When you land at Jose Marti Airport in Havana, a new world awaits you.

First there’s a crowd of excited Cubans

They're waiting for family to arrive from Miami, fully loaded. Cubans are, above all, a sociable people, as you'll see when you walk the streets of this city.

Next you step outside the airport doors and get knocked over by the tropical air which contains a quality you may not have felt for a long time, so get ready for an attack of genuine nostalgia.

You will feel relaxed, because your taxi driver is not chewing gum or chewing your ear off. In fact, he has a worn shirt and a calm air. Since his English is probably limited, it’s a good idea to practise your Spanish or mix a bit of both languages.

The 20 mile ride into the heart of the city takes you past factories and homes in various stages of decay amidst tropical vegetation. It feels like being in an old-time movie.

You'll encounter a different world

There is a lively street culture that is the hallmark of Havana. Few people own cars or motorcycles so walking is a way of life.

You are so lucky to have landed here now

Cuba is almost the last place on earth to be kept under wraps, in a virtual time warp. No matter what your age, if you want to relive the Fifties you have come to the right spot.

The vintage cars, street banter and slow pace of life; these disappeared from much of the modern world long ago. So drop by the Partagas Cigar Factory, light up the best cigar in the world and then savor it in the place where it was born.

Welcome to Havana... a city like no other in the world today