Havana & Varadero — The Classic First Trip
Three days soaking up Havana — the plazas of the old city, the Malecón at dusk, the museums and music — then a tobacco-country day in Viñales, and a beach finish on the Varadero peninsula. Balanced pace, short drives, the greatest hits.
For: First-time visitors, couples, families
1 · Budget first
A transparent, itemised estimate for 2 travellers · 8 nights · casa tier. Every line is a planner range in USD — an estimate to budget with, not a quote.
| International airfare | $600 – $1,900 |
| Entry documents (tourist card) | $60 – $150 |
| Travel insurance | $80 – $300 |
| Accommodation | $200 – $400 |
| Local transportation | $190 – $550 |
| Food | $400 – $800 |
| Guides & activities | $90 – $240 |
| Connectivity | $30 – $110 |
| Tips | $40 – $160 |
| Water, laundry & sundries | $24 – $96 |
| Emergency reserve | $111 – $421 |
| Total (2 travellers) | $1,825 – $5,127 |
- Per traveller
- $913 – $2,564
- Per day
- $228 – $641
- Ground only (no airfare)
- $1,114 – $2,806
- Airfare est. / traveller
- $300 – $950
Basis: casa particular · local mixed food · shared taxi · 3 guided days.
Adjust every number in the planner →Estimates in USD to help you budget — not observed prices, quotes or guaranteed availability. Most US cards don’t work in Cuba; carry cash and keep the reserve.
2 · Fly in
Miami (MIA) → Havana (HAV) — José Martí International
Cuba's principal international gateway — the only truly diversified one, with links across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Example dates 2026-09-15 → 2026-09-23 (adjust on the live search). CubaAtlas books nothing — these open live results:
3 · Day by day
Where to sleep and dine each day is a real listing from the CubaAtlas provider dataset, nearest your base.
Morning
Arrive at José Martí, transfer to a casa particular in Habana Vieja.Afternoon
Walk the four colonial plazas — Catedral, Vieja, San Francisco, de Armas.Evening
Dinner in the old city, then live son at a nearby bar.
StayHotel Blau Arenal Habana Beach4★ · Grupo Cubanacán · La Habana(53 7) 77991200/ 77991274Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, MatanzasMorning
The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and the Capitolio exterior.Afternoon
Vedado: the University hill, Coppelia, the Malecón walk toward the Hotel Nacional.Evening
Sunset drink at the Nacional; paladar dinner in Vedado.StayHotel Blau Arenal Habana Beach4★ · Grupo Cubanacán · La Habana(53 7) 77991200/ 77991274Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, MatanzasMorning
Drive west into Pinar del Río; the mogotes and a working tobacco farm.Afternoon
Cueva del Indio and a valley viewpoint.Evening
Farm-to-table criollo dinner in Viñales town.Morning
Return to Havana; Fusterlandia mosaics in Jaimanitas.Afternoon
Classic-car tour along the Malecón and through Miramar.Evening
Dinner and a cabaret or jazz set.StayHotel Blau Arenal Habana Beach4★ · Grupo Cubanacán · La Habana(53 7) 77991200/ 77991274Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, MatanzasMorning
Transfer east to the Varadero peninsula; check into a beach hotel.Afternoon
First afternoon on the sand.Evening
Seafood dinner near the marina.StaySelectum Family Resort Varadero5★ · Varadero+53 45 624300Website ↗Map →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)DinnerTerraza CubaVaradero(+53) 45 613640Map →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)Open Varadero on the map →Nearby: Matanzas, Havana, CárdenasMorning
Snorkel or catamaran to the coral gardens.Afternoon
Beach time; optional spa.Evening
Beachfront dinner.StaySelectum Family Resort Varadero5★ · Varadero+53 45 624300Website ↗Map →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)DinnerTerraza CubaVaradero(+53) 45 613640Map →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)Open Varadero on the map →Nearby: Matanzas, Havana, CárdenasMorning
Day trip to Matanzas — the City of Bridges and the Pharmaceutical Museum.Afternoon
Bellamar caves or the Yumurí valley.Evening
Return to Varadero for dinner.DinnerRanchón del TenisrestaurantMap →Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)Open Matanzas on the map →Nearby: Varadero, Havana, CárdenasMorning
Final swim.Afternoon
Transfer to VRA or back to HAV for the flight home.Evening
Overnight flight out.StaySelectum Family Resort Varadero5★ · Varadero+53 45 624300Website ↗Map →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)DinnerTerraza CubaVaradero(+53) 45 613640Map →Source: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)Open Varadero on the map →Nearby: Matanzas, Havana, Cárdenas
4 · Visa, entry & customs
Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card (tarjeta del turista) plus a passport valid for the stay and proof of onward travel and medical insurance. Buy the tourist card before you fly — the price and colour depend on your departure country and airline.
Travelling under US jurisdiction: there is no general tourism licence. US persons travel under one of OFAC’s authorised categories — most commonly Support for the Cuban People or family visits — which carry record-keeping duties and a full-time-schedule requirement. The tourist card for US departures is the pink one. Confirm your category before you book.
5 · Book direct, or compare an agency
This plan is costed to book direct — the $2,998 (expected) above is what the trip actually costs, itemised, with no package margin. A travel agency bundles flights, hotel and transfers into one price and adds a service fee for the convenience. We don’t quote agencies (we’d never invent a price) — so take a package quote and compare it line-for-line against the breakdown above.
Operating United States agencies serving Cuba, if you prefer a package:
- Cuba Travel Services (CTS) ↗
Long-running US seller of scheduled and charter air to Cuba plus packages.
Sells: flights, charters, packages, hotels
- ABC Charters ↗
Miami charter operator to Havana and other Cuban cities.
Sells: flights, charters · +1-305-263-6555
- Marazul Charters ↗
One of the oldest US–Cuba travel providers.
Sells: flights, charters, packages
- Xael Charter ↗
Direct flights Miami/Orlando/Tampa to Havana, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Camagüey, Holguín; since 1988.
Sells: flights, charters, hotels, cars, tours · (305) 643-2200
- insightCuba ↗
Non-profit people-to-people and custom group tours; since 2000.
Sells: tours, packages
- Cubamax Travel ↗
Flights, packages, shipping and remittances; 13 Florida branches.
Sells: flights, packages, hotels, cars · +1-305-512-0303
CubaAtlas is non-commercial and takes no commission. Agency links go straight to the operator; we don’t book, broker or earn from them.
Every Cuba agency, compiled — with the free equivalent for each →Questions
- How much does the "Havana & Varadero — The Classic First Trip" trip cost?
- An estimated $1,825–$5,127 all-in for 2 traveller(s) over 8 nights ($1,499 per traveller expected), including airfare, lodging, food, transport and a reserve. It is a planner estimate, not a quote — you book each part direct, with no agency margin.
- Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba?
- Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card. Travellers under US jurisdiction have no general tourism licence and travel under an OFAC category such as Support for the Cuban People or family visits. See the CubaAtlas visa & entry guide.
- When is the best time for this trip?
- Best months: November–April (dry season).
- Can I book this trip on CubaAtlas?
- No — CubaAtlas is a free, non-commercial planner. It gives you the itinerary, the budget, live flight-search links and real hotel and restaurant listings, and you arrange each part directly at the source. We book nothing and take no commission.