Cuba

Rhythms That Get Under Your Skin

Music isn't something Cuba does; it's something Cuba is. Son, rumba, mambo, and salsa were all born here, and on any given evening you're likely to hear them pouring out of casa de la trova venues, street corners, and living rooms alike. Santiago de Cuba hosts the annual Carnival, one of the Caribbean's most exhilarating celebrations, while Havana's jazz scene draws musicians from around the world. Whether you dance or simply watch, the rhythm tends to follow you home.

Beyond the Postcard

Cuba's natural landscapes are quietly spectacular. The Viñales Valley in Pinar del Río province is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its dramatic limestone mogotes rising from red tobacco fields like something from a storybook. The island claims some of the Caribbean's finest diving along its southern coast, and the Zapata Peninsula shelters one of the region's most important wetland ecosystems. For those who prefer sand, Varadero's twenty kilometres of white beach deliver exactly what you'd expect from a Caribbean shoreline.

A Feast for the Curious

Cuban cuisine tells the story of the island's blended heritage. Look for ropa vieja (shredded beef in tomato sauce), congrí (rice and beans cooked together), and tostones (twice fried plantains) at family run paladares. Cuban coffee is strong, sweet, and served in thimble sized cups with an air of ceremony. And then there's the rum: aged varieties from Santiago de Cuba have earned a devoted following, best sampled neat or in a properly made daiquirí at one of Havana's storied bars.