murals that add an artistic edge to the city’s fading grandeur.

Must-see in Cuba: More exciting destinations

A visit to Cuba would be incomplete without enjoying the delights of Varadero, Viñales Valley and Baracoa. These regions are firm favourites with travellers, and there are lots of reasons why!

Varadero, Matanzas: For an idyllic beach vacation

Varadero is one of the most popular vacation spots in Cuba. Not only is Varadero Beach one of the country’s longest, but its shallow, crystal-clear waters, soft sand and palm trees lining the coast make it ideal for a family beach holiday. Take a day trip to nearby Saturno Cave to swim in an underground cenote filled with tropical fish, crustaceans and sponges, surrounded by striking stalactites and stalagmites.

Viñales: For limestone landscapes and tobacco plantations

Welcome to the rural side of this lush Caribbean island, where oxen plough the land and dome-shaped limestone hills called mogotes dot sprawling tobacco fields—a must-see in Cuba! Learn about traditional tobacco-drying methods at family-run farms in Viñales, and even try your hand at cigar rolling on our Original Cuban Tour. Take guided horseback rides into the valley trails, explore hidden caves and soak up panoramic vistas from the renowned viewpoint of Mirador de Los Jazmines.

Baracoa: For road tripping through tropical scenery

Experience one of the most scenic road trips in Cuba on a journey to Baracoa. Getting there is half the adventure—the route follows La Farola, a majestic highway that snakes through rainforests, mountain passes and misty valleys, with glimpses of the shore in between. Baracoa itself is surrounded by dense vegetation, meandering rivers and an untamed coastline featuring black-sand beaches. Hike at the base of the El Yunque mountain, where trails lead you through cacao plantations, and taste fresh, earthy chocolate at a farm en route.

Discover Cuba with an ethical tour operator

Visiting Cuba as a tourist means stepping back in time, slowing down and engaging with the locals. Explore colonial cities, historic revolution sites, rainforest valleys and picture-perfect beaches all in a single trip! Cuban Adventures has been delivering small-group tours throughout Cuba for over 20 years, with sustainability at the heart of our business. Whether you want to explore Cuba on a budget, take a speciality cycling tour or customise a trip to suit your interests, we collaborate with locally owned-and-operated experience providers and guesthouses to ensure your journey directly benefits the communities you visit. Browse all our Cuba tours and start planning your Caribbean vacation today!

Author: Cuban Adventures

Our passion is providing authentic cultural experiences of Cuba through our award winning small group tours.  We dedicate ourselves exclusively to Cuba, which means we are truly specialized in this unique country. We believe this is our main strength.