Top 6 day trips from heavenly Havana

09.01.2024 - 22:16 / lonelyplanet.com

With its grandiose architecture and vibrant culture, Havana continues to be the number one place to visit for travelers to Cuba. But taking a break from the city buzz will recharge your batteries and give you a broader scope of Cuba’s authentic experiences.

Let the sea breeze pamper your senses in Playas del Este or indulge your ecological side in Las Terrazas and Soroa. With so many great options less than an hour away, Havana is the perfect base for a day trip filled with adventure.

Your travel options from the capital will vary depending on whether they're private or state-run. For the Havana Bus Tour (to Playas del Este) and Viazul buses (to Viñales, Matanzas and Varadero), you’ll have to pay using a non-US-based credit card.

Private taxis usually prefer foreign cash (euros are best) and it's best to agree on the currency and price before you start your journey.

Start planning your next Cuban vacation now with six of our favorite day trips from Havana.

Travel time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Viñales Valley , peppered with rare pin-cushion hills, is spectacular enough to warrant a longer stay if you have the time.

The town is quaint in that ceramic-roof, cane-rocker-on-the-porch kind of way, and the hospitality of Cuban guajiros (countryfolk) is unsurpassed. Accept any invite to go horseback riding or hiking amid the oddly bulbous limestone mogotes (hills).

Viñales becomes a haven for rock climbers from December through April. The A-frame structures covered in shaggy fronds you will see are drying houses for the world’s finest cigar tobacco, grown throughout this part of Pinar del Río Province.

Los Jazmines is the perfect lookout point for some world-prize-worthy panoramic photos over Viñales Valley, but choose  Balcón del Valle restaurant if you fancy having lunch while overlooking the mogotes. For a friendly ambiance and freshly made cocktails, don’t miss  Tres Jotas  on Salvador Cisneros St, Viñales’ main road.

How to get to Viñales from Havana: Viñales is connected with Havana by daily Viazul buses. You can also book day trips at Havana’s hotels, most of which include lunch and added excursions, for the equivalent of around US$70 round trip. For more flexibility, rent a car or hire a taxi with a driver for the day.

Travel time: 30 minutes

Not far from the hustle and grit of Havana’s city center is the palm-fringed coast known as Playas del Este (eastern beaches). Half a dozen beaches are out this way, but Santa María del Mar – with appreciable shade and the softest, cleanest sand – is the best.

Head to the beach town of Guanabo to hang with locals. The stretch near Boca Ciega is a traditional LGBTIQ+ hangout. Most Cubans will not go near the beach in the “cold” winter months between January