222 Best Sights in Cuba

Propaganda aside, this museum celebrating "the first rout of Yankee imperialism in Latin America" is a sobering testament to the harsh social conditions that provoked the Revolution, especially in this historically poorest part of Cuba, where there were no schools or hospitals pre-Revolution. The main focus is on the counterrevolutionary events after 1959 leading up to the Bay of Pigs invasion, and the story of the invasion itself. Particularly affecting are the photos of fallen Cuban soldiers, accompanied by such personal effects as photos of their families or an old-fashioned fob watch. There's also a 15-minute film to watch. For military buffs, a restored British Hawker Sea Fury plane, used by the Cuban Air Force, stands guard at the museum entrance. For an extra CUC$2, you can hire a guide to elaborate on the exhibits.

Just east of the etching of Che Guevara and around the corner from Ministerio de Comunicaciones (Communications Ministry), you'll find this museum dedicated to the Cuban postal service. As well as documenting the history of the country's postal service, it also displays hundreds of stamps from all over the world, old Roman and Greek tablets dating as far back as the year 2300 BC, letters, and old seals. Keep a look out for Cuba's postal rocket, a unique experiment which was carried out in 1939.

This eclectic museum is housed in the birthplace of composer and violinist Manuel Muñoz Cedeño (1813–95). There are exhibits on the region's colonial history and its geography.

Cuba's oldest museum was founded in 1899 by Emilio Bacardí Moreau, the former Santiago mayor whose rum-making family fled to Puerto Rico after the Revolution. Although the Neoclassical structure's interior was horrendously remodeled in 1968—destroying many elegant details and cutting off air circulation—the collection it contains is fantastic. The basement, which you enter from the side of the building, has artifacts—including mummies and a shrunken head—from indigenous cultures throughout the Americas. In the first-floor displays of colonial objects, the antique weapons and brutal relics of the slave trade are especially thought-provoking. Step outside a door to a cobblestone alley, along which are houses from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Around the corner is a traditional colonial patio. The second-floor art gallery has works from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Although the museum bears the Bacardí name, this is not Santiago's rum museum. That's the Museo del Ron, two blocks away.

This distinctive, slate-blue building with two tiers of graceful arcades recalls the city's mid-19th-century heyday. It was built in 1838 for the wealthy del Junco family and since 1980 has housed a collection of artifacts, photographs, memorabilia and tools—some of them gruesome—chronicling the sugar and slave industries, on which the city's wealth was built. For an extra CUC$5 you can take photos.

Rather than the stuff of Cupid's arrows, the romance in this museum's name refers to the one that Trinidad's prominent families had with their precious things. A great variety of antiques—most imported from Europe—fill the 14 rooms of this imposing mansion. Built in 1704, the house belonged to Count Burnet, though nearly all the antiques in it came from the homes of other families. Don't miss the view from the second-floor balcony.

The Christopher Columbus Cemetery sprawls behind a huge ceremonial arch and is a repository for a great deal more than just the deceased. Founded in 1868 by Bishop Espada, it's a veritable pantheon of monuments commemorating poets, novelists, musicians, soldiers, statesmen, and rank-and-file citizens. Cuban novelist Cirilo Villaverde and Cervantes-laureate Alejo Carpentier are here, as are the martyrs of the Granma yacht landing, the students killed in the 1957 assault on the Palacio Presidencial, and Buena Vista Social Club member Ibrahim Ferrer Planas. This is also a place full of extraordinary legends, some of them macabre. You can learn all about them on a guided tour (highly recommended; you can arrange for one in English for a small fee at the hut just inside the grounds to the right). Be sure to ask about the story of La Milagrosa (The Miraculous).

Just past the Parque de la Fraternidad Americana's southwest corner is this Italianate mansion built in 1840 by the Spanish merchant Domingo de Aldama. His son, Miguel de Aldama, worked for Cuban autonomy from Spain until his palace was sacked by the Spanish authorities in 1869. Don Miguel fled to the United States, where he continued his work as an activist for Cuban independence until his death in 1888. The building isn't open to visitors, but the massive columns and monumental size of the place are striking proof of the economic power of the 19th-century Cuban sugar barons, dubbed the zacarocracia by Cuban journalists and historians.

At the western end of the Plaza de Armas is the former residence of the men who governed Cuba. A succession of some five-dozen Spanish captain-generals (also called governors) lived here until 1898, and the U.S. governor called it home prior to the Revolution. The wooden "paving" on the plaza in front of it was installed on the orders of a 17th-century captain-general, who wanted to muffle the clatter of horses and carriages so he could enjoy his naps undisturbed. Today the palace is the Museo de la Ciudad de la Habana, with such unique treasures as a throne room built for the king of Spain (but never used); the original Giraldilla weather vane that once topped the tower of the Castillo de la Real Fuerza; and a cannon made of leather. Groups of pioneros often gather in the gallery here for art-history classes, and you can buy art books in the on-site shop. Inside it to the right is a plaque dated 1557; it commemorates the death of Doña Maria de Cepeda y Nieto, who was felled by a stray shot while praying in what was then Parroquia Mayor, Havana's main parish church. The tomb in the pit to the left holds the remains of several graves discovered in the church cemetery.

Across from the Hotel de Inglaterra and the Gran Teatro de la Habana, this park has always been a hub of Havana social activity. Centered on a statue of (who else?) José Martí and shaded by royal palms and almond trees, this is the place for heated debates on Cuba's national passion—baseball. The Hotel Plaza is on the park's northern end. On its southern end, notice the opulent 1885 Centro Asturiano, now the home of the Museo de Bellas Artes and its Arte Universal collection.

This is one of the best places to hire a classic open-top American car and driver for a tour around the city or a sunset drive down the Malecón.

At times it seems that Santiago's main activity is the curious stare-down that takes place in Parque Céspedes between mojito-sipping tourists at the Hotel Casa Granda's café and white-hatted locals, who sit across the way. Long the central meeting place for santiagueros, this large plaza buzzes with sound and movement day and night. Musicians wander past and around its shady benches, which are occupied from early in the morning to late in the evening. At the park's center is a large bronze statue of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, whose Grito de Yara declared Cuba's independence from Spain in 1868 and began the Ten Years' War. Hurricane Sandy uprooted most of the park's trees in 2012; residents here patiently wait for the vegetation to grow back.

Bayamo's central park is a charming square with large trees and long marble benches. It's still the center of local life, and a good place to drink in the rhythms of a quiet Cuban town. Horse-drawn carriage rides are available from here.

At the square's center is the granite-and-bronze statue of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, the hero of the Ten Years' War. He wrote the famous "Grito de Yara" ("Shout of Yara")—the declaration of independence from Spain—which he read aloud on October 10, 1868, after freeing his slaves. Look also for the statue of Perucho Figueredo, who wrote Cuba's national anthem; its words describe the valor of the local townspeople: Run to the battle, Bayamenses / Let the motherland proudly watch you / Don't fear death / To die for the motherland is to live. On the east side of the square is the Ayuntamiento, the old town hall where Céspedes abolished slavery after founding an independent republic briefly in 1868.

The main plaza, Parque Céspedes, is the best place to experience Manzanillo's unique sense of style. It's dominated by a central bandstand, with colorful, intricately painted tiles and a domed top. Many of the fine buildings surrounding the plaza are Moorish-inspired. You'll also find a café, an art gallery, shops, and the Casa de la Cultura, which has art exhibits, live-music shows, and other cultural events.

You can sightsee in one of the horse-drawn carriages (less than CUC$10) that wait for hire in the plaza facing the town's central park, which also has the oldest statue of Columbus in the New World (erected in 1858). Overlooking the statue, the mid-19th-century Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción is oddly framed by two conical towers and is in desperate need of repair. However, the Neoclassical cathedral is known for its stained glass windows, best admired from inside. To enter, walk around the church to the back door at No. 359. Don't miss the tiny chapel in the conical tower at the northeast corner.

Named for the 1870 ballet by the French composer Léo Délibes, this Vedado park and its ice-cream emporium are Havana institutions. The Star Wars–type flying saucer in the middle of the square was the Revolution's answer to the many ice-cream parlors that, prior to 1959, were highly discriminatory. This state-owned establishment serves more than 25,000 customers daily. While many Cubans prefer waiting in the long lines and paying with the more accessible "national" pesos, tourists or those willing to fork out convertible pesos have that option. The parlor once offered a legendary number of flavors, but after the Special Period (the national emergency declared upon the collapse of the Soviet Union, after which Cuba suffered severe shortages of everything from fuel to food) supplies became scarce, and a flavor a day became the rule. While at first glance the fearfully long lineups don't make the place very attractive—especially if a few scoops of ice cream provide the light at the end of the tunnel. But ice cream is only an alibi here. Cubans tend to chatter, mix, and mingle while waiting. Forget Facebook; this is a real-life social-networking venue.

This attractive, leafy square is the heart of the city. A bronze statue of 19th-century liberal revolutionary leader José Martí presides over the plaza, accompanied by a startling sculpture of a screaming, bare-breasted woman representing Cuba breaking free from her chains. Around the square are beautifully restored Neoclassical buildings, including the Museo Farmaceútico Triolet, the restored Sala de Conciertos José White, and the magnificently refurbished Velasco Hotel, next door to the handsome Velasco Theater. Nearby bookshops and cafés are bustling, and there's almost always some music or street theater going on in the square.

Wandering the bay-side malecón and exploring its adjacent Parque de Recreación Bartolomé Masó is a great way to spend an afternoon. This small park features rides and snack vendors in a shady clearing on the shore. It's lit up at night and is particularly lively on weekends.

This park is dedicated to the Mexican revolutionary agrarian reformist Emiliano Zapata (1889–1919). The Iglesia de Santa Rita, next to the park, is notable for its tower and for the sculpture of Santa Rita (by Rita Longa, whose work adorns the entrance to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes–Colección Cubana) just inside to the left. With sensuous lips, smooth features, and graceful curves, the work was branded as too erotic to display by the early 20th-century chaplain, and the sculpture was hidden away until the mid-1990s.

Originally the city's central square, or Plaza de las Armas, this didn't become a proper park until 1912. Note the bronze statue of Agramonte on his steed at its center. In the park's southwestern corner is a 19th-century house that's now the Casa de la Trova, whose courtyard hosts performances by local musicians every day but Monday. The Neoclassical building to the north is the biblioteca (library); a few doors farther north is the Palacio Municipal (town hall), which was originally erected in 1730 but almost completely rebuilt in 1906; local artists often exhibit in its foyer. The royal palms that stand at each corner of the park were planted as surreptitious monuments to four freedom fighters executed by Spain during the War of Independence. You'll find the requisite tinajones here too.

This park forms Baracoa's historic heart; local people refer to the triangle-shaped park as "Parque Central." Note the large bust of indigenous leader Hatuey—Cuba's first rebel—who fought against the Spanish and was burned at the stake for his audacity in 1512.

Most of the important buildings of Cienfuegos surround the central Parque José Martí which contains an impressive marble statue, carved in 1902, of the Cuban revolutionary and intellectual for whom it was named. Near the park's western end is a tiny replica of the Arc de Triomphe, a nod to the city's French heritage, and just south of the Martí statue stands a domed kiosk, where the municipal band sometimes gives weekend concerts. East of the park, Avenida 54 is a pedestrian mall—lined with shops and restaurants—called El Boulevard.

Once the estate of a wealthy sugar-mill owner, since 1940 this public park, open daily, has been a tranquil spot with extensive gardens and a small lake with swans and flamingos. Rowboats are available for rent (less than CUC$2), and there's a small public pool, and open-air concerts some nights.

This vast amusement park was popular with Cubans before the 1992 collapse of the Soviet Union. The penury of the Special Period, however, has caused the carousels and other fairground attractions to be shut down. Developed on what was once a farming estate 20 km (12 miles) southwest of Havana, the 745-hectare (1,841-acre) park contains rolling meadows, small lakes, and woodlands. Look for the Monumento Lenin, a mammoth granite sculpture of the Russian Revolutionary. The Monumento a Celia Sánchez has photographs and portraits of Cuba's unofficial First Lady. The park's offerings also include art galleries, ceramics workshops, and a movie theater, although keep in mind that much of it is rundown. Horseback riding, boating, and swimming are options here as well. You can have a good meal in Las Ruinas and stay overnight in the comfortable motel.

At the end of the road from Pinar del Río, the village of La Bajada lies at a junction: the road to the left heads to Playa María la Gorda (14 km [9 miles] south), the one to the right takes you into the park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The drive out to Cuba's western tip at Cabo de San Antonio, 54 km (33 miles) over a rough dirt track, is a long haul to undertake, unless you're eager to explore the wilderness. If you go, bring food and drink; a cooler and a few sandwiches are advised. Your best transportation bet is to take a bus from Pinar del Río (about CUC$39) or book a tour with Gaviota, one of the state-owned tour companies, which also operates the hotel in María La Gorda.

It's a steep 5-km (3-mile) ascent from Santo Domingo village to the Alto del Naranjo—a parking lot with beautiful views—which marks the entrance to the park. If you haven't hired a guide in Santo Domingo, you can do so at the visitor center here.

The Comandancia de la Plata, the headquarters of the Revolution, is just 3 km (2 miles) west of the entrance to the park. A relaxing, one-hour walk on a clearly marked trail along a ridge brings you to a remote forest clearing. Here you'll find Castro's command post, hospital, and residence—built with an escape route into an adjacent creek. This is the perfect trek if you have limited time: you can get a taste of the region in the morning and return to the lowlands by early afternoon.

If you’re feeling truly intrepid, the summit of Pico Turquino, Cuba's highest peak at 1,974 meters (6,476 feet), beckons, some 13 km (8 miles) from the Comandancia de la Plata. A journey here involves a night of camping, typically at a tent camp at the mountain's base. Cooks are sometimes available, but you have to bring your own food. Showers and fog alternate with sun and daytime heat, and humidity alternates with chilly windy nights, so in addition to good hiking boots, you need clothing that you can layer and a lightweight rain jacket.

The mountains around Topes de Collantes are covered with a mosaic of coffee farms and patches of forest that are protected within the Parque Natural Escambray. This nature preserve has several deep, lush valleys that are home to such birds as the Cuban parrot, the emerald hummingbird, and the trogon. Several trails lead to waterfalls; the most accessible is the Salto de Caburní, just a 2-km (1-mile) hike along a trail that starts at the Villa Caburní hotel, 2 km (1 mile) north of Topes de Collantes. The spectacular Salto de Rocío cascades down a rock face about 17 km (10 miles) north of Topes. Tours (the only way to visit) truck you to a point just 2 km (1 mile) from the falls. The grotto of La Batata, several kilometers west of Topes, has a river running out of it with a swimming hole; you can visit on a 7-km (4-mile) guided hike that passes a lookout point.

Most of the museums and monuments surround Santa Clara's central plaza. The streets that border it are closed to traffic, and locals gather here evenings and weekends, when concerts are often held in the kiosk or on the street in front of the Casa de la Cultura. On the park's northeast end stands the stately Palacio Provincial, built in 1912 to house the provincial government but now the city's library. Across the park from the library is the Palacio Municipal, or town hall, a structure dating from 1922. The Neoclassical building next to the Palacio Municipal was originally an elite social club but is now a government cultural center, the Casa de la Cultura; climb its marble staircase to the old ballroom, which is still lovely despite decades of neglect.

Built in 2010 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Galileo's astronomical discoveries, the modern planetarium doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of Plaza Vieja's colonial grandeur; nonetheless, it makes for an interesting visit. Inside there's a scale model of the solar system, as well as a range of interactive games and a large viewing theater, which currently only has audio descriptions available in Spanish.

Reservations must be made in advance.

Sandwiched between the Bahía de Casilda and the sea is the peninsula's most appealing beach, with more than a mile of beige sand sloping into aquamarine water. The large Club Amigo Ancón and Brisas Trinidad del Mar hotels front this strand. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.