The Cuban archipelago, a fast-growing tourist destination in the Caribbean region, combines sun and beach options with the country's cultural and historic wealth, contributed by centuries-old traditions and a diverse cuisine.

Hundreds of kilometers of excellent beaches, warm water and fine sand characterize Cuba's geography, in which nature offers one-of-a-kind attractions.

The five-century-old development of Cuban society is present in countless dishes characterized by elements that have been incorporated into the country's traditions.

Typical Cuban dishes have been enriched by elements from European cuisine, including Spanish, French and Italian cuisine. Asia and the Middle East have also contributed dishes from Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arab and Indian cuisine, just to mention some of the offers available at Cuban restaurants and cafeterias.

Cuba's tourism expansion strategy goes beyond the so-called big island, as new destinations have been developed in the so-called Northern Keys, which offer dozens of kilometers of excellent beaches in a nearly-pristine environment.

A 48-kilometer causeway connects the biggest island in the Cuban archipelago with the keys Santa María, Las Brujas, Ensenachos, Cobos, Majá, Fragoso, Francés, Las Picúas and Español de Adentro, among others.

In addition, Cayo Largo del Sur, one of those peculiar sites exclusively devoted to tourism, offers 24 kilometers of beaches of crystal-clear water and fine white sand.

In central Cuba, the provinces of Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Villa Clara offer deeply-rooted traditions and rich history, which are complemented by facilities to practice nautical sports.

Havana, Cuba's major tourist destination, is one of the best exponents of Spanish colonial architecture in the Caribbean Island, whose notoriety began in the late 16th century.

The Cuban capital, which was known at the time as the Fortified City of the West Indies and the Key to the New World, is a living museum that exhibits a wide range of architectural styles that show the different stages in the city's development.

Havana's defense system, headed by the emblematic Castillo de Los Tres Reyes del Morro, consisted of nine big constructions that constitute, according to experts, the most outstanding architectural complex of its kind in the Spanish-speaking Americas.

Another prominent fortress is the Castillo de la Real Fuerza (Castle of the Royal Force), whose construction was completed in 1577 and paved the way for the military Renaissance constructions built during the rule of the Catholic Monarchs in Spain, also called the Elizabethan period.