Drew & Marta's Travels: Our Itinerary

Traveling to Cuba is not as simple as you might think. This country is not equipped for the casual backpacker with no plan. Hotels and casa particulares are reserved in advance and quick, easy internet and good transportation is not the norm. We arranged our trip through an experienced Cuban travel agent prior to our arrival to maximize our time and education. The trip was perhaps a bit more hands on and pre-arranged than I would like, but we knew in advance, the purpose of our trip to Cuba was for education rather than relaxation. I would call this a "trip" rather than a "vacation." Here are my must sees from each stop.

Nights 1-3: Havana

Exploring the suburbs of Havana and drinking at the local bar that we nicknamed "neighbors." We very much enjoyed staying outside of the tourist hub of Havana Vieja, allowing us to see a different part of Havana. We stayed in Playa, near the wealthier neighborhood of Miramar. This area now hosts most of Havana's embassies, located in Cuban mansions that were abandoned during the revolution.
Guided tour of Central Havana, hitting the highlights of the main plaza and Hemingway's old haunts.
Casa de la Musica, Miramar. Cabaret, music, dancing and rum.
Fabrica de Arte Cubano - recently featured by Anthony Bourdain as one of the up and coming scenes in Cuba. A trendy rooftop bar/restaurant worth visiting.
La Fontana - my favorite Paladar in Havana, located in Miramar. However, the fried chicken from the neighborhood bar could rival this food!

The local fried chicken joint. Priced in pesos for Cuban Nationals, which was 10x cheaper than the paladar private restaurant CUC prices. Apparently new government rules has allowed for business in this family's garage.

"Neighbor's" bar. I do not know the real name, but this was the local neighborhood restaurant, also serving chicken and fried rice. I would much rather find the local bar than the hyped up touristy bar, although we did try Fabrica de Arte Cubano, which is the hip thing to do in Havana these days.

Old books and antiques for sale in Plaza de Armas, Havana Vieja.

Marta and Drew on a convertible tour of modern Havana. Key stops featured were the Che mural (below) and Hotel Nacional. Here we are stopped near the "bosque" or park near the river that runs through Havana.

Classic Che mural in Havana.

Old town Havana street view. Many of the homes are old and dilapidated, contrasted by some that have been updated and restored. Many of these buildings have such potential that hopefully Havana will be able to restore and conserve in the future.

View of Fabrica de Arte Cubano.

Nights 4-5: Vinales and Pinar del Rio

Visiting a tobacco farm and seeing the process of hand made cigars. All tobacco farmers are required to sell a majority of their tobacco to the government. They can then use the remaining tobacco to make their own cigars to sell. This is where the bulk of their profits come from.
A baseball game in Pinar del Rio. I don't think you can visit Cuba and not go to a baseball game?! This is a national pastime. Tickets were < 1 dollar. We were the only foreigners there. And you could buy all the popcorn and peanuts you wanted for insanely cheap prices. This was great.
Biking through the limestone hills of Vinales. Cuba has so much untouched and pristine landscape to experience (of course with caution, as development also often comes with unplanned growth and unintended destruction). Spectacular to finally get out of a vehicle and get some exercise.

The craft of hand rolled cigars.

Tobacco farm outside of Pinar del Rio.

Baseball, a national pastime.

Pinar del Rio's baseball stadium.

Biking through the tranquil Valle de Vinales

Night 6: Playa Larga

Playa Larga is located on the Bay of Pigs. Perhaps this town warranted some more time, but due to mechanical issues, we did not spend much time here except for a walk through town.
We visited the Museo de Playa Giron, which tells the story of the Bay of Pigs invasion from the Cuban perspective.

Tranquil fishing dock in Playa Larga. There was no shortage of fresh fish.

Playa Giron is the location of the Bay of Pigs invasion and holds a museum recounting Cuba's perspective on the failed US invasion.

Night 7: Cienfuegos

A bustling Cuban city, known for its French architecture and an UNESCO world heritage site since 2005. Worth an architectural tour and a stroll along the bay.

Cienfuegos boardwalk. Not unlike any other city, this is where you see your runners, teenagers hanging out, and couples watching the sunset.

Arco de Triunfo, Parque Jose Marti, Cienfuegos.

Catedral, Parque Jose Marti, Cienfuegos.

When was the last time you still saw a row of pay phones?

Nights 8-9: Trinidad

Stroll along the cobblestone streets, get off the beaten path and walk in Barrio de los Tres Cruces (to avoid large tour groups with microphones). Trinidad truly is picturesque.
Go to music - Casa de la Musica is set outside on a long stretch of stairs. Get a drink and relax during the day, music and salsa by night.
Eat ice cream, a stop both days for us...
Sol Anada - favorite restaurant in Cuba, hands down. This is the Cuban-Indian fusion restaurant set in an old colonial house on the plaza that I have already mentioned. Touristy, yes, but well worth it.
Visit Taller Alfarero, a local pottery production. Trinidad is known for its ceramic products.

Taller Alfarero - everything ceramic from bells, lights, pots, masks, etc.

The best ice cream stop, worth it in the blazing heat.

Plaza Mayor, surrounded by cobblestone streets and horse drawn carriages.

Horse drawn carriages are a main form of transportation in Trinidad.

Calle de los Tres Cruces. A snapshot of everyday life in Trinidad with horses on every corner.

Beautiful tiles are representative of Trinidad's architecture.

I love everything about this photo, particularly the nice DeWalt the gentleman is carrying.

Night 10: Havana

A capstone to our trip - walking the Malecon from Vedado all the way to Havana Vieja. Particularly refreshing in misty weather with the waves crashing against the seawall. I wondered why the street adjacent to the sea was often closed in bad weather or high seas and I realized when walking along treacherous parts of the Malecon that thin, slippery layers of algae also call this home. The Malecon was particularly quiet this day due to the weather, but we were able to find the dedicated fisherman.
Do not pass up a convertible ride of the city. For a final sunset, we went across the bay to the statue of Christ. Here you have a southwest view of Havana and the Malecon which is magnificent.