mcarrasque, Author at Cuba Visa

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019

La Habana Vieja, discover it!

What to see on a city tour?

If your favorite places to visit are museums, you have something to enjoy in La Habana, Cuba. The mainly tours in this city includes some museums.

1. Museum of Colonial Art

It is a beautiful museum located at the entrance of the Plaza, where you are generally blinded by the grandeur of the magnificent cathedral. It was built in 1720, originally for the purpose of the residence of the Counts of Casa Bayon.

In 1969 it was restored and since then it has opened its doors to visitors as a Museum of Colonial Art, which, although relatively small, but very rich in dishes, sculpture and historical furniture.

2. Museum of Navigation

It is located a few steps from the moat of the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, in Plaza de Armas. It has an interesting routes that illuminate the historical aspects of the fortress and the historic center of Old Havana.

3. City Museum

Everything is nearby, near the Plaza de Armas, so your walk is rich, without having to travel long distances. This museum dates back to 1770 and was built on the site of the original Havana church.

4. Card house

It was opened in May 2001 and it is located on the ground floor of the 17th century Prado Amero Marquise House, the oldest building in the square. It is an interesting and unusual offer, with more than 2.000 cards from around the world, dating back to the 19th century.

What else can you know walking in La Habana Vieja?

Some of the beauties that are this beautiful capital are impressive from the outside and contain incredible treasures.

Firstly, an special attraction is the Cathedral of San Cristobal de la Habana, the most famous of the eleven Catholic cathedrals on the island of Cuba. It is in the Plaza de la Cathedral, in the center of Old Havana.

The Cathedral was built in the baroque architectural style. Also, it has several Tuscan elements and has the peculiarity of being built mainly preserved marine fossils.

On the other hand, you can also visit the Castle of the Royal Force and the Palace of the General Captains. Another places include two streets: Calle Obispo and Calle Mercaderes.

Finally, we propose you to visit the Church and Monastery of San Francisco de Asís and the famous Old Square.

We hope you travel to Cuba and have the opportunuty to visit La Habana and discover the culture.

Apply for Cuba E-Visa

May 9, 2019May 9, 2019

Interesting facts about Cuba

The island attracts many tourists every year thanks to its natural beauty. Many people also travel to Cuba to learn about their culture and history. Continue reading to learn more about some interesting facts.

Oldest fleet of cars in the world

Travelling to Cuba is like going back 50 years in time. The cars are from the 1950s. The older models of Buick, Packard, Hudson, Edsel and Ford are the most popular brands. For some people, it is a sufficient reason to visit the country.

Although travellers take advantage of their stay to acquire original parts for their own car collection, the trade in these parts is not very popular.

Two coins in circulation

The currencies in Cuba and their exchange rates are a curious fact that cannot be taken lightly. However, this does not affect the number of tourists visiting the island, it may be a relevant fact if you visit Cuba.

The Cuban Peso (CUP) is the legal currency in Cuba and is used by residents to pay for various services. The Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) is the other alternative and was created in 1994 with the fall of the Soviet Union. Its main function is to replace the US dollar because it has the same value.

High number of doctors

There is one doctor for every 130 people in the country. Compared to the percentage of other countries, you will see the enormous difference that Cuba has in this area.

This fact attracts some exclusive foreigners whom the government calls academic tourism. These are people who travel only to study in Cuban institutions.

Joy is part of their daily life

Contrary to what many people can imagine, Cubans are very happy and positive people. They learned to see the positive side of each adversity. The best in Cuba are probably the Cubans.

Sport is the national pastime

We inform you that people of all ages are interested in everything related to sport. However, the sport on the island is amateur, but it has nothing to envy to professionals.

White peas

Cuba has a record in the famous Guinness book. On January 16, 1982, a Cuban cow called Ubre Blanca produced 109.5 litres of milk in 3 milkings. This is four times more than the average cow. 24,268.9 litres were also collected in 305 days. None of these exploits had been observed in the world history of livestock.

The highest level of literacy in the world

In Cuba, 99.8% of adults over 15 years of age can read and write perfectly well. That is a good point in education. They have several high level university personalities, which is very difficult to match and even less so by other nations.

Finally, we would like to encourage you to travel to Cuba and discover all these curiosities.

Apply for Cuba E-Visa

April 9, 2019April 9, 2019

Discovering Cuban food

Do your eating habits change when you travel? Maybe you want to try the local specialties, no matter how rare they are. However, Cuban cuisine has a delicious flavour and an exquisite culinary culture.

You may prefer a standard meal, but a Cuban restaurant offers the same typical dishes. Generally, we can look for a chain of fast food that, as we see, exists in most countries of the world, but not in Cuba. That’s why we advise you to get an idea of what to eat in Cuba.
Discovering Cuban food will delight you!

If you want to follow a balanced diet, one of the advantages of Cuba is that you will not find a large fast food chain, or at least a chain already heard.

Cuban delights you must discover

Cuban sandwich

In almost every place you go to Cuba, you will see cafes and street vendors with counters stacked with precooked Cuban sandwiches. They may not have a spectacular flavor associated with Cuba, but it is undoubtedly one of the most beloved sandwiches in the country. We recommend ordering freshly baked sandwiches.

Mainly, it is a roast pork sandwich with cucumber and canned confit cheese, served in a long and narrow roll. It’s a perfect sandwich for lunch time.

Cuban tamales

Cuban tamales are a traditional Cuban food and have a richer and more subtle flavor than in other parts of the Caribbean.
You may associate the delicious tamales with Mexico and other Central American countries, but the local version is one of the most delicious Cuban snacks on offer.
If you have eaten the Mexican version of the tamale, you will know that it can be a good piece for your taste buds.

Guarapo

Some countries are campaigning for sugary soda drinks to be labeled with a health warning.
Guarapo is the most sweetened Cuban drink you can imagine, but since its sugars have not been refined, it is not so harmful.

The cold guarapo is obtained from the juice of sugar cane. It is one of the most ubiquitous crops in Cuba, almost equaling tobacco. The sugar cane is freshly squeezed to extract its juice and then mixed with ice.

It is widely available throughout Cuba.

You will not find anything more refreshing on a hot Cuban day!

Lardons

We could say that the popularity of lardons has decreased.
You can buy lardons in supermarkets, but also in restaurants and street vendors.
They are the best version of these Cuban snacks, since they have a minimum of additives and do not contain preservatives. Although they have a high salt content, they are extremely low in carbohydrates, so they constitute an excellent snack of Cuban cuisine with an infinitely good flavor.

If you are worried about what to eat in Havana, this meat will be your best ally. Your trip to Havana will not be affected by its gastronomy.

Yucca sticks, an alternative to potato chips

Yucca sticks are very popular and look like potatoes and root vegetables.
It is quite high in carbohydrates, although it does not have much protein. On the positive side, it has a fairly high amount of calcium and vitamin C. It is one of the fastest and healthiest foods in Cuba.

Do not be so worried about the nutritional value of Cuban gastronomy.
Yucca chips have a flavor that tastes like a mixture of potatoes and pumpkins.

If it has been harvested in a rainy season, the taste may be sweeter. On the contrary, if it has been harvested during a particularly dry season, it may have a slightly bitter taste, which is not unpleasant at all, and adds an unexpected richness to the flavor.

The yucca is cut into thin segments and fried in vegetable oil. It can be taken in a sandwich or as an accompaniment to a large meal.

We hope you have the opportunity to try all these pleasures for the palate!

Apply for Cuba E-Visa