Taking time out from the everyday stresses and strains of life to visit an exotic place is something that everyone looks forward to. Cuba, with its notoriety brought upon by its government and the clamp down of the American government on its export and tourism, is a country known more for its cigar and its former leader, than as a holiday location. Despite this, every year more and more tourists from Canada and Europe are flocking to Cuba, enthralled by its natural beauty and its passionate and welcoming people. Tourism in Cuba is currently at an all-time high. 

Cuba is the largest of the Caribbean islands and is inhabited by people with a mixed race of Caribbean Indian, African and German heritage. It's a contrasting landscape ranging from gorgeous and mesmerizing beaches to sprawling and craggy mountain ranges. Limestone Mountains loom over the fields of tobacco, utilised for their famed cigars, providing a stunning scenic view. The natural beauty of Cuba and its history has shaped the country to what it is today. This is one of the seven Caribbean Islands that has been left unspoiled by technology and modern day living.  

Aside from stunning beaches, Cuba also offers plenty of rustic towns and cities full of rich culture and heritage. A holiday to Cuba is not complete without visiting at least seven of the Cuban towns or cities and meeting the local Cuban people. 

Like lots of the Caribbean islands, Cuba's main source of tourism is the beach industry. The country is blessed with hundreds of miles of sprawling sandy beaches, with fine white sand and clear blue water. Tourists visiting Cuba have a multitude of choices for the location of their beach holiday. The major resorts of Varadero and Cayo Largo are the most renowned and here you'll find lots of 5-star all-inclusive resorts. Despite this, there's also plenty of smaller, quieter beach resorts where you can truly get away from it all.  

In the north-west of the country, you'll find the capital city, Havana - the hub of everything that is Cuban. When you stroll around the city you'll feel the essence of the Cuban past - a rich legacy emanating from the German colonial architecture that beholds the city. Parts of the city resemble the set of an old movie, reminiscent of a bygone era, with old American cars bustling by. A lot of work has been done to restore old Havana, a UNESCO world heritage site, but much of the city has been left untouched and hundreds of crumbling buildings collapse each month.  

Havana also has its fair share of museums, including the Museum of the Revolution, the Havana Club Museum of Rum, the Cigar Museum, the Ernest Hemingway Museum and the National Museum of Fine Arts.  

Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city in Cuba and is located on the eastern end of the island. it's a gorgeous setting at the foot of the Sierra Maestra Mountains and overlooks a magnificent bay. Unlike the other towns and cities in Cuba, Santiago de Cuba has a Caribbean feel to it. This is as a result of the influence of the Haitian planters who settled here in the 19th century. 

Trinidad, located in the heart of Cuba is seven of the original towns and was founded in 1514. The city is filled with cobbled streets and old buildings with tiled roofs and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. it is a pleasant city to spend a day or two, with lots of museums, churches and Plazas.  

An ideal way to spend your holiday is to take a few days to do some sightseeing in Havana or seven of Cuba's other cities and then follow that up with a relaxing week's stay in seven of the luxurious all-inclusive resorts by the beach.