Anna After visiting the valley of Viñales, we took another Viazul bus to Havana and then to Varadero. We didn’t stay at a casa in Varadero but chose a resort. Varadero is very different from the other places in Cuba as it is a little coastal town with a lot of all inclusive resorts. It’s where the less adventurous vacation. You can relax, spend time on the beach, enjoy your all inclusive resort and not think about anything. It was a nice change for us as we had been traveling for a bit now. So it was really nice to just relax for a few days. We stayed at Sol Palmeras, where we rented a little bungalow. We booked the all inclusive arrangement so we got to eat and drink cocktails all day. We spent most of our days relaxing by the pool or on the beach. I would not recommend staying at Varadero for your entire vacation as it gets quite boring. If you wanted an all inclusive vacation in a resort you could’ve just gone to Spain. However, when you are traveling through Cuba it might be a nice rest stop for you.
When we were done relaxing, we continued our trip to Cienfuegos. In Cienfuegos we once again stayed at a casa. Our casa was in the center of town, we stayed with Yanet! The casa was great and we had a lovely rooftop terrace where every morning we could enjoy our breakfast. The only thing I liked less, which is a thing you must be wary for when traveling, was the so called “suicide shower“. I normally check our accommodations for suicide showers but unfortunately, I didn’t see one in the pictures beforehand. So we debated on what to do about this. We went for the safest option and we did not take hot showers. Wasn’t ideal but hey, ya girl is quite fond of her life!
The city of Cienfuegos was gorgeous! It was once again very different from Havana, Viñales and Varadero. Cuba really is versatile! This is the only city in Cuba colonised by the French and you can still see their influence, particularly in the architecture. We also discovered some great restaurants in Cienfuegos! To name a few favorites: Casa prado, las mamparas, Bouyon and our all time favorite Doña Nora. We ate there twice and we got to sit on a cute little balcony for two! So romantic. It’s also worth it to visit the Palacio de Valle for a nice cocktail on their rooftop and you get the amazing sunset for free! There are plenty of great restaurants and spots in Cienfuegos, I don’t even remember all their names but I can imagine that my friend the lonely planet knows most of them!
Our casa arranged two trips for us during our stay. One was to the famous el Nicho! We went very early in the morning so it was still a bit too chilly for a swim but the nature was breathakingly beautiful. And the other one was a bird watching trip at Laguna Guanaroca! If you would’ve told me a few year back that I’d get up at 6:30 AM to go birdwatching, I’d think you went mad. However, it was a really great experience! Your guide takes you out on the lake and you get to see all these amazing birds. Afterwards, our driver took us to Playa Rancho Luna, where we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon.
I really enjoyed Cienfuegos, not only was the city gorgeous but the nature surrounding it was really lovely too. And of course, good food equals good mood for me! So discovering how amazing the Cuban cuisine is, was a treat for me! I was so pleasantly surprised with all the food I ate in Cuba. I was warned that it might be quite simple and that travelers do not go to Cuba for the food. But I simply fell in love with it.
In need of some more Cuba tips? We always love to buy the lonely planet of our destination! I highly recommend buying them. Click here to buy the newest Lonely Planet for Cuba!
