Cuba's tourism industry, marked by its fast development and increase in tourist arrivals, offers a wide range of options to vacationers thanks to its excellent beaches, nature and history.

The country's major coastal resort is Varadero, on the Hicacos Peninsula, in the northern coast of western Matanzas province.

More than 20 kilometers of excellent beaches are complemented by more than 14,000 rooms in about 50 hotels, as well as restaurants, marinas, diving centers and nautical sports facilities.

For its part, Cayo Largo del Sur, in the eastern tip of the Los Canarreos Archipelago, in the Caribbean Sea, offers excellent beaches with crystal-clear water and fine white sand, many of which are nearly pristine.

The islet has modern hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, a marina, diving centers and a wide range of tourist and recreational attractions.

In central Cuba, tourists can visit the keys Santa Mar?, Ensenachos and Las Brujas, off the north coast of Villa Clara province.

Access to the keys is through a 48-kilometer-long causeway built on rocks deposited on the sea bottom.

The main attraction on the keys is the beaches, which are of high quality, in addition to a nearly pristine environment and the best hotels in Cuba.

At the same time, among the most visited cities is Havana, the capital, which is Cuba's major commercial, economic and communications center due to its location in the Straits of Florida and its bay.

In addition, Havana is the country's major tourist destination due to its centuries-old history, excellent beaches and the cultural wealth in Old Havana, where there is a mix of architectural styles from different periods.

The extrahotel potential is complemented by marines and facilities to practice all kinds of sports, including golf courses, as wells as some 30 museums, a dozen art galleries and nearly 20 theaters.

Havana's historic heart was designated a Humankind Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO in 1982 with the objective of preserving its architecture and historic heritage.

Of course, eastern Cuba holds Santiago de Cuba, the country's second major city, which is closely linked to the Caribbean Sea and the Sierra Maestra Mountain Range.

In central Cuba is Trinidad, one of the first seven villages founded in Cuba, which holds Valle de los Ingenios, also designated a Humankind Heritage Site, El Ancon Beach, a few kilometers from Trinidad, and the Escambray Mountain Range.