It’s hard to convey the wonder, sensuality, and odd fallen beauty of Havana. Hard to imagine a city with such rhythm and verve. But until you have taken a lazy stroll along the Malecón, gotten lost in the time warp of Habana Vieja’s colonial cobblestone streets, ridden in a 1940 Dodge taxi through crumbling Centro Habana, danced salsa till dawn after catching the Tropicana floor show, or witnessed Afro- Cuban religious rituals on the street, all you can get from me is just words. Photography lumierefl/fliker

Many consider this the most naturally beautiful spot in Cuba. Viñales is a picturesque town in the heart of Cuba’s prime tobacco-growing region. The town itself sits in the center of a flat valley surrounded by stunning karst hill formations known locally as mogotes. The mogotes are irregularly shaped steep-sided hills that can rise as high as 300m (985 ft.) and have bases ranging from just a few hundred yards in diameter to as much as a couple of kilometers in length. The mogotes form part of the Sierra de los Organos mountain chain, and were formed by eons of erosion. Photograph Hans Hendriksen/flikr

Trinidad: The entire town of Trinidad qualifies as a historical center. The impeccably preserved relic— several blocks square of perfect pastel- colored mansions, churches, and cobblestone streets—is one of the greatest collections of colonial architecture to be found anywhere in the Americas. Trinidad’s historic center, which dates to the 16th century, remains largely unmarked by the modern world. So does this view of the city’s natural surroundings, including the Sierra del Escambray mountain range. Photo from art.com

Waging a guerrilla war against the Batista dictatorship, Fidel Castro and his young comrades hid out in the Sierra Maestra mountains in the late 1950s. Their smallscale rebel base camp was never discovered, but visitors today can hike a trail through remote cloud forest up to Comandancia de la Plata, the command post where Fidel turned a country on its head. It’s a fascinating glimpse of history from up close. Photograph by Junior Henry/flikr

A colorful Havana woman enjoys an enormous cigar. The smokes are one of Cuba’s defining symbols—“Havanas” are renowned worldwide and have special cache among many aficionados in America, where their import remains illegal.

Sitting on the point overlooking Havana’s narrow harbor channel, the Morro Castle, or “El Morro” as it is most commonly known, is the first fort you’ll come to after crossing under the harbor channel tunnel, it was built between 1589 and 1630 and served as an important line of defense against pirate attack and naval invasion. In addition to its ramparts, barracks, and banks of cannons, El Morro has a series of exhibition rooms and mini-museums. You can walk the fort’s ancient streets and even climb the still-functioning 19th-century lighthouse here. El Morro offers up excellent views of Havana and the curve of the Malecón, and there are several restaurant and bar offerings here. Morro Castle in Havana shares the name with other structures in Santiago de Cuba and the Castillo de San Felipe del Morro in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Photo from tourister.ru

An amorous couple cozies up to the bar at Bodeguita del Medio, an Old Havana hotspot popular for its tasty mojitos and historic association with legendary writer Ernest Hemingway. Though it’s not clear if Papa really did drink here, the Cuban government has franchised out some 50 restaurants of the same name, heavy with Hemingway memorabilia, in cities from Palo Alto to Prague. Photograph Guido Alberto Rossi/Photo Library

Baracoa: Cuba’s first settlement, overlooking a beautiful oystershaped bay, remains a natural paradise, with thick tropical vegetation, 10 rivers, and a distinctive flattopped mountain called El Yunque, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that beckons hikers. Travelers into rafting, beaches, and boating will also find ample opportunities to explore this isolated area. Photographed by Francesco Roman/flikr

Young boys and girls, some still in school uniform, socialize on a street corner on a warm Cuban evening. Fidel Castro’s government stresses free, public education for all Cubans, and the nation, though poor, has a high literacy rate. Photograph by Jon Smith

A happy teenager cruises along Havana’s waterfront Malecón to her quinceañera reception, the 15th-birthday party that, in Latin culture, marks her coming of age. Photograph by Sven Creutzmann/Mambo Photo/Getty Images

Streetside domino games can be seen in many a Cuban neighborhood. The nation’s mild climate allows Cubans to spend much of their time outdoors, and typical household activities often spill out into the street. Photograph by Ewa Skibinska

A man peers past an enormous Cuban flag to survey the scene below his Havana balcony. The banner celebrates the success of the Cuban Revolution, which transformed the island’s government during the 1950s. Photograph by Jose Azel/Aurora Photos