Viñales, Cuba
Riding through endless fields of light-green tobacco together with fertile blood-red soil inward Viñales, nosotros passed local farmers harvesting the leaves that would go Cuba’s world-famous cigars.
Viñales is a modest town located on the Western tip of Cuba. Set inward a beautiful lush valley amongst funky looking hills together with limestone caves, people direct hold been growing tobacco inward the surface area for over 200 years.
We were traveling inward Republic of Cuba on a 10 hateful solar daytime adventure, together with hired Jose together with his sugariness blood-red 1957 Ford Victoria to motility the iv of us three hours from Havana to Viñales, passing a handful of other classic cars together with horse-drawn carriages on Cuba’s poorly maintained highways.
Viñales Republic of Cuba Travel Guide
Cuba’s Home Of Tobacco
Viñales feels stuck inward time. The primary street is lined amongst modest single-story wooden homes amongst faded paint. Locals transcend past times riding one-time bicycles, horses, or driving colorful vintage American cars.
While in that location are about hotels inward town, most travelers rest amongst locals inward casas particulares, which are similar invitee bedrooms inward other people’s homes.
Our host was Lay, a welcoming lady who turned her abode into a guesthouse amongst 2 double rooms. This is how many Cubans brand extra income beyond their communist regime regulated salary of virtually $30 USD per month.
The town has enough of modest restaurants together with bars amongst alive music, merely it doesn’t experience overcrowded. In fact, Viñales is rumored to live Fidel Castro’s favorite business office of Cuba!
Viñales National Park
Viñales Valley was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its dramatic landscape of karst limestone domes called mogotes, traditional agricultural methods of farming, together with rich cultural history.
The valley was formed underwater, ascent from the sea millions of years ago. Ancient sea fossils tin withal live constitute inward the caves that point the landscape.
The New York Times called Viñales i of the top places to visit.
But aside from beingness a beautiful go destination, Viñales is known for the lineament of its tobacco. I’m non a “smoker” per se, merely I create bask the occasional cigar at the destination of a large trek or for special occasions.
So I was excited to larn how Cuba’s world-famous cigars are genuinely made.
How To Make Cuban Cigars
Why are Cuban cigars hence special? Well, many people believe Republic of Cuba is the birthplace of cigars. Christopher Columbus encountered native Cubans smoking cylindrical bundles of twisted tobacco leaves inward 1492.
The do was eventually exported to Europe, together with past times the 19th century, smoking cigars became a pop pastime for wealthy men — who formed special cigar clubs called divans.
Cuba’s time-honored tobacco growing together with production techniques were exported to places similar the Dominican Republic together with Nicaragua. Then came the U.S.A. of America merchandise embargo, making Cuban cigars illegal — together with increasing their value fifty-fifty more.
The fertile state together with favorable climate of Viñales brand for perfect cigar tobacco growing conditions. Most residents hither are inward the tobacco farming business.
Vinales Tobacco Farm Tours
We hired a local guide from our guesthouse to accept a horseback ride tour of Viñales National Park, learning virtually the traditional techniques used hither for hundreds of years.
No machines are used inward the tobacco growing process, which agency crops are picked past times paw together with fields are plowed amongst oxen.
Passing through farms amongst pigs, chickens, together with turkeys, nosotros rode along light-green tobacco fields where local workers were harvesting the lastly of the season’s prized leaves. Tobacco grows fast, ready for harvest later 2-3 months.
The leaves are hence hung inward special curing barns, where they dry out for virtually a month, turning a toasty dark-brown color. The Cuban regime buys 90% of the tobacco, patch locals are allowed to proceed 10% for themselves.
To railroad train Cuban cigars, the middle vein of the leafage is removed, where 98% of the nicotine resides. Next, leaves are sprayed amongst a special mixture of ingredients similar pineapple, lemon, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, together with rum for the fermentation process.
Three dissimilar types of leaves are used to coil the terminal cigar — filler (inside), binder (holding it together), together with the wrapper (visually appealing outer layer).
Other Adventures In Viñales
Visiting tobacco farms isn’t the alone matter to create inward Viñales though. As business office of the farm tour, nosotros also explored i of the many limestone caves inward the area. Rock climbing these unique limestone formations is a pop activeness too.
Aside from guided horseback riding, you lot tin also rent a bicycle, ATV, or motorbike together with explore the valley on your own. There’s a pop cave called Cueva del Indio where you lot tin ride a boat on the secret river that flows through the cave.
We heard stories virtually a squeamish petty beach virtually an sixty minutes North of Viñales called Cayo Jutías, merely didn’t direct hold fourth dimension to visit.
Make certain to halt past times the massive Viñales Mural de la Prehistoria, this colorful operate of fine art was created past times Leovigildo González Morillo. In it, he portrays the world history from the historic menstruation of dinosaurs upward to the arrival of humans.
Getting To Vinales
Viñales is located virtually 3-4 hours West of Havana. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 regular Viazul Bus runs twice a hateful solar daytime for virtually $15 USD per person. Try to purchase your ticket a hateful solar daytime inward advance.
Or you lot tin create what nosotros did, together with rent a vintage taxi from Havana to Vinales amongst room for 4 people for virtually $60-$70 depending on your bargaining skills.
The terminal selection is booking a sum day-trip tour that includes round-trip shipping from Havana.
Where To Stay In Vinales
My suggestions for bully places to rest during your trip to Vinales, Cuba. Keep inward heed you lot tin ever volume a horseback riding tour direct from your guesthouse or hotel.
Hostal Casa Lay
Affordable guesthouse amongst rooftop dining together with bully views. This is where nosotros stayed!
Check prices: Booking.com
Read reviews: TripAdvisor.com
Casa Margarita
Beautiful garden together with terrace amongst mount views. Quirky design!
Check prices: Booking.com
Read reviews: TripAdvisor.com
Useful Vinales Travel Tips
- If someone offers you lot a costless farm tour to larn virtually cigar making, they’ll destination amongst a pitch to purchase a parcel of fifteen cigars for virtually $1 USD each. Don’t live inexpensive together with non purchase from them!
- The guided farm tours through the National Park cost virtually $35 CUC per individual if you lot volume direct amongst locals i time you lot arrive.
“If I cannot fume inward heaven, hence I shall non go.” Mark Twain ★
Travel Video: Viñales Farm Adventure!
(Click to picket Viñales Farm Adventure – Republic of Cuba on YouTube)
Important Details
Cuba Trip Planning: Get assist planning a legal trip to Republic of Cuba amongst ViaHero
Packing Guide
Check out my travel gear guide to assist you lot starting fourth dimension packing for your trip. Pick upward a go backpack, photographic television set camera gear, together with other useful go accessories.
Book Your Flight
Find inexpensive flights on Skyscanner. This is my favorite search engine to notice deals on airlines. Also brand certain to read how I notice the cheapest flights.
Rent Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Car
Discover Car Hire is a bully site for comparison automobile prices to notice the best deal. They search both local & international rental companies.
Book Accommodation
Booking.com is my favorite hotel search engine. Or rent apartments from locals on Airbnb. Read to a greater extent than virtually how I volume inexpensive hotels online.
Protect Your Trip
Don’t forget go insurance! I’m a large fan of World Nomads for short-term trips. Protect yourself from possible injury & theft abroad. Read to a greater extent than virtually why you lot should ever deportment go insurance.
Recommended Guidebook: Lonely Planet Cuba
Suggested Reading: The Other Side Of Paradise
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Are you lot planning to see Cuba? Have you lot ever smoked a cigar? Drop me a message inward the comments below!
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