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After making its way through the Caribbean, Hurricane Irma made landfall on Cuba’s northeastern shores Friday night. It was the first storm of this magnitude to reach the island in 85 years. Sadly, Irma claimed ten Cuban casualties and devastated swaths of sugarcane and agricultural crops. 

Thankfully, however, the eye of the storm veered north before reaching Havana, saving Cuba’s capital city and western provinces from the destruction that north-central coastal resort towns sustained.

Husband and wife celebrating their wedding in Old Havana, Cuba. Regardless of the economic condition of the island or of individual families, Cubans know how to mark an occasion and celebrate milestones and events. Want the chance to witness a Cuban celebration? Travel to Cuba on any one of our six Signature Cuba tours or Specialty Cuba tours and the celebrations will often find you.

Children are the heart and soul of any country. They provide keen insight into the people, the culture and the place, but more importantly they are a country's gentle ambassadors. Cubans treaure their children in ways that are measurable and noticible. It's one of the truly touching aspects about Cuba. As such, insightCuba will introduce guests to children across the country and in different settings. You may visit them in a school, or during a performance, at a community project, or just on the street.

When people talk about how to get around in Cuba, most people mention the classic American cars. Some give a nod to the Russian Lada's or Moskvitch's that still line the streets. My personal favorite mode of transportation still widely available in Cuba is the horse and buggy.  In Old Havana you can ride around in a restored horse and buggy as a tourist for a couple of bucks, but in the rest of Cuba, it’s the real deal.

In Villa Clara province, Remedios looks like many small towns throughout Cuba. However, that's no poke. Its Spanish colonial charm, quiet streets, and lack of overall tourism make it a charming destination and one of our favorites. But Remedios is not like any other small town in Cuba. On the days leading up to Christmas Eve, street celebrations called Las Parrandas take place. Beginning in 1820, Las Parrandas is one of Cuba’s oldest festivals.