What to see in Cuba

Havana

Top Things to do
Flying to Cuba is super easy from the USA. Since I live in California, I flew to Havana from LA, direct, non-stop on Alaska Air. I'm going to give you lots of advice on Cuba. Americans need to purchase a Visa before you go. Your airlines will send you the info and if they don't then contact them or go to their website and search. My Visa through Alaska Air was about $100 bucks.

Money
First, prepare for your trip. Cuba does not accept credit cards, non-Cuban money, does not offer much wi-fi, Internet, and cell phone service is very, very spotty. Money needs to be exchanged from Euros or Mexican Pesos to Cuban CUCs. So, I recommend that you purchase your Euros, or Mexican Pesos, when you get to Cuba. Find out if there is an exchange (CADECA) near your hotel, Airbnb or wherever you are staying. The CADECA at the airport is at least a two hour wait, so don't waste your time there. Do some research before you go to Cuba.

I spent approximately 350 CUCs in 5 days. I actually had about 20 CUCs left and I spent that at the airport. You can purchase your Euros through BofA, Chase, or Travelex online and if you are a member of those banks your fees are much less. In Cuba the exchange fees for American money is 13% and Euros and Mexican pesos are only about 2.5 to 3%. Huge difference. Cash is king in Cuba.

Wi-fi, Internet and Cell Phones
Now take a deep breath and listen to what I am going to tell you. Wi-fi service is a waste of time. You can purchase wi-fi cards, but they don't work. If you absolutely need wi-fi., then contact your hotel, or where ever you are staying and ask. Cell phone service for me was non-existent. I use Verizon and my daughter does too. She was able to send a few messages, but that was very spotty. Internet is non-existent too.

Now that we have that out of the way, you will need to select one of 12 reasons for your visit. You are a visitor in Cuba, and not a tourist. That's how the US and Cuban governments have negotiated us Americans visitation to Cuba. I went with 17 ladies from where I work and we selected Education, People to People. Prior to our visit to Cuba, we booked a walking tour that included Old Havana, tour at a cigar factory, a visit to Florida and lunch. It was all-day and very interesting. The cost was extremely reasonable and you can find these types of tours on the Internet. I suggest booking before you go.

Food and Water
Grocery stores are not abundant and they don't carry the same products that the US or Europe have. I suggest that if you have a favorite snack, then bring it. We brought trail mix, protein bars, chips, crackers and chocolate. So glad we did! We ate all of it. Also bring your meds and any aspirin. Remember, this is a communist country and a very poor country. WATER can be purchased at many places in Cuba and it's super cheap. You do not need to bring any, but drink only bottled water.

Restaurants
Cubans own home restaurants called paladares, for years, serving tostones to sashimi. Some good places to eat are: Café Madrigal, a tapas bar on the second floor of filmmaker Rafael Rosales’s house in the Vedado neighborhood. La Gaurida Restaurant is located in a broken down building in Centro Habana. There are greeters on the ground floor to let you know you’ve arrived at the right place, otherwise you might just drive on by and never know it. The restaurant is located on the 3rd floor of the ramshackle building, and you must go up the dramatic, winding staircase to get there. It’s such a cool location, that La Gaurida just cannot be missed.

You may ask yourself what the heck to order! Ropa Vieja — a shredded beef dish simmered in a tomato-based sauce, green peppers and sometimes onions, until it falls apart. Ropa Vieja means “old clothes” in Spanish. Moros y Cristianos — Almost every meal you order will come with a big bowl of both stewed black beans and white rice and sometimes they will be mixed together. Grilled Lobster – Cuba is well known for lobster and it's inexpensive! Mariquitas or Malanga Chips – The first is plantains, the second is a potato-like vegetable. Both are made into little crisps. They have a nice dry texture and are great for snacking. Tostones – twice fried plantains, they are usually smashed and fried into little cakes, then deep fried. Milk flan – Dessert made with sugar, milk and eggs, then covered in slightly caramelized condensed milk, yum! Arroz Amarillo con Pollo – Yellow rice with chicken.

Great Buys
Cigars, Rum, Coffee, and art are great buys from Cuba. The Monte Cristo and Cohiba cigars can be purchased easily. Make sure you don't purchase from someone on the street. They may not be the real deal. We purchased ours when we went on our tour at the cigar factory. La Corona Cigar Factory and Partagas Cigar Factory are the largest, both located in Havana City.

Havana Rum is the best rum ever. Hands down. I am not a drinker at all and my Mojitos were the most delicious I've ever had. Havana Rum will cost you about 5-6 CUCs for a large bottle of rum. Stock up because you may not find it in the States. Also, Cuba is also the birth place of the Daiquiri and after that, you will need a cup of coffee the next day.

Cuban coffee is fabulous. I purchased Caracolillo Tradicional and paid only 3 CUCs for a one pound bag! Good luck finding it in the states.