MOSCOW, October 3 – Novosti, Maria Selivanova. In October, Russia plans to restore direct flights to Cuba, charters will fly to Varadero and Cayo Coco. The Island of Freedom, according to tour operators, can become one of the most popular winter destinations – there are snow-white beaches, and a warm sea, and sights, and entertainment. And they promise to accept Mir cards. Which resort to choose, what to see and try in the Caribbean – in the material of Novosti.
What is the price
The sun, the Caribbean Sea, rum, cigars, rumba, salsa, vintage cars – these are just a few of the arguments in favor of a holiday in Cuba. The first Nordwind Airlines flight will depart for Caribbean resorts in early October.
The plane is expected to fly around Norway, past Iceland, along the US and Canadian coasts, so the journey will take between 14 and 15 hours. Other Russian airlines also plan to open flights to Freedom Island.
Cayo Coco – for beach lovers
To get the most out of your trip, you need to choose the right resort, experts say.
Cayo Coco is an island off the northern coast of the country with numerous all-inclusive hotels. This is a place for fans of a classic hotel holiday, few people leave from there, says Yury Kurov, a traveler living in Cuba and director of a travel agency.
To be in Havana or see the central part of the country, you need to overcome more than 500 kilometers. The price of such a trip for a couple of days can be comparable to the cost of the tour, he notes.
Varadero – for the active
If you want to see Cuba, fly to Varadero, which is only 140 kilometers from Havana, advises Kurov.
© AP Photo / Ismael Francisco
Tourists on the beach in Varadero
This is the most famous resort in the country, located in the north of the island, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. There are 20 kilometers of white sandy beaches.
There is also something to see in the city itself. Head to Josone Park, built in 1942 and symbolized by the giant El Patriarca cactus. There you can see tropical plants from all over the island.
It is worth taking a walk around the districts, seeing how Cubans live, going to a bodega, a state-owned store where they sell rice, salt, butter, and meat with coupons, says guide Yulia Ramos.
Another attraction is the house of Dupont, an American millionaire who lived here at the beginning of the last century. It has its own organ, restaurant, golf course.
Another point of attraction is the villa of Al Capone, who a century ago was the head of the Chicago mafia. Now there is a restaurant in the building.
“Be sure to go to the marina – the extreme point of the peninsula, where you can eat delicious food and play bowling,” recommends Julia Ramos. Visit the restaurants at Oasis Square and Varadero Boulevard. There are spas, shops, discos. On Fridays, go to the Continental Cabaret for a costume show.
Required Program
A visit to Havana, founded by the Spaniards in the 16th century, is an obligatory part of the program. The main attractions are located in the Old City, the guide Galia Dzhumagulbaeva specifies.
A bartender prepares a Daiquiri cocktail during a competition in a bar, Havana
DJs during a presentation at a bar in Havana
Cuba
Tourist car in Varadero, Cuba
Che Guevara portrait graffiti on Varadero Street, Cuba
Gift cards, Havana, Cuba
There is both architecture and atmosphere – about 900 historical buildings. Do not miss the Museum of Ancient Tools and the Che Guevara Commandant’s Office in the fortress of San Carlos de la Cabaña, the Maritime Museum in the fortress of La Fuerza.
Inspect the Capitol, its building is a copy of the Washington one. Stroll along Prado Boulevard and ride a convertible along the Malecón, the famous five-kilometer-long promenade where hundreds of Havanese watch the sunset.
“In the evening, go to a small street – hairdressers lane, there are four good bars there,” advises Yuri Kurov.
Diving – in the south
In the south of the island, on the Caribbean coast, Trinidad is located – the second magnet for tourists after the capital. City under the protection of UNESCO. For a long time it was isolated from the rest of the country. There are preserved houses, palaces, churches built at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Many tourists travel to the south, where it is warmer and there are no waves, to go diving in the largest bay on the south coast – the Bay of Pigs. On the way there are plantations of reeds and bananas, palm trees, of which there are more than 100 species in Cuba, says Galiya Dzhumagulbaeva. Nearby is a crocodile farm and the Hummingbird House, where small birds flock to the nectar of flowering trees.
To see how the locals grow and dry cigar tobacco, head to Viñales Valley. There, on small farms, the owners arrange tours of simple production.
El Nicho Falls – one of the most visited places in the country – is located in the park of the same name. Water flies from a height of 30 meters and, hitting the rocks, turns into foam and fog. Viewpoints and caves nearby.
With the wind
Vintage cars are one of the symbols of Cuba. “They can be rented for $30 per hour with a driver. You can’t do without one, because such a car is a breadwinner,” explains Yuri Kurov. “Ride a convertible at sunset so as not to get burned, or early in the morning when everyone is still sleeping.”
© AP Photo / Desmond Boylan
Tourists ride classic American convertibles in Havana, Cuba
Visit small cafes and clubs, preferably with locals. They know where quality drinks and a pleasant environment are, the traveler advises.
You should also learn how to dance salsa and rumba on the island – Cubans move very well.
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A bartender prepares a Daiquiri cocktail during a competition in a bar, Havana
1 of 6
A bartender prepares a Daiquiri cocktail during a competition in a bar, Havana
In memory of the island, most tourists buy rum, cigars and coffee. It is better to buy them in state-owned stores, especially since prices are almost the same everywhere, says guide Maria Alvarez.
It is allowed to take out two liters of spirits and 50 cigars. It is also worth visiting a large souvenir market in Havana – you can also buy gifts there.
