Havana

Havana (La Habana) with its 2.1 million inhabitants is one of the most fascinating cities in the world — not despite, but because of its decay. Founded in 1519, the city was for centuries the gateway to the New World: Here, the silver fleets from Mexico and Peru arrived, here people smoked, drank, and celebrated, here Spaniards, Americans, and revolutionaries left their marks.

The old town Habana Vieja (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982) is the heart: a labyrinthine tangle of colonial palaces, baroque churches, weathered plazas, and crumbling balconies, from which laundry hangs and salsa music emanates. Since the 1990s, careful restoration has been underway — one block perfectly renovated, the next on the verge of collapse. This mix of decay and rebirth gives Havana its unique charm.

Plan at least 3–4 full days for Havana. The city has far more to offer than the obligatory classic car ride: a vibrant art and music scene, excellent Paladares (private restaurants), Cuba's best nightlife, and stories at every corner. Havana is not a city to "check off" — you let yourself drift.

Havana's old town is the largest contiguous colonial ensemble in Latin America and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. On just under 2 km², over 900 historic buildings are packed together — baroque churches, neoclassical palaces, Art Deco houses, and Moorish-influenced courtyards. In between: vibrant Cuban everyday life.

The Four Plazas

Four historic squares form the skeleton of the old town:

★★★ Plaza de la Catedral — The most elegant square in Havana. Dominated by the Catedral de San Cristóbal (1777), whose asymmetrical baroque facade Alejo Carpentier described as "music turned to stone." The former Palacio del Marqués de Arcos now houses the Galería de Arte. In the evening, musicians play under the arcades, and cocktails are available at El Patio.

★★★ Plaza de Armas — Havana's oldest square (1520s) and former power center. Under royal palms, booksellers with revolutionary literature and old postcards stand daily. On the east side: the Museo de la Ciudad in the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales — Havana's best museum for city history (5 €). On the west side: the Castillo de la Real Fuerza (1577), Cuba's oldest fortress, with the Giraldilla weather vane on the tower — the symbol of Havana, which also adorns the Havana Club logo.

★★ Plaza Vieja — The people's square: colorful, lively, photographed. Beautifully restored colonial houses from four centuries frame the square. Highlights: the Cámara Oscura (darkroom with 360° live projection of the city, 2 €), the planetarium, and the Cervecería Antigua — Cuba's first craft brewery, where you can drink freshly brewed beer on the rooftop terrace.

★★ Plaza de San Francisco de Asís — The former trading square at the harbor. The Basílica Menor de San Francisco de Asís (1738) now serves as a concert hall with excellent acoustics. In front: the Fuente de los Leones (Lion Fountain) and the bronze statue of the "Caballero de París," a legendary eccentric whose nose every tourist rubs (supposedly brings luck).

The Malecón is Havana's soul — an 8 km long seawall stretching from Castillo de la Punta in Habana Vieja to the Vedado district. Built from 1901 under American occupation, the Malecón is far more than a street: It is Cuba's living room, stage, meeting place, and philosopher's bench.

During the day, anglers sit here casting their lines into the turquoise water. Children jump from the rocks. Tourists pose in front of the vintage cars parked along the shore. But the Malecón becomes magical at sunset: Then hundreds of Habaneros flock to the wall — couples, groups of friends, musicians with guitars, families with children. Rum is shared from plastic bottles, reggaetón blares from Bluetooth speakers, and the sun sets in orange and gold behind the Vedado skyline.

The buildings along the Malecón are an architectural kaleidoscope: neoclassical, Art Deco, Beaux Arts, eclectic — all in various stages of decay. The saltwater and wind relentlessly gnaw at the facades. Some houses are beautifully restored, others are mere skeletons still inhabited by people.

An old-timer convertible ride along the Malecón at sunset is Cuba's most iconic experience — kitschy, yes, but unforgettable. The drivers know the best photo spots and will stop upon request.

The Capitolio Nacional is Havana's most imposing building — a 1929 replica of the US Capitol in Washington, actually one meter taller than the original. The gilded dome (91.7 m) dominates the skyline. After extensive restoration, the building now serves again as the seat of the Cuban parliament. Inside, the 17 m high Statue of the Republic (third largest indoor bronze statue in the world) and a 25-carat diamond in the floor marking Kilometer Zero of all Cuban roads are impressive.

Gran Teatro de La Habana „Alicia Alonso"

Right next to the Capitolio stands one of the world's most magnificent theaters (1838, neobaroque). Named after Cuba's legendary prima ballerina Alicia Alonso (1920–2019). Home to the Ballet Nacional de Cuba — one of the best in the world. Tours during the day (5 €), performances in the evening from 10 €.

Parque Central

The elegant park between Capitolio and Old Town is Havana's "living room." Under royal palms stands the first statue of José Martí (1905). At the "Esquina Caliente" (hot corner), men passionately discuss baseball daily — Cuba's true national sport.

Centro Habana

The district between Old Town and Vedado is the real, unvarnished Havana: narrow streets, crumbling facades, clotheslines between houses, domino players on the sidewalk, the scent of garlic and lard from open kitchen windows. Centro is not restored — here you see how most Habaneros live. The Barrio Chino (Chinatown) at Cuchillo de Zanja is the remnant of a once 100,000-strong Chinese community — a few restaurants and an imposing entrance gate remain.

Cuba's most famous square is actually more of a giant parking lot — but one with immense symbolic power. The Plaza de la Revolución (4.5 hectares) was the place where Fidel Castro held his legendary multi-hour speeches before up to a million Cubans. Today, the most important political events still take place here.

The centerpiece is the José Martí Memorial — a 109 m high concrete tower (Havana's tallest structure) with an 18 m high marble statue of the Cuban national hero at the base. The observation tower (5 €) offers the best panoramic view over Havana.

On the opposite side: the iconic murals on the facades of the Ministry of the Interior (Che Guevara — "Hasta la Victoria Siempre") and the Ministry of Communications (Camilo Cienfuegos — "Vas bien, Fidel"). These steel relief portraits are Cuba's most photographed motifs.

The square itself is almost deserted during the day — a surreal expanse of concrete. The atmosphere is impressive and somewhat oppressive at the same time: You can feel the power that emanated from this place. A visit is most impressive in the early morning when the light illuminates the Che facade.

Vedado is Havana's more modern face — the district emerged in the 1920s–50s when American money flowed into the city. Wide boulevards, Art Deco villas, the University of Havana (1728) on a hill, and the grand hotels of the Mafia era: the Hotel Nacional de Cuba (1930), where Meyer Lansky, Frank Sinatra, and Marlon Brando stayed, and the Habana Libre (formerly Hilton), which Fidel Castro turned into the revolutionary headquarters in 1959.

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

Even if you're not staying here (from 150 €/night), you should visit: The garden overlooking the Malecón and the bay is one of Havana's most beautiful spots. In the basement: a museum about the Mafia history. At the bar: excellent Mojitos and Daiquirís (4–6 €). On Sundays, bands play in the garden.

Nightlife

Havana's nightlife is legendary — and more diverse than most think:

• Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC): Cuba's most exciting cultural venue. A converted cooking oil factory where art exhibitions, live music, DJs, theater, and film screenings take place simultaneously on several floors. Thursday to Sunday from 8 pm, entry 2 €. THE highlight of Havana's nightlife.
• Tropicana: The legendary open-air show (since 1939) under tropical trees. 200 dancers in extravagant costumes — pure glamour from another era. From 70 €/person including cocktail and show. Touristy but breathtaking.
• Casa de la Música (Centro): Live salsa with Cuba's best bands. Evenings from 10 pm (5–15 €). Here, Cubans and tourists dance side by side.
• La Zorra y el Cuervo: Havana's best jazz club in a basement in Vedado. Small stage, excellent musicians, intimate atmosphere. Entry 10 €.

The Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) is Cuba's cultural marvel — and the best proof that the island is far more than classic cars and mojitos. Founded in 2014 by Cuban musician X Alfonso in a former cooking oil factory in Vedado, the FAC has developed into the most important cultural venue in the Caribbean.

The concept is unique: On multiple floors and in various rooms, simultaneous art exhibitions, live concerts, DJ sets, theater performances, film screenings, performances, and fashion shows take place. You wander from room to room, constantly discovering new things. The art is provocative, political, international — here, Cuba shows its contemporary face.

The atmosphere is electrifying: Cubans and foreigners mingle, the drinks are affordable (Mojito 2–3 €), and the energy is contagious. It is the place where Havana's young creatives, intellectuals, and bohemians come together.

Open Thursday to Sunday from 8 PM, entry around 2 € (in CUP). The line can be long — arrive around 8:30 PM and avoid Saturday night when it's the busiest.

Rum

Cuba is the motherland of rum — and the best way to experience it is at the Museo del Ron Havana Club in Habana Vieja. The guided tour (7 €) shows the production process from sugarcane to bottle, with tasting at the end. The shop offers varieties not available in Europe.

The main brands:

• Havana Club 3 Años: The standard for Mojitos and Cuba Libre. In Cuba from 4 € per bottle
• Havana Club 7 Años: For drinking neat. Caramel, vanilla, tobacco. 8–12 €
• Havana Club Selección de Maestros: The premium line. 20–30 €
• Santiago de Cuba: The alternative from the east — for many Cubans the better rum

Cuba's three national cocktails: the Mojito (rum, lime, mint, sugar, soda — supposedly popularized by Hemingway at the Bodeguita del Medio), the Daiquiri (rum, lime, sugar, ice — Hemingway's favorite at the Floridita), and the Cuba Libre (rum, cola, lime — named after the independence in 1898).

Cigars

Cuban cigars are considered the best in the world — and Cuba is the only place where you can buy them for a fraction of the European price.

• Fábrica de Tabaco Partagás (Industriestraße, Centro): Havana's most famous cigar factory. Tours show the entire production process — from sorting the leaves to rolling to quality control. Tour 15 €, about 45 min.
• Official shops (La Casa del Habano): The only guarantee for genuine cigars. In all major hotels and in the Partagás building. Prices: Cohiba Siglo I from 8 €/piece, Montecristo No. 4 from 5 €/piece. A box of Cohiba Esplendidos (25 pieces): about 350–450 €.

The American road cruisers of the 1950s are Cuba's most iconic symbol. Over 60,000 of these "Almendrones" still roll through the streets — Chevrolet Bel Air, Ford Fairlane, Buick Special, Pontiac Chieftain, Cadillac DeVille. They exist because no new cars were allowed to be imported after the revolution in 1959. Since then, Cuban mechanics have kept them running with creativity and Soviet spare parts — often with Lada engines and diesel units under the hood.

A classic car tour in a convertible is a must-do in Havana. The standard route leads over the Malecón, through Habana Vieja, past the Capitolio, and through Vedado. The cars are restored in candy colors — pink, turquoise, yellow, bright red — and gleam in the sun.

Prices & Booking

Book through the Casa Particular or directly with drivers at Parque Central. Prices are negotiable — especially in the off-season. Convertibles cost more than closed cars.

Ernest Hemingway lived in Cuba for over 20 years (1939–1960) and wrote "The Old Man and the Sea" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls" here. His favorite places have become pilgrimage sites:

La Bodeguita del Medio

"My mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquiri in La Floridita" — this alleged Hemingway quote (probably invented) adorns the wall of the narrow bar in Habana Vieja. The Bodeguita is touristy, expensive, and always crowded — but the atmosphere is authentically Cuban. Every afternoon, musicians play Son, the walls are covered with signatures and graffiti, and the Mojito (5 €) has been mixed according to the same recipe since 1942.

El Floridita

The "Cradle of the Daiquiri" at the beginning of Obispo. An Art Deco bar where a bronze statue of Hemingway leans at his usual spot. The Daiquirí (5–7 €) is excellent — especially the "Papa Doble" (double rum, no sugar, Hemingway's special order). Live band from 12 pm.

Finca Vigía

Hemingway's country house in San Francisco de Paula, 15 km southeast of Havana. Here he lived and wrote from 1939 to 1960. The house is preserved as he left it: books, hunting trophies, typewriter, empty gin bottles. You look inside through the windows (entry forbidden). In the garden: his boat Pilar and the graves of his cats. A touching, quiet place.

Entry 5 €, closed on Mondays. Taxi from Havana 20–30 €. Can be combined with Cojímar (fishing village of the "Old Man").

Havana has experienced a gastronomic revolution in recent years. Where once dreary state restaurants with identical menus stood, there are now hundreds of Paladares (private restaurants) serving creative Cuban cuisine.

Top Paladares

• La Guarida (Centro Habana) — Cuba's most famous restaurant, in a crumbling colonial palace over three floors. The film "Fresa y Chocolate" was shot here. Reservation is a must, prices 20–40 €/person. The rooftop terrace is magical.
• El del Frente (Habana Vieja) — From the same owner as the O'Reilly 304 Bar. Ceviche, tacos, cocktails on the rooftop terrace with a view over the old town. 15–25 €.
• Doña Eutimia (Plaza de la Catedral) — Excellent traditional Cuban cuisine: Ropa Vieja, beans, plantains. Unbeatable location. 10–20 €. Often a queue, but worth it.
• San Cristóbal (Centro Habana) — Barack Obama dined here during his historic Cuba visit in 2016. Creative Cuban cuisine in a room stuffed with memorabilia. 15–30 €.

Eating on a budget

• Casa-Particular cuisine: The best value for money. Dinner 8–15 € with starter, main course (often lobster!), dessert, and drink
• Street stalls: Pizza cubana (20–50 CUP), sandwich (30–50 CUP), fresh fruit juice (10–20 CUP)
• Agropecuarios: Farmers' markets for fresh fruit (mango, papaya, guava) and vegetables