Havana
There are plenty to do in Havana, there’s something for everyone in this city. I didn’t do all of these things myself, but I’ll list them all up, so you’ll know which ones to choose for your trip. Also, make sure to spend some time outside of Havana. Havana is getting more and more touristified, so I loved my day trips outside of the capitol.
Areas
- Old Havana – An UNESCO World Heritage Site, worth spending hours exploring, walking around and seeing the beautiful buildings and plazas.
- Central Park – A nice place to enjoy the action of the city. This is also where we booked our day trip to Vinales in a vintage car for 110 CUC. Several high-end hotels are located here.
- Malecón – A nice walk by the Caribbean Sea, but I dare you to stay dry the whole time! The waves crashes into the walls of the Malecón, you get a little taste of the forces of Mother Nature.
- The Centre of Havana – A perfect place to capture some good pictures of the old vintage cars.
Attractions
- Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta – You’ll have an amazing view of this fortress from the Malecón. The fortress was one of the two most important defensive constructions in Havana’s defense system in colonial times.
- Revolution Square – A symbol of Cuban history. Fidel Castro addressed millions of Cubans on a wide number of occasions.
- Capitol building – Havana’s most ambitious and grandiose building. It was constructed after the post WW1 sugar boom. It too three years, 5000 workers and US$17 million before it was completed in 1929.
- Grand Theatre – It opened in 1838 and is one of the longest working theaters in Latin America.
- Revolution Museum – I’ve heard it’s a good place to learn about the Cuban revolution in the 1950s but since the opening times weren’t that stable when we were there, we missed out.
- Hotel Nacional de Cuba – Opened in 1930, at a time when Cuba was a prime travel destination for the US.
- Plaza Vieja – Surrounded by elegant colonial residences and a Carrara showpiece fountain at the center of the square. There are several cafes and restaurants there, so a perfect place to sit down and enjoy a drink.
- Plaza La Catedral de San Cristobal – An incredible cathedral, with two unique towers and a baroque architecture dominate the square. There are also some nice restaurants there.
- Museo del Ron Havana Club – A chance to experience the rum-making first hand, get an insight into the origins of Cuba’s most popular spirit.
- El Floridita – Hemingway used to visit this bar frequently, so you’ll see a statue of him in this bar if you visit.
- La Bodeguita del Medio – Also a Hemingway bar. There is a note Hemingway apparently wrote “My Mojito in La Bodeguita, My Daquiri in El Floridita”. The Mojito was invented in Cuba.
