Cuba is the language of communication. Description of Cubes

Cuba, like all countries, is influenced by the past. The official languages \u200b\u200bare Spanish, Creole, English is all who once lived in Cuba. At the end of the 15th century, Spain discovered Cuba and colonized it. It was used as a port for the repair of Spanish ships on their way to the New World. When the Spaniards arrived, they brought their tongue with them. Even today, on paper, Cubans use traditional Castilian Spanish. Unlike the Spaniards. Nevertheless, they follow the traditional Spanish in the abbreviation "have their own words." In other words, they do not pronounce many syllables at the end of words

Common words and phrases:
Russian	Pronunciation	Spanish
Sorry	Excuse mi	perdón
Yes	Si	sí
thank	Gracias	Gracias
You are welcome	Por favor	Por favor,
input	Entrada	entrada
What time is it?	Ke ora es?	¿Cuánto tiempo?
Good	Bien	bueno
No	But	no
Restroom	Serviceio	WC
Output	Salida	salida
excuse me	Perdone	triste
I do not understand	But entendo	no entiendo
Closed	Cerrado	cerrado
Open	Avierto	abierto
Greetings / Farewell:
How are you?	Ke Tal?	¿Cómo estás?
Hello	Buenos dias	¡Hola
Good morning!	Buenos dias	¡Buenos días!
Good afternoon!	Buenas Tardes	¡Buen día!
Good	Mui bien	bueno
Hi	Ola	¡Hola
Bye	Adios	despedida
Good evening!	Buenos Noches	¡Buenas noches!
Till	Ola	mientras
Travel / Station / Airport:
Police	polisia	policía
Hotel	hotel	hotel
Pharmacy	Farmasia	farmacia
Bus stop	La estacion de autobuses	parada de autobús
Passport control	El control de pasaportes	control de pasaporte
Supermarket	El supermercado	supermercado
Customs	La aduana	aduana
Railway station	La estacion de trance	Estación de f / ferrocarril
Where is?	Donde esta	¿Dónde está?
Where can I buy tickets?	Donde se puede comprar entradas?	¿Dónde puedo comprar las entradas?
City Travel / Transportation:
I want to rent a car	Quiero alkylar un coce	Quiero alquilar un coche
Take me to the airport	Liemée al aeropuerto	Llévame al aeropuerto
Stop here, please	Pare Aki Por Favor	Deténgase aquí, por favor
Take me to the hotel	Liemae al hotel	Llévame al hotel
Where can I get a taxi?	Donde Puedo Kocher Un Taxi	¿Dónde puedo conseguir un taxi?
In a hotel:
Single Number	Abitacion individual	Habitación individual
I reserved a hotel room	Tengo Una Abitason Rreservada	Yo reservé una habitación en el
Room for two	Abitacion con dos Camas	Doble
Do you have rooms available?	Tienen unibacy libre	¿Tiene habitaciones disponibles?
In the Restaurant:
Wine	Wine	vino
The check, please	La Quenta, Port Favor	cuenta favor
Do you have a table for two (three, four) people?	Tienen unames para-dos (tres, cuatro) parsonas?	¿Tiene una mesa para dos (tres, cuatro) personas?
Coffee	Cafe	café
Beer	Cervesa	cerveza
Waiter	Camarero	camarero
I want to reserve a table	Quiero Rreservar Una Mesa	Quiero reservar una mesa
Tea	Te	té
Numerals:
Six	ses	seis
One	it	uno
Three	tres	tres
Four	zuatro	cuatro
Seven	sete	siete
Fourteen	tsatorce	catorce
Eleven	once	once
Thousand	miles	mil
Two	dos	dos
Twelve	associate professor	doce
Eight	ocho	ocho
Five	zinc	cinco
Twenty	vente	veinte
Thirteen	trez	trece
Hundred	cent	ciento
Ten	des	diez
Nine	nueve	nueve

Liberty Island Cuba is loved by tourists for its luxurious nature, excellent beaches and a host of colonial and revolutionary attractions. The white-stone beauty of Havana, the spa resorts of Varadero and Holguin, rum, cigars and Fidel - all about Cuba: tours, relaxation, prices and maps.

• New Year Tours  all over the world
• Hot tours  all over the world

Perhaps some still remember how they decoded the name of this country about 15 years ago: "Communism off the coast of America." No jokes, but Cuba really remains one of the few strongholds of a bright socialist ideology with such familiar attributes: the legendary Commander Che and his livelier all-living follower, an external ideological enemy in the person of the States and the unprecedented patriotism of local residents. There are, however, radical differences from the USSR - a steady influx of tourists all year round, hotels with a high level of service and rich entertainment opportunities: diving, snorkeling, boat trips and further on the list. Plus, of course, we will not forget about the famous rum and cigars. The latter, by the way, secretly smoked (and smokes) the very ideologically hostile leadership, despite the Freedom Island embargo.

Time difference with Moscow

- 7 hourswinter −8 hours

• with Kaliningrad

• with Samara

• with Ekaterinburg

• with Omsk

• with Krasnoyarsk

• with Irkutsk

• with Yakutsk

• with Vladivostok

• with North Kuril

• with Kamchatka

Climate

Maps of Cuba

Visa and customs

For a tourist trip of up to 30 days, citizens of Russia and Belarus do not need a visa to Cuba. For your own peace, you should pre-arrange travel health insurance for the entire duration of the trip.

To enter Cuba at the border, you need to fill out a migration card (in duplicate - the second one is presented upon departure), a return ticket and confirmation of financial viability at the rate of 50 USD per day per person (a simple credit card statement is suitable). Hotel reservation is not required, but be prepared to answer the question of where you plan to stay.

Duty-free import of 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco is allowed; 3 bottles of alcoholic drinks; Perfumes, medicines and household items - within personal needs. One photo and video camera is also imported duty-free (plus 5 cassettes for each). It is forbidden to import drugs, pornography and firearms (with the exception of sports hunting rifles belonging to tourists who come to the country for this purpose and have the appropriate permit issued in Cuba upon arrival).

Fans of Cuban cigars should not forget about the following point: although they can be taken out as many as you like from the island with a check, according to our customs rules, you can bring in no more than 50 pieces.

You can take out up to 1000 CUP and up to 5000 USD without a declaration, no more than 23 cigars per person (if the cigars are sealed in a package with a hologram, bought in a special store that issues receipts and export permits, you can export as many as you like), no goods more than 1000 CUP (jewelry is exported only if there is a license issued in the store).

There is no tax free system in socialist Cuba.

The export of animals, cultural property, sea shells, antiquities, precious metals is prohibited. When buying jewelry or crocodile leather goods, it is necessary to require the seller a license to export, otherwise the goods will be seized during customs control. These licenses are usually issued only in stores. In markets where crocodile leather products cost 3-5 times less, but do not give export licenses, such products should not be purchased.

How to get to Cuba

The easiest and fastest way to get to Cuba is direct non-stop regular flights of Aeroflot Moscow - Havana (about 12 hours of flight, departure from Sheremetyevo). Other options: a transit flight through Paris with Air France to Havana, through Amsterdam with KLM, through Madrid with Iberia, through Frankfurt with Condor to Havana and Varadero and other European carriers. The road will take from 16 to 20 hours.

The flight from the CIS countries is carried out either through Moscow, or with a connection in European cities.

If tourists fly with KLM, they will have to spend the night in Amsterdam due to the inconvenient connection of flights. To do this, you need to apply for a transit visa, as well as book a hotel in advance. It is more convenient to stay in the center of Amsterdam: the time of a railway crossing from the airport to the station in the city center is only 20 minutes.

Search for flights to Cuba

Transport

Public transport in the country is underdeveloped; the most convenient way is to rent a car. Cubans themselves often use hitchhiking to move around cities or around the country.

Public transport

Buses are considered the main city transport, but they can be recommended only to extremals: stops are not indicated at all, it is almost impossible to find them, buses are jam-packed, and they do not have a clear schedule and routes. Buses - in Havana they are called camallos (due to their external resemblance to camels) - stop every 4 blocks. The fare is 3-5 CUC, it is not recommended to check with the driver - he will suspect a tourist in you and take much more. Prices on the page are for September 2018.

For tourists there are special "tourist" taxis - these are always modern and serviceable cars. They can be ordered from any hotel or simply by phone; the fare is paid only in dollars. The cost of the trip is from 0.5 to 1 USD for each km of the way. Ordinary taxis that take pesos are fairly old cars, and there are not many. Finally, there are also “bombers” in Cuba. Their prices are slightly lower than those of state taxi drivers, but there are no quality guarantees.

Long-distance traffic

Locals often hitchhike around the country. In Cuba, there is even a law stating that government cars are required to take hitchhikers on board if there are empty seats in the car. The implementation of this rule is closely monitored by special people, such as our traffic cops.

In all major cities of Cuba there are bus stations from where intercity buses depart. Unlike city transport, they run more or less on a schedule. The budget option is Astro Bus. The bus fleet leaves much to be desired, but a trip from Havana to Varadero will cost only 8-10 CUC. Viazul Bus is a more modern park, and buses even have air conditioning. Fares are higher: from Havana to Varadero a ticket will cost 8-15 USD. The company has its own website (translated into English) where you can buy tickets online. In other cases, tickets are purchased at the box office at the station, and this must be done in advance.

Rent a Car

Cuba Hotels

Consulate General in Havana: 5-a Avenida esq. a 66, No. 318, Miramar, La Habana ,; tel .: 204-10-74, 204-10-85.

Police: 116 and 820-116, ambulance: 242-811, fire brigade: 811-115, airport information desk: 45-31-33.

• Is Cuba suitable for an individual traveler
• How to call from a Russian number to a local city number in Havana

Previous photo 1/ 1 Next photo

Beaches of cuba

The beaches in Cuba are some of the best on the planet: sandy, with convenient access to the sea, many are marked with the Blue Flag, in addition, they are all municipal and free.

Most hotels on the coast have separate protected areas of the beach, where you can hardly find the local population. Sun beds and umbrellas are free of charge.

You can safely go to any resort and be satisfied. But if you choose the ideal of the best, then you should pay attention to the following beaches:

The longest beach in Cuba is Varadero: almost 22 km of snow-white sand with sunbeds, umbrellas, beach cafes and other tourist infrastructure. Almost all the beaches here are at hotels, so there are always clean and there are no suspicious strangers. Varadero is perhaps the most fun and noisy resort in Cuba, there are many discos here, so young and not-so-party-goers should go here. Varadero is also suitable for tourists who prefer an all-inclusive holiday - most of these hotels are concentrated here.

For families with children, the beach "Santa Lucia" is suitable (about 110 km northeast of the city of Camaguey). It has a comfortable shallow sandy bottom, there are no waves, and since there is no way to get to this beach by regular buses, there are not many people even in high season. These are very calm and beautiful places, but for fans of extreme sports there is also entertainment: diving with sharks.

Cuisine and restaurants of Cuba

Creole cuisine is common on the island, the main ingredients of which are pork and chicken, cooked in various ways. One of the most popular national dishes is “Creole Akhiako” - pork with vegetables and lots of spices. It is also worth trying lobsters with lemon, crocodile or tortoise dishes, tortoise eggs. In Cuba, a lot of fruit is prepared and served for almost every dish. Coffee is brewed very strong and sweet.

National drinks - Cuban rum and numerous cocktails based on it: mojito, Cuba libre, daiquiri and many others.

There are few restaurants in the classical sense of the word in Cuba, and they are all located in tourist areas and resorts. They usually accept credit cards, but disruptions are not uncommon, so it is best to go with cash (convertible pesos). The average bill in a good restaurant is about 30-40 CUP per person without drinks, in a budget one you can meet 10-15 CUP. There are also many pizzerias and hamburger eateries in Cuba. You can eat there cheaply (2-5 CUP) and often around the clock, but only for cash. Another story is Cuban bars. Most of them are very colorful and with history, they do not feed there (maximum nuts and chips), but you must try all daiquiri.

Guides in Cuba

Entertainment and Attractions

There are not so many cultural attractions in Cuba as in other countries, much was destroyed by the Spanish colonialists in the 16th century. The main wealth of the island is its natural beauty. Picturesque landscapes, national parks and an amazing underwater world - this is what attracts thousands of tourists to Cuba every year.

Historical sights are concentrated in cities, most of them, of course, in the capital - Havana. The most interesting region from the point of view of tourism is Old Havana, listed by UNESCO on the World Heritage List of mankind. You should definitely see the Cathedral of St. Christopher, the Havana Capitol - larger than Washington in size. Also interesting are the city squares: the Armory (Plaza de Armas), the Cathedral (Plaza de la Catedral) and the Old (Plaza Vieja), around which there are old buildings and structures, as well as the Jose Marti Revolution Square with a memorial and an obelisk . At the top of the latter is the highest observation deck in the city.

The province of Havana will be especially interesting for fans of ecological and adventure tourism, there are many quiet secluded beaches. In the area of \u200b\u200bEscaleras de Haruko there are many caves and steep cliffs: it is good for lovers of speleology. You can visit the Museum of Humor in San Antonio de los Banos, and the coastal village of Santa Cruz del Norte is famous for producing the famous Havana Club rum.

In the city of Santa Clara (province of Villa Clara) is a memorial to them. Che Guevara and his remains are stored. In the small town of Remedios, the Carnival Museum of the city, the Alejandro Garcia Caturla Museum of Music and the main parish church of St. John the Baptist, which is considered one of the most curious in Cuba, are noteworthy.

The city of Pinar del Rio in the province of the same name is interesting for its Museum of Natural Sciences, the Guache Palace, the Milanes Theater and the Francisco Donatien Cigar Factory.

Huventud Island is the second largest in the Cuban archipelago. Here is the famous Los Indios San Felipe Nature Reserve with unique flora and fauna, Presidio Modelo Prison, a copy of the Joliet American Prison in Illinois (Fidel Castro was serving a prison sentence), and Punta National Marine Park Frances ”and the international diving center“ El Coloni ”.

In the province of Matanzas, in addition to caves with cave paintings, it is worth visiting the provincial capital of the same name. Must visit: Vihia Square (the city’s founding place), Liberty Square, Montserrat Chapel (built in the image of a temple in Catalonia), San Severino Castle (because of its size it is considered one of the main Spanish fortresses in America) and the ruins of “Triumvirato” - there in the 19th century there was the largest uprising of African slaves in Cuban history. The main attractions of the Zapata Peninsula: the village of Taino Indians in Guam, the nursery of crocodiles in La Boca, the nature reserves of Santo Tomas and La Salina, as well as the Historical Museum on Playa Giron.

You still need to make a trip to the amazingly beautiful national parks of Cuba.

New Year (January 1), on the contrary, is celebrated noisily and merrily. On this night, beach discos are open, concerts and parties are held, they are especially suitable for business in big cities.

January 2 is the most important day in the country - the Day of Liberation and Victory of the Cuban Revolution. This is an official day off in the whole country, solemn processions take place in the cities, the president makes a pathos speech, Cubans congratulate everyone on the street in a row, and all ends with public festivities before dawn.

The country is very fond of the holidays inherited from the communist era. It is still celebrated May Day as it was customary in the Soviet Union - with demonstrations, flowers, peppy patriotic songs and walks around the city. July 26 is celebrated as National Uprising Day, also with parades and demonstrations, and October 10 is Independence Day: the main venue is a monument to Carlos Manuel Cespedes (“father of the Motherland”, one of the leaders of the Cuban Ten Years War against the Spanish colonialists) in Havana Square, to whom flowers are laid. Nobody works that day either.

In July and August in Cuba, you can visit two carnivals at once - in Havana and Santiago de Cuba.

On weekends, from July 15 to August 15, Cuba hosts perhaps the most colorful and fun event of the year: the Havana Carnival. These days in the capital freaks gather from all over the country, dress up in costumes, dance, drink daiquiri and have fun in every possible way literally around the clock. Many act as teams and prepare for the carnival in advance in order to surely overshadow all the other participants in the dance. Another carnival takes place at the end of July in the city of Santiago de Cuba. The scenario is the same: dress up, drink and dance. It is very convenient that both holidays fall at about the same time: you can visit both carnivals on the same trip.

In the first week of December, Cuba hosts one of the most important cultural events for the entire Hispanic population of the planet - the Festival of New Latin American Cinema. In terms of prestige, this film award is equated to an Oscar - for directors, actors and other cinema workers, it is a great honor to be awarded this award.

And at the end of February, smokers from all over the world come to Havana, as the International Festival of Cuban Cigars is held here. It lasts 5 days, at this time guided tours of factories and tobacco plantations, auctions and competitions, as well as concerts, presentations and festive receptions, where you can taste a variety of cigars with a glass of wine or rum.

Until that momentous moment when the sailors of Columbus landed in Baracoa Bay, Indian tribes lived peacefully on Liberty Island. Colonization brought complete extermination of the indigenous population and the official language of Cuba became Spanish. Its Cuban variety is called Espanol Cubano. The dialects and dialects of slaves from Africa imported to work on sugarcane plantations, immigrants from Mexico, Haiti and Louisiana influenced the formation of the language of modern Cubans.

Some statistics and facts

• The population of Liberty Island is 11.5 million.
• The Cuban language, despite numerous features, is quite understandable to a person who knows Spanish. Nuances are among the second person pronouns and in some phonetic features of pronunciation.
• In Cuba, there are a huge number of people who speak Russian. This is a generation that studied in higher education during the USSR. They still remember the Russian language and, if necessary, willingly help tourists.
• English is still not held in high esteem on Liberty Island and it is mainly owned by the staff of large hotels in the resort areas of Varadero, Trinidad and Holguin.

Experienced travelers are advised to take a trip to Cuba, especially when it comes to an independent tour, a Russian-Spanish phrasebook.

The language of great discoveries

Spanish is widespread in the world much wider than other languages \u200b\u200bof the Romance group and the number of speakers in it takes second place after native Chinese speakers. More than 548 million people on our planet speak Spanish.
  It is Spanish that is called the language of great discoveries, because it was spoken by most sailors who discovered new continents and islands in the 16th-17th centuries.
  The spoken and even written official language of Cuba contains a large number of words that are characteristic only of the local dialect. They are called "cubanisms." Residents of the island prefer to say "you" even to unfamiliar and older people, but this is not considered a manifestation of disrespect.

Translation difficulties

Bearing in mind the not very popular English, it is worth studying the names of dishes in the official language of Cuba in order to know what to choose in the restaurant menu. It is good if the tourist remembers how the numbers are pronounced in Spanish. This way you can avoid misunderstanding in communication with taxi drivers and sellers in the market.

Liberty Island Cuba is loved by tourists for its luxurious nature, excellent beaches and a host of colonial and revolutionary attractions. The white-stone beauty of Havana, the spa resorts of Varadero and Holguin, rum, cigars and Fidel - all about Cuba: tours, relaxation, prices and maps.

• New Year Tours  all over the world
• Hot tours  all over the world

Perhaps some still remember how they decoded the name of this country about 15 years ago: "Communism off the coast of America." No jokes, but Cuba really remains one of the few strongholds of a bright socialist ideology with such familiar attributes: the legendary Commander Che and his livelier all-living follower, an external ideological enemy in the person of the States and the unprecedented patriotism of local residents. There are, however, radical differences from the USSR - a steady influx of tourists all year round, hotels with a high level of service and rich entertainment opportunities: diving, snorkeling, boat trips and further on the list. Plus, of course, we will not forget about the famous rum and cigars. The latter, by the way, secretly smoked (and smokes) the very ideologically hostile leadership, despite the Freedom Island embargo.

Time difference with Moscow

- 7 hourswinter −8 hours

• with Kaliningrad

• with Samara

• with Ekaterinburg

• with Omsk

• with Krasnoyarsk

• with Irkutsk

• with Yakutsk

• with Vladivostok

• with North Kuril

• with Kamchatka

Climate

Maps of Cuba

Visa and customs

For a tourist trip of up to 30 days, citizens of Russia and Belarus do not need a visa to Cuba. For your own peace, you should pre-arrange travel health insurance for the entire duration of the trip.

To enter Cuba at the border, you need to fill out a migration card (in duplicate - the second one is presented upon departure), a return ticket and confirmation of financial viability at the rate of 50 USD per day per person (a simple credit card statement is suitable). Hotel reservation is not required, but be prepared to answer the question of where you plan to stay.

Duty-free import of 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco is allowed; 3 bottles of alcoholic drinks; Perfumes, medicines and household items - within personal needs. One photo and video camera is also imported duty-free (plus 5 cassettes for each). It is forbidden to import drugs, pornography and firearms (with the exception of sports hunting rifles belonging to tourists who come to the country for this purpose and have the appropriate permit issued in Cuba upon arrival).

Fans of Cuban cigars should not forget about the following point: although they can be taken out as many as you like from the island with a check, according to our customs rules, you can bring in no more than 50 pieces.

You can take out up to 1000 CUP and up to 5000 USD without a declaration, no more than 23 cigars per person (if the cigars are sealed in a package with a hologram, bought in a special store that issues receipts and export permits, you can export as many as you like), no goods more than 1000 CUP (jewelry is exported only if there is a license issued in the store).

There is no tax free system in socialist Cuba.

The export of animals, cultural property, sea shells, antiquities, precious metals is prohibited. When buying jewelry or crocodile leather goods, it is necessary to require the seller a license to export, otherwise the goods will be seized during customs control. These licenses are usually issued only in stores. In markets where crocodile leather products cost 3-5 times less, but do not give export licenses, such products should not be purchased.

How to get to Cuba

The easiest and fastest way to get to Cuba is direct non-stop regular flights of Aeroflot Moscow - Havana (about 12 hours of flight, departure from Sheremetyevo). Other options: a transit flight through Paris with Air France to Havana, through Amsterdam with KLM, through Madrid with Iberia, through Frankfurt with Condor to Havana and Varadero and other European carriers. The road will take from 16 to 20 hours.

The flight from the CIS countries is carried out either through Moscow, or with a connection in European cities.

If tourists fly with KLM, they will have to spend the night in Amsterdam due to the inconvenient connection of flights. To do this, you need to apply for a transit visa, as well as book a hotel in advance. It is more convenient to stay in the center of Amsterdam: the time of a railway crossing from the airport to the station in the city center is only 20 minutes.

Search for flights to Cuba

Transport

Public transport in the country is underdeveloped; the most convenient way is to rent a car. Cubans themselves often use hitchhiking to move around cities or around the country.

Public transport

Buses are considered the main city transport, but they can be recommended only to extremals: stops are not indicated at all, it is almost impossible to find them, buses are jam-packed, and they do not have a clear schedule and routes. Buses - in Havana they are called camallos (due to their external resemblance to camels) - stop every 4 blocks. The fare is 3-5 CUC, it is not recommended to check with the driver - he will suspect a tourist in you and take much more. Prices on the page are for September 2018.

For tourists there are special "tourist" taxis - these are always modern and serviceable cars. They can be ordered from any hotel or simply by phone; the fare is paid only in dollars. The cost of the trip is from 0.5 to 1 USD for each km of the way. Ordinary taxis that take pesos are fairly old cars, and there are not many. Finally, there are also “bombers” in Cuba. Their prices are slightly lower than those of state taxi drivers, but there are no quality guarantees.

Long-distance traffic

Locals often hitchhike around the country. In Cuba, there is even a law stating that government cars are required to take hitchhikers on board if there are empty seats in the car. The implementation of this rule is closely monitored by special people, such as our traffic cops.

In all major cities of Cuba there are bus stations from where intercity buses depart. Unlike city transport, they run more or less on a schedule. The budget option is Astro Bus. The bus fleet leaves much to be desired, but a trip from Havana to Varadero will cost only 8-10 CUC. Viazul Bus is a more modern park, and buses even have air conditioning. Fares are higher: from Havana to Varadero a ticket will cost 8-15 USD. The company has its own website (translated into English) where you can buy tickets online. In other cases, tickets are purchased at the box office at the station, and this must be done in advance.

Rent a Car

Cuba Hotels

Consulate General in Havana: 5-a Avenida esq. a 66, No. 318, Miramar, La Habana ,; tel .: 204-10-74, 204-10-85.

Police: 116 and 820-116, ambulance: 242-811, fire brigade: 811-115, airport information desk: 45-31-33.

• Is Cuba suitable for an individual traveler
• How to call from a Russian number to a local city number in Havana

Previous photo 1/ 1 Next photo

Beaches of cuba

The beaches in Cuba are some of the best on the planet: sandy, with convenient access to the sea, many are marked with the Blue Flag, in addition, they are all municipal and free.

Most hotels on the coast have separate protected areas of the beach, where you can hardly find the local population. Sun beds and umbrellas are free of charge.

You can safely go to any resort and be satisfied. But if you choose the ideal of the best, then you should pay attention to the following beaches:

The longest beach in Cuba is Varadero: almost 22 km of snow-white sand with sunbeds, umbrellas, beach cafes and other tourist infrastructure. Almost all the beaches here are at hotels, so there are always clean and there are no suspicious strangers. Varadero is perhaps the most fun and noisy resort in Cuba, there are many discos here, so young and not-so-party-goers should go here. Varadero is also suitable for tourists who prefer an all-inclusive holiday - most of these hotels are concentrated here.

For families with children, the beach "Santa Lucia" is suitable (about 110 km northeast of the city of Camaguey). It has a comfortable shallow sandy bottom, there are no waves, and since there is no way to get to this beach by regular buses, there are not many people even in high season. These are very calm and beautiful places, but for fans of extreme sports there is also entertainment: diving with sharks.

Cuisine and restaurants of Cuba

Creole cuisine is common on the island, the main ingredients of which are pork and chicken, cooked in various ways. One of the most popular national dishes is “Creole Akhiako” - pork with vegetables and lots of spices. It is also worth trying lobsters with lemon, crocodile or tortoise dishes, tortoise eggs. In Cuba, a lot of fruit is prepared and served for almost every dish. Coffee is brewed very strong and sweet.

National drinks - Cuban rum and numerous cocktails based on it: mojito, Cuba libre, daiquiri and many others.

There are few restaurants in the classical sense of the word in Cuba, and they are all located in tourist areas and resorts. They usually accept credit cards, but disruptions are not uncommon, so it is best to go with cash (convertible pesos). The average bill in a good restaurant is about 30-40 CUP per person without drinks, in a budget one you can meet 10-15 CUP. There are also many pizzerias and hamburger eateries in Cuba. You can eat there cheaply (2-5 CUP) and often around the clock, but only for cash. Another story is Cuban bars. Most of them are very colorful and with history, they do not feed there (maximum nuts and chips), but you must try all daiquiri.

Guides in Cuba

Entertainment and Attractions

There are not so many cultural attractions in Cuba as in other countries, much was destroyed by the Spanish colonialists in the 16th century. The main wealth of the island is its natural beauty. Picturesque landscapes, national parks and an amazing underwater world - this is what attracts thousands of tourists to Cuba every year.

Historical sights are concentrated in cities, most of them, of course, in the capital - Havana. The most interesting region from the point of view of tourism is Old Havana, listed by UNESCO on the World Heritage List of mankind. You should definitely see the Cathedral of St. Christopher, the Havana Capitol - larger than Washington in size. Also interesting are the city squares: the Armory (Plaza de Armas), the Cathedral (Plaza de la Catedral) and the Old (Plaza Vieja), around which there are old buildings and structures, as well as the Jose Marti Revolution Square with a memorial and an obelisk . At the top of the latter is the highest observation deck in the city.

The province of Havana will be especially interesting for fans of ecological and adventure tourism, there are many quiet secluded beaches. In the area of \u200b\u200bEscaleras de Haruko there are many caves and steep cliffs: it is good for lovers of speleology. You can visit the Museum of Humor in San Antonio de los Banos, and the coastal village of Santa Cruz del Norte is famous for producing the famous Havana Club rum.

In the city of Santa Clara (province of Villa Clara) is a memorial to them. Che Guevara and his remains are stored. In the small town of Remedios, the Carnival Museum of the city, the Alejandro Garcia Caturla Museum of Music and the main parish church of St. John the Baptist, which is considered one of the most curious in Cuba, are noteworthy.

The city of Pinar del Rio in the province of the same name is interesting for its Museum of Natural Sciences, the Guache Palace, the Milanes Theater and the Francisco Donatien Cigar Factory.

Huventud Island is the second largest in the Cuban archipelago. Here is the famous Los Indios San Felipe Nature Reserve with unique flora and fauna, Presidio Modelo Prison, a copy of the Joliet American Prison in Illinois (Fidel Castro was serving a prison sentence), and Punta National Marine Park Frances ”and the international diving center“ El Coloni ”.

In the province of Matanzas, in addition to caves with cave paintings, it is worth visiting the provincial capital of the same name. Must visit: Vihia Square (the city’s founding place), Liberty Square, Montserrat Chapel (built in the image of a temple in Catalonia), San Severino Castle (because of its size it is considered one of the main Spanish fortresses in America) and the ruins of “Triumvirato” - there in the 19th century there was the largest uprising of African slaves in Cuban history. The main attractions of the Zapata Peninsula: the village of Taino Indians in Guam, the nursery of crocodiles in La Boca, the nature reserves of Santo Tomas and La Salina, as well as the Historical Museum on Playa Giron.

You still need to make a trip to the amazingly beautiful national parks of Cuba.

New Year (January 1), on the contrary, is celebrated noisily and merrily. On this night, beach discos are open, concerts and parties are held, they are especially suitable for business in big cities.

January 2 is the most important day in the country - the Day of Liberation and Victory of the Cuban Revolution. This is an official day off in the whole country, solemn processions take place in the cities, the president makes a pathos speech, Cubans congratulate everyone on the street in a row, and all ends with public festivities before dawn.

The country is very fond of the holidays inherited from the communist era. It is still celebrated May Day as it was customary in the Soviet Union - with demonstrations, flowers, peppy patriotic songs and walks around the city. July 26 is celebrated as National Uprising Day, also with parades and demonstrations, and October 10 is Independence Day: the main venue is a monument to Carlos Manuel Cespedes (“father of the Motherland”, one of the leaders of the Cuban Ten Years War against the Spanish colonialists) in Havana Square, to whom flowers are laid. Nobody works that day either.

In July and August in Cuba, you can visit two carnivals at once - in Havana and Santiago de Cuba.

On weekends, from July 15 to August 15, Cuba hosts perhaps the most colorful and fun event of the year: the Havana Carnival. These days in the capital freaks gather from all over the country, dress up in costumes, dance, drink daiquiri and have fun in every possible way literally around the clock. Many act as teams and prepare for the carnival in advance in order to surely overshadow all the other participants in the dance. Another carnival takes place at the end of July in the city of Santiago de Cuba. The scenario is the same: dress up, drink and dance. It is very convenient that both holidays fall at about the same time: you can visit both carnivals on the same trip.

In the first week of December, Cuba hosts one of the most important cultural events for the entire Hispanic population of the planet - the Festival of New Latin American Cinema. In terms of prestige, this film award is equated to an Oscar - for directors, actors and other cinema workers, it is a great honor to be awarded this award.

And at the end of February, smokers from all over the world come to Havana, as the International Festival of Cuban Cigars is held here. It lasts 5 days, at this time guided tours of factories and tobacco plantations, auctions and competitions, as well as concerts, presentations and festive receptions, where you can taste a variety of cigars with a glass of wine or rum.

Liberty Island was discovered by Christopher Columbus on October 27, 1492. After that, the Spaniards tried to colonize it for four centuries, and turn it into their overseas province. The British and Americans also wanted to succeed in this later. However, none of them managed to establish their own rules there. Therefore, now they say about Cuba that it is the “Island of Freedom”. Cuba is famous all over the world for its carnivals, dances, songs, boxing, volleyball, Cuban cigars and Cuban rum, the beautiful sea and magnificent beaches.

Geography of cuba

The island nation of Cuba is located in the Caribbean. It consists of the islands of Cuba, Huventud and several other archipelagos. The United States is 180 kilometers north of Cuba, and Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic are located south and southeast. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe country is 110,860 square meters. km

The island of Cuba is the largest island in the entire Caribbean. Most of its territory is plains. Only in the west, in the center and in the southeast can mountain systems be found. The highest peak is Turkino peak in the Sierra Maestra mountain range, whose height reaches 1,974 meters.

The coast of the island of Cuba is indented with picturesque bays and bays, and near the coast there are beautiful coral reefs. In general, near Cuba, there are about 4,000 thousand islands and reefs.

Capital

Havana is the capital of the state of Cuba. More than 2.3 million people now live in this city. Havana was founded by the Spaniards in 1515 on the site of an ancient Indian settlement.

The official language of Cuba

The official language is Spanish.

Religion

More than 60% of the population consider themselves Catholics, but only about 5% of them regularly attend church.

Government structure

According to the 1992 Constitution, Cuba is a socialist republic in which the Communist Party is the “leading force of society and the state”. The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba also serves as the President of that State.

The local parliament is called the National Assembly, it consists of 609 deputies, elected for a 5-year term. Executive power belongs to the State Council and the Council of Ministers, consisting of 31 ministers.

Administratively, the country is divided into 15 provinces, which in turn are divided into 168 municipalities, and one special municipality (Huventud).

Climate and weather

The climate is subtropical, the average annual air temperature is about + 27C. The hurricane season lasts from July to mid-November. Hurricanes and tropical storms most commonly occur in September and October.

You can relax in Cuba almost all year round, but the best time is during the winter months when there is no rain.

Average air temperature in Cuba:

1. january - + 26C
2. february - + 27C
3. march - + 28С
4. april - + 29С
5. may - + 31C
6. june - + 30C
7. july - + 30C
8. august - + 32C
9. september - + 31C
10. october - + 29С
11. november - + 27С
12. december - + 26C

Sea in Cuba

The island of Cuba is surrounded on all sides by the Caribbean Sea. Beautiful coral reefs are located off the coast.

The average temperature of the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Cuba:

1. january - + 25C
2. february - + 24C
3. march - + 24C
4. april - + 26C
5. may - + 27C
6. june - + 27С
7. july - + 28С
8. august - + 28С
9. september - + 28С
10. october - + 28С
11. november - + 27С
12. december - + 27C

Rivers and lakes

Several rivers flow through Cuba. The largest of them is the Kauto River, which begins in the Sierra Maestra Mountains in the province of Santiago (its length is 370 km). The river Almendares flows through Havana, providing the capital with drinking water. In general, on this island there are several hundred rivers and small streams.

History of cuba

October 27, 1492 Christopher Columbus landed in Cuba, and from then on the modern history of this island begins, and then the state. At the beginning of the XVII century, Diego Velazquez founded the first seven settlement cities on the island - Baracoa, Bayamo, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Sancti Spiritus, Camaguey and Havana. In the process of colonization, the Spaniards almost completely destroyed the indigenous population. Over the 4 centuries of Spanish rule, tens of thousands of slaves from Africa were brought into Cuba.

The Spanish occupation of Cuba ended only at the end of the 19th century, but the country fell into political dependence on the United States.

On January 1, 1959, the Revolution triumphed in Cuba, and the country took the path of building socialism. One of the leaders of the Revolution, along with Camilo Cienfuegos and Ernesto Che Guevara, was Fidel Castro.

In April 1961, the Americans attempted to overthrow the Cuban government led by Fidel Castro, but their mercenaries were defeated in the Gulf of Pigs.

Some capitalist countries, including the United States, have not yet lifted economic sanctions against Cuba, which impedes the development of this amazing country.

Culture

The culture of Cuba has developed under Spanish, African, French and Asian influences, and is therefore known for its diversity. This country has become home to many musical styles and dances, among them the most popular are mambo and cha-cha-cha.

However, Cuba in the world is known not only for music and dancing, but also for sports achievements in boxing and volleyball. Sports can also be considered a reflection of cultural traditions.

Cuba cannot be imagined without festivals. For example, every summer in Havana the famous “Carnival of Chariots” is held, during which special scenic venues with music and dance groups travel for three days along the streets of the Cuban capital, as well as street processions of musicians are held. In general, the carnival in Havana lasts, as a rule, 12 days, and the legendary cabaret Tropicana, founded in 1939, takes part in it.

Also in Havana, summer fairs of folk crafts are regularly held, in which various musical, dance and theater groups participate.

Every September, Santiago de Cuba hosts the Festival del Son, a festival of traditional Cuban music. This holiday lasts four days.

Cuban Cuisine

The cuisine of Cuba has developed under the strong influence of Spanish culinary traditions. Many Cuban dishes are very similar to those served in Andalusia (southern Spain). However, African, Portuguese, French, Arab and even Chinese culinary traditions also influenced Cuban cuisine.

The main foods are potatoes, malanga, yucca, wheat, fish and seafood (especially lobsters), meat (chicken and pork), rice, bananas, vegetables, beans. Spicy spices are rarely used.

We recommend tourists to try “Moros y Cristianos” (black beans and rice), “Arroz con Pollo” (yellow rice with chicken), “Ropa Vieja” (pieces of beef fillet), “Ajiaco” (vegetable stew with meat and garlic), “ Fufú ”(mashed boiled green banana, often served with meat),“ Piccadillo ”(spiced beef with tomatoes and onions). Popular desserts are Helado (ice cream) and Galletas (sweet cookies).

The traditional soft drink is coffee. The best Cuban coffee grows in the Sierra Maestra mountains.

Traditional alcoholic drinks - rum and cocktails with rum. Every self-respecting Cuban bartender should know at least 100 cocktail recipes with rum or other alcoholic beverages.

Sights of Cuba

Most of the monuments of Cuban culture belong to the colonial era. Several monuments are considered UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

1. Havana Vieja Historic Center and Fort (Havana)
2. Trinidad Old Town (Sancti Spiritus)
3. Sugar factories around Trinidad (Sancti Spiritus)
4. Fortifications of San Pedro de la Roca del Morro (Santiago de Cuba)
5. Ruins of a French coffee plantation La Gran Piedra (Santiago de Cuba)
6. National Park Desembarco del Granma

Of great interest among tourists are the national parks “Alexander Humboldt”, Almendares and Sierra Maestra, Los Indios Nature Reserve and Punta Frances Marine Park.

Cities and resorts

The largest cities are Santiago de Cuba, Camaguey, Santa Clara, Holguin, Bayamo, Cienfuegos, Guantanamo, Holguin, and, of course, Havana.

Cuba, for the whole world, is famous for its beach resorts, for which residents of Europe and North America come to relax. The most popular of them are Varadero, Cayo Guillermo, Cayo Coco, Cayo Largo and Holguin. For example, more than 1 million tourists, for example, relax in Varadero every year (about 45% of them are foreigners).

Most local resorts offer tourists a well-developed leisure infrastructure, with restaurants, discos, nightclubs and entertainment shows in hotels. All resorts have great beach activities, including diving, boat trips and boat trips.

Souvenirs / Shopping

The most popular souvenirs from Cuba are any items depicting Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, folk art, ceramics, Cuban coffee, coffee cups, Cuban cigars and rum.

Office hours

Banks:
  Mon-Fri: 09: 00-15: 00

The shops:
  Mon-Fri: 09: 00-17: 00
  Sat: 10: 00-14: 00

Museums:
  Tue-Sat: 09: 00-17: 00
  Sun: 08: 00-13: 00

Visa

Ukrainians need a visa to visit Cuba.

Currency

In Cuba, two currencies are in circulation - the Cuban Peso (CUP) and the Convertible Peso (CUC). Tourists must exchange dollars for convertible pesos. 100 dollars \u003d 87 CUC. In turn, 1 dollar \u003d approximately 24 Cuban pesos. Credit cards are not widespread.

Customs restrictions