Summer holiday to Cuba and Canada

For our main summer holiday this year we planned on visiting Cuba – a destination that had always been on our ‘bucket list’. With all the changes following the normalisation of relations with the USA we thought now would be an ideal time to go. When researching airfares the best I prices were via Toronto, so we thought it would be an ideal opportunity to add in a short break to Toronto and visit Niagara Falls.

Booking so far in advance (this was booked nine months before) always gives you something to look forward to. Soon it was time to board our flight from Dublin to Toronto and then after a few hours in Toronto (enough time for a bite to eat and a drink) we were soon on our way to Havana. Our first three nights were spent at the Iberostar Parque Central, a wonderful hotel in the very centre of Havana.

The following morning after a great breakfast we set off to explore Havana on our pre-arranged tour in a vintage car. We had booked a beautiful red 1960 Buck Invicta convertible with a driver and a guide to show us the sights. This was a great way to see this fascinating city and we thoroughly enjoyed this experience. We were then dropped off at the famous Hotel Nacional for a refreshing drink. That evening we enjoyed some of the nightlife including a visit to Hemingway’s favourite El Floridita. Everything was within walking distance from our hotel. On our second day in Havana we made full use of the hotel’s rooftop swimming pool to relax in the sunshine whilst appreciating the wonderful views all around. That evening we had drinks in Sloppy Joes before a memorable dinner in a nearby Paladar.

Far too quickly it was time to leave Havana and we were transferred to our new home for nine nights the wonderful Blau Varadero. This hotel has a wonderful location on Varadero beach (in my opinion the best part). This beach of white sand is simply wonderful with a gentle slope into the warm Caribbean Sea. We had a great time just relaxing, enjoying the good food and the wonderful Cuban hospitality as well as the glorious sunshine. Blau Varadero is a very well run resort with good food, entertainment, a great events team and wonderful staff throughout the hotel. Many clients were regulars and have made great friends amongst the team here. Food overall was good and we also enjoyed visiting the two a la carte restaurants on a couple of occasions.

We also visited Varadero town on a couple of occasions, shopping for souvenirs and also for a night out at the Beatles Bar which is well known for its live music.

Then it was time to say goodbye to wonderful Cuba and the last part of our holiday, Canada. After an early morning departure we flew into Toronto and arrived at the Chelsea Hotel, centrally located in Toronto. We then visited the shops at the Eaton Centre for some retail therapy before having dinner and few drinks. The following day we were up early for our trip to Niagara Falls. En route we visited a local winery to sample some products before reaching the Falls themselves. The highlight for me was the Hornblower boat trip (this company has replaced the Maid of the Mist boats on the Canadian side) right up to the falls. I was completely soaked through but it was great fun and amazing to be so close to the Falls. Our tour also included a visit to Niagara on the Lake but in my opinion did not really allow enough time to see this fascinating town.

After another full day in Toronto shopping and seeing the sights it was time for us to head home. We certainly packed a lot into this amazing holiday and I would definitely recommend it to others for great value and seeing a lot more than just a beach holiday would provide.