Cuba in 2026 is experiencing its worst economic crisis since the 1990s, with blackouts lasting 4 to 20 hours a day, partial dollarization via MLC stores, and tourism dominated by Casas Particulares at EUR 25-50 per night. Yet, Havana, Viñales, and Trinidad remain unparalleled destinations in the Caribbean. This 7-day itinerary covers the Tarjeta Turística visa, CADECA exchange, Viazul transport, Nauta internet, and what to truly expect from the island today.
17 min read
Cuba in 2026 is not the Instagram destination of the 2010s. The island is in its third consecutive year of GDP contraction, experiences scheduled blackouts of eight to twenty hours in interior provinces, has lost about 10% of its population to emigration in the last five years, and operates in a monetary schizophrenia where the official peso (CUP) coexists with USD, EUR, and the electronic moneda libremente convertible (MLC).
And yet, no other place in the Caribbean is Cuba. Havana Vieja remains the only Caribbean colonial historic center with 500 continuous years of real urban life (not staged), Trinidad maintains cobblestone streets and pastel-painted houses without the resort filter, Viñales has a tobacco-growing valley recognized by UNESCO since 1999, and the Fábrica de Arte Cubano in Havana is the most interesting cultural space in the Americas today.
The thesis of this guide: go, but go prepared. Cuba does not forgive improvisation and does not work like any other destination you have visited. Seven well-planned days yield more than twenty improvised days.
Visa and Entry: Tarjeta Turística EUR 25, Americans Have Their Own Rules
TL;DRBrazilians, Portuguese, and Europeans in general enter with a Tarjeta Turística sold by the airline (Iberia, Air France, Copa) for EUR 25, valid for 30 days extendable for another 30 in Havana. Americans must fit into one of the 11 OFAC categories and buy a specific Cuban Tourist Card for USD 50-100.
The Tarjeta Turística is the name of the Cuban tourist visa. It is not a stamp in the passport: it is a pink paper card (green for Americans) filled out by hand with your details, which you present along with your passport at José Martí immigration (HAV).
As a Brazilian or European, the simplest way is to buy it at the airline counter at the departure airport, usually EUR 25 to EUR 30. Iberia and Air France routinely sell in Madrid and Paris. Copa sells at Tocumen (Panama) and Avianca in Bogotá. Latam GRU-HAV has not operated directly since 2022; the usual route is GRU-PTY-HAV via Copa or GRU-MAD-HAV via Iberia.
Do not fill out the card before reaching the counter. If you make a mistake with a letter of your name or passport number, the card is invalidated, and you buy another from scratch (no refund). Fill it out calmly, in block letters, exactly as it appears in the passport.
Americans face their own rules since the reversal of the Obama policy in 2019. Direct recreational tourism remains prohibited by the Treasury Department (OFAC). You must fit into one of the 11 authorized categories (most common: "Support for the Cuban People"), keep a detailed activity diary for five years, and buy a specific Cuban Tourist Card (USD 50-100), usually via Cuba Travel Services or ABC Charters when flying from Miami, Tampa, or Houston.
Travel insurance has been mandatory by Cuban law since 2010. Present the certificate in English or Spanish at immigration; without it, you buy state insurance Asistur on the spot (about USD 30 per week).
Money: Official CUP, Real USD/EUR, Foreign Card Works Poorly
TL;DRBring USD or EUR in new bills and exchange part at CADECA (official exchange house) or directly with the house owner. The informal market rate in 2026 is around 1 USD = 350 CUP against 120 CUP official. American bank Visa/Mastercard cards do not work; European and Brazilian cards work intermittently.
The first thing to understand: the Cuban monetary system was not made to be understood. There is the CUP (national Cuban peso), there are physical dollars and euros circulating informally, there is the MLC (moneda libremente convertible) which is electronic money in USD used in specific stores called "Tiendas MLC," and there are USD prices in premium hotels and restaurants.
The practical rule: bring USD or EUR in new bills (issued after 2013, without tears, no pen marks, no excessive folds), never old bills. EUR has a slight advantage because it does not suffer the historical "10% penalty" of USD at CADECA, but in 2026 the difference has practically disappeared because no one exchanges at CADECA anyway.
| Where to Exchange | Typical Rate USD→CUP | Risk | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official CADECA | ~120 CUP/USD | Low, but long lines and bad rate | Only exchange the legal minimum to have pocket CUP |
| Casa Particular (your host) | 300-350 CUP/USD | Low, trust relationship | Best option for volume |
| Street/jineteros | 350-400 CUP/USD | High, scams and fake notes | Avoid, especially in Habana Vieja |
| ATM with foreign card | Official rate + 3% fee | May not work | Do not rely on it |
American bank cards (Chase, Bank of America, Citi) simply do not work in Cuba due to the embargo. European and Brazilian cards (Itaú, Bradesco, BB) work intermittently at BANDEC and BPA ATMs in Havana, with a 3% fee and terrible official rate. Treatment: bring all cash, divided into three different places (wallet, hidden backpack, house).
Do not exchange USD 500 at once. Exchange USD 50-100 per day as needed. Always keep small bills (USD 1, 5, 10) for taxis, tips, and small purchases, as no one has change.
About the author
Curadoria Voyspark
2 years in the Voyspark editorial team
Time editorial da Voyspark — escritores, repórteres, fotógrafos e fixers em Lisboa, Tóquio, Nova York, Cidade do México e Marrakech. Coletivo. Sem voz corporativa. Cada peça com checagem cruzada por um editor regional e um chef ou curador local.
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