🇨🇺 Cuba

10 best places in Havana

Havana is a salt-worn beauty where vintage convertibles cruise the Malecón and live son music drifts out of every Old Havana courtyard.

District

Habana Vieja

The UNESCO-listed old town, packed with baroque plazas and pastel colonial facades.

Sight

Malecón

The five-mile seafront esplanade where habaneros gather for sunset and crashing waves.

Sight

Plaza Vieja

An elegant 16th-century square ringed by colonnades, cafés and its own microbrewery.

Museum

Museo de la Revolución

The former presidential palace, now telling the story of the Cuban revolution, with the Granma yacht outside.

Sight

Fábrica de Arte Cubano

A former cooking-oil factory turned cult art space with galleries, live music and cocktails.

Restaurant

El Floridita

Hemingway's favorite bar, birthplace of the classic daiquiri.

District

Callejón de Hamel

An Afro-Cuban art alley of murals, Santería shrines and Sunday rumba sessions.

Sight

Capitolio Nacional

A grand domed building echoing Washington's Capitol, a symbol of pre-revolutionary Havana.

Restaurant

La Guarida

A celebrated paladar in a crumbling mansion, famous as the set of 'Strawberry and Chocolate'.

Market

Mercado Agropecuario de Cuatro Caminos

The city's biggest food market, stacked with tropical produce and home-style Cuban fare.

FAQ

Best time to visit Havana?

The dry season from November to April is the pleasant window: warm without the crushing humidity. Hurricane season runs from June to November, and summer is muggy. Prices and crowds peak over the winter months and the New Year holidays.

How much cash should you bring to Havana?

Bring enough for the whole trip. Cards issued by US banks do not work in Cuba, other cards are unreliable, and ATMs are not always in service. Most visitors carry euros or dollars and change them on the ground at banks and official exchange offices. Rates and exchange rules shift from month to month, so check how things stand right before you fly.

Do you need a visa for Cuba?

Most tourists need a tourist card, arranged through the airline, an agency or a consulate, plus medical insurance. One detail matters if you also travel to the United States: a trip to Cuba can disqualify you from the ESTA visa waiver, leaving you to apply for a regular visa. Rules on both sides change, so verify them before booking.

Is Havana safe?

Violent crime is low and people walk the centre in the evening, but pickpockets and persistent street hustles are part of daily life in Habana Vieja. The real difficulties are different: power cuts, water interruptions and shortages of medicine and groceries. Pack a small first-aid kit and a torch.