Havana
District Guide

add to Travel Bag (NEW)  

Havana is a vibrant, modern and cosmopolitan city, where past and present mingle at the cultural, political, economic and social heart of Cuba.

Old Havana has been declared part of the heritage of mankind by UNESCO, and the beauty of its paved streets, colonial balconies, baroque and gothic buildings makes this accolade well deserved. Smiling faces greet you at every turn. Then there is the fabled Malecón, where tourists and locals alike come to watch the sunset and enjoy the soft sea breeze.

At night, this lovely Caribbean city becomes a magical carnival of shows, night-clubs and discotheques inviting you in to join the fun.

There are four main areas of interest. First there is Old Havana, a treasure trove of Cuban history and culture. The Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral and the Parque Central are fine examples of Colonial architecture. A walk through these old lanes is a real delight. Everywhere, cafés, restaurants and bars offer the perfect excuse to escape the tropical sun for a Cuban cocktail or traditional meal. Try the Bodeguita del Medio or the Floridita, where Hemingway used to drink his Mojitos and Daiquirís.

The historic quarter is also home to several important museums, such as the Museo de Autos Antiguos (if you like antique cars), La Casa del Arabe, La Casa de Africa, La Casa de Asia, Museo de la Ciudad, and the fortresses El Morro and La Real Fuerza, where you will see an emblem of Havana, the weather vane on La Giraldilla tower. This is the chief tourist area of the city.

Walking up La Rampa from the Malecón, you will reach the Vedado, one of the most charming areas of the city, with its 19th century houses and mansions, many of them now housing embassies, ministries and cultural organizations. On the corner of La Rampa and L Street is the ice-cream parlor Coppelia, famous for its excellent tropical fruit ice-creams. Up a short slope from here, you will come to the Plaza Ignacio Agromonte and Havana University, a set of impressive neo-classical buildings. There are also two museums: the Montané Anthropology Museum and the Felipe Poey Natural History Museum. Continuing in this direction, you will eventually come out onto the Plaza de la Revolución, where President Fidel Castro makes his Mayday speech to the masses every year. At the center of this vast, star-shaped space stands a huge monument to national hero José Martí. The view from the top is sensational. Opposite the statue, on the other side of a broad avenue is a fresco of revolutionary hero Ché Guevara.

To end this tour, we recommend you pay a visit to Miramar, one of the most exclusive areas of Havana, full of beautiful colonial houses, now home to embassies, cultural centers and foreign companies. The ponds of the Emiliano Zapata Park (Avenida 5- Malecón) are worth a visit. The little boats on the River Almendares are also a pretty sight. Palm trees line the avenues and there is a good number of cafés, bars and restaurants around the Marina Hemingway. Try the Chan Chan, El Mandarín or Rumbos.