Old Havana (Vieja Habana)

Old Havana harks back to Cuba’s days as a colonial outpost and its subsequent era as a glamorous, sophisticated Caribbean playground. Although some of the crumbling palaces look like they could do with a lick of paint, many of its colonial buildings, majestic boulevards, elegant plazas and side streets have been restored, attracting more and more visitors each year. The Plaza de la Catedral (Cathedral Square), dominated by the towers of the 18th-century Baroque Catedral de San Cristobal de La Habana (St Cristobal Cathedral), perhaps best captures Old Havana’s spirit.