Return to Havana

he tropical Island of Cuba extends 750 miles (about the size of England) and is a beautiful mix of mountain ranges and plains, it is the largest Caribbean island and the most westerly of the Greater Antilles group, lying only 90 miles south of Florida. Cuba is home to 11.1 million people.

The capital city is Havana, the currency is the Cuban peso and the official language is Spanish. Many traditional cultures have been preserved, and the astonishing ecological treasures of the island are now among their most celebrated features. Cuba's rich history is also gaining a more appreciative audience along with its unique culture.

Cuba offers its own unique food and many options for nightly entertainment. Cubans enjoy many of the same forms of entertainment as found in other Latin American countries. Music and dance are very popular in Cuban cities. Many popular forms of music and dance, such as the salsa, and cha-cha-cha, have their roots in Cuban culture. There are also a variety of attractions you shouldn't miss in Cuba. .

Historical sites, museums, and resorts are everywhere, Cuba is also home to the best cigars in the world! Our program in Cuba begins in the spring of 2001, please contact us for further information and this program is also open to all students including American students.

Santiago de Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is Havana's rival in literature, music and politics, and is regarded as the 'cradle of the revolution' because of the pivotal role it played in overthrowing the Batista regime. It's the second biggest city in Cuba and, unlike other Cuban towns, has a noticeable Caribbean flavor due to the influence of the French planters and Haitians who settled there in the last century. The city houses Cuba's oldest palaces and museums including the Casa de Diego Velázquez and the Museo Municipal.

Baracoa
Baracoa sits on a headland between two picturesque bays near Cuba's easternmost point, Cabo Maisí. Founded in 1512 by Diego Velázquez, this is Cuba's oldest European settlement. The town was accessible only by sea until the 1960s when a road finally connected it to the outside world.

Pinar del Río Province
Hikers, speleologists and naturalists will love this westernmost part of the country. Cordillera de Guaniguanico runs along the length of the province and the region boasts a plethora of limestone caves, some 26km long, and rivers that dive underground through the limestone bedrock. This is perhaps the most beautiful part of Cuba, and there are terrific scuba-diving opportunities off the province's coast with excellent yacht anchorages, clear waters, spectacular corals and great expanses of empty white-sand beaches.

Music
African slaves brought rhythms and ritual dances to Cuba. Cuban music today is incorporates guitars, tres (a small Cuban stringed instrument with three pairs of strings), double bass, bongos, claves, maracas and voice. Mambo, bolero, salsa and chachachá music is the most popular.

Is Cuba Safe?
The people throughout Cuba are very friendly and are always willing to help. Do however be cautious and well aware of your personal space at all times. Never let someone you do not know watch your luggage and never accept rides from anyone other than official taxi drivers.

Remember: you are in another country with a different set of social rules and regulations. What might be acceptable at home is not necessarily acceptable abroad. Ask questions and find out more about your city. Learn to adapt to different cultures and customs, part of your study abroad experience is to learn more about the world around you, be open and friendly.

Can Americans study in Cuba?
Yes, American citizens can travel and study in Cuba. Please contact us for further information.

What is the local currency?
The local currency in Cuba is the Cuban Peso. 20 Peso's = 1 USD. All non-residents in Cuba are required to pay for any purchases or services in USD, not Peso's. Cubans use Peso's. Otherwise, there is little opportunity for visitors to use Peso's, so visitors are advised not to exchange any money in to Peso's while visiting Cuba.

Traveler's Checks
- All traveler's checks must be issued by a non-American bank because of the economic embargo. Ie. no American Express travelers checks are to be used by our students - even if they are in CAD! Visa and Thomas Cook traveler's checks are fine, issued by a non-American bank.
- Traveler's checks are accepted only in major hotels, businesses and restaurants. Otherwise, USD dollars (cold hard cash) is the most acceptable form of payment for most transactions in Cuba.
- Canadians should take traveler's checks in USD (not CAD) as the exchange rate in Cuba for CAD to USD is not favorable - even less favorable than here!

Tourist Card: Canadians only
Canadians require a Tourist Card from the Cuban Consulate before they can go to Cuba. They cost $36.00 CAD, and the student must apply for the card themselves, as LP requires a special licence to purchase the cards in bulk, and we must have a Canadian IATA number to qualify for this licence. The tourist card takes 1-5 business days to issue, so students should apply at least a month in advance for the card, directly to the Cuban Embassy in Ottawa, or the Consular Offices in Montreal and Toronto.

Are a passport, visa, or vaccinations necessary?
Important: Please Read!
For tourism travel all you need is a valid passport and the corresponding visa or tourist card which will be issued by your travel agent or the Cuban consulate.

What is the weather like?
Average monthly temperatures are displayed first in Celsius, then Fahrenheit. January 25/77, February 26/79, March 27/81, April 28/82, May 28/82, June 28/82, July 30/86, August 30/86, September 29/84, October 28/82, November 26/79, December 25/77.

Will my electrical gadgets work?
Most of Cuba is 220 volts.

What is the best way to phone home?
It is possible to make phone calls from you room. You can call the hotel's operator by dialing 0. To get an outside line, dial 9. Local calls are being charged US$0.20 a minute. To call abroad dial 88, the country code and the rest of the number. Please be advised that calling abroad is very expensive as the hotel charges e.g. US$5.05 per minute for calling to Europe (the first minute is charged entirely). It is a lot cheaper to have yourself called back in your room, as calls to Cuba are not that expensive. It is not possible to make collect calls from Cuba. A cheaper alternative is to buy calling cards in the blue telephone cabins of ETECSA, where you can make international calls cheaper than in the hotel. There is also a telephone booth on the corner of the street across the hotel, where you can use a calling card.

Shopping
Groceries can be bought at the Supermercado in the shopping complex on Avenida 1ra next to the Rapido (Cuban fast food) at about a 10-minute walk from the hotel in direction Vedado. It's open 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 1pm Sunday. Supermercado 70 (Av. 4 at Calle 70) between the Russian Embassy and the hotel Neptuno-Triton, is a much larger supermarket also known as the Diplomercado. It's open 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 3 pm Sunday. Then there is a shopping mall including an expensive supermarket in the Hotel Comodoro, (Av. 3ra y 84) to go shopping.

Bars and Restaurants
For those students who have accommodation without board, there are a few bars and Paladares (private restaurants) to try in Miramar. Cafetería 3ra y 62 (Av. 3ra at Calle 62) is a cheap bar where you can have a snack and a drink. It's is opposite to the Aquarium close to the Supermercado 70.

Paladar La Fontana (Av. 3A Nº 305) at Calle 46, has meals for US$8, but side dishes are extra. (Ask for the Carta para clientes as there are two, one for those who find their own way there, and another with higher prices if commissions must be paid). Paladar El Palio (Av. 1ra) about 10 minutes walking to the left when leaving the hotel. Specialized in grilled food. The more expensive Restaurant Don Cangrejo (Av. 1ra Nº 1606), between Calles 16 and 18 is a seafood specialist. The fresh fish comes with a sea view. Most of the restaurants are open from 12 am until 12 pm.

Local Transport
Buses
The city buses (guaguas) have route numbers and only stop at bus stops (paradas).Although it may not appear so, there's often a line at the bus stop and you must find out who you're behind by asking "¿Quién es el último?". The buses do not have a fixed timetable, but ride very frequently. City buses cost anywhere from 20 centavos to 1 peso (you should have small change). Using the city buses can involve long waits though and they're almost always extremely crowded. On the other hand it might be nice to experience transport as the Cuban do.

Alternatively Sprachcaffe Languages PLUS Habana offers its students the possibility to use the hotel's bus transfer to the old town for US$1 one way. This transfer is leaving three times per day at 10 am, 1.30 and 4.30 pm. and returning from the Catedral at 12:30 am, 3.30 and 7.30 pm. Tickets can be obtained from the school director.

Taxi
Metered tourist taxis are readily available at the hotel, from Transtur with the only bigger cars charging higher prices than normal. The cheapest official taxis are operated by Panataxi ( 55-5555), costing US$1 flag fall, then US$0.45 a kilometer. The cheapest taxis are the older yellow-and-black Ladas. Many operate under the name of Cubataxi or Panataxi.

They won't wish to use their meters, as these are set at an unrealistically low rate, but you can bargain over the price. They're not supposed to pick up passengers within 100m of a hotel. The old classic American cars (máquinas) are generally intended for Cubans only but do take foreigners for US$1 (sometimes only 10 Pesos) per person, but you must carry exact change. Often they only drive up and down the main roads so you might have to get two of them for getting back to the hotel. Sprachcaffe Languages PLUS Habana doesn't recommend you to take cheap private 'pirate' taxis that don't have a TAXI sign because of safety reasons.

Car rentals
You can rent a car via the Transtur office in front of the hotel. Prices are between 60 for a small car and 75 USD per day for a middle class car including full comprehensive insurance with unlimited mileage. Gasoline is not included (approx. 36 USD). Mind that the minimum rental period with an unlimited mileage is often two days. Please do not hesitate to ask the school staff, if you need any assistance.

Post
Postcards cost US$0.50 to all countries. Letters are US$0.65 to the Americas, US$0.75 to Europe, and US$0.85 to all other countries. Postage stamps (sellos) are sold for pesos at town post offices. There is a post office at Calle 42 Nº 112, between Avs. 1 and 3, near the hotel. It's open 8 to 11:30 am and 2 to 6 pm on weekdays, 8 to 11:30 am Saturdays.

Tap water
The tap water in Cuba can be drunk, but it is not recommended.