The perfect Cuban combo

By Jeremy Head

It’s a classic holiday conundrum: one of you wants to laze on the beach and the other is a culture creature. For a Caribbean holiday that offers the best of both worlds - head for Cuba.

Superb sandy beaches

It’s not surprising that Cuba has become a firm favourite for Caribbean holidays in recent years. It offers fabulous sugar-sand beaches and warm azure sea – so beach creatures will have a fantastic time. A favourite beach hotspot is Varadero with its long expanse of brilliant white sand and turquoise sea. It’s also great for watersports. You can try your hand at deep sea fishing and there’s some of Cuba’s best scuba diving amongst the pretty islets scattered along the coastline just a mile or so offshore. Here you’ll find flitting colourful fish aplenty and some interesting wrecks – ideal for more experienced divers. But it’s not just Varadero; the Cuban coastline is littered with lovely beaches. Other resorts that will delight beach creatures include up-market Cayo Coco, an idyllic islet with stunningly picturesque sands connected to the mainland by a causeway and Guardalavaca, which retains a more local vibe than some of the larger resort beaches.

Cigars and culture

Holidays in Cuba aren’t just about beaches though. Shaped by one of the 20th century’s longest surviving revolutions and cut off from the capitalist world for several decades as a result, modern day Cuba offers a fascinating glimpse into the past as well. There’s a sense of faded grandeur about the capital Havana which is quite captivating – particularly if you wander the narrow streets of the old town. Old Spanish colonial buildings remain virtually untouched, ancient 1950s automobiles still cruise the streets. Make sure to wander down buzzing Calle Obispo with its old shops, open-fronted bars and tiny private art galleries. Interesting museums worth a browse include the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes with its lively art collection and the Museo de la Cuidad where the gloriously restored rooms are almost as striking as the exhibits. Literature lovers should make a beeline for the Ernest Hemmingway Museum a short distance into the suburbs. And a visit to Havana wouldn’t be complete without seeing the famous Fabrica de Tobacos Partagas. One of the country’s oldest cigar factories, it’s also one of the most rewarding for visitors. You can even see people busy at work rolling them, producing up to 250 cigars a day each!

Music and mojitos

Cubans love to sing and dance and the sensual rhythms of the salsa, mambo and more percolate every element of life here. Chances are there’ll be musicians on street corners, crooners in most of the bars and sultry strummers to serenade you at sunset. There are lots of spots to hear live music, particularly in Havana. If you’re staying in the capital ask at your hotel reception for the latest places to sample live music. Casa de la Musica and Casa de la Cultura are great places to start and many of the hotels put on shows too – in particular the Habana Libre. And the perfect concoction to sup on whilst you tap your toes to the beat? A mint-laden mojito of course! There are plenty of places to sample one or two in the old town. Try the buzzing Cafe de Paris on Obispo or the Taberna de la Muralla. Varadero also has several live music options – the best are connected to the larger hotels.

Virgin Holidays offers a range of holidays to Cuba. Stay at the all-inclusive luxury Paradisus Princesa del Mar in Varadero and add-on an easy day trip or longer excursion to Havana.