7 days in Cuba: itinerary

Seven days in Cuba buys you two bases, not four. Fuel shortages, power cuts and unreliable long-distance transport mean every extra move costs a day you do not have. The route below keeps you on the west side of the island, where the road between Havana and Viñales is short and colectivos run most days.

Havana deserves the bulk of the time: Old Havana, the Malecón, Vedado and the museums are spread out and slow to cross on foot in the heat. Viñales is the counterweight — a tobacco valley of limestone mogotes, walkable in a day and a half, with horse riding and cave visits if you want them.

Skip Trinidad on a 7-day trip. It is a 4–5 hour drive each way from Havana, which eats two half-days and leaves you rushing both ends. Save it for the 10-day route.

The shape is a simple out-and-back along the A4 motorway corridor: Havana west to Viñales in Pinar del Río province, then back. No domestic flight is needed, which matters because internal flights are the least reliable part of Cuban transport in 2026.

If the Viñales leg falls through — no colectivo, no fuel, a road closure — stay in Havana and use the two days for a Bay of Pigs or Santa Clara day trip instead. Do not improvise a long eastward move with only seven days.

Days 1–3, Havana. Start with Old Havana early, before the heat and the tour groups: Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza Vieja, the Museo de la Revolución and the Malecón in the late afternoon. Day 3 is flexible — Vedado and the Colón cemetery, the Fusterlandia mosaic neighbourhood, or a beach run to Playas del Este if transport allows.

Days 4–5, Viñales. Travel in the morning so you arrive with light left. Day 4 is a valley walk between the mogotes; day 5 is a tobacco farm, the Cueva del Indio area or a horse ride, all arranged through your casa. Evenings are quiet — this is a village, not a city.

Days 6–7, Havana. Come back a day early rather than a day late. Use the last full day for anything you missed, and keep the final morning free for the airport. If your flight is cancelled, being in Havana with a booked bed is far easier than being stuck in Pinar del Río.

Between cities, colectivos (shared taxis) and the state Viazul bus are the two realistic options. Colectivos are faster and pick you up at your casa; Viazul is cheaper but seats sell out and departures are sometimes cancelled. Either way, book the day before through your host, not on the morning you want to leave.

Inside Havana, use metered or pre-agreed taxis for longer hops and walk the old centre. Local buses are crowded and hard to navigate without Spanish. In Viñales everything in the village is walkable; hire a local taxi or a horse for the valley.

Do not plan on domestic flights, trains or rental cars for a 7-day trip. Fuel supply and paperwork make all three unreliable in 2026.

Casas particulares (private rooms) are the default for most travellers: cheaper than hotels, easier to book late, and your host becomes your transport fixer. In Havana, Old Havana puts the sights on your doorstep but is noisy; Vedado is quieter, greener and a short taxi from the centre. In Viñales, stay in the village within walking distance of the main street.

Book the first two nights before you fly and the rest as you go, or book everything if you are travelling in high season (November to April). Confirm that your casa can arrange the Viñales colectivo before you commit to dates.

Hotels exist in Havana and a few in Viñales, but supply is thin and prices are high for what you get. If you want a hotel, book well ahead.

Cuba is a cash economy for visitors. Bring euros or US dollars and change them on arrival or through your casa; cards issued by US banks do not work, and card acceptance is limited even where it exists. Budget for the whole trip in cash plus a reserve.

The range below is per person for seven days, excluding international flights, based on casas, colectivos, simple restaurant meals and a few paid activities. Havana is the expensive part; Viñales is cheaper.

If you have more time, the 10-day route adds Cienfuegos and Trinidad, and the 14-day route adds Santa Clara and possibly Santiago de Cuba if a domestic flight runs that week. Both are built around the same rule: fewer moves, longer stays, a buffer before the flight home.

If you want the east instead — Santiago de Cuba or Baracoa — seven days is not enough. Baracoa is remote and storm-exposed, and reaching it from Havana takes a full day or more even when transport is working.

If you are American, check your OFAC travel category before booking: tourism is not one, and the legal route shapes where you can stay and what you can do.