Pinar del Rio Travel Guide

About 200 kilometers west of Havana one will find the city of Pinar del Rio. The city is a must to visit if you go to a Havana. The city itself is not very interesting and compared to swinging Havana and other cities farther east a bit boring. But what it lacks in athmosphere it makes up in natural beauty. A bit to the north of the city lies the small village of Vinales, which is surrounded by one of the most beautiful sceneries in the world.
Karst formations with tabacco plantages between them make for a spectacle. One can easily hike there for a very pleasant day. To the south-west of the city you will find the village of San Juan y Martinez. The capital of the tabacco planting of Cuba and the world. Lots of people will offer you to show you their farm and explain you all about the process of making the best tabacco in the world. It is also a great spot to buy the famous cigars, although these can't be legally taken from the country because you will not get the official purchase receipt you will get in the government stores, which you need for customs.