48 hours in Castro's Cuba: From sipping daiquiris at Hemingway's favourite bar to cigar rolling in tobacco fields, a whirlwind tour of the largest Caribbean island

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Sailing into Cuba you're suddenly hit by a wave of colour while a stream of beeping car horns top off the sensory cocktail.

A multi-coloured patchwork of buildings line the shoreline of Old Havana with the neoclassical-style Capitolio standing tall. 

The grand marble building - once home to the government - was emptied when communist leader Fidel Castro took power in 1959 and re-purposed as a science academy.

Currently it is covered in scaffolding as a renovation project will see it return to its original purpose, with president Raúl Castro taking office at the central spot.

MailOnline Travel spent 48 hours exploring Cuba, seeking out some of the must-see spots in the space of two days.   

Cityscape: Sailing into Cuba you're suddenly hit by a wave of colour while beeping car horns top off the sensory cocktail

Hotchpotch: A multi-coloured patchwork of buildings line the shoreline of Old Havana 

Religious touch: The Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception is one of eleven Roman Catholic cathedrals on the island of Cuba

After docking at Havana following an overnight cruise from Jamaica, it was time to hit the streets. 

Peeling paint, tumbled down brickwork and loose cobbles underfoot appeared to be running themes.

We stumbled across outdoor market stalls selling a jumble of fresh produce and narrow alleyways distracting us from our intended route.

While the bright and sunny streets are enough to keep you enthralled, another point of interest is the 18th century Roman Catholic cathedral with a grand facade and cool interiors.  

Meeting the locals: Peeling paint, tumbled down brickwork and loose cobbles underfoot appeared to be running themes in Havana 

Post your letters here: The paintwork in Havana is bright and sunny, with vintage fixtures completing the eclectic look

Cultural insight: The capital of Cuba, Havana, has a population of around 2.1 million inhabitants

Beep beep: To explore the city in style, grab a ride in one of the dozens of vintage American cars whizzing around

One thing we noticed on the Caribbean island was how the warm air envelopes you - the average temperature in Cuba is 27 degrees Celsius - and the sweaty weather definitely calls for a refreshing beverage. 

El Floridita in Havana's historic old town was a well-known hangout of Ernest Hemingway. 

Proud of its reputation as the The Cradle of the Daiquiri, there is really only one drink to order at the plush cocktail joint.

Sloppy Joe's saloon, an iconic Cuban bar that reopened in 2013 after a nearly 50-year break, is another potential place to take a pew.

Along with Hemingway, other well-known clients during the roaring pre-Castro era included film stars such as John Wayne, Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable.  

Drinking hole: El Floridita in Havana's historic old town was a well-known hangout of Ernest Hemingway

Working up a thirst: Proud of its reputation as the The Cradle of the Daiquiri, there is really only one drink to order at the plush cocktail bar

Feast for the senses: If you can, continue journeying on to Cuba's iconic cabaret club, the Tropicana, which first opened its doors

Sense of history: Fidel Castro ruled over Cuba for nearly five decades, until handing off power to his younger brother Raúl in 2008

There are many variations of the mojito to wet your whistle at the drinking hole.

To explore the city of Havana in style, grab a ride in one of the dozens of vintage American cars whizzing around. 

Sunset is probably the best time for this, as you can watch the colours melt on the horizon with the top down as you go. 

If you can, continue journeying on to Cuba's iconic Tropicana cabaret club in time for nightfall.

There are nightly shows at the open-air venue - which first opened its doors in 1939 - with show-stopping routines performed by a troupe of dancers, decked to the nines in outrageous outfits (Think bras lined with feathers and fruit bowl headdresses).

After a night of rest - the art nouveau Hotel Raquel comes highly recommended - hit the countryside to get some fresh air during your final 24 hours.

We headed to the Vinales Valley - about a two-and-a-half hour drive from Havana - to catch glimpse of the breathtaking landscape. 

Lush: We headed to Vinales - about a two-and-a-half hour drive from Havana - to catch glimpse of the breathtaking landscape

Traditions: In Cuba's countryside you can visit tobacco farms (above, a barn where the tobacco leaves are dried)

Learning from a pro: A farmer shows how to use the dried tobacco leaves to make a proper Cuban cigar 

A farmer driving his oxen and plough through a rust-colored tobacco field,

Rural roving: In the Pinar del Río Province of Cuba, there are endless options when it comes to things to do

Here, in the Pinar del Río Province of Cuba, there are endless options when it comes to things to do. 

On our whirlwind tour we went on a boat ride through a network of caves at Cueva del Indio, we learned how to roll cigars with a farmer on a tobacco farm and we visited the Mural de la Prehistoria.

The 65.6-foot-long mural - which features the trippy mix of a huge snail, dinosaurs, sea monsters and humans - was designed in 1961 by Leovigildo González Morillo and took 18 people four years to complete.

From Vinales, we returned to Havana and bode a fond farewell to the city after our short-lived stay.

If you have more time, there's plenty more of Cuba to explore, from hitting the white sand beaches on the coast, to adventuring to the coffee plantations in the mountainous east.

Passing by: One-story wooden houses with porches are commonplace while driving through the Cuban countryside 

Hard at work: A farmer drives his oxen and plough through a rust-colored tobacco field in Vinales

An ox rests under a tree to beat the heat in the Pinar del Río Province of Cuba

Soaring above: If you have more time, there's plenty more of Cuba to explore, from hitting the white sand beaches on the coast, to adventuring to the coffee plantations in the mountainous east