With the relaxing of the embargo between the USA and Cuba, I thought now would as good a time as any to write about Cuba, a gem of an island in the Northern Caribbean that is on the verge of change.

My advise is to go now, or at least within the next year. Cuba is a beautiful country, I completely fell in love with it. It’s also easier than ever to get there.

Planning a Cuba trip for some clients has reminded me how I fell in love with the country and all that it has to offer. There are amazing beaches, beautiful countryside and historical architecture. It is definitely a country that deserves to be explored.

Stay for a few nights in Havana to get your bearings and get over your flight. Try to stay in Old Town if you can, there aren’t any 5* chain hotels, these are located about 15 minutes away, so you can mix with locals, savour the atmosphere and really start your trip on the right track. You should take a Classic Car tour, if you head to the Parque Central you’ll see them all lined up, decide which one you want and negotiate a price, a couple of hours will be plenty.

Close your eyes and picture a vivid shade of green. Superimpose that over rolling hills and sprinkle them with tiny wooden homes and enormous palm and Bougainvillea trees. Only hear silence, maybe interrupted by the occasional whinny of a horse in the distance. Here you have Viñales. Walk through the tobacco plantations, meet with local families, learn how the precious leaf is grown, cropped, dried, rolled and sold.

Casa Particulars are accommodations within private homes throughout the country.  They are a great way for Cubans to earn a living and for us to have an insight into their lives.  You will be treated like family! 

Trinidad has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988. Often known as the ‘Museum City of Cuba’, it has a beautiful historical centre with cobbled streets, red roofs and charming churches. If you’ve grown tired of looking at 500-year-old Spanish architecture then you can go hiking at Topes de Collantes to find the 75m waterfall – make sure you take swimwear to cool off, or head over to Añcon beach, which is my favourite South coast beach, for a relaxing day.

For history buffs a visit to Santa Clara is a must.  The Battle of Santa Clara in late December 1958 led to the capture of the city by revolutionaries under the command of Fidel Castro’s right hand man, Che Guevara.

Most people will never have heard of Camagüey, which is known for its maze of alleyways, Spanish plazas, performing arts and numerous cathedrals.  Often compared to the medinas of Morocco it became a most see site of mine. The labyrinthine streets lead to small plazas, where you’ll find friends and families having parties, kids playing baseball and general life happening. Get amongst the alleyways and explore. 

Cuba has some of the best beaches I have ever had the pleasure to sit back and relax on. Stretching for miles with soft powdery white sand meeting with crystal turquoise water that you only see in photographs they are a great place to unwind after touring the country. Varadero, Holguin and Cayo Coco in the North are your spots if you want an All Inclusive break. 

It’s so colourful, so beautiful, and the people are so nice and welcoming! But go before the potential changes happen.

Sarah Laverty, owner of Compass Connections has travelled the world all the name of passion and being able to pass on her knowledge to others. If a trip to Cuba interests you please do get in touch. www.compass-connections.co.uk   01603 343555