My Cuba

Around Cuba, Cayo Largo in Varadero, from Trinidad to Havana. All the experiences and advices at your disposal.

 

Departure and accommodation surprise

Holiday Do-It- by yourself 16 days and 15 nights with Air Europe flight from Milan .
Flight cost 660 euros each (back and forth). Total amount 1400 euros each (me and my girlfriend Laura).
Vacation starts Saturday 30 August. The outward flight stopover has Cayo Largo and Havana as a destination.
My travel plan was Havana, Trinidad, Cayo Coco, Remedios, Cayo Santa Maria and return to Havana.. Upon check-in I ask if it was possible to change destination to Cayo Largo, we look amazed and after various insistence the ticket has been changed and assigned to Cayo Largo.
Laura and me are euphoric because we have been said that Cayo Largo is wonderful but now we need to solve a problem. Would we find somewhere to sleep?
Once in Cayo Largo I ask immediately if there is a flight to Trinidad on Tuesday and fortunately we are assisted immediately. We are introduced to Mrs. Carmen of Cubatour, that organizes trips to Trinidad, who tells us that Tuesday is expected to hike and possibly we could obtain the flight ticket only paying 75 euros. At this point will take advantage and I ask her if there is an accommodation for 3 days. She convinced us go to Lindamar (104 U.S. dollars per couple a day, all inclusive)
The village is made up of many small huts nice and quiet like at home.

The real Caribbean sea!

We are placed in Playa Sirena and Playa Paraiso and it is here that we find this place is real Caribbean. It is really enchanting and uncontaminated. In the afternoon we meet Carmen and book for Trinidad.

It rains!

Rain, rain and rain. Everyone say that is normal since the period, but what an anger! So much because we have to deprive us of a day of Caribbean Sea. Moreover Mr. Giancarlo (a tourist from Milan on holiday with her daughter) tells us that he too wanted to go in Trinidad but the flight was canceled!
Anger becomes fury. I search suffering Mrs. Carmen that confirms all, saying that because of bad weather the trip was postponed to Thursday.
At this point we rather leave from Tuesday, but I wonder if there are other flights. She tells us that is possible only to go to Havana or Varadero.
Cayo Largo is very beautiful but too quiet and at this point we decided for Varadero.

Departure for Varadero

Sun and sea throughout the morning and afternoon starting with flight of Aereogaviota to Varadero.
In Varadero the cubatour asks us if we have an arrangement and we have to say we go by the coach.
The hotel is closed! No problems. The waiter in a restaurant of Cayo Largo, given me the address of a abusive bed and breakfast (his friend) and there we will go.
We agree to 25 U.S. dollars with the daughter of the owner, left the bags and leave!
At our return the owner (a little drunk) tells us that he is not a friend of anyone and that the waiter of Cayo Largo certainly asked the committee!
At that moment I finally understood why all Cubans will offer accommodations throughout Cuba. They are paid in percentage by the owners!

Sea and beaches of Varadero

The beach of Varadero. Marvelous! Perhaps almost as Cayo Largo. The weather is beautiful and we take advantage of it.
In late afternoon we visit the city and booked Viazul. Destination of coach: Trinidad.
At the bus station the driver is proposing a particular house in Trinidad. One of her friend's! What a casualty!

Let's go to Trinidad

Six hours of bus and finally we reach Trinidad. Me and Laura decide to seek a particular home without the help of anyone, but as we descend from the bus we are attacked!
Dozens of people with photos of the various apartments in the hands offer us their hospitality. Given the competition you can negotiate a good price and agree to a house at 10 dollars a day, close to the center, at Viazul stop.
The house is clean, and Laura falls so much in love with Isabel (daughter of the owner, 5 years old) that gives her some used clothes.
We leave and go to the romantic museum. The city has its own particular charm!
In late afternoon we go to Canchancara, and after dinner we simply hear to the music to find the House of Trova where we meet again Giancarlo from Milan and his daughter Alice!
Later we go to the House of Music and dance all night (obviously salsa).

Natural swimming pool

We ask how to go to sea, and the owner of the house we suggests us that at the same price of coach we can take a cocotaxi.
We are recommended to go to Costasur, at the hotel Horizont, because there is a natural swimming pool.
The place is beautiful and we can use the sun umbrellas of the hotel. A guy asks us if we want to eat lobster on the beach at 8 dollars. We accept, but it will be a delusion. Much better to eat in the restaurant Da Lina (clean and economical)
The inevitable evening meeting point will be at the House of Music, which fascinates us with the festive atmosphere and its simplicity.

Playa Ancon

We go to Playa Ancon to its own front hotel. At morning the sea is beautiful, but in the afternoon is filled with algae that come from a near river.
Nearby is the marina where at price of 32 dollars each we book the excursion to Cayo Blanco.
It's the last evening for the friends of Milan which we reluctantly greet.

Cayo Blanco

Si parte dalla marina alle 9.La barca è tutta per noi.Io,Laura,Aleandro(il marinaio) e il figlio di 10 anni.Avvistiamo due delfini e dopo circa 1 ora arriviamo al cayo.Facciamo snorkeling e prendo una stella marina (che ributterò in mare),invece Aleandro pesca un'aragosta (che si rivelerà la più buona che io abbia mai mangiato).
Verso le 13 come previsto pranziamo in una capanna con altri turisti.L'isola è piena di iguane ed oltre alla capanna e completamente allo stato primitivo.
Purtroppo si deve rientrare e alle 17 il cocotaxi ci viene a prendere.
Non "contenti" della giornata andiamo a visitare la torre de Iznaga dove c'è una macina ancora attiva e un tizio ci prepara una bevanda con il succo della canna da zucchero.I paesaggi e la piantagioni sono davvero incantevoli.

Grill Caribe

Changing again the beach we go in front of grill caribe. The sea is valid, lunch at the restaurant less.
In return we go to flea markets to buy some handcraft objects. It' the last day in Trinidad and we are both really sorry to leave.
The family where we were host welcomed us like sons and the evening we felt at home among their dances with Isabel and domino matches.

Goodbye family!

We leave for Havana in the afternoon and arrive at the Viazul station.
I ask a girl if she can find me a free house particularly in Havana Vieja, but she found only one in the center area.
The taxi takes us first to Revolution Plaza (where we taken some pictures). And then to the house where we agreed the price of 20 dollars.
Once placed in the room, we visit the Capitolio and the Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro.
As the evening is arrived we discover that Havana is not quite so beautiful.
Roads are very dirty and crowded by many annoying persons. Then we go to the Floridita where we appreciate the mythical Daiquiri.

Havana

Tour of the city: Castillo de la Real Fuerza, El Templete, Iglesia de San Francisco de Asis during very hot day.
The colonial area is beautiful and many hotels maintain the charm of the past.

Tararà

With a taxi particular we go to Tararà (Playa del Este) and we are surprised by the beauty of the place. Not to imagine that the sea near the capital was so beautiful.

Canonaso

Last round of the city. The Cathedral, Museo de la Revolution, market and visit to a train wagon of 19th century.
The evening we also pass from Bodeguita del Medio to see canonaso.

The last dive

Still Tararà up to 15:00, then a shower, then return to Havana and departure for Italy.

Comeback to Italy

Unfortunately, the holiday is finished. Path was not as expected, but our vacation was however magnificent. The sea was beautiful, landscapes idem, people more.
Good Cuba at all.
Notice. Recently many prefixes have changed and so many phone numbers are no longer valid.
Particular homes tested:
Yirina y Chichi- Gustavo Izquierdo#124 é/Simon Bollivar y Piro Guinard-Trinidad
Armando y Arminda-Virtudes n°264 é/ Blanco y Aguilia Cantro Havana