The largest island in the Caribbean, Cuba is one of the region's most fascinating and rewarding destinations. The US embargo on allowing its citizens to visit the country gives Europeans almost exclusive access to this former US playground. Cuba is for the open-minded and the open-hearted. Although a developing country Cuba provides one of the most beautiful and historical backdrops imaginable. Steeped in the history of Spanish colonialism and post-war revolution, Cuba's unique culture is still very much in evidence today, from its stunning colonial architecture to the fifties Chevvies cruising the waterfront Malecon Boulevard.
As well as the opportunity to explore UNESCO World Heritage sites, visitors to Cuba can experience breathtaking natural scenery, coffee and sugar plantations, and a wealth of unspoilt tropical beaches, among them the Varadero beaches which stretch along a 20 kilometer peninsula of pure white sand and clear turquoise waters creating an idyllic holiday playground.
Cuba's diverse offerings range from western Cuba's scenic tobacco plantations to Havana, a unique city with perfectly preserved architecture and Trinidad, a small town virtually unchanged since Spanish colonial times to Santiago, Cuba's atmospheric second city and host to the country's biggest annual carnival.
