A2Btransfers provide airport and resort transfer in Cuba. We supply resort transfers and airport transfers in the form of taxis and minibuses from Baracoa, Cayo Coco, Jose Marti, Frank Pais, Antonio Maceo and Juan Gualberto Airports to most resorts and hotels in Cuba.
Cuba
Impressive colonial architecture, libidinous young salsa dancers, Che Guevara murals, white-powder sandy beaches, and swaying fields of sugar cane - the images of Cuba are as transfixing as they are timeless. This is an island of unique historical heritage floating amid a sea of encroaching globalization.
Havana is a vibrant modern and multi-ethnic city where, past and present mingle at the cultural, political, economic and social heart of Cuba.
Old Havana has been acknowledged part of the legacy of mankind by UNESCO, and the attractiveness of its paved streets, colonial balconies, baroque and gothic buildings makes this honour well deserved. Smiling faces greet you at every turn. Then there is the legendary Malecón, where tourists and locals similarly come to watch the sunset and enjoy the soft sea breeze.
At night, this lovely Caribbean city becomes a miraculous carnival of shows, night-clubs and discotheques inviting you in to join the fun.
There are four main areas of interest. First there is Old Havana, a treasure trove of Cuban history and culture. The Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral and the Parque Central are fine illustrations of Colonial architecture. A walk through these old lanes is a real delight. Everywhere, cafes, restaurants and bars offer the ideal excuse to flee the tropical sun for a Cuban cocktail or traditional meal. Try the Bodeguita Del Medio or the Floridita, where Hemingway used to drink his Mojitos and Daiquiris.
Walking up La Rampa from the Malecón, you will reach the Vedado, one of the most delightful areas of the city, with its 19th century houses and mansions. A short walk from the corner of La Rampa and L Street, you will reach the Plaza Ignacio Agromonte and Havana University, a set of striking neo-classical buildings. There are also two museums: the Montane Anthropology Museum and the Felipe Poey Natural History Museum. If you continue in this direction, you will eventually come out onto the Plaza de la Revolución, where President Fidel Castro makes his Mayday speech to the masses every year. At the centre of this vast, star-shaped space stands a huge monument to national hero Jose Martí. The view from the top is sensational. Opposite the statue, on the other side of a broad avenue is a wall painting of avant-garde hero Che Guevara.
The historic quarter is also home to several important museums, such as the Museo de Autos Antiguos (if you like antique cars), La Casa del Arabe, La Casa de Africa, La Casa de Asia, Museo de la Ciudad, and the fortresses El Morro and La Real Fuerza, where you will see an emblem of Havana, the weather vane on La Giraldilla tower. This is the chief tourist area of the city.
To end this tour, we suggest you pay a visit to Miramar, one of the most elite areas of Havana, full of beautiful colonial houses, now home to embassies, cultural centre’s and foreign companies. The ponds of the Emiliano Zapata Park (Avenida 5- Malecón) are worth a visit. The little boats on the River Almendares are also a pretty sight. Palm trees line the avenues and there are a good number of cafes, bars and restaurants around the Marina Hemingway. Try the Chan Chan, El Mandarín or Rumbos.
Varadero is a favourite tourist destination not only for foreign visitors, but for Cubans themselves. This gives the town a distinguishing quality that sets it apart from other resorts in the country.
Varaderos hotel complexes are well equipped in terms of the housing, recreational facilities, aquatic sports, and nightlife they offer. Tourists do not generally venture beyond these complexes to travel around their surroundings, but when they do go out, they are hardly ever dissatisfied.
There are many entertainment options on the Varadero peninsula and right through the province of Matanzas. The blissful beaches, whose waters shimmer in every shade of blue from navy to bright turquoise, beckon you to swim, play water-sports or simply to relax and soak up the sun on the beach. If you are feeling full of life you can choose between diving, crossing the Bahía in a catamaran, fishing, and many other activities. You can visit some of the areas many imperative archeological sites, including the Cueva de San Ambrosio, a cave with ancient paintings on the wall, or the Cuevas de Musulmanes, another cave famous for its ceremonial use by the Siboney people. This part of the island is equally well known for its natural beauty and as a natural habitat for rare birds, some of which are now extinct in the rest of the world. Many birdwatchers come here on vacation every year with dreams of catching a rare sighting.
Covering scarcely two and half square kilometers, some 267 hectares, lies Old Santiago, so named for its architectural splendor.
In Old Santiago, one of the best-looking places is Parque Cespedes, a welcoming park where Santiagos citizens go to seek relief from the cruel and hot climate of the urban centre. The old elm trees provide the square with plenty of shade and fresh air right through the day.
The Santa Basílica Metropolitana Iglesia Catedral is the most important architectural monument in Old Santiago. At each side of the main door to the temple, stand two statues: one of the great Christopher Columbus, and the other of Fray Bartolome de las Casas. Inside it is opulently decorated with miscellaneous influences.
The street with the most historical attractions in Old Santiago is undoubtedly Calle Heredia. Six long blocks, from Calle Calvario to Calle Padre Pico, full of samples of great architectural value, and which, today, hosts a substantial portion of Santiagos cultural life.
In a privileged position, from where one can see everything that is happening on Parque Cespedes, is the Casa del Te, on the corner of Calle Aguilera and Calle San Pedro, beyond any doubt, a stunning building dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. And only a few steps away, is the Club 300, the perfect refuge from the burning sun and summer heat, a comfortable and very traditional place, open all night, and well into the morning.
Only two blocks away, along Calle Aguilera, in a setting of Spanish Colonial architecture, is El Baturro, a restaurant/bar which is the pride of all santiagueros, and rightly so.
Of great interest in the Bacardí museum are the mummies. One of them is Egyptian, completely preserved and over 3,000 years old. There are also two Peruvian mummies exhibited, of great archaeological value and very significant testimonies of pre-Columbine Cuba.
El Morro, as the citizens of Santiago call the original military fort, Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca, was declared Patrimony of Humanity by the UNESCO in December, 1997, due to its architectural value, excellent conservation and historical value. El Morro, as any castle worthy of the name, also has its legends regarding ghosts and apparitions.
There are other important areas in Santiago, although the majority of the activity goes on in the historical centre of the city.
The residential areas Reparto Sueño and Vista Alegre are quiet places, where the beautiful old constructions are now home to families, and to some of the main hotels in the city.
On the outskirts of Santiago, on the road to Baconao, are the hotel resorts, with all-inclusive offers, and the best beaches, among which Verraco, Siboney and Daiquiri are well-worth visiting.
It is also worth mentioning Tivoli, within the historical centre, where the French fleeing from the Haitian revolution settled, mingling with the Spanish settlers, natives and Africans who were already there. Tivoli is a centre of immense interest where the combination of all these different cultures is at hand at every step.
After walking through the streets of Cuba, you will feel the desire to get lost forever in the midst of the magic and charm of the city.
CUBA
