Viñales, Cuba

The entire Viñales valley in the north-centre Pinar del Rio Province is a UNESCO Word Heritage Site. The valley has an area of 55 km2 and is surrounded by the “mogotes” or karst hills of the Sierra de los Organos-mountain chain. It is often possible to experience a rather mystical atmosphere in the valley, especially if you wander into the tobacco fields or the surrounding hills alone, away from the tour-bus hordes. Sometimes early in the morning after a cold night there is a mist that makes the landscape feel like in a fairytale a thousand years ago.

There a two grand (and expensive, we’ve been told) hotels outside the village of Viñales. We prefer the plentiful casa particular or bed-and-breakfast places, however. They give you the chance to get intimate with the locals way of life and are experts in arranging reasonably priced activities like guided hikes or horseback riding into the hills. Like everywhere in Cuba, the food the casas provide is quite good, sometimes even great. Anyway, there are not too many alternatives in Vinalés.