The Cuban archipelago, which benefits from dozens of excellent beaches, exuberant nature and history, is also the perfect destination to enjoy a wide range of tourist attractions.
Ecotourism, excursions to cultural sites and health tourism, among others, are some of the options for foreign vacationers.
In addition to enjoying traditional options, including popular festivities like the carnivals, tourists can also attend international events where major local products are promoted. That is the case of the Havana Club and Havana Cigar festivals.
Every year, the Caribbean Island hosts the Havana Cigar Festival to promote one of Cuba's elite products. The festival is attended by cigar aficionados from all over the world who enjoy a product whose green leaves and singular aroma treasure a history of more than five centuries.
Although tobacco is harvested throughout the country, the best land for that crop is in the western province of Pinar del Río, especially in the zone of Vueltabajo, where the world's best tobacco is cultivated.
A perfect combination of soils, climate and humidity contributes to creating a product that experts describe as exclusive, due to its excellent aroma, color, texture and flavor. These elements are taken into consideration when rolling the world-famous Havana cigars, which are highly demanded by a select clientele.
For cigar rollers, a hand-rolled Havana cigar is a work of art. Their creation begins when the leaves are picked, selected by size and class, and used for each specific vitola.
According to experts, the secret to roll a good cigar is in a perfect mix that combines the right proportion of leaves.
The growing demand for Cuban cigars led to the creation of specialized establishments all over the world, where cigar aficionados can buy, enjoy and learn about the ideal conditions to preserve such an excellent product.
Cabinetmakers play a major role in creating the appropriate conditions to preserve cigars. They create humidors, which are made of precious timber and which protect the cigars from environmental changes. In the humidors, cigars maintain their aroma and flavor.
Cuba stands out internationally for its Havana cigars, especially the Premium kind, which are hand rolled and come in more than 240 formats under dozens of brands, including Cohíba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Partagás, Hoyo de Monterrey, Quintero, H.Upmann, Punch, San Cristóbal de la Habana, Trinidad and Cuaba.
Thousands of tourists who come to Cuba every year to enjoy the island's attractions can also learn about the history of one of its most internationally-renowned products.