Cuba is one of my favorite places in the world. There’s nowhere that’s captured my heart quite like Cuba has. And after years of dreaming about Havana’s noisy and colorful streets – my dream finally became reality when I recently visited the island for my 30th birthday!
I know lots of people say this but when you visit Cuba you’ll honestly feel as though you’ve stepped back in time, there’s no chain restaurants or coffee shops here (you’ll have to do without your daily Starbucks in Cuba).
Damn, you’d be hard-pressed to find a supermarket in Havana. The internet is very slow or non-existent. And the transport system is challenging, to say the least. But, you need to embrace Cuba’s quirks. As those pecularities are precisely the reasons why we love Cuba! Plus, the fact that it’s one of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful countries we’ve ever visited.
Now, a week is the minimum amount of time I’d allow for Cuba! It’s a very chilled-out island which means that transport will take longer than you think. That’s why I’ve only included three places on this 7-day Cuba itinerary because attempting to squeeze too much in just won’t be possible.
Below I’ll share with you how long to spend in each destination, tell you why each destination listed is worth visiting, and list the best hotels, restaurants and things to do in each spot.
How I’d spend one week in Cuba
If I had one week in Cuba, I’d start in Havana, the biggest city in Cuba, and also where the island’s main international airport is located – Jose Marti International Airport (HAV). I recommend three days for vibrant Havana, before heading onto rustic Viñales for two days (where tobacco is grown and you can go horse-riding).
And you’ll end the trip with one day in Varadero, a super-popular tourist area that’s home to one of the prettiest beaches in Cuba. From here you can fly home as the second-biggest international airport in Cuba is just 30 km from Varadero, called Juan Gualberto Gomez Airport.
Your one week in Cuba itinerary will look like this:
- 3 days in Havana
- 2 days in Viñales
- 1 day in Varadero
Days 1 – 3: Havana
As I said, Havana is the largest city in Cuba, and it’s such a unique city – in fact, I’d best describe it as ‘like stepping back in time’. Havana is like a movie set with its mix of old-world architecture, pastel-colored colonial buildings and classic American cars. Yup, walking around Havana, you’ll feel as though you’ve gone back to the 1950s.
I’ll be honest, I’ve been obsessed with Havana since I watched Dirty Dancing 2: Havana Nights. And since then, I promised myself I’d celebrate a milestone event in Havana. So, I visited Havana for the first time to celebrate my 30th birthday!
I recommend allowing three full days in the city to get a feel for it – that’s what we did and we were able to pack in a half-day strolling around Old Havana, got a tour in a classic car, watched the sunset from the Malecón and partied the night away at Fabrica de Arte.
As for the best restaurants in Havana, we dined at and loved San Cristóbal Paladar and La Guarida. These are two of the best and most famous eateries in the city!
My favorite things to do in Havana:
1. Explore Old Havana (Habana Vieja)
A UNESCO World Heritage site, where you can wander through cobblestone streets lined with colonial architecture and lively plazas.
We recommend starting at Plaza de la Catedral, home to the iconic Cathedral of Havana, and then making your way to Plaza Vieja, where you can relax at a café and soak up the local atmosphere.
Don’t miss a visit to The Malecón, try to save a visit here for sunset, if you can. On your stroll along the Malecón you’ll be treated to locals playing music and even some dancing the salsa. But, most locals come here to sit on the wall (with some snacks) to watch the sun sink into the ocean.
For a taste of Cuban culture, stop by the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes to admire the extensive collection of Cuban art, or catch a live performance at the Gran Teatro de La Habana.
2. Get driven around in a classic car
Why not ride along the Malecon in a beautifully restored classic car? The best choice of classic cars can be found at Parque Central. Some drivers speak better English than others and nearly all will take you to Revolution Square. Be sure to haggle the price. I believe it cost us around 50 CUC ($50 USD) for one hour.
3. Party at Fabrica de Arte
Fabrica de Arte Cubano is so much more than a nightclub. Contained within an old cooking oil factory. ‘Fabrica’, as it’s known to locals, is an art gallery, a live music venue, a restaurant, and a street food stall. It has a variety of music rooms playing different genres.
The best thing is that you get a stamp card upon entry, and when you buy a drink or even food, your server simply stamps the card, and you pay for what you consumed when you exit. Brilliant. No unnecessary queues at the bar.
Where to stay in Havana:
My recommendation is to stay at a Casa Particular instead of a hotel in Havana. A Casa Particular is when a local rents you a spare room in their home (usually with breakfast and/or dinner included).
Similar to B&B or Guest House. It’s a great way for you to save money whilst giving back to the locals. Each Casa displays the same symbol – a double-sided arrow – somewhere near the entrance.
As for the best hotels in Havana, the Iberostar Parque Central is a great option. This 5-star hotel is located in Parque Central and has an incredible outdoor pool and terrace area.
Days 4 – 6: Viñales
Tucked away in the lush Viñales Valley, charming Viñales is famous for its jaw-dropping limestone hills called “mogotes” and green tobacco fields.
Viñales lets you dive into the heart of Cuban life and you can get a real taste of local life here by visiting the central square in the evening. Here, locals dance while a DJ or musicians play some tunes and you can buy delicious Mojitos from pop-up stalls (and they’re super-cheap, too!)
We reached Viñales by Viazul bus, which cost around $10 USD one-way. The journey took around 4 hours.
Best things to do in Viñales:
We did a guided horseback tour through the Viñales Valley to the tobacco plantations, which was organized by our Casa Particular. The ride through this stunning landscape dotted with mogotes and unique limestone hills had us mouthing ‘wow’ to one another every couple of minutes. This region is, in fact, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
And the farm tour near the end of the tour gave us a fascinating insight into traditional cigar-making processes. We got to try the cigars, and we drank some fresh sugar cane juice while local musicians played some music.
I’ll be honest it was one of our favorite days in Cuba!
We also hired a driver to take us to Cayo Jutias, which is about an hour and 20 minutes drive away. This beach is so stunning, and because it’s secluded, it’s so peaceful.
On the two evenings we were in Viñales, we hiked up to Hotel Los Jazmines for sunset. The view is stunning and the drinks from the bar were reasonably priced.
Quite close to Hotel Los Jazmines is the Sunset Restaurant – we had dinner here one evening and the sunset views really are incredible. The food was good, too.
Where to stay in Viñales:
As I said, we stayed in a Casa Particular in Viñales, we arranged it through our Casa host in Havana, and it was a perfect, cozy stay.
Our room was basic but clean and we had an ensuite bathroom. The breakfast was gorgeous and I loved eating it early in the morning as the sun came up!
Hotel Los Jazmines is an iconic hotel on the outskirts of Viñales, as I said, we came here two nights for drinks and to watch the sunset. The rooms are basic, but the views and the outdoor swimming pool are wow-worthy!
Days 6 – 7: Varadero
Finally, we recommend ending your week in Cuba in Varadero. A very popular tourist resort (home to lots of all-inclusive hotels) and also where you’ll find one of the prettiest beaches in Cuba.
Yep, Varadero Beach has the whitest sand, the bluest water, and it’s never too busy.
We recommend spending your one full day in Varadero just relaxing on the beach. But, if you don’t want to sunbathe the whole day, some other fun things you can do in Varadero include –
- Explore the Varahicacos Ecological Reserve to see diverse wildlife and ancient cave paintings.
- Go on a day trip to the nearby town of Matanzas – this small town is known for its unique Afro-Cuban culture.
Like I said, the second-biggest international airport in Cuba is just 30 km from Varadero, it’s called Juan Gualberto Gomez Airport. So, you can fly home from there, if possible. Or get to Havana Airport (HAV), which is a 2.5-hour drive away to catch your flight home.
Where to stay in Varadero:
We split our stay in Varadero up into two – we stayed at an all-inclusive hotel (called Hotel Sol Caribe Beach) for two nights and one final night at a sweet Casa Particular close to Varadero Beach.
Hotel Sol Caribe is a lovely 4-star property on Playa Azul. It boasts two large swimming pools and several bars and restaurants.
Is one week enough in Cuba?
I’ll be honest, I don’t think one week is enough time to get to see the best parts of Cuba. Because with just one week in Cuba, you won’t get to see Trinidad – which turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the country. With just one week here, your itinerary will feel rushed – so if you love slow travel (like we do) then definitely try to allow at least two weeks in Cuba.
But I understand time isn’t on everyone’s side, what with work and family commitments, so, if you just have one week’s vacation and want to see Cuba then we say go for it! As you’ll still get to tick off Havana, Varadero and Viñales.
Thanks for Reading!
As you can see, Cuba is one of our favorite travel destinations ever. And I urge you to see it before it changes – even if it is just for one week.
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Last Updated on April 19, 2025 by snaphappytravel