Havana
Overview
Is Havana slowly falling apart? Almost. The lively capital of Cuba has seen better days. Old Havana still has much of interest however and strolling the area is like walking through a time capsule from the early part of this century. The city hosts some fantastic pieces of architecture and other interesting sights and friends of find a large choice to visit. Havana has a swinging nightlife, with cinemas, historic theatres, cabarets, nightclubs and music venues that will exhaust even the most hardened campaigner. There's less traffic and less commercialization than choke your average Latin American city. But from the rough brilliance of Old Havana to residential areas ranging from shabby to demanding demolition, the exuberant friendliness of Havana's inhabitants is something that will never be forgotten by the visitor.
[Edit]History
In the 1950s 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 much fewer U.S. citizens, due to travel restrictions by Washington). There will be lots of tourists at any time of year, so expect huge crowds and long lines in places.
When to Go
[Edit]Transport
| » Getting Around |
| » Getting There & Away |
General Health and Safety
Popular tourist places (Habana Vieja, El Malecón etc.) are watched by policemen, so you don't have to be afraid of being attacked. Be wary of hustlers (jinteros/as) offering to show you a place to eat or offering a tour of the city as you'll be stuck paying hefty prices to cover their commission.
[Edit]Health & Safety
Accommodation
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Entertainment
[Edit]General Shopping
Havana is a surprisingly expensive city to stay in; if you stay in hotels and eat in restaurants it can work out every bit as expensive as London or Paris. The problem is that Cuba has a dual economy; if you could live on pesos it would be incredibly cheap. Sadly, as a tourist this is virtually impossible. Most peso hotels won't take foreigners or, if they do you have to pay in CUC. If you are on any kind of a budget it is advised to stay in casas particulares; it is much cheaper, often more comfortable and the food (a recurring theme in Cuba) is almost invariably better.
[Edit]General Sights
Museum of the Revolution and the Capital building. Visit a cigar factory - there is one just behind the Capital Building (cost CUC 10 for a half hour guided tour, no photography allowed, no free walking in the factory). Havana Club rum factory Walks along the Prado street in the evening Enjoy the faded glory of La Habana Vieja (the old town) Plaza de la Revolucion, the huge square dominated by a statue and monument to Jose Marti and the iconic image of Che Guevara adorning the Ministry of the Interior. Arrive either early or late as it is often swamped by tourists and gets very hot during the day. John Lennon Park in Vedado, featuring the only statue to a western musician in Havana. Notable for having his glasses regularily stolen and replaced. The US Special Interests building in Vedado, just off the Malecon. In the absence of a United States embassy in Cuba this heavily fortified and guarded building is where Cuban citizens go to apply for US Visas. It is also...more
[Edit]Activities
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