Discover Cuba your way with …

On your rental car tour visit the quaint town of Baracoa in the far east of Cuba at your own pace. This town was founded in 1511 by a Spaniard called Diego Velázquez, however, more significantly it is said that modern-day Baracoa is located in the exact spot where Christopher Columbus first set foot on Cuban soil during his famous voyage. You can see the “Cruz de la Parra”, the wooden cross that Columbus erected on the beach upon his arrival, in Baracoa’s “Nuestra Señora de la Asunción” Cathedral.  This church is also one of the oldest buildings in the whole of Cuba. Not only is Baracoa steeped in history, but the town is set against the backdrop of the Sierra del Purial tropical mountain range which makes it an absolute visual paradise! Baracoa was for a long time an isolated, secret haven as for a long time the different terrain meant it was only accessible by boat. After the Cuban Revolution the Sierra de Purial mountain road was built making the city easily accessible.

After discovering Cuba by hire car you can take some time to relax on the white beaches of the Cayo Coco Island – the perfect conclusion to your Self-Drive Holiday!  Cayo Coco or Coco Key is found off the northern coast of Cuba in the Atlantic Ocean. This Cuban Island belongs to the Jardines del Rey Archipelago and is connected to the mainland by a 17km long causeway, originally built for military purposes. Nowadays, the island can easily be reached by car and is a perfect destination for everyone. Whether you to spend your time relaxing on fine sandy beaches, snorkelling or diving on colourful coral reefs or perhaps enjoying the numerous water birds, such as flamingos, the island has everything.

Cienfuegos, often referred to as the “Pearl of the South”, is a must-see on our Cuba Explorer Self-Drive holiday. Here you can find a distinctive city landscape full of magnificent buildings with elaborately decorated façades which were built by rich French sugar barons in the 19th century. In 1860 Cienfuegos became the world’s most important sugar port when it was connected to the railway network; this meant that sugar ports, including the neighbouring Trinidad de Cuba, were no longer able to compete. Let yourself discover the impressive buildings from a time gone by, for example, the “Teatro Tomás Terry”, a famous theatre in Parque Martí.