Franklin Dean
Cuba is a stand-out romantic destination, defined by its grandeur and elegance, and is fast becoming one of the hottest travel spots in the world. With its refined old cafes, antique-filled hotels, vintage cars, and natural beauty, it's a perfect place to celebrate romance. The capital, Havana, is a great place to start your honeymoon, with its rich culture, history, and magnificent sights. Beyond Havana, there are many other destinations to explore, such as Trinidad, Varadero, and Santiago de Cuba, each offering its own unique blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. With its combination of enchanting beaches, quaint lanes, archaic buildings, and time-honoured music, Cuba is an ultimate and magical place to explore and an ideal destination for a honeymoon.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Southeast end of the Caribbean Island |
| Capital City | Havana |
| Language | Mayan |
| Currency | Cuban Peso |
| Best Time to Visit | December to May |
| Honeymoon Destinations | Cayo Coco, Cayo Levisa, Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Santa Maria, Trinidad, Varadero, Santiago de Cuba |
| Resorts | All-inclusive options available |
| Food | Japanese, Cuban, Romantic, Mediterranean, Cuban soups, cucurucho |
| Activities | Snorkelling, Scuba diving, Horse riding, Hiking, Salsa dancing, Kayaking, Exploring Old Havana, Visiting Museums |
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What You'll Learn
Exploring Havana's old town, Malecon sea wall, and vintage cars
Exploring Havana's old town is a must when honeymooning in Cuba. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its blend of crumbling architecture and natural beauty. Getting lost in the old part of the city is an adventure in itself, with its fascinating buildings and vibrant culture.
A walking tour of Old Havana is a great way to immerse yourself in the city's history and charm. Local guides lead you through the most important landmarks, including Hemingway's favourite hotel, the iconic Hotel Ambos Mundos, the cathedral square, and the Capital Building. You can also visit a cigar factory and take a tour of the tobacco plantations in the nearby Vinales Valley.
The Malecon sea wall, built in the early 20th century, is another iconic Havana destination. This ancient sea wall offers stunning views of the ocean and is a great place to watch the sunset. Locals often gather here to fish and socialise, creating a lively atmosphere. Walking along the Malecon at sunset, you can imagine the city's rich history and enjoy the romantic ambiance.
No trip to Havana would be complete without experiencing the city's famous vintage cars. Due to the US embargo and Cuban laws, classic American cars from the 1940s to the 1950s are still in use, making the city feel like a living museum. You'll see a range of makes and models, from Chevrolets and Fords to Pontiacs and Buicks, some in mint condition and others held together with creative repairs. These old cars are a unique part of Cuba's identity, and riding in one can be a fun and memorable experience for honeymooners.
For a truly romantic experience, time your visit to Havana with the Fiesta del Caribe in July. This colourful festival fills the streets with the sounds of rumba and vibrant costumes, offering a unique insight into Cuban culture and music.
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Trinidad's horse riding, waterfalls, and salsa dancing
For a memorable honeymoon in Cuba, you could consider Trinidad, a well-preserved colonial city with lush nature, stunning waterfalls, and vibrant salsa dancing. Here is a guide to help you plan your romantic adventure in Trinidad, focusing on horse riding, waterfalls, and salsa dancing.
Horse Riding
Horse riding in Trinidad is a unique and immersive experience. The Parque El Cubano Natural Park offers guided horse-riding tours that take you through the lush nature and incredible plants and wildlife of Cuba. The tour includes a stop at a spectacular waterfall, where you can take a refreshing dip in the natural pool. The horses are well-trained and easy to ride, and the guides are knowledgeable and attentive. This activity is a great way to combine nature, adventure, and cultural immersion.
Waterfalls
Trinidad is home to breathtaking waterfalls that are worth exploring. The Trinidad Waterfall Trek takes you to Vargas Grande, starting at a coffee plantation and leading down to the National Park. The challenging route includes many steps and offers a rewarding experience of nature and exercise. The return journey provides a different perspective, and knowing that a cup of coffee awaits at the end can keep you motivated. The well-marked trail ensures you won't get lost, and you'll have the opportunity to spot the Cuban Trogon, the national bird.
Salsa Dancing
To add some rhythm and spice to your honeymoon, consider taking salsa lessons at the Barrio Cubano Salsa Dance School in Trinidad. The school offers classes 7 days a week and caters to all skill levels, from beginners to advanced dancers. They adapt the lessons to your individual needs and capabilities, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable experience. You can learn Cuban Salsa, Afro-Cuban Rumba, Kizomba, and more, with the option to hire a "taxi dancer" for a more personalised experience.
Trinidad offers a blend of natural beauty, cultural immersion, and romantic experiences, making it an ideal destination for a honeymoon in Cuba. With horse riding, waterfall treks, and salsa dancing, you can create lasting memories of your special trip.
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Santiago de Cuba's music, dance, and beaches
Santiago de Cuba is Cuba's second-largest city and is known for its music and dance and beautiful beaches. It maintains a Spanish colonial feel. Music permeates daily life in Santiago de Cuba, with almost everyone in the city able to play an instrument. You can hear musicians playing in the streets or enjoy traditional Cuban music at the city's live music venues. Santiago de Cuba is also a great place to learn to dance, with lessons in Salsa, Son, Reggaeton, Merengue, Chachacha, Afro-Cuban, Orishas, Cuban Rumba, and Bachata on offer.
The main traditional music genre that you are bound to hear in Santiago de Cuba is Son Cubano, which contains a blend of African and Spanish musical elements. The distinctive sound of the six-stringed tres guitar is unique to Son music. Songs often talk about the everyday life of local people, with cheeky or risqué storylines and a call-and-cry chorus.
Tumba Francesa, which involves a lot of characteristic drumming and a chorus of female singers, is recognised as having UNESCO intangible heritage status. It is performed by a small number of groups in Santiago de Cuba.
Santiago de Cuba also has some beautiful beaches. With warm waters set against mountains and cliffs, each beach is an experience in itself. Siboney Beach is favoured by locals for its unique brown sands and rustic charm. Playa La Estrella is a cherished retreat for those seeking tranquility, with turquoise waters sparkling under the Cuban sun. This beach is easily accessible by local bus, with an affordable journey at just $2 Cuban pesos. Bueycabón is another beach near Santiago de Cuba, known for its serenity and authenticity.
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Varadero's beach, water sports, and resorts
Varadero Beach, also known as Playa Azul (Blue Beach), is one of the best-known beaches in Cuba. The crystalline waters and fine sand extend for more than 20 kilometres in the Península de Hicacos (Hicacos Peninsula) in the province of Matanzas. The warm temperatures all year round make it a perfect destination any time of the year.
Playa de Varadero offers a multitude of water activities. Its sea beds are perfect for snorkelling and diving. The coral reefs that inhabit the sea floor are filled with thousands of exotic coloured fish, molluscs and crustaceans of all sizes and shapes. You can also enjoy activities such as beach volleyball, jet skiing, sailing, windsurfing, surfing, water skiing, and water polo.
For a full-day catamaran cruise, you can set sail from the Marina Gaviota or Marina Chapelin to enjoy the beauty of the turquoise waters surrounding the Varadero peninsula. You can relax in the shaded areas or on the nets as you glide gently over the waves. The catamaran drops anchor at the gorgeous and virgin beach of Cayo Blanco, a small deserted island where you can enjoy a delicious seafood lunch while listening to live traditional Cuban music. You will have free time to swim in the ocean, play games, do some non-motorised water sports, or simply relax on the beach.
There are many all-inclusive resorts in Varadero, offering a range of non-motorised water sports free of charge, such as kayaks, pedal boats, sailing, hobie cats, sail and boogie boarding, snorkelling, introductory scuba diving lessons, water bicycles, and water polo. The motorised water sports are mostly offered by the Varadero marinas, such as scuba diving & diving courses, swimming with dolphins, game fishing, catamaran cruises, jet-skiing, speed boating, water skiing, banana boating, and glass-bottom boating.
Some of the best-known resorts in Varadero are: Hotel Meliá las Antillas, Hotel Blau Varadero Hotel Cuba, Iberostar Bella Costa, Hotel Meliá Las Américas, and Starfish Varadero.
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Cayo Levisa's white sandy beaches and warm waters
Cuba is a honeymoon hotspot, with its natural beauty, colonial buildings, live music, exquisite beaches, and tropical heat. Santiago de Cuba, the country's second-largest city, is known for its music, dance, and beautiful beaches. Havana, the capital, is a must-visit for its rich culture and history, colourful colonial architecture, museums, forts, and Spanish-style mansions. Trinidad, with its brightly coloured iconic buildings, is another historic city to explore.
For those seeking a beach honeymoon, Cayo Levisa is a tiny island perched just off Cuba's northern shore in the Caribbean Sea. It is known for its white sandy beaches and warm, turquoise waters. The 2.5-mile-long island is fairly narrow, but the beach is long and wide and offers pristine sands and calm waters ideal for swimming and sunbathing. The beach is also a great spot for water sports, with scuba diving, snorkelling, and kayaking being popular activities. The island is home to a small restaurant and a dive shop, and beach amenities such as chair and umbrella rentals are available.
Cayo Levisa is accessible by a once-daily public ferry from the coastal village of Palma Rubia. It is a well-kept secret, offering a peaceful and romantic haven for couples seeking relaxation and natural beauty. The island has a strip of pine forest and is surrounded by exuberant vegetation, giving it a secluded and untouched feel.
For accommodation, there is only one hotel on the island, the former Hotel Cayo Levisa, which offers stand-alone villas with verandas connected by a long boardwalk leading to the private beach. Day-trippers are allowed on the island but have restricted access, ensuring a quiet beach experience for hotel guests.
Cayo Levisa is a hidden gem, offering honeymooners a unique blend of natural beauty, relaxation, and romantic seclusion. With its white sandy beaches and warm waters, it provides the perfect setting for couples seeking a tranquil and memorable beach honeymoon experience in Cuba.
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Frequently asked questions
Cuba is a stand-out romantic destination that's defined by its grandeur and elegance. It is home to magnificent natural beauty, quaint lanes, archaic buildings, time-honoured music, and tranquil beaches.
You can take a ride in one of Cuba's old American cars to see Havana. You can also visit Trinidad, which is the only place in Cuba where one can combine time spent exploring with time relaxing at the beach.
Varadero is one of the largest and most sought-after beach towns in the Caribbean. It is located on the northern coast of Cuba, about 140 km from Havana. Santiago de Cuba is Cuba’s romantic second-largest city after Havana. It is known for its music, dance, and beautiful beaches.
There is no information about specific restaurants for couples in Cuba. However, you can sample Cuba's most distinctive regional cuisine, distinguished by its coconut-flavored dishes.
December to May is an ideal time to visit Cuba. March and April are also good months to visit as they are less crowded.
