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Havana stretches along Cuba's northwest coast, where the Spanish built a fortified harbor that became the gateway for treasure fleets returning to Europe. Old Havana, a World Heritage Site, preserves plazas and colonial buildings in various states of repair, while the wider city layers Spanish, African, Art Deco and Soviet-era influences, accompanied by old American cars rumbling down the avenues.
Exploring the old town means drifting between its main squares: the restored arcades of Plaza Vieja, the baroque cathedral facade on Plaza de la Catedral, and Plaza de Armas, overlooked by Castillo de la Real Fuerza, one of the oldest forts in the Americas. The domed El Capitolio rises nearby, next to the ornate Gran Teatro de La Habana and Parque Central. The tree-lined Prado runs down to the Malecón, the seawall where locals gather at dusk. Across the harbor, El Morro and La Cabaña guard the entrance, with a cannon ceremony at night. Museo de la Revolución occupies the former presidential palace, and Plaza de la Revolución is ringed by large portraits of revolutionary figures. Vedado holds mid-century hotels and, in Callejón de Hamel, a mural-filled alley devoted to Afro-Cuban culture.
Travelers comfortable with patience and improvisation do best, since shortages and outages are common. Visitors from the United States should check current travel rules.
WiserMap travel guideHavana Cuba Old Town Plazas Malecon Sunsets and El MorroPlan a Havana trip: Old Havana plazas, El Morro, the Malecón, Vedado, Cuban food, where to stay, US travel rules, getting around and a three-day plan.Read the guide
A square in Old Havana laid out in 1559 and beautifully restored, surrounded by colorful colonial buildings with balconies and arcades. Visit the Cámara Oscura for a live projected view of the city, and stop at the microbrewery on the square. It is a good place to sit at a cafe and watch daily life.
A cobbled square dominated by the baroque Havana Cathedral, built in the 1700s with an uneven pair of towers. Around it stand colonial mansions, including the Museo de Arte Colonial. The square is atmospheric in the evening, with restaurants on its edges. Visit in the morning for fewer crowds.
The domed National Capitol Building, completed in 1929 and loosely modeled on the US Capitol, now the seat of the National Assembly after a big restoration. Guided tours show the grand Hall of Lost Steps and the giant statue of the Republic. A replica diamond in the floor marks kilometer zero of the Cuban road system.
A grand hotel from 1930 on a rise above the Malecón in Vedado, with famous past guests from Winston Churchill to Frank Sinatra. Even if you do not stay, have a drink on the garden terrace overlooking the sea, and see the trenches and tunnels from the 1962 missile crisis on the grounds.
Plaza de Armas is Havana's oldest square, with a used book market under the trees and the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, now the city museum. Nearby, the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, built in the 1500s, is one of the oldest stone forts in the Americas, with a maritime museum and the Giraldilla weathervane.
Two huge Spanish fortresses across the harbor mouth from Old Havana. Castillo del Morro, from the late 1500s, has a lighthouse with sweeping views. Next door, La Cabaña is one of the largest colonial forts in the Americas. Each evening at 9 p.m., the cañonazo ceremony fires a cannon, with soldiers in period dress.
A vast square in Vedado where political rallies are held, dominated by the tall José Martí Memorial, which has a viewing platform at the top. On the government buildings opposite are giant steel outlines of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. It is best seen briefly, perhaps as part of a classic car tour.
A museum in the former Presidential Palace, with interiors decorated by Tiffany's of New York, covering Cuban history with a focus on the 1959 revolution. Behind it, the Granma Memorial displays the yacht that carried Fidel Castro and his rebels from Mexico in 1956, along with vehicles and planes. Exhibits give the official view.
Cuba's national fine arts museum, split between two buildings near Parque Central. The Cuban art building shows works from colonial times to today, including Wifredo Lam, while the international building holds European, Greek and Roman art. Allow two to three hours, and focus on the Cuban collection if short on time.
The Gran Teatro Alicia Alonso, an ornate neo-baroque building from 1915 on Paseo del Prado, is home to the National Ballet of Cuba. Guided tours run by day, and ballet or opera tickets are inexpensive. Across the road, Parque Central is a lively square where locals debate baseball near the José Martí statue.
A narrow alley in Centro Habana covered in colorful murals, sculptures and installations made from bathtubs and scrap by artist Salvador González, celebrating Afro-Cuban culture and Santería. On Sundays around midday, live rumba music and dance fill the alley. Watch your belongings in the crowd.
Paseo del Prado is a tree-lined promenade with marble benches and bronze lions running from Parque Central to the sea. At its end begins the Malecón, an 8 km seawall where locals gather to fish, talk and watch the sunset. Walk it in the late afternoon, and watch for waves crashing over in rough weather.
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