Mike (if that´s your name), relax! You´ll be fine with your original plan. Adding a day to see Viñales is of course also fine, but better spend less time transporting yourself and more transforming, in any given place around the island. Havana and Cienfuegos are grand cities and Trinidad is a small town. All have beches nearby.
As for the sad responses 8 and 9, take them for what they seem to be and come with an open mind. Yes, you will need to use common sense in Cuba as in any other place, but likewise (given your own social abilities) you may find that the "average cuban" is quite like the avarege human in general. I myself have old friends since my first visits some 25 years ago and new friends since my last visit some months ago. Just friends, nothing more nothing less. But my Cuba certainly would not be the same place without them.
Thanks Oficios for your thoughts. Yes Mike is my name. I take it from your post that while I could add a day and do Vinales, you seem to think that less is more in that I will get more of an experience in fewer areas and by less traveling. Much appreciated and along the lines of what I am thinking. That said, what what area of Havana would you suggest staying in. Looking for somewhere where I could get a quiet night's sleep and also not so far away from the tourist areas.
Viñales itself is just a small town with little interest but have stunning surroundings. If you´re up to it and don´t mind spending some time on the road: go for it! It´s not that far from Havana, but in the opposite direction of Cienfuegos/Trinidad.
Well, Havana is a big city and "to get a quiets night´s sleep" might not mix with your wish to stay close by. To me, Habana Vieja is the obvious choice, but it´s not quiet. Convenient yes, and highly interesting. But noisy, even at night. Centro Havana is like living in any faded part of any big city, but just not with the historical extras such as parks, plazas and monuments as has the old part. As for Vedado, Miramar or Playa - it can beautiful but also boring being out of reach. Try to get a room or an apartment in Habana Vieja where it might be less noisy (higher up, pedestrian street, outskirts). Better though - just try to live and be part of it. Havana is not the place to indulge in small healthy bits ...
Havana Vieja is not just noisy, it´s sadly also very run down and dirty. Garbage-trucks pass by every night, but even so the bins are often full and the streets and sidewalks are unfortunately not cleaned. If (when) you go to Cienfuegos (also claimed as "the clean city"), you´ll see the difference.
Just remember, anywhere you choose - it will better then it looks from the outside, and you´ll be okey. Even if it looks a bit scary: No worries!
Viñales itself is just a small town with little interest but have stunning surroundings.
I would strongly disagree but acknowledge that different tourists look for different things. Everything depends on your desire to go meet and interact with the local citizenry. I spent 7 full days in Vinales over 3 trips before I ever saw the first magote, the first cave, or took the first specific walk through a tobacco field, or any of those other things that tourists believe that is all there is to do in Vinales.
If you are a spectator who stands outside Cuban society looking in but doing no more, Vinales is a quick in to look at the physical sights and then back out. But if you are a participant who is willing to make eye contact, smile, say hello (in spite of language) to a stranger in Cuba, you will meet an endless stream of significant characters that will turn out to be the highlight of your trip. And that can go on for days and days.
I would stay in Vedado if you want relative quiet, its way more residential,less crowded than either Centro and Habana Vieja which are vertical apartment neighborhoods,crowded and can get noisy.Cubans are early risers and can be noisy, take the kids to school, get to work and construction to repair or renovate is a constant, not at all unusual to hear hammers pounding away early in the morning.Vedado is big and much quieter than those 2 areas, stand alone homes, fewer apts. If you need to be near Vieja and Centro stay on the side of Vedado next to the Centro neighborhood, you will be in walking distance of the busy parts of Havana. Forget about Playa and Miramar unless you want to be in the suburbs, my preference but I drive.
Just remember, anywhere you choose - it will better then it looks from the outside, and you´ll be okey. Even if it looks a bit scary: No worries!
You promise? From your response it seems that you are running a daycare somewhere?
If you want to be nearer the tourist areas, stay in Habana Vieja or one end or the other of Centro - not the middle. If you want quiet, as YB says, consider Vedado - and you can still be near to La Rampa.
The corner of Ànimas and Escobar is right in the middle of Centro Havana. A solemn and run down part just a few years ago, but today getting more vibrant. Yes Mike, there are quite a few casas particulares to choose from. My guess is that with the fame of paladar la Guarida (and lately San Cristóbal), people in the "barrio" understood that you could lure tourists to stay even here. Also - rates are often lower in this part.
Still, it lacks places of interest, altough the Malecon is just a few blocks away. Like posts 14 and 17 suggests, you might be better of either near the University or Parque Central. Reason: staying in a location like Ànimas/Escobar means a lot of walking, 20-30 minutes to Vedado and likewise to Habana Vieja. Yes there are cheap public transportation (bus and colectivos) and normal taxis. Walking is certainly more interesting, but if you have to do the same stretch many times a day ... Of course you can shift streets, but in my opinion Centro Havana is not that interesting. Probably you´ll get a different response on that, from someone else.
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