Havana, Cuba: travel guide
Cuba's capital and largest city; UNESCO-listed Old Havana (Habana Vieja), the Malecón seawall, El Capitolio, classic-car boulevards and 1950s grandeur.
- Country
- Cuba
- Currency
- CUP
- Time zone
- America/Havana
- Nearest airport
- HAV
Top places to visit in Havana
El Capitolio
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 1 h · entry USD 10
Cuba's monumental neoclassical/eclectic capitol (1929), echoing the US Capitol; seat of the National Assembly, with a gilded Statue of the Republic inside.
Museo de la Revolución
Museum · 4.0 rating · about 1.5 h · entry USD 10
The former Presidential Palace tells the story of the Cuban Revolution; the Granma yacht is displayed behind.
Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro
Fort · 4.6 rating · about 1.3 h · entry USD 8
Clifftop fortress (1589) guarding the harbour mouth; lighthouse and panoramic views back to the city.
Plaza de San Francisco de Asís
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 0.5 h
Cobbled harbourside plaza with the Basílica Menor de San Francisco and the Fuente de los Leones fountain.
Plaza de Armas
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 0.7 h
Havana's oldest square, shaded by royal palms, ringed by the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales and a daily second-hand book market.
Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana
Church · 4.7 rating · about 0.5 h
Baroque cathedral (1777) of Cuban limestone studded with marine fossils, on the atmospheric Plaza de la Catedral.
Plaza Vieja
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h
Restored 16th-century square ringed by colourful colonnaded mansions, cafés and a camera obscura.
Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña
Fort · 4.6 rating · about 1.5 h · entry USD 8
Vast 18th-century fortress overlooking Havana; nightly 9pm cañonazo cannon-firing ceremony in colonial dress.
Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC)
Nightlife · 4.7 rating · about 2.5 h · entry USD 5
A converted cooking-oil factory turned into Havana's buzzing art-gallery-meets-nightclub complex.
Fusterlandia
Cultural · 4.6 rating · about 1 h
Artist José Fuster's fantastical mosaic-covered neighbourhood in Jaimanitas — a Gaudí-esque riot of tilework.
Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso
Cultural · 4.7 rating · about 1 h · entry USD 5
Ornate baroque-revival theatre on Paseo del Prado, home of the Cuban National Ballet.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Arte Cubano)
Museum · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · entry USD 5
Cuba's national fine-arts museum, with the finest collection of Cuban painting and sculpture.
Things to do
- Classic Convertible City Tour Tour · 1.5 h · from USD 60 per person
- Old Havana Walking Tour Tour · 3 h · from USD 25 per person
- Cigar & Rum Tasting Food · 2 h · from USD 35 per person
- Havana Salsa Class Class · 1.5 h · from USD 20 per person
- Tropicana Cabaret Show Show · 3 h · from USD 90 per person
- Callejón de Hamel Sunday Rumba Show · 2 h · from USD 15 per person
Day trips and tours
- Classic Havana Full-Day Tour 8 h · from USD 75
Where to stay in Havana
- Habana Vieja (Old Havana) about CUP 90 per night
The UNESCO historic core: cobbled plazas, museums, casas particulares and boutique hotels within walking distance of the main sights.
- Vedado about CUP 80 per night
Leafy mid-century district with the Malecón, Hotel Nacional, Fábrica de Arte Cubano nightlife and grand avenues.
- Centro Habana about CUP 45 per night
Gritty, authentic residential Havana between Old Havana and Vedado; great casas and the Callejón de Hamel.
Hotels
- Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski 5-star
- Iberostar Grand Packard 5-star
- Hotel Sevilla 4-star
- Hostal San Cristóbal (Casa Particular) 2-star
- Casa Miriam Mirabal (Casa Particular) 2-star
- Hotel Los Frailes 3-star
Where to eat
- La Guarida Cuban, International, Fine dining · about USD 40 per person
- La Bodeguita del Medio Cuban · about USD 20 per person
- El Patio Cuban, International · about USD 18 per person
- Café del Oriente International, Cuban · about USD 35 per person
- Los Nardos Spanish, Cuban · about USD 15 per person
- El Chanchullero Cuban, Tapas · about USD 12 per person
- La Zaragozana Spanish, Cuban · about USD 20 per person
- Restaurante La Dominica Italian, Cuban · about USD 20 per person
Getting around
- Bus main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Shared Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Fake "factory" cigars
Old Havana streets, near cigar shops
A friendly local claims a cousin works at the Partagás factory and offers boxes of "genuine" Cohibas cheaply; the cigars are counterfeit and often unsmokable.
How to avoid it: Only buy cigars from official state shops (La Casa del Habano) with the holographic seal and receipt.
Jineteros / commission touts
Tourist areas, restaurants
Charming strangers befriend you, then steer you to a bar or paladar where prices are inflated and they take a cut.
How to avoid it: Politely decline unsolicited "guides"; choose your own restaurants and check prices first.
Currency & change confusion
Markets, taxis, small shops
Since CUC was abolished, prices may be quoted in USD, CUP or MLC; vendors may short-change tourists on the exchange.
How to avoid it: Know the day's CUP-per-USD rate, count your change, and carry small bills.