Grand Cuba 7-Day — Havana, Viñales & Varadero

Activities

1. 09:00 Plaza Vieja & Plaza de San Francisco 1h30

   Start in the cool of the morning in Old Havana's restored colonial squares — Plaza Vieja, ringed by pastel 18th-century mansions and a microbrewery, and the nearby Plaza de San Francisco by the old basilica and port. The light is best and the heat lowest early.

   Cost: Free (camera-obscura tower small fee) TIP: Go early before tour groups and midday heat. Climb the Camera Obscura tower on Plaza Vieja for a rooftop overview. Have small cash for coffee. Watch your bag in the busier corners.
2. 10:45 Plaza de Armas & Plaza de la Catedral + Cathedral 1h45

   Walk to Plaza de Armas (the leafy old colonial heart, with a daily secondhand-book market) and Plaza de la Catedral, dominated by the Baroque Cathedral of San Cristóbal. These two plazas and the Cathedral are the soul of Habana Vieja.

   Cost: Cathedral entry small fee TIP: The four plazas are all within a short walk of each other. Doña Eutimia, off Plaza de la Catedral, is the lunch plan. Dress modestly to enter the Cathedral. Free or cheap walking tours leave from the plazas.
3. 13:00 Lunch — Doña Eutimia (best ropa vieja) 1h30

   Lunch at the beloved paladar Doña Eutimia, down the Callejón del Chorro alley off Plaza de la Catedral, famous for what many call Havana's best ropa vieja. A cozy, traditional room steps from the morning's sights.

   Cost: $12-25 per person TIP: Reserve ahead — it's small and popular. Order the ropa vieja and a mojito. Bring cash and small bills for the tip. A perfect midday break in the heat.
4. 15:30 Obispo street + El Floridita daiquiri 1h30

   Stroll Obispo, Old Havana's lively pedestrian spine of shops, bars, and live music, ending at El Floridita on the corner of Monserrate — the historic bar that calls itself the cradle of the daiquiri, with the bronze Hemingway statue at the counter.

   Cost: Daiquiri ~$6-7 TIP: Have one frozen daiquiri for the history; it's touristy and pricey, so don't linger for a meal. Snap the obligatory photo with the Hemingway statue. Live son bands play. Cash.
5. 18:00 La Bodeguita del Medio + early evening 1h30

   A few blocks away on Calle Empedrado, squeeze into La Bodeguita del Medio for a mojito amid its graffiti-covered walls — the bar's claim to fame as the mojito's birthplace. Then wander the plazas as they light up.

   Cost: Mojito ~$5-6 TIP: It's cramped and busy — one mojito and the wall-scrawl atmosphere, then move on. The Hemingway 'mi mojito' quote is disputed lore. Watch belongings in the crush. Cash.
6. 20:00 Dinner — Old Havana paladar (Los Mercaderes or La Vitrola) 2h

   Dinner at an Old Havana paladar — the refined, candlelit Los Mercaderes on Calle Mercaderes (often with live music and a petal-strewn staircase) or the retro, jukebox-filled La Vitrola right on Plaza Vieja.

   Cost: $12-28 per person TIP: Reserve Los Mercaderes for dinner; ask for a balcony table. La Vitrola is more about location and music. Tip the musicians a dollar or two. Cash only in practice.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 El Capitolio & Parque Central 1h30

   Start at El Capitolio, the grand 1929 domed building modeled on the US Capitol and beautifully restored, on the edge of Old Havana by leafy Parque Central — where the bright 1950s convertibles line up for hire.

   Cost: Interior tour small fee TIP: Take the interior tour if it's running. Parque Central is the spot to scout and negotiate a classic-car tour for later. Go early before the heat. Cash.
2. 11:00 Walk the Malecón toward Vedado 1h30

   Head out along the Malecón, Havana's 8km seafront wall and social heart, walking west with the sea on one side and the weathered facades on the other. It's the iconic Havana scene — best later for sunset, but striking any time.

   Cost: Free TIP: It's exposed and hot midday — hat, water, sunscreen. The western end rises to the Hotel Nacional in Vedado. Mind your belongings, and note the sea can splash over the wall on windy days.
3. 13:00 Lunch in Vedado (Café Laurent or El Cocinero) 1h30

   Lunch in greener, more residential Vedado — the penthouse Café Laurent on Calle M for city views and Mediterranean-Cuban fusion, or El Cocinero by the FAC art factory for a rooftop terrace under its old brick chimney.

   Cost: $15-32 per person TIP: Both reward a reservation, especially for a view table. A short taxi from the Malecón. Bring cash. El Cocinero is better for an evening visit if you pair it with the FAC later.
4. 15:30 Hotel Nacional + Vedado 1h30

   Visit the 1930s Hotel Nacional, perched above the Malecón with gardens, a famous terrace bar, and Mob-era and revolutionary history, then explore Vedado's grand avenues and the Coppelia ice-cream park.

   Cost: Free to wander; drinks/ice cream extra TIP: Have a drink on the Hotel Nacional's sea-view terrace and read up on its history. Coppelia is a beloved local ice-cream institution nearby — try a scoop. Cash.
5. 17:30 Classic-car tour — Plaza de la Revolución at golden hour 1h30

   Hire a restored 1950s convertible for a tour out to Plaza de la Revolución (with the giant Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos steel portraits), back along the Malecón at sunset — the quintessential Havana experience.

   Cost: $30-60 per hour (negotiated) TIP: Agree the route and price up front, and tip the driver a few dollars. Late afternoon into sunset gives the best light. Don't photograph the ministry buildings as if they were military sites; the plaza itself is fine. Cash.
6. 20:30 Dinner — La Guarida (Centro Habana) 2h

   Dinner at La Guarida, Havana's most famous paladar, in a faded grand mansion in Centro Habana (of 'Fresa y Chocolate' fame), with modern Cuban cooking and a rooftop bar for a nightcap over the city.

   Cost: $25-45 per person TIP: Reserve well ahead — this is the city's marquee table. Have a drink on the Bar Mirador rooftop. Arrange a taxi back to your casa. Cash only in practice.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:30 Callejón de Hamel — Afro-Cuban street art 1h

   Visit Callejón de Hamel, a vivid Afro-Cuban art-and-Santería alley in Centro Habana, covered in murals, mosaics, and found-object sculpture by artist Salvador González — most alive on Sunday afternoons when there's rumba drumming and dancing.

   Cost: Free (tip performers if there's rumba) TIP: If your Day 3 is a Sunday, time it for the afternoon rumba; otherwise mornings are quieter for photos. Tip the musicians. Be a little wary of pushy 'guides.' Cash for small purchases.
2. 11:00 Fusterlandia (Jaimanitas) 1h30

   Take a taxi west to Fusterlandia in the Jaimanitas neighborhood — the Gaudí-esque, mosaic-tiled wonderland of houses, walls, and a studio covered in colorful ceramic by artist José Fuster. Free to wander and wildly photogenic.

   Cost: Free (taxi out) TIP: It's a 20-30 minute taxi from the center; agree a round-trip fare or have the driver wait. There's a small shop for tiles and art. A complete contrast to the colonial Old Town. Cash.
3. 14:00 Lunch + cross to El Morro & La Cabaña 2h30

   After lunch, cross the bay (through the harbor tunnel by taxi) to the Spanish colonial fortresses guarding the entrance — Castillo del Morro with its lighthouse and the larger Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña, with sweeping views back to the city skyline.

   Cost: Fort entry small fee + taxi TIP: The views of Havana and the Malecón from across the bay are the best in the city. Agree the taxi fare through the tunnel. Bring water and a hat — it's exposed. Cash.
4. 20:00 Live music — Fábrica de Arte Cubano or Casa de la Música 3h

   End with live Cuban music: the Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) in Vedado, a huge arts-and-music complex (check its seasonal calendar), or Casa de la Música for salsa and son in the Buena Vista tradition.

   Cost: Cover + drinks (varies) TIP: FAC runs in seasonal cycles and closes between them, so confirm it's open. El Cocinero is right beside FAC for dinner first. Arrange a taxi home late. Cash for cover and drinks.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 07:30 Drive to Viñales (west) 3h

   Set off early by organized tour or private driver for Viñales (about 2.5-3 hours west, in Pinar del Río province), watching the landscape change to red-earth tobacco country dotted with dramatic limestone mogote hills.

   Cost: Tour/driver $40-90 (shared vs private) TIP: An organized day tour or a private driver arranged through your casa removes the timing risk — Víazul bus is cheaper but slower and rigid. Bring water, snacks, and cash. An early start beats the heat at the farms.
2. 11:00 Tobacco farm visit + cigar rolling 1h30

   Visit a working tobacco farm (finca) to see the fields, the thatched drying barns (casas de tabaco), and a farmer hand-rolling a cigar from start to finish — the heart of Cuba's cigar tradition, with a chance to buy direct.

   Cost: Farm visit (often included) + cigars TIP: Buying a few hand-rolled cigars at the farm is part of the experience, but for boxed premium brands stick to official shops. Tip the farmer for the demonstration. US travelers: check current customs rules on bringing cigars home. Cash.
3. 13:00 Lunch + Viñales valley viewpoint 2h30

   Lunch at a countryside paladar with valley views, then take in the classic Mirador panorama over the Valle de Viñales — a patchwork of tobacco fields, palms, and the sheer-sided mogotes. Some tours add the Mural de la Prehistoria or the Cueva del Indio cave.

   Cost: Lunch $10-20 + any add-ons TIP: The valley overlook is the postcard shot. Optional cave boat ride and the painted mogote cliff are common add-ons — confirm what your tour includes. Country lunches are hearty and good value. Cash.
4. 16:30 Return drive to Havana 3h

   Ride back to Havana (about 2.5-3 hours), arriving in the evening. Round off the day with a relaxed paladar dinner or drinks on a rooftop back in the city.

   Cost: Included in tour/driver TIP: Confirm the return time with your driver before lunch. It's a long day, so keep the evening easy. Back in Havana, a casa-recommended local paladar is a gentle finish. Cash.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 Finca Vigía — Hemingway's house 2h

   Drive out to Finca Vigía in San Francisco de Paula, the hilltop home where Ernest Hemingway lived from 1939 to 1960 and wrote 'The Old Man and the Sea' — preserved as a museum with his books, hunting trophies, and his boat Pilar in the grounds.

   Cost: Entry fee + taxi/driver TIP: It's about 20-30 minutes from the center by taxi — agree a round-trip fare or have the driver wait. You view the rooms from the windows and verandas (you don't go inside). Mornings are cooler and quieter. Cash.
2. 11:30 Cojímar fishing village 1h30

   Continue to nearby Cojímar, the small fishing village that inspired 'The Old Man and the Sea,' with a Hemingway bust by the little fort and La Terraza restaurant, long associated with the writer and his boat captain Gregorio Fuentes.

   Cost: Lunch at La Terraza $12-25 TIP: Lunch on seafood at La Terraza for the Hemingway connection and the harbor view. It's a quiet, low-key contrast to the city. Combine it naturally with Finca Vigía on the same eastern run. Cash.
3. 14:30 Playas del Este beach afternoon 3h

   Round off the day on the white sand of Playas del Este (Santa María del Mar), the easy Caribbean beach strip just east of the city — a relaxed swim and sun before heading back.

   Cost: Beach extras + taxi TIP: It's on the same eastern side as Cojímar, so it links up well. Bring sunscreen, water, and cash for loungers and drinks. Have the driver wait or agree a pickup. Watch belongings on the sand.
4. 20:00 Evening in Havana — music & dinner 2h30

   Back in the city, a final-stretch evening of live Cuban music and a paladar dinner — perhaps a return to a favorite, or Casa de la Música for salsa in the Buena Vista tradition.

   Cost: Dinner $12-28 + cover/drinks TIP: Reserve dinner and arrange a late taxi home through your host. Tip the band. A relaxed night before the Varadero leg. Cash.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 Drive to Varadero 2h30

   Travel east to Varadero (about 2 hours), Cuba's premier beach destination on the slender Hicacos Peninsula — over 20km of fine white sand and clear turquoise water. Check into a casa or hotel and head straight for the beach.

   Cost: Víazul bus or driver $20-60 TIP: Víazul bus or a private driver both work — book ahead. Varadero is resort-focused, so it feels different from Havana. Bring cash; even at resorts, plan for card issues. A beach day needs little more than swimwear and sunscreen.
2. 12:30 Beach + lunch on the peninsula 4h

   Spend the day on Varadero's beach — swimming, snorkeling, or simply lounging on some of the Caribbean's best sand — with a seafood lunch at a beach paladar or your resort.

   Cost: Lunch $12-25 + beach extras TIP: The water is calm and clear — good for an easy swim or a snorkel trip. Reef-safe sunscreen and plenty of water. Optional catamaran or diving excursions can be arranged locally. Cash.
3. 18:00 Sunset + dinner in Varadero 3h

   Watch the sun set over the peninsula, then dinner at a Varadero paladar — fresh seafood and a relaxed evening, a beachy counterpoint to Havana's city energy.

   Cost: Dinner $15-30 TIP: Stay in a casa particular here too for value and to support private Cubans (and, for US travelers, to fit the authorized category). Keep the evening easy. Cash and small bills for tips.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 Final Varadero beach morning 2h30

   One last swim and a slow morning on Varadero's sand before packing up — a calm finish to a week that ran from colonial plazas to tobacco valleys to the Caribbean.

   Cost: Beach extras TIP: Keep it light on a travel day. Settle any casa bill in cash and tip your host. Check your onward timings before you leave the beach.
2. 12:00 Return to Havana / direct to HAV 3h

   Travel back west. Depending on your flight, either return to central Havana for a last lunch or go directly toward José Martí Airport (HAV). Allow generous time for the drive and slow airport processes.

   Cost: Bus/driver + lunch TIP: Confirm whether it's faster to route straight to the airport from Varadero. Have your driver or host pin down timing. Keep small cash for lunch and the final ride. Reconverting leftover pesos is hard, so spend them down.
3. 16:00 José Martí Airport (HAV) departure 2h

   Arrive at HAV in good time for departure, with your entry/category records and any cigar/rum purchases sorted for the trip home.

   Cost: Included / taxi if from Havana TIP: Arrive early — checks can be slow. US travelers: keep your category records (receipts, itinerary) for five years. Confirm customs allowances for anything you're carrying home. Keep a little cash for the airport.

Meal Recommendations