Introduction: Havana Travel Guide
Havana is an enchanting and fascinating city. With its long Cuban history and political importance, it is a super interesting city to visit where you will discover many faces of the Cuban life. Havana is a city full of contradiction with stunning building and rich square on one side but with really poor communities and landmarks breaking apart on the other side. We loved Havana and made this Havana Travel Guide to help you there.
WIFI: There are open free WIFI on most of the square in town. To access it, you will need to get a local SIM card that you can get from your hotel or local store. With it, you will be able to access the WIFI of the city.
One of the most common way to visit Cuba and la Havana is to use a tour agency. Our trip in Cuba was a family trip and even we never book anything, nor use tour, nor agency and are last minute travellers, for Cuba we opted for a full package. As we spent 2 weeks there with our family, it was the right call. Because it’s not all about Havana, moving from city to city is not always that easy especially if you do not speak Spanish. If you do, we could manage it but for a first time there, we would strongly recommend to get a tour.
Table of Contents
Mapping the Havana Travel Guide
Getting to Havana Travel Guide
The easiest way to get to Cuba and La Havana is to fly directly to its international airport. From there you can simply hire a taxi to get to the city center. It should cost around 25CUC and take 30min.
There is not airport shuttle but there are local buses running. Though we would not advise them.
Moving Around Havana Travel Guide
The easiest way to get around Havana is by Taxi or by walking. The local buses are often super packed and are not made at all for tourist as you will need to understand the line and be able to talk to the driver.
Taxi in Havana or Cuba are always old American muscle car, so it is much more enjoyable.
When to Visit Havana Travel Guide
The best time to visit Havana and Cuba is during the dry season running from December to May. At this time, the weather will be warm and dry. Temperature will get from 19°C to 31°C.
The rain season runs from June to October, most people avoid this period as rainfall can happen it a second.
Where to Stay Havana Travel Guide
The accommodations in Cuba and Havana are mostly guesthouses also called Casas Particulares. Most of them are booked by tour agency but some are available on Airbnb. If you travel on your own, you will be able to find some great options in Airbnb but none on Booking.com.
But be aware that Airbnb App may not work once you are on the Cuba soil unless you get a VPN.
You could also get in a hotel by contacting them:
What to Eat Havana Travel Guide
The best food to try in Havana are:
- Ropa Vieja: Stew beef
- Arroz con pollo: Rice with chicken
- Frijoles negros Cubanos/Moros y Cristianos: Rice with black beans
- Chiviricos: Fried dough with sugar
- Cerdo asado: Roast Pork
Vegan options:
- Yuca con Mojo: Cassava Manioc with sauce
The best drink to try are:
- Cuba Libre
- Mojito
Things to do Havana Travel Guide
Havana Walking Tour
Explore the old city center of Havana by yourself by strolling around or hire a local guide from your accommodations to get to know a lot more about the city and the history of Cuba
Plaza de la Revolucion
Visit Plaza de la Revolucion, known as the Revolution square, is notable for being where many political rallies took place and where Fidel Castro and other political figures addressed Cubans. Fidel Castro addressed more than a million Cubans on many important occasions, such as 1 May and 26 July each year. Pope John Paul II, and Pope Francis in 2015, held large Masses there during papal visits to Cuba.
Jose Marti Memorial
Cross to the 109m tall landmark is a memorial to José Martí, a national hero of Cuba. It is made of a star-shaped tower, a statue of Martí surrounded by six columns, and gardens. It is the largest monument made to a writer in the world.
Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
Explore the vibrant heart of the city. The old Havana neighborhood is a contrast of beautiful and restored places as well as really old one that are just asking to fall. Most of the best things to do in Havana are all located in the area, historical forts, museums, old churches, rum and cigar stores and all the famous plaza.
Plaza Vieja
Stroll to Plaza Vieja or old square is the most restored square in Havana. The square is surrounded by beautiful colourful multi-storied buildings, restaurants and bars. It’s one of the best places to stop for a while, drink a coffee or see local kids playing with the birds.
Local band are often found in the hotel around this plaza, making your stop even more enjoyable.
Plaza de Armas
Hang around Plaza de Armas (Square of Arms) is one of Havana’s oldest square and one of the 4 main squares in town. It was built in 1520s and originally known as Plaza de Iglesia but changed it names in the late 16th century when the colonial governor housed in the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, used the site to conduct military exercises.
Today’s plaza de Armas, along with most of the buildings around it, dates from the late 1700s.
Plaza de la Catedral
Discover the Cathedral square is another one of the 4 main squares in old Havana. Originally it was a swamp and was later drained and used as a naval dockyard. Following the construction of the Cathedral in 1727, it became the site of some of the city’s grandest mansions. It is also the place of the Museo del Arte Colonial (Colonial Art Museum) and lots of restaurants.
Havana Cathedral
Enter the Havana Cathedral is one of 11 Catholic cathedrals on the island of Cuba. The church serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Cristobal de la Habana. Christopher Columbus’ remains were kept in this cathedral between 1796 and 1898 before they were taken to Seville Cathedral.
Castillo de la Real Fuerza
Visit or simply look around the Castillo de la Real Fuerza. Considered an engineering marvel, this fortress is one of the oldest European defensive structures in the Americas, and the first defensive construction to guard the city. It was built from 1558 and 1577.
Fortaleza de San Carlos la Cabana
Discover or simply admire the San Carlos la Cabana Fortress. Constructed after the capture of Havana by British forces and named in honor of King Carlos III, this 700-meter-long fortress is the largest one in the Americas.
Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro
Discover or simply admire Morro Castle. Designed by Italian engineer Juan Bautista Antonelli and built by slaves in the end of the 16th century, the Morro Castle was used to protect the town of San Cristobal de la Habana. An interesting feature are the holes in the back walls through which prisoners were fed to the sharks. This fortress was the main defensive construction in the Havana harbor until La Cabaña was completed 1774.
National Capitol Building
Drive by or explore the National Capitol Building. Constructed between 1926 and 1929, it was inspired by the Capitol in Washington and the Pantheon in Paris. Many Cuban and foreign artist participated in the construction. The building is currently being restored so that it can be used once again as the home of Cuba’s National Assembly.
Gran Teatro de la Habana
Pop by the Gran Teatro de La Habana, home to the Cuban National Ballet. It was designed by the Belgian architect Paul Belau and built by Purdy and Henderson, Engineers in 1914 at the site of the former Teatro Tacón.
Convento de San Francisco de Asís
Stroll some more in the old town until you reach the Basílica Menor y Convento de San Francisco de Asís. Initiated in its present form in 1716, this religious edifice was the most important symbol of the presence of the Franciscan order in Havana.
Finca Vigía - The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
Learn about the famous writer Ernest Hemingway by visiting its previous house as he lived and wrote for more than ten years in Havana.
Malecón
Walk along or drive along the Malecón. A broad esplanade, roadway, and seawall that stretches for 8 km along the coast from Havana Harbor in Old Havana until the Almendares River.
Night show at Hotel Nacional
If you want to experience the night out in Havana, one of the great places to visit is the Hotel Nacional. Local cabarets and spectacles take place there during the evening.
La Bodeguita Del Medio
Have a drink at La Bodeguita del Medio, a typical restaurant-bar, famous for the personalities which have patronized it: Salvador Allende, the poet Pablo Neruda, the artist Josignacio and many others. La Bodeguita lays claim to being the birthplace of the Mojito cocktail, prepared in the bar since its opening in 1942, although this is disputed. The rooms are full of curious objects, frames, photos, as well as the walls covered by signatures of famous or unknown customers, recounting the island’s past.
Havana Travel Tips
In this Havana Travel Guide, we will give you good to know tips.
Bring gifts for local people
One thing that you will for sure encounter while visiting Havana or Cuba is poverty. And you will most likely see people begging on the street or even coming to you to ask for something.
To be prepared for this and to help people there bring along with you, soaps, shampoo, parfums, pens, pencils, books… small or big, it was always be appreciated.
Supermarket and grocery
You will often see people waiting in line in front of an almost empty supermarket. There is still food shortage on the island and while tourist get the priority, locals do not always have everything they need.
Also, if you visit the island of Cuba, you should bring everything you will need there as you may not find it there. Only food in restaurants is something sure but it comes at a price too high for locals.
Trade
As per the previous tips, most local are actually trading between themselves. Though it is not really authorised but law, most of the Cuban are doing it. A Fisherman will trade some fish against some wood. And the opposite. This way everybody gets what they need.
3 days Itinerary Havana Travel Guide
Day 1 :
- Plaza de la Revolucion
- Jose Marti Memorial
- Malecón
- Fortaleza de San Carlos la Cabana
- Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro
- Hotel Nacional
Day 2:
- Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
- Plaza Vieja
- Plaza de Armas
- Plaza de la Catedral
- Havana Cathedral
- Castillo de la Real Fuerza
- La Bodeguita Del Medio
Day 3:
- National Capitol Building
- Gran Teatro de la Habana
- Convento de San Francisco de Asís
- The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
Condemn me, it does not matter: history will absolve me. – Fidel Castro
