Cuba is best known for its lively cobbled streets stacked with colonial history and white sandy beaches lining crystal-clear waters. However, there is an abundance of beauty on the island that often goes unseen.
Staying in the Cuban countryside offers a glimpse into a side of the island that many visitors never experience. Beyond the hustle and bustle and rhythmic pulse of Havana’s streets lies a quieter and slower pace of life, with vast natural beauty shaped by mountains, tobacco fields, family-run farms and small towns belonging to friendly locals.
Suspended in time, many of the towns across Cuba’s countryside offer visitors a unique experience – to witness some of Cuba’s oldest traditions, some spanning centuries. We’ve rounded up three of our favourite travel spots nestled amid the island’s countryside, offering the chance to experience Cuba in its most authentic form.
Viñales
If it’s true peace and relaxation you’re seeking, then Viñales provides exactly this in an unspoiled, uncrowded and naturally beautiful setting. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the area’s well-preserved ecosystems – which are surrounded by mountains and dramatic rocky outcrops – create a breathtaking backdrop for the traditional farms and rural villages that span the region.
Take a step back in time, where centuries-old agricultural techniques are still practiced today, offering visitors an authentic opportunity to engage with the landscape, local customs, and the warm hospitality of its residents.
Declared Cuba’s first Geopark in 2021, Viñales is blessed with exceptional natural richness, celebrated for its fertile soils, remarkable biodiversity, and the harmonious relationship between its people and their environment. Life here moves at a gentler pace, rich in culture and tradition; the slower pace creates a feeling of authenticity that feels far removed from the busy cities and coastlines popular with many travellers.
For the more visual dreamers out there, Viñales’ landscape is vast and open to be explored with miles of valleys, mountains, and iconic mogotes, which invite you to wander on foot or ride on horseback for hours, discovering the natural beauty that makes this region so unique. Whether you’re seeking the perfect viewpoint for a golden sunset, exploring prehistoric caves, or walking through biodiverse farmland, this corner of the countryside offers countless ways to connect with its extraordinary landscape.
Guided tours also offer the chance to learn about ecological agriculture, natural building methods and daily rural life, providing you with a deeper understanding of the island’s agricultural heritage. The region is home to abundant vegetation, hilltop organic farms overlooking tobacco fields, and family-run plots cultivating cacao, coffee, and a wide array of local crops.
All that walking (or horseback riding) making you peckish? Farm restaurants offer some of the freshest meals you’ll find anywhere, with menus shaped by whatever ingredients are ripe each day, prepared with simple, home-cooked care. And while the tours and workshops provide countless opportunities to learn and explore alongside a professional, the sheer natural beauty of Viñales is reason enough to place it at the very top of your Cuban itinerary.
Las Terrazas
Midway between Havana and Viñales valley, nestled in the beautiful, dense forest hills of the UNESCO Sierra del Rosario Biosphere, is a nature lover’s paradise – Las Terrazas.
Built around a creek in the Sierra del Rosario mountains, this nature reserve was once an agricultural hotspot for farming and coffee plantations. Since its rejuvenation in 1968, encouraged by Fidel Castro, the region now flourishes with a sustainable community surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, forests, rivers and rolling hills.
Classed as one of Cuba’s best-kept secrets, while many travellers flock to the busy streets of Havana or the bustling beaches in Varadero, those wanting to experience a real, authentic taste of Cuba can bring out their inner explorer and take in the natural beauty on offer here.
Opposite its beautiful clear lake, the surrounding area is home to plentiful birdlife (over 80 species of birds call the region home), with nature trails and scenic walking trails. Get your hiking boots on and set off on one of the region’s many hiking trials, including routes that pass through former coffee plantations, verdant forest paths and winding trails leading to some of the scenic outlook spots. Your reward? Panoramic views over the beautiful Cuban countryside.
There is a host of ways for you to get the most out of your exploration of the area, with horse riding, kayaking on the Lago del San Juan – or for those feeling extra brave – the country’s longest zip wire, allowing you to whizz through the air and take in an aerial view across the waters.
When not busy soaring through the sky or trekking on horseback to scenic lookouts, then why not immerse yourself with the friendly community that call the region their home? A small community of around one thousand residents live in the village, creating what is considered Cuba’s first ‘eco-museum’, with small workshops, craft stools, cafes, small businesses and community gardens – a sustainable, rich, yet simplistic rural development.
Diverting away from the tourist hotspots and staying in Las Terrazas allows you to slow down and connect with a side of Cuba where nature, culture and community truly thrive in harmony. A peaceful setting to unwind, recharge and experience authenticity, all surrounded by a beautiful backdrop. However you choose to explore the natural beauty of this region, its calming atmosphere is hard to find anywhere else.
Sierra Maestra
If you’re looking for an awe-inspiring natural beauty site that’s rich in historical significance and cultural charm, the Sierra Maestra mountain range is one spot you won’t want to miss.
Standing at over 5,800 ft tall, the dramatic mountain landscape effortlessly blends with magnificent, untouched nature, standing as the island’s highest mountain range. A true escape from hectic city life, yet remaining just as dramatic and exciting, this region makes you forget the busy cobbled streets and embrace the panoramic mountain top views as they stretch out over the Caribbean Sea.
Think dramatic peaks, deep valleys, and rich forests housing unique wildlife. Those eager to capture some of the area’s unmatched views can take a hike up to Pico Turquino – the highest point in Cuba – offering one of the country’s most rewarding views at the top.
Beyond its obvious beauty, the Sierra Maestra is also the birthplace of key moments throughout Cuba’s revolutionary history, giving every path, hike, and trail a sense of historic prevalence and/or cultural significance.
Since the 1500s, many wars and conflicts that shaped the island’s revolutionary history have been fought within the mountains and valleys of this region. The Tainos Resistance Movement, Ten Years War, Cuban War of Independence and multiple other resistance movements against Cuba’s government are all examples of the history this mountain range has witnessed.
An excellent hideaway and launching destination for Guerrilla warfare, the valleys and wildlife played an important role in Fidel Castro’s movement with his rebel army, and, although the region today provides a peaceful and beautiful landscape to enjoy by travellers far and wide, the history of battles once fought live on through memorials and commemorations dotted throughout the area.
So, if the landscape’s adventure, culture, history and untouched natural beauty is drawing you in, why not visit the stunning Sierra Maestra, where you can discover a newfound connection with Cuba’s heart and spirit…
You see, visiting Cuba’s countryside offers a refreshing perspective that reaches far beyond the isles famous beaches and bustling cities. Where rhythms slow down, traditions come alive and landscapes reveal their undeniable beauty and back story. Exploring the countryside on your next visit will allow you to discover a deeper connection to Cuba, leaving you with lasting memories of a side of the island many travellers never get to see.
Love Cuba is the UK’s leading Cuba holiday specialist. Click here for more information on Cuba holidays, Multi Centre Cuba Holidays or Tailor Made Cuba Holidays – please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team of Cuba holiday specialists on 0207 071 3636 or email: enquiries@lovecuba.com today.
