Havana City – Cuba

In Havana City, Cuba you will find people drinking rum, dancing the rumba and smoking cigars. Around, classic American cars go down the streets that haven’t changed since the revolution, therefore creating a scene that seems stuck in the 1950s. Especially in Habana Vieja, the old part of the city, men play the trombone and double bass on the waterfront, as a young lady dances alone to the music in a cloud of cigar smoke. Indeed, the city of Havana is just like every cliché that has ever described it.

Activity/Place Highlights

The city of Havana is Cuba’s capital and largest city. Not only it is the Cuban government’s center, but it is also the country’s major post and biggest commercial area. In addition, Old Havana has been considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982.

Plaza de la Catedral

The cobbled Plaza de la Catedral (Cathedral Square) is the central point of Old Havana. This square is surrounded by low colonial buildings and its focal point is the embellished Cathedral of Havana. Due to its Cuban baroque style, the cathedral resembles melted wax on a candle. Since it got spared from modifications aimed at tourism improvement, the square looks just like it did back in the 1950s, when Havana was a play area for rich people and the mafia.

El Patio restaurant

Another iconic place is the restaurant ‘El Patio’, established in an 18th-century mansion. Certainly, this restaurant has witnessed several changes in the town, and it’s the ideal place to look at the sunset and the cathedral being floodlit. If you’re lucky enough, you can see through the open doors of the cathedral straight to the altar from your seat on the square.

However, not every place in old Havana is actually old. Some parts of the town have been repaired into a cleaner, better versions of their previous selves. In fact, there are buildings in the Plaza Vieja (Old Square) and Mercaderes where you can find international outlets. If you take a walk around, you will see dollar restaurants that are actually too expensive for the regular Cuban citizen.

The atmosphere in the city of Havana

Above all, you’ll find the genuine atmosphere of the city on the broken-down backstreets. Here, everybody is outside talking, laughing, eating and smoking on front steps, run-down balconies or dark patios. You will surely spot young men playing basketball, since it’s one of the nation’s favorite sports.

In spite of the fact that Cuba has the lowest child mortality and the highest literacy rates in Latin America, the country is still very poor. Some credit this to the 50 years of Communism and others to the US boycott. Undoubtedly, there is little political freedom, and daily life can be tough. Even so that most Cuban people live in little, one- or two-room condos, where the entire family gathers around an old TV, watching South American telenovelas or a live baseball game. TVs are not very common around here, so don’t be surprised if you find a small crowd surrounding random windows to also enjoy the show.

How to get there

The travel ban forced by the United States makes it complicated to travel to Cuba. Still, the national airline, Cubana, travels from a few European and South American airports. Besides, you can also find some flights from Cancun and Mexico City.