THINGS TO BUY
1.Papier-Mâché Models
Cuban artisans are skilled at making papier- mâché items, and pre-revolutionary American automobiles are a very popular theme. These cars can be incredibly lifelike or have comical distortions. Look out as well for papier-mâché muñequitas (dolls) of the orishas, or figures of baseball players and cigar-smoking mulattas (Cuban women of mixed racial heritage).
Painted papier-mâché model cars
2.Guayaberas
This Cuban cotton shirt worn by men is ideal for beating the heat. It features a straight hem and is worn draped outside the trousers. Either long- or short-sleeved, the shirts usually have four buttoned pockets and are embroidered with twin vertical stripes down the front.
3.Wood Carvings
Carved wooden statues are a staple of craft markets found all over Cuba. The most common items, which make good souvenirs or gifts, are exaggeratedly slender nude female figures made of mahogany, ebony, and lignum vitae. Bowls and plates are also available, as are chess sets and humidors, often made in colorful combinations of different types of hardwoods.
Wooden carvings at a street market
4.Fans
Traditional, handmade, and prettily painted Spanish fans or abanicos make a great gift. The fans are hand-painted in an age- old tradition. Gift shops throughout Cuba also sell them.
5.Che Guevara T-shirts
Almost every Cuban souvenir store and flea market sells cotton T-shirts for men, women, and children. The most common image is the iconic photo of Che Guevara in his trademark black beret with the five-point revolutionary star.
6.Music CDs
CDs of everything from son and jazz to timba and salsa are widely available in casas de la trova, souvenir stores, and shops run by the state-owned recording entity EGREM. Musicians who perform at restaurants and other such venues often offer recordings of their music for sale.
7.Coffee
Some of the best mountain-grown beans in the Caribbean are sold in vacuum-sealed packages at reasonable prices. Many shops sell a rich, smooth export-quality brand called Cubanita.
8.Cuban Art
Although much Cuban art is kitsch and mass-produced for tourists, the nation’s many artists also produce some of the most visually exciting works in the Caribbean. Colorful recreations of typical street scenes featuring old American automobiles or ox-drawn carts are irresistible, but also look for more profound works by contemporary masters. The former are sold at street markets nationwide; the latter are represented at quality state-run galleries.
Cuban art on display
9.Jewelry
Scour the street markets for creative avant-garde pieces made from recycled cutlery. Black coral finds its way into contemporary silver, and sometimes into gold jewelry sold at state-run joyerías (jewelry stores) in Havana. Black coral looks very pretty when set in jewelry, but bear in mind that it is a threatened species.
10.Lace
Much of Cuba’s beautiful, traditional lace embroidery is from Trinidad, the center of homespun production. Look for exquisite tablecloths, antimacassars, and blouses, as well as pretty, crocheted bikinis.
TOP 10 RUMS AND CIGARS
1.Havana Club Gran Reserva
Aged for 15 years, this is one of the finest Cuban rums, with a texture and flavor like a superb cognac.
Havana Club rum
2.Ron Matusalem Añejo
Elegant rum aged in barrels for 10 years, three years longer than most añejos.
3.Montecristo No. 4
The world’s top- selling cigar; the preferred smoke of Che Guevara.
4.Cohiba Siglo
Large, flawless cigar loaded with flavor.
Cohiba Siglo
5.Varadero Oro
Aged for five years, this dark golden rum is smooth, sweet, and has distinctive caramel flavors.
6.Partagás Series D
A full-bodied cigar with an intense, earthy flavor, this Robusto is the standard-bearer of the Partagás brand.
7.Montecristo Figurados No. 2
This extremely rare, perfectly balanced, distinctly flavored, torpedo-shaped cigar is sought after by connoisseurs.
8.Ron Santiago 45 Aniversario
A limited-edition, well-aged rum with hints of honey and walnuts – one of Cuba’s finest.
9.Romeo y Julieta Churchill
This long, large, full-bodied smoke is named after Shakespeare’s tragic play and British premier Winston Churchill.
10.Trinidad Fundadores
A classic, considered perhaps the finest of Cuban cigars. Fidel Castro presented these to visiting dignitaries.
