“Shop Until You Need a Mojito!” Not a common phrase we know! But the best souvenirs from Cuba are not always what you think! There are many wonderful souvenirs from Cuba that you can take back home for your loved ones.
They’ll remind you of your time in the country that’s for sure! One day you’ll find yourself staring fondly at a souvenir from Cuba and all the great memories will flood back! It’ll get you thinking about when you can come back and visit Cuba again.
So what are some of the best souvenirs you can bring home from Cuba?
1. Rum: A Stereotypical Souvenir From Cuba
You can get Cuban rum in most places in the world, and many of the familiar brands are on offer in Cuba. But why on earth would you buy something that you can also get in the store just down the street from your home? Look out for offerings from the boutique Cuban rum distilleries, the sort of thing that is truly one-of-a-kind.
While the mass-produced Cuban rums are still delicious you might be a more boutique style rum is a better souvenir from Cuba. A bottle of rum with a taste that is both nuanced and rich. It’s just the sort of thing you can enjoy at home when you want to remember the magical time you had in Cuba.
2. Cigars: A Tour with Souvenirs
Taking a tour of a cigar factory is a great thing to do whilst in Cuba. Needless to say, cigars are great souvenirs to bring home from Cuba. You might not think a standard industrial factory is all that interesting to see, but a cigar factory is certainly not industrial. The cigars are hand-rolled in the main work room, which resembles a social club as opposed to a factory. The workers laugh and gossip as they roll, often with a foreman reading excerpts from the newspaper aloud for everyone.
Buy some cigars to take home. even if you don’t smoke, they make exquisite gifts. Yes, it’s a stereotypical Cuban souvenir, but that doesn’t make it any less special. Please check the import restrictions for your final destination. You don’t want to bring in more of these cigars than is permitted, otherwise you risk having them confiscated.
3. Music That Can Be Hard to Find
If you happen to see a small local band and like their sound, you might want to keep listening to them when you go home. These days, most bands will simply direct you to their Spotify or iTunes page.
The internet is still not so accessible in Cuba. So some local music on CD is a truly unique choice when it comes to souvenirs from Cuba. If you happen to see a great band that you like in a bar or club, ask if they have any CDs on sale. It will be sure to bring back many happy memories of your time in Cuba. Plus it’s not as though you will be able to find it online!
4. Caffeine Deliciousness
Coffee is one of the primary crops of Cuba, along with tobacco and sugarcane. Even a little ‘hole in the wall’ can be known to serve a great coffee. Those bland international coffee chains are mercifully nowhere to be found. The coffee tends to be quite strong as the locals like it like that. You might want to top it up with boiling water if you don’t appreciate such a strong and yet textured bitter caffeine hit.
Many coffee houses also sell their own blends ground or as beans. So you can take a taste of this caffeine awesomeness home with you. Try to make sure that the product is vacuum packed so that it keeps until you get home. You will find that most places will tend to sell coffee beans that you need to grind yourself. A sensational cup of morning coffee at home can be one of your most beloved souvenirs from Cuba.
5. Art for Your Wall
A lot of the art on sale in Cuba is targeted directly at tourists, designed to be sold as souvenirs from Cuba. This doesn’t detract from it’s beauty or originality and you can sometimes find a great piece to take home to hang on your wall.
Please choose carefully and remember there are size and weight restrictions on what can be transported on your flight home.
Almacenes San Jose in Havana is the best place to find a diverse selection of work by local artists. Or a stroll along the Callejon de Hammel in central Havana. A small alleyway where a large number of artists live and work. You can visit their workshops and galleries and choose a sensibly sized piece to take home with you.
6. Antique Books and Magazines
English is not uncommon in larger Cuban towns and cities, particularly in the areas frequented by tourists. Media is almost exclusively in Spanish, and this includes the books on sale. Some second hand book markets might carry the occasional English title, but even if you don’t speak Spanish, you will love the look of an antique book bought in Cuba.
This is especially true if you buy it at a stunning sun-drenched open air market, such as the one on the Plaza de Armas in Havana’s Old Town. This is Havana though, you can probably find something in English by Cuba’s favourite adopted son, Ernest Hemingway.
7. Something with Che Guevara
Che Guevara is both a hero of the Cuban Revolution and a pop culture icon. You see his face all over Cuba on walls and on posters and books. Sure, you can find a Che Guevara shirt almost anywhere in the world! But when purchased in Cuba it can be a fun and inexpensive reminder of your time there. Trust us, you won’t have to look too hard to find one of these shirts in Cuba.
8. Hand Made Perfumes: The Scent of Cuba
The Mariposa flower is not unique to Cuba and yet Cubans have made it their own. It’s in fact the national flower of Cuba. It’s delicate scent is available in a range of cosmetics and toiletries.
It’s not a common base scent in other parts of the world, so you can bring home some mariposa products home as souvenirs from Cuba. It’s available as body lotions, soaps, and even cologne and eau de parfum.