Cuba – a country of fascinating beauty!
Cities with an unchanging architecture - Music, playing in every corner - People, relaxed and welcoming!
Hostelling International invites you to discover the fascinating Caribbean island of Cuba and encourages you to immerse yourself in its culture and relax amongst the white sand beaches.
Located in the Caribbean Sea, the Cuban Archipelago is made up of the Island of Cuba (with about 1,400 km from one end to the other), the Island of Juventud and several thousand islets and small islands.
Havana, the capital and largest city of Cuba, is where the music, Cuban sounds and Guajira (countryside music), play in every corner; and people are welcoming and always willing to chat. Amongst the bustling and vibrant streets, histories are weaved with a mix of sumptuous colonial past. Havana has been at the forefront of modern Latino culture - giving birth to salsa and mambo, Havana Club rum and Cohiba cigars, mural painting and Che Guevara iconography…And the list goes on!
In contrast to Havana, 140km east is Varadero, one of the largest resort areas in the Caribbean. Most people visit Varadero for the blinding white sand beaches and its watersports, which are amongst the best in Cuba. There are three marinas on the peninsula and several diving clubs, which programme a variety of fishing and boat trips. About 5km in the opposite direction, heading southwest along the Matanzas coastline, is a two-kilometre stretch of coral reef inhabited by a busy population of parrotfish, trumpetfish and basslets amongst many others.
Moving on… Santiago de Cuba is the island's second largest city and a glittering cultural capital in its own right. Anyone with an interest in Cuban literature, music, architecture, politics or ethnology should spend at least a day or two appreciating the many attractions here. Situated closer to Haiti and the Dominican Republic than Havana, Santiago’s influences have come as much from the east as they have from the west, a factor that has been crucial in shaping the city's distinct individual identity.
Nestled in the heart of the province 30km from the north coast, Camagüey is a city of winding streets and aged buildings creating an atmosphere of intrigue. A wander along the narrow cobbled streets overhung by delicate balustrades and Rococo balconies is the best way to explore. Several museums and fine buildings offer further sightseeing. Despite its quaint appearance, Camagüey is by no means a sleepy colonial town. Every Saturday, people cram onto Independencia for the weekly "Camagüeyan night" shindig, and pull out all the stops for the annual June carnival, the highlight of the Camagüeyan calendar.
Staying in hostels in Cuba you will be able to travel around the most important and well known cities, such as Havana or Santiago de Cuba, and visit their colonial buildings, experience their history, their music, their people and also their beaches such as Playas del Este, just 20 minutes away from Havana, or Varadero beaches, with white sand and clear water.
With privileged locations, Hostelling International offers travellers the chance to stay inexpensively and with all the comfort of a hotel. All HI youth hostels in Cuba have en suite rooms with air conditioning, TV, personalised service, restaurants and cafes and safety boxes to keep your money and valuables safe. Discover Cuba with the quality and security that Hostelling International and Islazul Hoteles offer you.
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