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The charming seaside town of Caibarién, in the Villa Clara province on Cuba’s northern coast, lies far from the island’s tourist trail, yet offers noteworthy attractions, from community art projects and deliciously fresh seafood, to one of Cuba’s most renowned festivals, and the pristine white beaches of “Los Cayos.”

For those seeking insight into authentic Cuban life, this wonderfully offbeat destination merits a visit. In Caibarien, you’ll find fragile crumbling buildings, extra-friendly locals and a way of life seemingly stuck in a bygone era.

It isn’t hard to see why the New York Times recently named Viñales, Cuba, tenth of 52 must-see destinations. Citing “stunning limestone outcrops...often shrouded by morning mist,” pastel houses, and deep-red earth housing the region’s famous magotes (giant roundish hills) and tobacco fields, the publication praised the region’s pristine UNESCO World Heritage Site for its tranquility and stunning scenery.

With more than 300 beaches along the island’s 3,500-mile coastline—bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south—Cuba boasts year-round saltwater and sands that vary in color from dazzling white to deep black. This list includes some of the subtropical island’s most spectacular stretches of relaxation, from popular seaside destinations to secluded coves.

Varadero Beach

As Havana boasts 1950s glamour and Camagüey exuberant art, Santiago de Cuba flaunts with gusto the island nation’s fiery history. From the Casa de Diego Velasquez, the oldest home in Latin America, to UNESCO’s best-preserved site of Spanish-American military architecture, the Morro Castle, Santiago de Cuba is packed with history and elegies to a valiant past. It’s here that a young Fidel Castro made history invading the Moncada Barracks, him and his army of rebels, pressing start on the Cuban Revolution.

But history-aside, there are many faces to Santiago de Cuba.

Camagüey, the largest province in Cuba, is also one of its richest. Home to a large community of artists and a World Heritage Site, the seemingly endless maze of winding streets comprising the colonial Historical Center, draped throughout with pops of color and its emblematic tinajones  – large jars made out of clay, once collecting rainwater – is the perfect destination for the culturally hungry.

Visiting Valle de Viñales is all about the views.