STUNNING beaches, everlasting sun, friendly people. Cuba has all this and more ... and that's even without mentioning Havana, its remarkable capital.
The island - the largest in the Caribbean - attracts more than two million
visitors a year.
And you can join them in our fantastic free holiday competition.
We've teamed up with Havana Club to offer one lucky reader an unforgettable holiday for two, worth nearly £2500.
It will combine 10 or 11 nights at a beach-front hotel ... and two or three nights in Havana.
Cuba, just 90 miles south of the Florida Keys, has miles of golden beaches and colourful scenery.
The beach part of the holiday is at the four-star, all-inclusive Playa Costa Verde hotel on Guardalavaca beach in Holguin province.
There are nearly two miles of silvery sand and turquoise waters, and the activities include snorkelling, scuba diving and windsurfing.
Christopher Columbus landed near the beach in 1492 and called it the "most beautiful land" he'd ever seen.
The rest of the holiday will be spent at the five-star Parque Central Hotel in Havana, one of the world's most charismatic cities.
Tiny cobbled streets, lined with bars and cafes, are alive with the rhythms of salsa.
Havana has an exuberant culture, yet the commonest sights on the roads are 1950s Chevrolets, Buicks and Oldsmobiles.
The must-see attractions include the Malecón, the seafront promenade, and the immense Plaza de la Revolución, a photographer's must-see.
Overlooking part of the Malecón is the legendary Hotel Nacional de Cuba, which was a favourite with countless celebrities, from Ernest Hemingway to Marlon Brando.
MSP Tommy Sheridan described Havana as a "fantastic city" - and he's not alone.
Music is one of the capital's many strong points - as American guitarist/producer Ry Cooder once said: "In Cuba, the music flows like a river."
He knows this better than anyone - for it was his Buena Vista Social Club project, 10 years ago, that introduced Cuban music to the world.
Many Scots have travelled to Cuba and fallen in love with the place ... and here we talk to some of them.
|
 MELANIE DOUGLAS, 27
THE CULTURE VULTUREMELANIE, an assistant at an engineering consultancy, went to Cuba three years ago with her partner, Stuart.
"We had four days in Havana and nine days in Varadero. It was amazing," she said.
"Havana is so cultural and the people are so friendly.
"The architecture just takes your breath away.
"The best way to see Havana is to go with a local.
"We were even taken to a place in the middle of a housing scheme where Salvador Dali had painted.
"We stayed at the Hotel Nacional, which was incredible and had all the 1930s decor.
"Varadero was all-inclusive and very relaxing, with fantastic beaches.
"We'd definitely like to go back - if possible before it all changes." |  GEORGE GRAY, 54 THE SPORTS GURU GEORGE is a football adviser at Braveheart promotions and looks after James McCarthy, the 16-year-old Hamilton player who is wanted by top clubs on both sides of the border.
George visited Cuba with his Spanish-born wife Anna Maria in the early 1990s - and has many fond memories of Havana.
"It's as if time has stood still there. We stayed at the Hotel Nacional - Sean Connery was there once," he said.
"We loved the old cars, the fedora hats, the big cigars.
"Havana is absolutely fantastic.
"My wife really got into the Cuban flamenco and we went to a few clubs as well. We really mingled with the people there. They're really friendly.
"We also had a few days in Varadero - the beaches are amazing." |  CHRIS TRAYNOR, 35
THE LATIN DANCER DANCE instructor Chris, who runs Strictly Salsa, which has classes at city venues Walkabout and Buffalo Joe's, fell in love with Cuba.
"I went to Havana on a dance holiday and it was a very emotional experience," he said.
"We were dancing on the street corners as well as in nightclubs and the bars. That was fantastic.
"The entertainment was the best part, with bands playing on street corners and in parks. You need a qualification to play in public, and that probably explains the sheer quality of the music you hear.
"Havana has two major live music venues and they were both incredible - full of Cubans, with lots of cheap drink and great music.
"Many Cubans are my best pals now." |  ALEX MOSSON THE PEOPLE PERSON THE former Lord Provost loves Cuba.
"I signed Glasgow's twinning agreement with Havana and on every occasion I was there, I felt a close affinity with the people of Cuba, especially Havana," he said.
"The facilities there are terrific and the people are very welcoming and open-hearted.
"They love music and dance, and you get the feeling as you walk about the place that they're just about to burst into song or do salsa as street musicians go by.
"That's exactly what happens.
"People on their way to work stop and do a wee dance as the street musicians play - and then carry on their way." |  JOHN TEVENDALE, 43 THE BEACH LOVER JOHN, a rail planning assistant, and his wife Vivienne went to Cuba in June 2004.
"We had a brilliant time in Cuba. I would definitely recommend it. The people were so friendly," he said.
"We loved the buildings in old Havana, which is a World Unesco heritage site, and the old classic cars from the 1950s and 60s driving round the streets of Havana.
"If you go to Havana you must visit one of the bars to sample a Mojito. Our favourite was in the Hotel Nacional.
"We also spent 10 days at an all-inclusive hotel in Varadero. The white sand beach was absolutely gorgeous.
"One final thing if you go to Cuba you must ride one of the Coco taxis!" |
WIN £2500 TRIP TO CUBA
TO have a chance of winning a holiday to Cuba, simply send your answer to the question below, along with your name, address and contact telephone number to: Evening Times/Cuba Holiday comp, Marketing Dept, 200 Renfield Street, Glasgow G2 3QB.
Q - What was the name of the project that brought Cuban music to the world 10 years ago?
Terms and conditions
All entries must be received by Monday February 26, 2007. The promotion is only open to UK residents aged 18 or over, excluding anyone professionally associated with the promotion and their immediate families, employees, associates, agencies or suppliers of Pernod Ricard UK. Only one entry per household is permitted. The holiday is offered is only available to be taken from April 15 to December 21, 2007 inclusive. The prize is a trip to Cuba courtesy of The Holiday Place including return flights (courtesy of Cubana Airlines) from Gatwick to Cuba (economy seats) and 13 nights accommodation. The accommodation will change depending on the day of departure a) Wednesday departure - 10 nights in the Playa Costa Verde (Beach resort) and three nights in Parque Central (Havana) b) Saturday departure - 11 nights on the beach and two nights in Parque Central. The winner will be required to make their own way to Gatwick. £200 travel expenses will be supplied to cover this. Insurance is not included. All other meals and drinks other than those detailed are not included. All additional expenses must be covered by the prize winner. All prize elements are subject to availability and the insurance is subject to status and underwriting where necessary. No cash alternative is available. No purchase necessary. Readers can also enter on-line at www.pieceofhavana.com.
Any entries received this way must have agreed to opt in to receive The Holiday Place's newsletter and must be made on the official entry form and copies will not be accepted. Usual Evening Times competition rules apply.
Try a taste of Latin life in Glasgow
DON'T worry if you don't win our contest - you can still sample the sights and flavours of Havana ... in Glasgow's Merchant City.
Havana Club, the name behind the world-famous rum, is bringing A Piece of Havana 2007 - an exclusive night of music, rum and raw passion - to the Old Fruitmarket on February 24.
It follows on from the success of the inaugural event last year.
The venue will be transformed into a Havana street-scene for the event, evoking the faded grandeur of the sights, sounds and smells of one of the plant's hottest cities.
Turning up the temperature on the night and bringing a blast of laid-back Cuban spirit to Glasgow will be Triangulo Oscuro, Cuba's top hip-hop band, plus the amazing DJ Armando and percussionists, who are being flown from Cuba by Havana Club exclusively for the event.
Guests will be treated to complimentary authentic Cuban cocktails made exclusively with Havana Club.
The selection of cocktails will focus on the Cuban classics such as the Mojito and the Cuba Libre, served at a replica of Havana's most famous hostelry, the El Floridita Bar.
On the night, guests will be able to buy a bespoke hand-rolled cigar, made by Maikel Dario, from the prestigious Cohiba factory in Havana.
The spectacular set will feature an exhibition of black and white images by leading specialist Cuban and Latin photographer James Sparshatt.
Register for a place now on the exclusive guest list on www.pieceofhavana.com
