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WHERE |
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The second largest town of the Caribbeans
is the main town of the Isla Grande.
Even if it walls would need some paint
the capital evokes his glorious past
thanks to the colonial architecture
of the town centre. The town is in the
western part of the island, around a
bay; the most famous quarter, la Habana
Vieja is on the west side of the bay.
From here, heading west, are the quarters
of Habana Centro, the residential zones
of Vedado and Nuevo Vedado, and the
super-residential quartesr of Playa,
Miramar, Siboney, etc, better known
as Habana Oeste.
A tunnel links Habana Vieja with the
east part of town, where working class
quarters are, toward south, to the Josè
Martì Airport. The most famous
beaches, the Playas del Este, are 25km
far towards east; wonderful white Caribbean
beaches surrounded by some hotels and
a few houses, like Guanabo, Santa Maria,
Cojimar.
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TO
VISIT |
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Habana Vieja
The most ancient quarter, Habana
Vieja, was declared World's Heritage
by Unesco in 1982 and, since then,
a work of restoration of historical
buildings has been going on; in
spite of that, many buildings
are in bad conditions and some
of them risk to collapse. The
most beautiful buildings are now
hotels or museums but the quarter
is packed with markets, churches,
castles and revolutionary monuments
to visit, starting from the Plaza
de la catedràl, one of
the most beautiful squares in
town.
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The Catedràl de S. Cristòbal
dominates the square, home to a stall
market during the weekend. near the
cathedral is the Castillo de la Real
Fuerza, the most ancient colonial building
in America. The wind-turner on the west
tower of the castle is known as the
Giraldilla, after Doña Inés
de Bobadilla, waiting for her husband,
explorer Hernando de Soto, who left
for Florida in search of the fountain
of eternal youth, without returning
back to Cuba.
The Plaza de Armas, surrounded by palm
trees, has been the centre of the Spanish
power - and American afterwards - in
Cuba for 400 years. There is a used-book
market in the square and also the Palacio
de los Capitanes Generales, one of the
most beautiful buildings turned into
a museum, is on the same square. The
most famous street in Habana, the calle
Obispo, starts from the Plaza de Armas
to reach the Floridita, Hemingway's
favorite bar; it is a pedestrian road
with many bars and paladares.
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Miramar
Miramar is a prestigious residential quarter where
many embassies are, luxury shops and some of the
best clinics on the island. Not to miss is La
Maison mall, gathering place for the fulanos -
rich cubans, that can be spot for their Ray-bans
and mobile phones. If you are a cold-war lover
here you can find the Museum of the Ministerio
de Interior, showing all the tricks used by the
CIA to try to kill Fidèl Castro. The Marina
Hemingway every year hosts the Ernest Hemingway
International Marlin Fishing Tournament. |
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AROUND
HABANA |
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Regla
The old town of Regla is home to the Afro-Cuban
Religion and to the male secret society of Abakúa.
Some famous babalawo - the Saneria priests - live
in Regla and will e happy to give suggestions
on your future, in Spanish: it's a good habit
to leave an offer. The church of Nuestra Señora
de Regla is famous for its Black Virgin; she's
linked to the Yemayá, the spirit of the
Ocean, and protects sailors. To reach Regla, there's
a regular ferry service from the Habana port every
10 minutes.
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Cojimar
On the road to Playas del Este, the via Monumentàl,
10km from Habana, is the small fisherman village
of Cojimar. It was Ernest Hemingway's fishing
games starting point in the 40s and 50s and here
he had the inspiration for his novel "The
old man and the sea". It is possible to visit
the Torrejon de Cojimar, a Spanish fort dating
back to 1650, and the monument dedicated to the
American writer.
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San Francisco de Paula
15km south-east of Habana is the villa where Hemingway
spent part of his life, called Finca la Vigía,
now home to Hemingway's museum. Even if the museum
might be closed, the park surrounding it is worth
a visit, like the cemetery of the writer's dogs
and the boat Pilàr, in the villa's garden.
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la Habana
was founded on the bay in 1519; even if a bit
far from the Oriente Province, more developed
at the time, was a perfect spot for Spanish fleet
that were heading Spain from Mexico or South America
and was declared capital of Cuba in 1906. During
the war of 7 days, the town was under siege by
the English for 11 months and was freed only after
the Spanish gave-up to Florida's possessions.
After this episode, it became the most fortified
town of the Spanish colonial empire; it was also
declared tax free zone, contributing to a rapid
growth and economic development in the 18th and
19th century. |
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Habana was never involved in the Independence
War that shook the Spanish Empire in the
18th century, being one of the most well
preserved towns of the whole south-America.
In 1900 Habana was the favorite destination
of the American jet-set and of many mafia
mobsters during the prohibition years in
the US; here rum, cigars and beautiful women
where not forbidden. Habana saw the constructions
of many luxury hotels and the invasion of
Detroit-made American cars. |
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On new Year's Eve of 1959 Fidel Castro and other
rebels put a halt to this: gambling, racial segregation,
prostitution were declared illegal and Habana's
rich class was forced to a voluntary exile. All
this was replaced , with the help of URSS, by
schools and hospitals, investments in research
and arts, with good and bad results, under everybody's
eyes. |
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The Habana Carnival, at the end of February,
has street parades in front of the Capitolio
and along the Malecón on friday, Saturday
and Sunday. Every year the Jazz International
Festival - in February - and the Guitar Internationl
Festival - in May - are held alternatively.
In the same manner, the Caribbean Culture Festival
- in June - and the International Theatre Festival
are held alternatively each year. In December
is held, each year, the International Festival
of the new Latin-American Cinema.
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Habana is packed with night life spots;
on the weekly Cartelera you'll find theatre,
cinema, art-galleries, exibitions, bar,
nightclubs and cultural events listing.
Movies are usually in original language,
and are very common to find foreign thatre
groups at the Teatro Nacional de Cuba, also
home to the National Symphony Orchestra,
which has also a good disco-bar, open all
night for salsa lovers. The majority of
bar and night-clubs can be found in the
quarters of Havana Vieja and Vedado.
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The Bodeguita del Medio, a few step from the
Plaza de la Catedral, is a must and its walls
are covered with graffiti together with Hemingway,
Allende, Nat King Cole, Fidel Castro and other
famous people's autograph. El Floridita, another
Hemingway's favourites, is the bar that created
the Daiquiri. The most famous night-club in
Habana is the Tropicana, where each night 200
dancers with high heels and glittering dresses
can be seen: proper attire is required, so no
shorts or t-shirt.
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There
is a good choice of Paladares, but also many state-run
restaurants; for both, the quality of food and
service, like the ambiance, can vary a lot: here's
a suggested shortlist of paladares, but the picture
is changing rapidly. |
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Habana Vieja
EL RINCON - Calle Aguacate n.257 - 10/15
USD
SEVILLA - Calle Obispo n.455 - 10/15 USD
Paladar
DONA EUTINIA - Plaza de la Catedral, callejòn
del Corro - 8/15 USD
AIMEE' - Compostela n.157, e/ Empedrad
y S.Juan de Diòs - 8/15 USD
LA JULIA - O'Reilly n.506A - 8/16 USD
LA MONEDA - San Ignacio 77 - 8/15 USD
Habana Centro
DELICIAS DE CONSULADO - Calle Consulado
n.309 - 6/10 USD
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DONA BLANQUITA -
Paseo de Martì n.158 - 5/12 USD
TORRESSON - Malecòn n.27 - 10/18
USD
AMISTAD DE LANZAROTE - Calle Amistad n.211
- 6/12 USD
BELLAMAR - Calle Virtudes n.169 - 6/12
USD
LA GUARIDA - Calle Concordia n.418 - 8/15
USD
SAGITARIO - Calle Virtudes n.619 - 8/15
USD
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Vedado
EL HURON AZUL - Calle Humboldt n.153 -
7/15 USD
LA TASQUITA - Calle Jovellar n.160 - 8/15
USD
LOS AMIGOS - Calle M n.253 - 10/16 USD
YIYO'S - Calle L n.256, e/ 17 y 19 - 5/10
USD
MONOPOLY - Calle K n.154, e/ Linea y 11
- 8/17 USD
LOS 3 MOSQUETEROS - Calle 23 n.607, e/
E y F - 5/15 USD
AMOR - Calle 23 n. 759, e/ C y D - 8/17
USD
EL RECANTO - Calle 17, e/ 8 y 10 - 4/10
USD
DONA LUISA - Calle 19 n.1309, e/ 22 y
24 - 4/10 USD
ALADINO - Calle 21 n.55, e/ M y N - 5/13
USD
MILAGROS - Calle 4 n.154, e/ Linea y Calzada
- 6/15 USD
LA KAKATUA - Calle 15 n.1211, e/ 18 y
20 - 7/15 USD
LAS 3 B - Calle 21 n.164, e/ L y K - 8/15
USD
LA FUENTE - Calle 10 n.303 - 8/18 USD
LA PALMA - Calle 17 de Novembre n.303,
e/ M y N - 8/18 USD
DONA NIEVES - Calle 19, e/ 2 y 4 - 5/18
USD
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Nuevo Vedado
ACAPULCO - Calle 26 n.659, e/ 35 y 37
- 5/18 USD
EL PALENQUE - Zoologìco 110, e/
36 y 38 - 6/ 18 USD
ROMEO Y JULIETA - Avenida Ulloa n.349
- 8/18 USD
Habana Oeste
(Playa y Miramar)
CALLE 10 - Calle 10 n.304, e/ 3 y 5, Playa
- 8/18 USD
LA FONTANA - Avenida 3° n.305, Miramar
- 5/18 USD
LAS ARECAS - Calle 48 n.2302, Playa -
5/13 USD
LILIAM - Calle 48 n. 1311, e/ 13 y 15,
Miramar - 5/15 USD
EL PALIO - Avenida 1, e/ 24 y 26, Miramar
- 8/15 USD
LA ESPERANZA - Calle 16 n.105, e/ 1 y
3, Miramar - 8/15 USD
Playas del Este
(Guanabo, S.Maria del Mar, Cojimàr,
Jibacoa)
EL BARCO - Morè n.2, Cojimar -
5/12 USD
EL PICCOLI - Av. 7ma n.48410, e/ 484 y
486, Guanaco - 8/15 USD
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The best way - and the most flexible and cheap
- to enjoy the real Habana and its atmosphere
is to rent a house, a Casa Particular, a fully
licensed house for tourist rental - similar
to Bed & Breakfast - offering night stay
at very competitive prices. You can choose a
house shared with the Cuban family or full privacy
option. Use our search-engine or search by map-locator
to find a house in Habana that better satisfies
your needs: browse our directory of casas!
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