Cuba

Explore the iconic sights of Havana’s old town – known as La Habana Viejo – on a tour with a local guide who knows the city’s secrets. UNESCO-listed, this neighbourhood is a seductive combination of audacious, grand palaces and a sense of deterioration. Vivid with street life, wrought-iron curlicues frame this ravaged yet beautiful district which feels both intimate and atmospheric.

Synonymous with Havana, Cuban cigars are a premium product uniquely crafted by hand to this day. Earthy and intoxicating, a factory visit is a fascinating insight into this historic Cuban industry.

The Museo de la Revolucion presents a view of the events leading up to and following the Cuban Revolution, and harbours scars and relics from this period. Housed in the former Presidential Palace, this early 20^th century construction evokes the grandeur of Versailles and the glamour of Tiffany’s, particularly in its glimmering Hall of Mirrors.

Enjoy a chauffeur-driven excursion through the city in one of its beautiful 1950s motors. After seeing the enormous image of Che Guevara overlooking Revolution Square, allow these vintage American icons to sweep you down the Malecón – Havana’s quintessential seafront promenade – as well as visiting the elegant Miramar district and the Bosque de la Havana, an incredible tropical park known as the ‘lungs of Havana’.

The enchanting Viñales Valley is a vision of agricultural tranquillity. Dramatic limestone monoliths, known as mogotes, rise evocatively from the mist of this picturesque and prehistoric landscape. A sleepy pace of life exists amongst the tobacco fields, where the richly russet-coloured earth is still ploughed by plodding oxen.

Teeming tropical forests and early coffee plantations make up this Biosphere Reserve, which is lush with rushing waterfalls and glistening pools. An area of outstanding natural beauty, birds and orchids flourish in this important ecological area.

A creative and cultural town with a colonial centre, Santa Clara is also an important location in terms of the history of the Revolution. The liberation of the city marked the turning point against the Basista regime, and today it is home to a stark memorial, mausoleum and museum which is the resting place of Che Guevara and several of his comrades, as well as the Tren Blindado – the in situ remains of the derailed government train overthrown by the Revolutionaries.

This bold lookout neighbouring an hacienda dates back to the mid-18^th century, when it was used to watch over the slaves who were put to work in the sugar mill here. Today, it affords wonderful views and stands witness to the history of slavery in this region.

Beautiful Trinidad, like Havana, also feels frozen in time – but a little further back, to the 1800s. Trinidad’s colourful, cobbled streets were once the home of wealthy sugar barons. Explore its historic centre on a walking tour, and learn about 19^th century family life in this UNESCO site’s history museum. Trinidad is also known for its vibrant live music.

The idyllic park of El Nicho is a pristine gem, secluded amongst dense forest and looming mountains. Small cascades and sparkling pools are surrounded by abundant wildlife and an unspoilt sense of tranquillity.

Known as the ‘Pearl of the South’, this graceful coastal city has a French influence. Lavish, classical buildings enjoy a location by a glorious natural bay. Tour the Cienfuegos Botanical Gardens: one of the largest in the Americas, these extensive tropical gardens are home to over 2,000 species.

Now an aquatic paradise, this bay was the site of the ill-fated invasion of Cuba backed by the CIA. Visit the Museo Girón, whose exhibits present the details of the skirmish and give an insight into one of the major world events of the 1960s.