Cuba retains its status as one of the most multi-layered tourist destinations in the world. It is an island where colonial architecture, American retro cars, Afro-Caribbean rhythms and Caribbean vegetation meet in a single frame. Here, the sun shines with a rebellious character and the city streets resemble scenes from films shot on film. The question of what to see in Cuba is not limited to standard itineraries – each region offers its own history, dynamics and feel.
The island’s resorts form a unique palette of experiences: from respectable Varadero, with its white beaches and vibrant infrastructure, to Trinidad, lost in the mountains, with its cobbled streets and lively balconies. Natural landscapes, architectural codes, music, the smell of tobacco and cocoa, and the steady energy of freedom all create a space where every day becomes a new discovery.
Those who choose to travel not for the sake of ticking boxes in a guidebook, but for the sake of immersion, immediately note: the resorts of Cuba do not serve a template, but provoke contact – with the local culture, with the landscape, with their own perception.
Cayo Coco Island – what to see in Cuba
To answer the question of what to see in Cuba, it is enough to point out Cayo Coco, a complex built on a coral reef. The beaches stretch for dozens of kilometres without disturbing the island’s ecosystem. The infrastructure works in a low-impact format: hotels are built on stilts, transport is electric, and access to the beaches is organised on decks that do not damage the dunes.
Flamingos, iguanas, rare species of starfish – all this is present not as a decoration, but as part of everyday life. In the evening, tourists are accompanied by guides to the nature reserves, where you can observe the migration of birds and the nocturnal activity of marine animals. Recreation centres organise diving in the submerged areas of old Spanish forts, which have retained the shape and spirit of the 16th century.
Santiago de Cuba: rhythm, history, revolution
Santiago de Cuba is not just a southern city, but a real cultural mosaic. Afro-Caribbean energy, music, religion, and philosophy are all concentrated here. To understand what to see in Cuba, it is enough to walk along the Santiago promenade – here you can meet ritual dances, brass ensembles, artists telling stories through pigments.
The city is divided into quarters, each of which has its own specialisation: one deals with engraving, another with mask craft, a third with street theatre. Local guides organise itineraries that include not only sightseeing, but also meetings with craftsmen, dinners in their homes, and tobacco harvesting workshops.
The fortress of San Pedro de la Roca, built for defence against pirates, deserves special attention. The fort’s multi-layered architecture, passages, bastions – everything is available to explore. At sunset, the site is transformed into a stage for performances about the revolution, combining history and performance.
Havana: a capital beyond time
The answer to the question of what to see in Cuba is impossible to imagine without Havana. The city doesn’t age – it patinises. Mottled walls, weathered balconies, 1950s cars, palaces with courtyards where jazz can be heard in the courtyard. Havana lives with a rhythm, not a schedule.
Each neighbourhood is a world in its own right. The centre of old Havana preserves Spanish Baroque, former stock exchange buildings, cathedrals and embassies. Artisans restore the facades by hand and exhibitions are organised in the alleys. The Vedado neighbourhood shows modernism: glass walls, concrete consoles, new age geometry. Havana at night – clubs, gigs, dancing, balconies from which the bolero can be heard.
Viñales and inner Cuba: what to see when silence is the most important thing
The Viñales Valley hides a Cuba not framed as a tourist destination. There are no high-rise hotels here, instead there are casas particulares, private houses with hospitality above service. The resort programme is built around the cycle of nature: morning – a walk along the trail past limestone mogotes, noon – lunch with banana and yuca dishes, evening – cigars, guitar, silence.
The plains are used for organic farming, tours show how farmers grow tobacco, coffee, passion fruit without chemicals or machinery. The traveller does not become an observer – he participates. Viñales proves that the answer to the question of what to see in Cuba is not always about buildings or monuments. Sometimes it’s about the horizon and the smell of the land.
Cayo Guillermo: the minimalism of nature
Cuba’s resorts are not limited by scale and dense development. Cayo Guillermo is an island of tranquillity. Wide stretches of sand framed by palm trees, mangrove bushes and sparse hut-like buildings. The main emphasis is isolation and unspoilt. They don’t build five-star hotels here, they build shade.
At dawn there is the migration of pelicans and herons in the sky and the movements of stingrays and jellyfish in the water. The complex emphasises the philosophy of “do nothing but observe”. Programmes include: fishing in silence, picnics under reed canopies, meditative barefoot walks in shallow waters. The light changes every 30 minutes and each transition is experienced as a scene in nature’s play.
Conclusion
Cuba breaks the usual holiday routes. You can’t just “go to the centre” here, because it goes into the music, into the people, into a building without walls, into a square where children dance. The answer to the question of what to see in Cuba includes not only the sights, but also the rhythm itself, the smell of cane, the taste of coffee, the wind from the sea and the song sung at midnight.
Havana gives urban inspiration, Varadero gives physical relaxation, Trinidad gives contact with history, Santiago with culture, Viñales with nature, Cayo Coco with the protected, and Cayo Guillermo with yourself. Cuba doesn’t offer a list of “10 things to do in time.” The country offers the opportunity to switch off the timer and start feeling. Every itinerary has its own rhythm, every resort has an individual function, every day has a special sound.
When no playgrounds or animation is required, the scene gives way to silence and choice to taste. Cuba’s best 5 star hotels offer a format where adult holidays take on a new dimension. There are private zones, gastronomy without compromise and a secluded atmosphere. Varadero confidently holds the bar in the “18+” niche – strict, discreet and without fuss.
Cuba’s best 5-star hotels in 2025 demonstrate a balance between the island’s atmosphere and the demands of international service. Sustainable quality, local cuisine, all-inclusive format, attention to detail and personalised service are becoming markers of true luxury. The principle of “nothing too much, everything to do”. Cuba’s resorts attract those who want not just a holiday, but a tropical experience.
De Armas Square is a collection of architectural monuments from the 16th to 18th centuries. Baroque buildings are juxtaposed with museums and bookshops, creating an old-world atmosphere. Tourism in Havana almost always includes a visit to this corner – most sightseeing tours start here.
Havana unfolds slowly, like a well-aged rum. Travelling through its streets becomes a real adventure, where every turn leads to a new discovery. From quiet squares to bustling promenades, from ancient temples to modern art galleries, Havana’s interesting places are astonishingly diverse. To truly feel the rhythm of Cuba’s capital, you should let yourself get lost in its magic.