Cuba can portray itself as the archetypal image of a Caribbean island with its sandy, palm-fringed shores washed by crystal-clear waters and cooled by breezes carrying the scent of frangipani, mango and guava. But Cuba has so much more to offer those who venture away from her beaches; to the towns and cities boasting Spanish colonial architecture and grand plazas, where classic automobiles labor along streets and country roads, and the hip-swaying sounds of salsa music fill the night air.

Christopher Columbus discovered Cuba on his way back to Spain after his second voyage to the New World in 1492 and was the first European to remark on its beauty. Today, despite continued US sanctions, the island state is starting to exploit its glorious attractions and offers visitors an alternative Caribbean holiday.

Cuba is so large that it allegedly confused Columbus, who thought he had discovered a continent and not an island. It sits at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico; the main island is 746 miles (1,200km) long with an irregular coastline that offers hundreds of bays and beaches.

With its history and great choice of natural attractions Cuba has much to offer. But most visitors agree that Cuba is a country so individual and extraordinary, that to be truly understood and appreciated it has to be experienced in person.

From the Word Travels destination guide to Cuba copyright Globe Media 2011