Havana (Spanish: La Habana) is the capital city of Cuba, and one of the fifteen provinces of the Republic of Cuba. Visitors come to Havana for its music, history, culture, architecture and monuments. Havana is a lively city that retains a lot of beautiful buildings from its heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of which have been deteriorating since the 1950s, creating a romantic atmosphere of a bygone era.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Before the Communist revolution, Havana was one of the vacation hot-spots of the Caribbean, and since Cuba reopened to tourism in the 1990s, it has become a popular destination once again, albeit with many fewer U.S. citizens, due to an almost total ban on travel maintained by the U.S. federal government. However, there will be lots of tourists at any time of year, so expect huge crowds and long lines in places. Havana was founded in 1519 by the Spanish. During the colonial period, it became a stopping point for treasure-laden Spanish Galleons crossing between the Old and New Worlds. Since independence from Spain in 1902, Havana has been the capital of Cuba.
As a tourist, the most convenient way of getting around Havana is by taxi. Some of the taxis are old American Chevys from the 1950s, others are (somewhat) newer Russian Ladas, whilst most tourist taxis are modern Peugeots, Skodas and even Mercedes. It is illegal for tourists to ride in anything other than the official government taxis. However, it is often easier to wave down one of the old Chevys or Ladas. When riding in an illegal taxi, negotiate the fare ahead of time. The fare in illegal taxis will be no cheaper than the official taxi fare. Around the city, taking illegal taxis should be no problem.
The Old Town of Havana, 'La Habana Vieja, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and strolling along its streets and enjoying the beautiful buildings is a must for any visitor. Some parts of the Old Town are quite dilapidated with crumbling buildings but many others have been restored to their former glory. An evening walk along the Prado is a great way to sip in the street life and enjoying the hums of numerous cafes and restaurants. The street is however not illuminated at night. Another favorite stroll for tourists and locals is along El Malecón, Havana's waterfront with stunning views of the city. 1 Museum of the Revolution (Museo de la Revolución), Refugio No 1. 09:00-17:00.
1 Walk along the Malecón (the sea wall that runs along the Havana coastline.). On weekends this is where the locals come to party, so bring a bottle and join in. (updated Jun 2017) 2 Walk down the Paseo del Prado. A lively pedestrian zone full of locals spending their free time. (updated Oct 2017) Latin American New Cinema Festival. A popular event held every December, screening international films and drawing around 500,000 people. 3 Bike tour, Discover Havana by bike (Citykleta), 117 San Francisco street, Centro Habana, between San Lázaro St. and Jovellar St. Havana, ☏ +535 5652579, info@citykleta.com. Sunrise - sunset daily.
Whilst restaurants can be quite expensive at the top end for rather mediocre food, some such as the Café de Oriente have a splendid ambiance. The average government-run restaurants are about US$20 for two. Peso stalls are all over the city, particularly on Prado Marti. Some restaurants like Hanoi, in Calle Brasil, offer generous meals for the equivalent of US$5. You can get ice cream in small street booths scattered around the city.
There are two types of establishments you can go to drink in Havana: Western-style bars with near-Western prices, good selection of quality drinks (and sometimes food), nice decorations, semi-motivated staff and often live music, typically found around tourist hot-spots such as Old Havana and tourist hotels. Here you will mostly meet other tourists, expats and a few Cubans with access to hard currency, but don't expect a 'local' experience.
Havana is quite safe for a large city. Heavily dependent on tourism, Cuban police are everywhere and pay particular attention to spots where travelers congregate (Habana Vieja, El Malecón, etc.), so you don't have to be afraid of being accosted in the daytime. Prison sentences for crimes involving tourists are extremely harsh, a fact which residents are well aware of, which adds an extra layer of deterrence. At night, however, there have been muggings in the dark streets of Centro Habana. While this part of town is perfectly safe to explore in the daytime, and can be crossed safely while going to Habana Vieja or Vedado, it's best not go there at night.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Jul, Havana typically sees ~33°C daytime highs and 19 rainy days.
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