The Vinales Valley

The Vinales Valley, in the west of Cuba, is one of the most beautiful landscapes on the island, a lush, fertile UNESCO valley of red-earth tobacco farms dotted with dramatic, dome-shaped limestone outcrops called mogotes rising sheer from the fields. Here, in the heart of the country's premier tobacco region, farmers still work the land and cure the leaves for the world's finest cigars by traditional methods, and visitors explore the valley on foot, on horseback and by tobacco-farm and cave tours.

The landscape

• The mogotes - the dramatic dome-shaped limestone hills.
• The tobacco farms - the red-earth fields and drying barns.
• A cigar-farm visit - seeing the tobacco grown, cured and rolled.
• Horse riding and caves - the trails and the limestone caves.

When to go

November to April, the dry season, for the best weather, which is also the tobacco-growing and harvest season, so the fields are at their most active and green. It is an easy trip or overnight from Havana.

What to expect

It is a rural region best explored slowly over a day or two, ideally staying in a family casa, rather than a rushed day trip from Havana. The tobacco-farm visits, while genuine, are geared to selling cigars, so a purchase is expected. As everywhere in Cuba, bring cash and patience. Its lush scenery and rural calm are a lovely contrast to Havana.

Nearby

The town of Vinales, the Cueva del Indio cave and the coast are close.

Key facts