Shopping in Cuba

Shopping in Cuba has little appeal. Here you will find neither large shopping centers, nor brand-name clothes, nor other goods that traditionally attract shopping enthusiasts. Shopping tour in Cuba is limited to buying souvenirs. You can buy them both from local artisans and in local stores.

There are no sales in Cuba. There aren't many stores. Some of them are off-limits to locals, and only the tourist currency, the convertible Cuban peso (CUC), is accepted. You can only buy a small selection of goods with the regular peso, which doesn't even always reach the bare minimum of necessities.

The things worth bringing back from Cuba for the traveler include:

• Cuban cigars. Especially valued are the Bolivar, Coiba, Montecristo, Partagas, Punch, Ramon Allones, Sancho Panza, H. Uppmann, Romeo and Julius Jules. Upmann, Romeo and Juliet, and Trinidad. But in no case buy them in the market, you are bound to run into a fake. It is better to do it in stores at the factories.

• Cuban rum. It is exactly the same as cigars should be bought only in specialized stores. The most popular type of rum is Havana Club. It is available in three types: Carta Oro (gold), Carta Blanca (white), and Anejo (old).

• Coffee. It's very good in Cuba, especially the Cubita, Turquino, and Arabica Serano Washed varieties.

• Crafts. Cuba makes a variety of wooden souvenirs, jewelry made of silver, coral, and fruit seeds, as well as hairpins and bracelets made of turtle shell. You can also buy local folk instruments, artistic fabrics, embroidery, and lace.

• Crocodile leather items. When buying them, it is worth asking for an export license right away, unless you plan to make a gift to the customs officials.

• Tropical shirt. This colorful outfit is called guayabera and is very popular among tourists. But T-shirts and other products with portraits of Che Guevara should not buy. They are made in Vietnam, not in Cuba, and the quality leaves much to be desired.

Shops are open from 09:00 to 18:00. In the afternoon, they close for siesta, from about 12:00-14:00 to 15:00-17:00. In resort areas, stores often open until 20:00 and may not have an afternoon break. On Saturday, most stores are open from 09:00 to 15:00. On Sundays, Cuban stores always have the day off.