When you think of Cuba, Havana immediately springs to mind, and rightly so. It’s the gateway to the country, and generally the first stop on any Cuban adventure.
It boasts a fascinating history from its beginning as a Spanish colonial outpost to its transformation in the early 1900’s into a glamorous hotspot that attracted many famous figures like Frank Sinatra, Ernest Hemingway, and Winston Churchill to name a few.
This former Paris of the Carribean, as it was referred, has changed quite a lot since the Revolution in the 1950’s, however it continues to retain its charm and allure.
We spent two weeks in Cuba, starting our trip with two full days in Havana and ending the trip with another two days there. With the short time we had and the amount of things to see and experience, we tried to squeeze in as much as possible. Here’s everything we got up to!
Where to Stay
We chose to stay at a casa to really immerse ourselves into Cuban culture. You could spend hours researching all the options, so we narrowed ours down by area and I highly recommend the places we chose. When visiting Cuba, you’ll most likely arrive in Havana and it’s best to have your lodging booked ahead of time. The details of your accomodation are required when you apply for your travel visa.
Fentons-The Boutique Casa
I booked on Hotels.com and stayed the first 3 nights at Fentons – The Boutique Casa.
As with most casas in Havana, you wouldn’t necessarily be impressed by the exterior, as the buildings are often quite dilapidated, but the interior is a whole other story. Fentons was beautiful and impeccably decorated with antique colonial items, refurbished and repurposed furniture, mixed with some new and modern amenities.
Absolutely loved our stay, and our room was perfect with the most comfortable bed!! Our hostess Amanda was so helpful and we really enjoyed chatting with her. She ensured we had everything we needed, which included a delicious breakfast every morning!
Casa Factoria
For our last two nights in Havana, we stayed at Casa Factoria, which was a quick 5-minute walk from the Capitol Building. Bonus at this casa was the small rooftop pool, which we made use of everyday! Our hosts Dailen and Santiago were wonderful! We felt like we were staying with family as they went out of their way to ensure we were well taken care of.
We had a very large room that included all the amenities we could need such as shampoo, soap, and a hairdryer. Santiago also has his own beautiful pink convertible classic car, which he dropped us back to the airport in!
Suggestions on Where to Eat
There’s certainly no shortage of restaurants in Havana and we tried lots. Below are just a few that really stood out and I’d highly recommend visiting!
Michifu
Hands down my favorite restaurant in Havana. Michifu is set in a beautifully landscaped outdoor area, complimented with some interesting and colorful decor that only adds to the overall ambiance. Throw in the live music and it was not just dinner but an experience. The food was delicious, and our service was outstanding! The prices here are quite reasonable and you can pay in both USD and CUP with good conversion rates.
Malecon 663
The location of this place is in the name. It’s a hotel that faces the Malecon and is about 25 minutes by foot from Havana Old Town. Inside, it’s very industrial chic and trendy, with furniture and furnishings made from recycled items. The Malecon 663 restaurant is on the 2nd floor, and we were lucky enough to grab a table on the balcony overlooking the Malecon and the sea. They have a good menu, various dietary options and some tasty food. There is also a rooftop area that opens after 5pm with happy hour drinks and live music. The views from the rooftop are beautiful!
Antonjos
Really loved the location of this restaurant, down a small side street in the Old Town.It’s got some really fun and bright decor, providing many Instagramable photo opps. While there is a downstairs indoor area, the roof top is the spot you want to be for dinner (weather permitting)! With creative cocktail options and tasty food items on the menu, our night out here was a really enjoyable experience. Antonjos.
San Cristobal
San Cristobal is one of the most popular restaurants in all of Havana and reservations are essential. It gained even more notoriety when it was visited by President Obama back in 2016 on his historic visit to Cuba.
I can’t attest to the food here, although I have heard it is delicious. We made reservations to visit the night before, but in hindsight should have asked not only if they accepted USD, but what their conversion rate was. Only after we sat down and ordered a drink, did we ask about the rate, which was 120 CUP to $1. Given the going exchange rate is 300CUP to $1, what they were giving was awful.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have many Cuban Pesos, and only had $100 so if we stayed, we would have taken a huge loss on the change received too. So, we enjoyed our drink, paid for that in the remaining pesos we had, and left.
We regret not knowing this ahead of time and unfortunately, we didn’t have any nights left in Havana to be able to return. So, make a note and bring Cuban Pesos!
A few other Places to Eat
Esquina De Cuba – great tacos, great location with a balcony, and wonderful service.
El Dandy – had a delicious breakfast and loved the ambiance here.
Hotel Inglaterra – I mention this place primarily because when we wanted to find a quick lunch, enjoy a coffee and listen to some live music, we came here. Food is basic, but we had a decent grilled cheese sandwich and two Mojitos for $10. If we had Cuban Pesos on us, then the price would have been even lower. The exchange rates at government owned establishments are not as good as you would get elsewhere, so it’s worth being mindful of this and ensuring you are paying in have Cuban pesos when at one of these.
Bars
Factoria
Found on the corner of Plaza Vieja, Factoria brewery is a good spot for a cold beer, enjoying the sun and people watching.
El Floridita
This world-famous bar has been around for over 200 years, is credited with inventing the daquiri and was a favorite of Ernest Hemingway during his time in Havana. It will be busy, but the turnover is quick as most people come in for one drink and leave! We sat at the bar and enjoyed watching the bartenders make their creative cocktails. Floradita bar.
La Guarida
La Guarida is an extremely popular place, but could easily be missed from the outside as the entrance looks like an abandoned open space. However, climb up one flight of stairs and you are brought to their famous grand staircase as featured in the movie Fresa y Chocolate. Highly recommend the rooftop bar (Bar Mirador) for some incredible sunset views and cocktails!
Sloppy Joe's
If you’ve been to Key West, Florida then you’ll no doubt have heard of or been to Sloppy Joe’s. But the original Sloppy Joe’s was founded in Havana in 1917. Post its closure after the revolution, it’s since been renovated and reopened in 2013. A visit here is like stepping back in time seeing the old pictures of patrons like Ernest Hemingway, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando and notorious Mafia boss Meyer Lansky to name a few. Be sure to try their famous Sloppy Joe Cocktail.
Things to Do
Old Havana walking tour
Havana has a fascinating history and no better way to learn a bit about it then with a walking tour of the Old Town. The guides will take you through the four main squares, explain a bit about the sites and provide a very insightful explanation about the history of Havana from its founding to present day. This was the first thing we did while in Havana and felt it was the perfect intro to the city.
Classic Car Tour
If you do only one thing in Havana, then this must be it. Classic cars have become synonymous with Havana and taking a ride in one of these beautiful pieces of history has to be done. We booked in advance with Old Car Tours, as it had glowing reviews and we wanted to have this scheduled ahead of time. Incredible tour and I highly recommend using them.
We even got to choose our car ahead of time and were driven around in a beautiful 1951 Orange Buick Super Convertible that was in pristine condition. A big shout out to our wonderful tour guide Jorge! Please say hello from me if you book this tour!
Don’t worry if you haven’t booked in advance as you will find no shortage of classic cars and drivers offering tours, especially around Plaza del Cristo. Your casa will also be sure to give you recommendations.
Our car tour took us to these top attractions:
- Old Town
- Vedado
- Hotel Nacional
- Christ of Havana (stop)
- Castillo del Morro (stop)
- Plaza De La Revolución (stop)
- Havana Forest (stop)
Hotel Nacional
Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Malecon, this beautiful and historic hotel is definitely worth a visit! It’s about a 25-30 min walk from the Old Town, but if walking isn’t for you, getting a taxi is easy, or you can arrange your car tour to end here at the hotel, like we did.
Hotel Nacional opened in 1930 and not only witnessed some historical events in Cuban history, but has also hosted numerous heads of state, celebrities and historical figures. It had a notable connection to the Mafia during the 1940s and 1950s and even hosted the 1957 Mafia Summit with top American mob bosses.
We stopped here to enjoy a cocktail, walk the grounds, explore the hotel and see some cool photos of the former guests that stayed during Cuba’s Hey Day. The hotel also offers daily tours should you want to learn more about its history. You might also choose to stay here, but it’s on the expensive side.
Revolution Museum (Museo De La Revolución)
This former presidential palace of the overthrown dictator Batista, is now home to all things about the Revolution with artifacts, exhibits and photos dedicated to the history of the country and the eventual change in regime.
When we visited, the museum was under renovation so we couldn’t go inside (worth checking ahead of time), however the grounds next to the museum were open. For a small fee of 50 CUP, you can walk the grounds and see military equipment like tanks, airplanes, jeeps all used during the revolution.
You can also see the Granma Memorial which houses the boat that took Castro and his revolutionaries to Cuba to start the fight against Batista. The grounds are guarded by Cuban soldiers, and we did confirm with them that we were allowed to take photos. I would recommend a visit to these grounds even if the museum is still closed.
Old Town (La Habana Vieja)
The old town is the historic heart of Havana and is the largest colonial center in Latin America. Havana was established in 1519 by the Spanish conquistadors as the main port for transporting treasures from the Americas back to Spain.
There are four main squares found in the Old Town, including the Plaza de la Catedral with the famous Havana Cathedral and Plaza de Armas that was once the seat of the Spanish colonial government.
Walking around the old town you can’t miss the blend of colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, and a vibrant street art scene with galleries and cultural centers preserving Cuban art and traditions. I recommend taking some time to walk around here, exploring the bustling side streets with plentiful bars and restaurants.
Capital Building (El Capitolio)
El Capitolio has to be one of the most beautiful and grand buildings in all of Havana. The design was inspired by the US Capitol building, and a small bragging point for the Cubans is that the dome on their capitol building is 1 meter taller than the US Capitol, and the building itself one meter wider and longer.
The interior of the Capitol is equally as impressive with marble and gilded accents throughout. Upon entering the building, you can’t miss the 4.5M (15 foot) marble statue – The Statue of the Goddess of Justice. Directly in front of her is a large diamond shaped marker in the floor. The center of this diamond is meant to mark the geographical center of Cuba and at one time had an actual diamond embedded here as well. If you visit now, you will only see a replica of this diamond.
To tour this building, you need to make a reservation in advance, which can be done at a small office across the street. You will need your ID and the cost is $20 per person which must be paid by credit card. (FYI the only time we used or were able to use a credit card on the entire trip). The tour was approximately 90 minutes and was one of the highlights of our time in Havana! 100% recommend this if you have the time!
Christ of Havana
Christ of Havana is located on Cerro de la Cabaña, a hill on the eastern side of Havana, overlooking the Harbor. At 20 meters (66 feet) tall the statue depicts Jesus Christ with his arms outstretched, to symbolize peace and welcoming.
The Cubans joke that the way his arms are positioned looks like he could be holding a cigar in one hand and a mojito in the other. There are beautiful panoramic views from this hilltop and as it’s located next to Castillo del Morro, it would be worth combining the two places on a visit. We stopped here as part of our Classic Car Tour.
Castillo del Morro
Castillo del Morro was built by the Spanish to protect the entrance to Havana’s harbor from pirate attacks and other threats. It provides an incredible view of the city and the entrance to the port. It is a museum and does offer tours inside. However, as this was part of our classic car tour, we just stopped for a brief walk around to take some photos.
Revolution Square (Plaza de la Revolución)
Located in the Vedado district, Revolution Square is one of the largest public squares in the city. You’ll see some monumental landmarks like the José Martí Memorial and the iconic Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos images on surrounding buildings. This is one of the main stops on the car tour so you will have time to get out, walk around and get some great pictures.
The Havana Forest (Bosque de La Habana)
Havana Forest is located near Havana Bay and is a large green area home to a wide variety of plants, including tropical trees and flowers. It offers a quieter, calmer vibe than the city center and is a popular spot for hiking, birdwatching and picnicking. We stopped here as part of the tour, enjoyed a quick walk around and enjoyed a delicious mojito at the small restaurant near the entrance.
Castle of the Royal Force (Castillo de la Real Fuerza)
Located in the old town near the harbor, this fortress was built by the Spanish in the 16th century to protect the city from pirate attacks. The fortress also served as a storage facility for the treasures being shipped from the Americas back to Spain.
It’s now the Museum of the City and entrance inside is only 50CUP. I thought it was an interesting visit not only to learn about the history during this time, but also to see small artifacts, gold coins and other items on display that would have been part of the treasures being sent back. On a hot day this is also a nice escape from the heat.
Vedado
Vedado is a vibrant and diverse district with some historic architecture, cultural landmarks and lively atmosphere. We decided to venture here on our last day in Havana and actually walked from the Old Town. You’ll see lots of large colorful colonial mansions and there’s even a park paying tribute to John Lennon. We finished the walk at Hotel Nacional. A very long walk but it did provide the opportunity to explore a different part of the city. A taxi might be a more convenient option!
Conclusion
The city itself definitely lived up to my expectations and if anything, really made me wish I could hop in a time machine and go back to the 1940s when the city was booming and was known as the Paris of the Carribean.
With so much to see it was quite hard to squeeze it all in, but I did feel that four days, two at the beginning the trip and two at the tail end of trip, was the right amount of time. My only regret was not seeing more of the music scene. Several people recommended the Fábrica de Arte Cubano where you could experience art, music, dance and food with live performances. And if I had one more day I would have splurged and gone to the famous Tropicana Nightclub to see their vibrant cabaret shows.
It was an incredible visit and the Cuban people were so incredibly helpful, friendly and welcoming! If Havana and Cuba aren’t on your travel list, put them on now and go see this beautiful country! You can thank me later!
Check out my other Cuba posts below for more inspiration.
