Cuba can portray itself as the archetypal image of a Caribbean island with its sandy, palm-fringed shores washed by crystal-clear waters and cooled by breezes carrying the scent of frangipani, mango and guava. But Cuba has so much more to offer those who venture away from its beaches to the towns and cities and their Spanish colonial architecture and grand plazas, where classic automobiles labour along streets and country roads, and the hip-swaying sounds of salsa music fill the night air. Together with cigar smoke and rum cocktails, baseball, and everywhere visual references of the 1959 revolution, these picture-postcard portraits of Cuba tell a more complete tale of the largest island in the Caribbean.

Christopher Columbus discovered Cuba on his way back to Spain after his second voyage to the New World in 1492 and was the first European to remark on its beauty. Today, the island state is starting to exploit its glorious attractions and offers visitors an alternative Caribbean holiday.

Cuba is so large that it allegedly confused Columbus, who thought he had discovered a continent and not an island. It sits at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico; the main island is 746 miles (1,200km) long with an irregular coastline that offers hundreds of bays and beaches. The years of political isolation have protected Cuba from mass tourism; the main towns and villages retain a crumbling colonial charm and are generally devoid of resorts that blight some of its neighbouring islands.

With its history and great choice of natural attractions Cuba has much to offer. But most visitors agree that Cuba is a country so individual and extraordinary, that to be truly understood and appreciated it has to be experienced in person.

Playas del Este

Address: Ave Las Terrazas e/11 y 12, La Habana del Este Havana

Museo de la Ciudad (Museum of the City)

Address: Calle Tacón, Plaza de Armas, Habana Vieja Havana

Admission: CUC$3 (excluding historical room sets); CUC$4 (including a guide and all exhibition areas). Cameras: CUC$2 Open daily, from 9am to 6pm

Telephone: (0)7 612876

Cigar Factories

Address: Partagas Factory: Calle Industria 520, Centro Habana Havana

Admission: CUC$10 Partagas Factory tours operate Monday to Friday, from 9am to 2pm

Telephone: Partagas: (0)7 338 060

Plaza de la Revolución

Address: Havana

Admission: Memorial: CUC$5 Memorial: Monday to Saturday, from 9.30am to 5pm

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

Address: Corner of Calle Trocadero (between Calles Zulueta and Monserrate) and Calle San Rafael (between Calles Zulueta and Monserrate) Havana

Admission: CUC$5 (adults), Free for children under 14 Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 6pm; Sunday 10am to 2pm.

Telephone: (0)7 861 3858

Museo de la Revolución

Address: Calle Refugio, between Calle Agramonte and Av de las Misiones, Centro Habana Havana

Admission: US$4 (adult), US$2 (student), Free for children under 12 Open daily, from 10am to 5pm

Telephone: 862 409 294

Montemar Natural Park

Address: Ciénaga de Zapata, Matanzas Havana

Capitolio Nacional

Address: Paseo de Marti, Centro Habana Havana

Admission: Admission is CUC$3; A guided tour costs CUC$4 Open daily, from 9am to 6pm

Telephone: (0)7 863 7861

Baconao Park

Address: Poblado de Siboney Santiago de Cuba

Castillo de San Pedro del Morro (Morro Castle)

Address: Six miles (10 km) south-west of the city centre, near the bay Santiago de Cuba

Admission: CUC$3; extra for cameras Open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 4pm

Telephone: 226 691 569

Bacardi Museum

Address: Calle Pio Rosado No. 552 e/Aguilera y Heredia Santiago de Cuba

Telephone: 226 62 8402

Santa Ifigenia Cemetery

Address: Av Crombet Santiago de Cuba

Admission: CUC$1; extra for cameras Open daily, from 7am to 6pm

Habana Vieja (Old Havana)

Address: Havana

Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás

Address: El Moncada Vinales Valley

Admission: CUC$8 Open daily, from 8.30am to 5pm

Museo Romántico

Address: Calle Echerri 52 Trinidad

Admission: CUC$2; extra for cameras Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 9am to 4.45pm

Telephone: 419 4363

Museo Histórico Municipal

Address: 53 Simón Bolívar, 423 e/ Gustavo Izquierdo y Rubén Martínez Villena Trinidad

Admission: CUC$2 Open Saturday to Thursday, from 9am to 5pm

Telephone: 419 4460

Ancón Beach

Address: Seven miles (12km) south of Trinidad Trinidad

Valle de los Ingenios (Valley of the Sugar Mills)

Address: Carretera de Sancti Spíritus (8km from Trinidad) Trinidad

Telephone: (0)7 2040624

Santa Clara

Address: Train monument: Calle Indepencia. Che monument: Av de los Desfiles Trinidad

Admission: Train monument: CUC$1. Che Guevara monument: Free Train monument: Tuesday to Sunday, from 8am to 6pm (until 12pm on Sundays). Che Guevara monument: Open daily, from 8am to 9pm (until 6pm on Sundays)

Sancti Spiritus

Address: Trinidad

Moncada Barracks

Address: Avenida Moncada Santiago de Cuba

Admission: CUC$2 for admission, an extra CUC$1 to take photos. Free guided tours are available once inside Open daily, from 9am to 5pm (until 1pm on Sundays)

Telephone: 226 620 157

Cueva del Indio

Address: Vinales Valley

Varadero Beach

Address: About an hour's drive west of Havana Havana

Acuario Nacional

Address: Third Ave and 62 St. Miramar Havana

Admission: CUC$7 (adults), CUC$3 (students and children under 12) Open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm

Telephone: (537) 202 5872

Cámara Oscura

Address: Corner Mercaderes and Brasil, Habana Vieja Havana

Admission: CUC$2 Open Tuesday to Saturday, from 9am to 5pm, and on Sundays from 9am to 1pm

Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt

Address: Santiago de Cuba

Ernest Hemingway Museum

Address: Finca Vigía, Havana Havana

Admission: CUC$3 Open on Monday from 9am to 4pm, and on Wednesday to Sunday from 9am to 12:30pm. Closed on Tuesdays

Telephone: 7 910809

El Malécon

Address: Between the harbour and Vedado, Havana Havana

Bay of Pigs Musuem

Address: Playa Gíron Havana

Admission: CUC$2 Open daily, from 9am to 5pm

Paladar La Fontana Habana

Address: 3ra A, esq. 46, No. 305, Miramar Havana

Food Type: Local

La Guarida

Address: Calle Concordia # 418, Entre Gervasio y Escobar Havana

Food Type: International

Prado Y Neptuno

Address: Corner Paseo de Martí & Neptuno, Centro Habana Havana

Food Type: Italian

La Cecilia

Address: 5ta. Ave. entre 110 y 112, Miramar (Opposite Servi-Cupet gas station) Havana

Food Type: Creole

Mesón de La Chorrera

Address: Malecón between Calles 18 & 20, Vedado Havana

Food Type: Spanish