Colonial Towns and Northern Cays
A seven-night pairing of central Cuba's quieter colonial heart with its turquoise northern cays: the twin-church town of Remedios, the crumbling fishing port of Caibarién, the resort sands of Cayo Santa María reached over a long causeway, and the student city of Santa Clara.
For: Couples and small groups wanting culture and beach without long drives
1 · Budget first
A transparent, itemised estimate for 2 travellers · 7 nights · comfort 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 | $490 – $1,050 |
| Local transportation | $610 – $1,195 |
| Food | $560 – $1,092 |
| Guides & activities | $120 – $320 |
| Connectivity | $30 – $110 |
| Tips | $35 – $140 |
| Water, laundry & sundries | $21 – $84 |
| Emergency reserve | $201 – $666 |
| Total (2 travellers) | $2,807 – $7,007 |
- Per traveller
- $1,404 – $3,504
- Per day
- $401 – $1,001
- Ground only (no airfare)
- $2,006 – $4,441
- Airfare est. / traveller
- $300 – $950
Basis: standard hotel · comfortable food · private driver · 4 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
Newark / New Jersey (EWR) → Santa Clara (SNU) — Abel Santamaría
Gateway for the Cayo Santa María cays.
Example dates 2026-09-15 → 2026-09-22 (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
Land near Santa Clara and settle in, orienting around Parque Vidal at its colonial heart.Afternoon
Stroll the pedestrian boulevard and see the Teatro La Caridad.Evening
Dinner in Santa Clara's youthful centre, with the buzz of a real university town.Morning
Drive to Remedios, one of Cuba's oldest and prettiest towns, and admire the gilded main church on its plaza.Afternoon
Explore the Parrandas museum and the sleepy backstreets.Evening
Dinner on the tranquil main square, unhurried under the colonial arcades.DinnerLa CriollitarestaurantMap →Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)Morning
A leisurely morning among Remedios' galleries and craft workshops.Afternoon
An excursion to a nearby village and a rum or cigar stop, keeping the pace gentle.Evening
A convivial paladar dinner with live traditional music on the plaza.DinnerLa CriollitarestaurantMap →Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)Morning
Head to the coast at Caibarién, a weather-beaten fishing town marked by its giant concrete crab statue.Afternoon
Wander the long Malecón and the shells of old sugar-era mansions.Evening
A seafood dinner of crab and fish straight off the boats by the water.DinnerLa CriollitarestaurantMap →Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)Morning
Drive the 48-kilometre pedraplén causeway across the shimmering bay to Cayo Santa María, flamingos in the shallows.Afternoon
Settle onto the powder-white beach with its clear, shallow turquoise water for a first swim.Evening
A relaxed beachside dinner with the sound of the surf.Morning
A morning of snorkelling over the fringing reef or a boat trip among the smaller cays.Afternoon
Unhurried beach time, with a walk to the quieter ends of the cay.Evening
A last cay dinner of grilled lobster as the sky goes orange over the water.Morning
Recross the causeway and return toward Santa Clara, with a last look at the flamingo flats.Afternoon
Time for any missed Santa Clara sights before the airport transfer.Evening
A final regional dinner before the onward flight.
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 $4,324 (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 "Colonial Towns and Northern Cays" trip cost?
- An estimated $2,807–$7,007 all-in for 2 traveller(s) over 7 nights ($2,162 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 to April, or late December for the Parrandas festival.
- 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.