If you are undecided about the time to go to Cuba, here is some information on the island's climate and the calendar of events to plan your holiday
Cuba it is the largest of the islands in the Caribbean Sea although, to be precise, we should be talking about a real archipelago made up of almost 1.600 islets surrounding the main one. In recent years, the notable improvement in the tourism sector has led to a growth in the hotel and hospitality sector, transforming Cuba into one of the most visited destinations by international tourism in the Caribbean region.
A great peculiarity of the climate of Cuba is due to the singular elongated shape of the island, which develops almost completely along the longitudinal axis, making the difference between the northern and southern ends substantially irrelevant and guaranteeing a uniform strip from a climatic point of view. Cuba is located in a tropical climate zone in which the year is marked by two main seasons: the wet season which runs from May to October and the dry season during the winter period between November and April.
La average temperature of Cuba it fluctuates between 20°C during the winter season and 30° in the summer season, with the constant blowing of the trade winds, coming from the Atlantic Ocean, which blow from east to west. The water temperature of the Caribbean Sea, however, settles at values around 26°C during the winter season and reaches 28/30°C in the summer season, thanks to the stabilizing function of the current arriving from the Gulf of Mexico.
A good part of the rainfall throughout the year is concentrated between the months of September and October and is the period during which it is most easily generated powerful hurricanes, capable of bringing destruction and flooding especially in the eastern region of Cuba which is the area of the island most exposed to this type of event.
In light of these climatic conditions the best time to go to Cuba that's what ends up happening November to April, when temperatures are more than acceptable and the risk of bad weather is minimal or absent. Furthermore, in this period there is also no sultriness that can often be found in the heart of the summer season.
From a cultural point of view or to participate in the most suggestive and interesting festivals in Cuba you can follow this calendar that we propose, with the most important events depending on the periods of the year.
From January to March:
On January 1st, in addition to the celebrations for the New Year which last until dawn, the two dates of Cuba's liberations are celebrated: that of 1899 when the Spanish abandoned the island and the revolution of 1959 when the "barbudos" - namely Che Guevara and Fidel Castro - conquered Santa Clara and the dictator Fulgencio Batista fled to the Dominican Republic.
In February the Fortaleza de San Carlos in Havana takes place International Book Festival, an event of great cultural importance which sees the arrival of writers from all over South America to participate in the prestigious Casa de las Americas award.
In March you can take part in the official celebrations of International Women's Day (March 8) and those of the day in memory of the attack on the presidential palace against Batista in 1957. Otherwise you can reach Nueva Gerona where the Grapefruit Festival, the grapefruit harvest festival where you can taste freshly distilled guachi liqueur.
From April to June:
The first week of April takes place in Baracoa Baracoa Culture Week, an important event that celebrates the culinary and musical traditions with folk dances of this region of Cuba.
In the second half of April, in Gibara, the Festival Internacional del Cine Pobre is held every year, a film festival that is only small in terms of the production budget of the films presented, but capable of offering a selection of independent films of great value.
On May 1st, International Workers' Day is celebrated throughout Cuba with a large popular festival in Havana in the Plaza de la Revolucion where you will witness large parades alternating with solemn speeches.
At the end of June the event takes place in Las Tunas Cucalambean Day dedicated to popular music, a colorful and evocative festival to take into consideration when deciding when to go to Cuba.
From July to September:
July 26th falls on the Dia de la Rebeldia Nacional, which commemorates the assault on the Moncada prison, one of the most important moments of the beginning of the Revolution in 1953. On this occasion you can attend the official speeches in the plaza de la Revolucion and then join to the celebrations around the streets of the capital.
The last days of July are an opportunity to have fun outdoors Santiago de Cuba Carnival, the largest carnival in the entire Caribbean, where a cheering crowd envelops the caravan of floats throughout the city of Santiago.
From October to December:
October 8th is Heroic Guerrilla Day, which commemorates the date on which Che Guevara was assassinated in Bolivia and is particularly felt in Santa Clara de Cuba where his mausoleum is located.
In November, two important cultural festivals are held in Cuba: the Fiesta de los bandos rojo y azul, one of the most important festivals of Cuban rural culture in the province of Ciego de Avila, and the famous International Jazz Festival of Havana, capable of filling all the theaters in the city.
In December you will find Cuba's largest cultural festival, the Festival Internacional del nuevo Cine Latinoamericano, a prestigious film festival that attracts filmmakers from all over the world and a large number of film enthusiasts every year. The 24th Decemberand, finally, in numerous Cuban cities the Christmas Eve celebrations begin with colorful floats and fireworks of all types that enliven the streets and squares until late at night.
