Mysterious and largely inaccessible to Americans, Cuba beckons the curious to discover her revolutionary monuments, cultural landmarks and communist perspectives. Learn history from a different angle as you take in the points of interest deemed important over the years by the Cuban government. Americans are restricted from traveling to Cuba unless they obtain a license from the Department of Treasury.

Monumento Ernesto Che Guevara

What would a visit to Cuba be without seeing a monument to Castro's legendary revolutionary partner, Che Guevara? The Monumento and Museo de Che (no website; Avenue de los Desfiles; 042-20-5878) in Santa Clara are home to a giant statue and Che's remains, both his body and his possessions, in the adjacent mausoleum and museum.

Colina Lenin

Built in 1924 to honor Lenin's death, the Colina Lenin monument (no website; Calle 24 de Febrero and Lenin; no phone number) was built by Havana's socialist mayor at the time and remains one of the oldest monuments to Lenin outside the former Soviet Union. Visit the pavilion behind the hill for an exhibition on Lenin.

San Juan Hill

The cannon-lined memorial park on San Juan Hill (no website; Vista Alegre, Santiago de Cuba; no phone number) stands as a reminder of Cuba's fight for independence against the Spanish, which lasted in various forms from 1868 until 1898. Many tombstones of fallen soldiers litter the park, with plaques and monuments detailing the battles fought on San Juan Hill.

Fuente de la India

A stunning marble fountain trapped inside a traffic roundabout, the Fuente de la India (no website; Paseo de Marti and Dragones, Havana; no phone number) was made for the Count of Villanueva by sculptor Giuseppe Gagini. The sculpture details a noble woman of the city bearing Havana's coat of arms in one hand and a load of fruit in the other. Gothic-looking dolphins surround her throne. Some maps call this the "Fuente de la Noble Habana" instead. Find it in front of Hotel Saratoga.

Memorial a los Mártires de Barbados

The former home of a Cuban Olympic fencer killed in a horrific terrorist attack is now the Memorial a los Martires de Barbados (no website; Lucas Ortíz No. 344, Las Tunas; no phone number). Open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., photos on the wall detail each of the fencers from the Cuban Olympic fencing team of 1976, killed when their aircraft was bombed.

El Capitolio

Visit Havana's one-time capitol building, El Capitolio (no website; Calle Prado, Havana; 07-861-5519), oddly reminiscent of the U.S. capitol building. In fact, the Cuban structure was built in 1929 as the seat of government before the Cuban Revolution. Now, it is home to a national library and guided tours given to curious tourists.

Club Habana

A cultural landmark among Cuba's wealthy locals and foreign diplomats, Club Habana (no website; Avenue 5 between Avenues 188 and 192, Havana; 07-204-5700) is a swanky country club famous for its notorious elitism. Its reputation garners further mystique as one of the only public places in which Fidel Castro is known to have dined.

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