Not to be missed! Our TOP 10 hits – from the absolute No. 1 to No. 10 – TOP 10 help you plan your tour of the most important sights. HABANA VIEJA P52 SANTIAGO DE CUBA P156 Stroll in the 500-year-old heart Cuba’s second largest city is the of Havana, past magnificent birthplace of both the Revolution palacios and colonial build- and the Cuban son style of music. ings, from one bar to the next, It is also where Castro announced accompanied by music. the victory of the rebels in 1959. VALLE DE VIÑALES P84 BARACOA P160 The world’s best tobacco (left) One of the oldest settlements in the grows in the shadow of the New World, this charming little green karst hills, mogotes, and colonial town lies hidden behind majestic royal palms – the entire high mountains and lush vegetation. valley is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. GRAN PARQUE NACIONAL SIERRA MAESTRA P164 TRINIDAD P108 You can follow in the footsteps of the A colonial gem with the pictur- rebels in this mountain range near esque and lively old town streets Santiago – and conquer the country’s lined with sugar baron mansions highest peak – the Pico Turquino. dating back to when Cuba was a major sugar producer. PARQUE NACIONAL ALEJANDRO DE HUMBOLDT TROPICANA CABARET P56 P166 Expect dazzling costumes, feather The national park named after the boas and chandeliers: a visit to famous naturalist is the last rainforest Cuba without seeing the famous in Cuba, home to many exotic flora dance show would be like a mojito and fauna species and a UNESCO without the mint. World Natural Heritage Site. VARADERO P112 FINCA LA VIGÍA P58 Dazzling white beaches, turquoise The villa once belonging to Ernest sea and endless sunshine: the Hemingway – who wrote some of popular holiday peninsula is a his most famous novels here – true “all-inclusive” paradise with is now a museum and place of luxurious hotels and private pilgrimage for his countless fans casas. and readers. The Magazine ALL ABOUT THE REVOLU TION In Santiago de Cuba on 26 July 1953 around one hundred men stormed the Moncada Barracks on Carnival Day. The rebellion against the hated Batista regime ended in failure and most of the men were imprisoned, tortured and murdered. In court Fidel Castro defended himself with the famous words: “Con- demn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me”. Omnipresent Che Guevara: a mural in Havana Fidel Castro Ruz, son of a wealthy plantation owner, was born on 13 August 1926 in Birán (P173) in eastern Cuba. His rebellious nature “Che” Guevara and founded the 26th of July Movement. Along with became evident while he was still studying law in Havana. In the 1940s, another 80 fi ghters (including his brother Raúl, who is today’s head of the bearded student leader demonstrated against the corrupt elite under state) he landed an overloaded yacht (P176) on the southeastern coast of Fulgenico Batista. Batista become a millionaire during his four years in Cuba on 2 December 1956. This operation was also a failure: the barbudos offi ce (from 1944) and took over the presidency following coup in 1952. (the bearded rebels) were expected by the Cuban Army and came under During this time the mass population in Cuba became increasing im- fi re. Only a handful survived and fl ed into the Sierra Maestra (P164). poverished and the opposition was brutally suppressed. In 1952 Fidel In the mountains, the guerrilleros and the charismatic Castro were Castro went underground with his anti-government activities. joined by an increasing number of farmers; government soldiers changed sides and even the CIA is believed Warfare in the Mountains to have provided fi nancial support “Condemn me… After the failed Moncada attack in 1953 (P158), imprisonment on the for the Cuban liberation move- Isla de la Juventud (P97) and his amnesty 20 months later, Fidel Castro ment. An offensive carried out by History will absolve went into exile in Mexico in 1955 where he met the Argentinian Ernesto 10,000 government soldiers against the around 350 rebels was me” Fidel Castro repulsed. Then things happened BACKGROUND INFORMATION quick and fast: Che Guevara and his rebels took control of Santa Clara You will fi nd more detailed information in the Museo de la Revolución in (P123) on 30 December. On New Year’s Eve Battista fl ed – with 40 mil- Havana (P69), at the Che Guevara monument and mausoleum (P123) in lion US dollars – to the Dominican Republic. Santa Clara and the Comandancia (P165) in the Sierra Maestra. Specifi c On the evening of 1 January 1959, Fidel Castro announced the victory information is also provided in the two small museums: of the Revolution in Santiago (P156). On 8 January he entered Havana – n Casa del Che: The small Che Museum is located in his former headquarters along with his fellow fi ghters, the compañeros – as the victorious leader of near the Statue of Christ (Ctra. del Cristo, Havana, Casablanca, Mon–Sat the Revolution in a triumphant procession. He was sworn in as the Prime 10–6, Sun until 1; CUC$6). Minister on 13 February, with Che Guevara as his economic advisor. n Museo del Ministerio del Interior (MININT): The Museum of the Interior Ministry deals with acts of sabotage and assassination attempts, among other “Hasta la Victoria Siempre” things (Ave. 5ta e/ 12 y 14, Havana; tel: 07-203-2122, Tue–Fri 9–5, Sat In 1959/60 the new regime’s fi rst reforms included a literacy campaign, until 4; CUC$2). the implementation of a free health care and education system, rental reforms, housing projects and an agrarian land reform that gave title deeds 10 11 Havana & Around Getting Your Bearings Getting Your Bearings No matter whether you want to follow in the footsteps of revolution- aries, or of world-famous authors (such as Ernest Hemingway and Graham Greene), or of Mafia bosses, or if you just want to be ex hilarated by salsa rhythms – La Habana, the UNESCO beauty 11 Fortaleza de San Carlos with its 2.3 million Habaneros, charms all visitors who engage with Castillo de San Salvador de la Cabaña de La Punta Canal de it and its quirks. Entrada Malecón Parque de los With its centuries-old 13 Mártires o fortresses and colonial e Parque Máximo ac M Cárcel de los Gómez palaces, dance cabarets o Av. del Puerto 0(San Pedro) 200 m ni ) Enamorados and one of the world’s to ón An ec 0 200 yd a al Parque most beautiful water- nid M ve ( Plaza Céspedes A 13 de Marzo fronts, the Cuban capital Refugio Tacón s Consulado offers more than enough Museo de la e Colón Revolución n o Cuarteles Parque i variety – with splendour s 14 i Luz Caballero and decay, exclusive Trocadero M Chacón Compostela s Habana Memorial a Castillo de la hotels and dreary peso l Pl. de la Real Fuerza Granma e Palacio Bernal d Catedral shops, villas and high- . de los Condes v Museo de A de Bayona rise buildings. Habana Paseo de Martí (Prado) Arte Colonial Palacio de Empedrado Pl. de Armas Vieja (Old Havana) is akin Crespo Bellas Artes Industria 1 Aguila Palacio de los Capitanes Generales Amistad Mercaderes to an open-air museum – HABANA VIEJA Museo de Oficios Automóvil sometimes with an over- Obispo San Ignacio Neptuno Parque O’Reilly Lonja del dose of staging – so if Central Obrapía Casa Comercio you want to get a feeling Habana Compostela de África Pl. de San Miguel Aguacate Avenida de Bélgica Lamparilla for the “real” Havana you should leave the main sights Shiny polished San Rafael Villegas S. Francisco Agramonte (Zulueta) (Monserrate) Amargura and just stroll through the streets of the town. For example, vintage car in Gran Teatro15 Aguiar de La Habana Edificio Gomez Vila through the Centro district beyond the Capitolio where it Habana Vieja Aguila Alicia Alonso Museo del Ron Pl. Brasil (Teniente Rey) Cuba Havana Club often seems as if the old buildings are about to collapse Capitolio Vieja Oficios Cristo under the weight of centuries. The further west you venture, Industria Muralla Barcelona 12 Ignacio the more you will become aware of the precarious everyday San life of many Cubans. Then, after a few miles, you will finally Muralla Compostela Muelle Aguacate Sol reach modern Vedado: you will experience Cuba’s recent Dragones Avenida de Bélgica Convento de de la Luz Fuente de Santa Clara history in the university, the venerable hotels and on the la India Luz Av. Simón (Egido) gigantic Revolution Square. Bolívar (Reina) Cárdenas Convento y Cienfuegos Iglesia de Belén Playas del Este 19 TOP 10 At Your Leisure La Habana Alamar Celimar ! Habana Vieja P52 . Museo de la Revolución P69 del Este B Castillo de los Tres Reyes Cojímar a c $ Tropicana Cabaret P56 / Gran Teatro de la Habana 18 u r a Vedado Casablanca n * Finca La Vigía P58 Alicia Alonso P69 a Habana o Miramar José Martí 0 José Martí Memorial P70 Vieja Regla Guana- Santa Fe Cementerio Memorial bacoa 1 Cementerio Cristóbal Colón P71 Cristóbal Colón 17 16 Don’t Miss Plaza de la + Fortaleza de San Carlos 2 Cojímar P71 Revolución LA HABANA 0 5 km 3 P A1 de la Cabaña P60 Playas del Este 72 4 Tropicana Cerro 0 3 mi Cabaret Diez de San Miguel , Capitolio P62 Octubre del Padron Finca La Vigía - Malecón P66 Arroyo San Francisco 10 Naranjo de Paula 48 49.