5 best day trips from Havana

Day trips compared

The day trips

180 km · About 2 hours 30 minutes–3 hours by car

1.Viñales Valley

A UNESCO-listed valley of limestone mogotes, red-earth tobacco farms and caves. Visitors tour tobacco farms to see cigars rolled by hand, ride horses through the fields and visit the Cueva del Indio by boat. It works as a long day trip, but one night is more relaxed.

Getting there

Tour, private taxi or shared taxi

Best for

First-timers, Couples, Culture

75 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car

2.Las Terrazas and Soroa

Las Terrazas is a reforested eco-village in the Sierra del Rosario with river pools, ruined coffee plantations and a zip line over the forest. Nearby Soroa has an orchid garden and a waterfall.

Getting there

Tour or private taxi

Best for

Families, Quiet stays

140 km · About 2 hours by car

3.Varadero

Cuba's best-known beach resort runs along a 20-km peninsula of white sand and shallow turquoise water, lined mostly with all-inclusive hotels.

Getting there

Tourist bus, tour or private taxi

Best for

Beach, Families, Couples

100 km · About 1 hour 30 minutes by car

4.Matanzas

Known as the 'Athens of Cuba', Matanzas has bridges over two rivers, the neoclassical Teatro Sauto, a historic pharmacy museum and strong Afro-Cuban musical traditions; the danzón originated here.

Getting there

Private taxi or tour, often combined with Varadero

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

25 km · About 30–40 minutes by car

5.Playas del Este

The nearest good beaches to Havana, with Santa María del Mar offering fine white sand and clear water, and Guanabo a livelier local beach town.

Getting there

Taxi or tourist bus in high season

Best for

Beach, Families, Budget

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask