Sightseeing OverviewOld Havana (
La Habana Vieja) is best explored on foot to take full advantage of the glorious Spanish colonial architecture, much of it under restoration. Visitors can easily occupy many an hour meandering through the narrow streets and around the shady plazas. There will always be something happening to catch the eye and, thankfully, there are many more refreshment facilities in which to linger and watch the colorful pageant. Museum-lovers will be spoilt for choice as more and more open each year, many in wonderful old buildings.
While Old Havana holds
many charms for the visitor, it would be a pity to neglect other areas of the city, such as
Vedado, or New Havana, the former center of gambling and good living. La Rampa, Vedado’s main street, runs from the
Habana Libre, a hotel built as the flagship of the Hilton chain just before the Revolution and then used by Castro as his headquarters, down to the Malecon
. On either side of La Rampa are many fine examples of Art Deco and 1950s architecture, not least the imposing
Hotel Nacional. To the west of the city is the former upmarket district of
Miramar,
with its grand mansions giving evidence of a bygone age of prosperity. Many are now being restored as offices for joint-venture companies and embassies.
A good overview of the city can be had from the observatory at the top of the
Jose Marti Memorial in Revolution Square. A stroll along the
Malecon, the seafront walk, which stretches almost the length of Havana, is a must. Here, old and young fish during the day and courting couples take their
paseo (promenade) at night. The Malecon also provides a wonderful view of Havana’s cityscape, especially at sunrise or sunset.
Tourist InformationThe following travel agencies are all operated by the Cuban government and provide information for travelers in Havana:
Cubatur Calle 23 corner of L Street, Vedado
Tel: (7) 833 2118.
Cubanacán Calle 68 corner of 5th Avenue, Playa
Tel: (7) 204 6552
or 204 1892.
Website:
www.cubanacan.cu Havanatur Tel: (7) 830 8227
or 835 3720.
Website:
www.havanatur.cu Information is also available online (website:
www.cubatravel.cu or
www.infotur.cu) and at the airport (Terminal 3) (tel: (7) 641 6101).
PassesThere are no tourist passes available in Havana.
Key Attractions:Plaza de Armas (Arms Square) An excellent place to start a tour of Havana is Old Havana
(La Habana Vieja) – and where better to begin than the place where the city is said to have been founded. A small chapel,
El Templete, with an interesting fresco by the French artist Jean Baptiste Vermay, was built in 1828 to mark the spot. In front of the chapel is a ceiba tree, similar to the one under which the first mass in Cuba is said to have been held. From here, it is a natural progression to
Plaza de Armas, dominated by the
Museo de la Ciudad (City Museum), which occupies the magnificent old
Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, once home of the highest colonial authority in Cuba and a former Presidential Palace. This popular museum gives an overview of the history of Havana from its founding until the present day. The oldest building in this square is actually just to the side – the impressive
Castillo de le Real Fuerza, a 16th-century colonial fortress surrounded by a moat, today home to the
Museo de la Ceramica Artistica. For visitors wishing to deviate from a cultural tour, the nearby market is the best place in Havana for local arts and crafts.
El Templete Corner of Calle Baratillo, between Calle O’Reilly and Plaza de Armas, Habana Vieja
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800.
Admission charge.
Museo de la Ciudad Calle Tacon 1, between Calle Obispo and O’Reilly, Plaza de Armas
Tel: (7) 866 8183
or 861 5779.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800.
Admission charge.
Plaza de la Catedral (Cathedral Square) Plaza de la Catedral is one of the most authentic and best-preserved squares in Havana, with the cathedral and surrounding buildings almost all restored to their original splendor. The
Catedral de San Cristobal de la Habana is an 18th-century Baroque building occupying the north side of the square. On the opposite side is the oldest building, which dates from 1720, the
Museo de Arte Colonial, an architectural masterpiece that is built around a central courtyard containing tropical plants, which is complemented by the collection of colonial furniture gathered from Havana’s palaces and mansions. Other sophisticated buildings line this square and now house cafés, restaurants and an impressive post office.
Catedral de San Cristobal de la Habana Plaza de la Catedral
Opening hours: Officially open every day but often locked.
Free admission.
Museo de Arte Colonial Calle San Ignacio 61, Plaza de la Catedral
Tel: (7) 862 6440.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800.
Admission charge.
Hemingway’s Havana No visit to Havana would be complete without paying homage to one of its most famous residents, Ernest Hemingway. On a stroll between
Plaza de Armas and
Plaza de la Catedral, it is worthwhile stopping at
Hotel Ambos Mundos, a stylish 1920s building, where Ernest Hemingway stayed during much of the 1930s. In room 511, he began to write
For Whom The Bell Tolls. While the rest of the hotel has been restored, Hemingway’s room has been preserved pretty much as it was when Hemingway was a guest – and is now open as a museum.
But to pay true homage to Hemingway, do as he did and start the evening with a mojito, a delicious blend of rum and mint, in
La Bodeguita del Medio, Calle Empedrado 207, and continue with another of his favorite tipples, a daiquiri, in
El Floridita, Calle Obispo 557.
Hotel Ambos Mundos Calle Obispo 153, corner of Calle Mercaderes, Habana Vieja
Tel: (7) 860 9530.
Opening hours: 1000-1600 (the room).
Admission charge.
Museo de la Revolucion y Memorial Granma (Museum of the Revolution and Granma Memorial) The 1950s dictator Batista (like all dictators) had to try and impress the populace with a grand presidential palace. So it is ironic that this glorious palace, which he hardly had time to enjoy, now houses the
Museum of the Revolution, a vivid exhibition displaying the struggle of the Cuban people to gain sovereignty over their own island. Exhibits include photographs, cinefilm, clothing, original documents and weapons. In the garden is the
Granma Memorial – the boat Granma in which Fidel Castro and over 80 foolhardy combatants returned to Cuba from exile in Mexico in 1956. Also scattered around the garden are various vehicles used in the struggle.
Calle Refugio 1, between Calle Monserrate and Calle Zulueta, Habana Vieja
Tel: (7) 862 4092/3/4.
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700.
Admission charge.
Further Distractions:Parque Historico Militar Morro-Cabaña (Historical and Military Park) Built by the Spanish in the 16th century, this military fort at the entrance to the harbor offered Havana protection from enemy ships and pirates. The fort contains a collection of old weapons including a huge catapult and the first office of Commander Ernesto Che Guevara after the triumph of the revolution. Today it is a museum with plenty of photographs and Che’s personal belongings. Every evening at 2100 a cannon is fired across the bay.
Carretera de la Cabaña, Habana del Este
Tel: (7) 863 4950.
Opening hours: Daily 0800-2200.
Admission charge.
Cigar Factories A visit to Havana would not be complete without a tour of a cigar factory and the
Real Fabrica de Tabacos Partagas is one of the oldest. The cigars are still rolled by hand and to this day there is a tradition of someone being employed to read to the workers while they work. Equally famous, the
Real Fabrica de Tabacos Romeo y Julieta also follows traditional methods in its production of cigars or puros.
Real Fabrica de Tabacos Partagas Calle Industria 520, Centro Habana
Tel: (7) 862 0086.
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1500. Tours Mon-Sat 0900 to 1500.
Admission charge.
Real Fábrica de Tabacos Romeo y Julieta Calle Belascoaín 582 entre Peñalver y Desague, Centro Habana
Tel: (7) 878 5166.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1500.
Admission charge.
Museum of Fine Arts The collection of the
Museum of Fine Arts is housed in two separate buildings, but both are very close to Parque Central. The
International Museum, which is housed inside one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, offers a wide collection of Asian, Italian, Greek, Latin and North American art, while the
Cuban Collection Art Building offers the best collection of Cuban art in the world.
The International Museum Calle San Rafael entre Zulueta y Monserrate, Habana Vieja
The Cuban Collection Art Building Calle Trocadero entre Zulueta y Monserrate, Habana Vieja
Tel: (7) 861 3858
or 862 0140 or 863 9484.
Website:
www.museonacional.cult.cu Opening hours: Tues-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1000-1400.
Admission charge.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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