Havana (Cuba)
According to SIMPLYYELLOWPAGES, Havana is the capital of Cuba. The city is located on the northwest coast of the island, which is washed by the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Havana was founded in 1519 by the Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez and became the capital of Spanish Cuba in 1552. Now it is a major port city. Tourism began to develop here since the 1990s, when the country abandoned the planned economy. You can relax here all year round, but the peak of the season falls on the winter period from December to April, and from May to October there is stuffy and rainy weather.
Since the Caribbean was once a haven for pirates, Havana periodically attacked. This explains the presence of a defensive wall around the city and a large number of castles. On either side of the entrance to the bay are the fortresses of Morro, built at the beginning of the 17th century, and La Punta, built at the end of the 16th century. Of the defensive structures, Fuers Castle is the best preserved. Previously, it was the residence of the Spanish rulers in Cuba and is still one of the largest buildings in Havana. To the west of the bay is the historical part of the city, which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage. The architecture of this area is a mixture of different styles from colonial times to neoclassicism. The central street of the old city is Prado Boulevard. This is where most of the sights in Havana are located. because the boulevard is more than 200 years old. The street is paved with colored tiles, and along it are two- and three-story houses. The Prado is home to the majestic Capitol building. It was built in 1920. This is a kind of enlarged copy of a similar building in Washington. Now the Capitol houses the Academy of Sciences of Cuba and the Museum of Local Lore. Another favorite place for tourists is the Cathedral Square, where the Cathedral stands. The cathedral was erected in 1674 and it is made in the Baroque style. The remains of Christopher Columbus were once kept here. The Palace of Fine Arts is located on Trocadero Street. This museum has a collection of Cuban and European paintings, as well as one of the best collections of ancient Egyptian and Greek art. located within Latin America. It is worth visiting the Museum of the Revolution, which tells about the formation of the revolutionary movement in Cuba and the heroes of the civil war.
The Vedado area is a relatively “young” part of the city. Its streets are lined with high-rise buildings, hotels, restaurants, bars and discos. The main street of La Rampa leads to the Revolution Square, where there is a memorial dedicated to the national hero José Martí. Verdado is home to the University of Havana, which was built in 1728. The area ends with a wide, beautiful Malecon promenade. It offers a beautiful view of the sea. But, despite the coastal position of Havana, there are no beaches within the city, and swimming is far from safe. In the local water area there are coral reefs in which sharks are found. You can swim and sunbathe on the sandy beaches after driving 20 km from the city. José Martin International Airport is located 25 km southwest of Havana.
Varadero (Cuba)
Varadero is one of the most famous and most visited resorts in Cuba. It is located 140 km east of Havana in the province of Matanzas. 36 km of sandy beaches of Varadero stretch from the northern side of the Hikakos Spit, its width does not exceed 1.2 km.
The resort began to develop in the 30s of the 20th century. Since then, every year there are new hotels and places of entertainment. Now the resort has more than 50 hotels of various levels. Each of them has its own access to the beach. In 1992 Varadero beach was recognized by UNESCO as one of the cleanest beaches in the world. Tourists can choose from many types of water activities – yachting, boat trips, fishing, diving. There are more than 20 diving centers in Varadero.Experienced instructors will teach you how to dive and will accompany you. In the coastal waters of Varadero, there is Playa Coral – the largest coral reef in the Caribbean. This is a great place for diving: here you will see the colorful marine world, sea inhabitants such as moray eels and angelfish, it is interesting to explore the sunken at a depth of only 10 m 60 meter ship “Neptune”.
In addition to a beach holiday, the resort is interesting for its historical and natural attractions. For example, in the cave of Ambrosio you can see rock art from pre-colonial times, when Indian settlements were located on this territory. In Jowson Park, you can relax on the shore of a lake surrounded by palm trees. The park has restaurants offering a choice of dishes from various cuisines of the world. It is worth visiting the Municipal Museum of Varadero, where archeological finds are exhibited that tell about the history of this area.
