A holiday to Havana (na na na)
Havana is a city of contradictions. It’s bright, vibrant, and bustling, with a crop of new restaurants and hotels springing up giving rise to a newer, more gentrified Havana. On the other hand, the older side of the city is poor and run down, with crumbling buildings and XX characterising it.
I found it to be a city full of positive energy, with salsa and live music reverberating throughout its narrow streets and bars, people smiling and laughing, and of course those infamous bright, retro cars lined up everywhere we went. I spent six days here in total, which allowed me to explore the city and its nearby forts and beaches at a leisurely pace, however even just three to four days would probably be enough to see the main sights.
Expect incredible colonial architecture, a lively salsa scene, friendly locals, and tonnes to see and do.
These were some of my favourite places and things to do:
Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana
This incredible fortress was built in the 1700s over in Havana Vieja, with the purpose of protecting the city on order of King Carlos the third. The site measures a huge 700 m from each end and covers 10 hectares, making it the largest Spanish colonial fortress in the Americas (according to my trusty Lonely Planet). You can visit in the day, as we did, spending time wandering along past the canons and taking in the view, exploring the exhibitions, and perusing all manner of cigars in the on-site cigar shop, or, you can head there in the evening for the nightly ceremony. Every evening at 9pm, actors in military costumes reenact firing a cannon over the harbour. Head there a bit earlier though to get a ticket and a good spot.
Havana’s Eastern Beaches
If you’re just staying in Havana and not heading elsewhere in Cuba, but fancy a day of sunbathing, it’s surprisingly easy to get to the beaches along the coast, just 30 minutes from the city centre. Just jump on one of the coaches from Park Central and buy a return ticket to the Playas. It only costs a few CUC and the bus itself is super clean and comfortable, with air con.
The bus stops at a few of the beaches, and I visited Santa Maria del Mar for the day which was a lovely soft sand beach, with beautifully clear water, and delicious food and drink, all served to your sun lounger. Definitely worth a day trip if the weather’s nice.
Take a free salsa class
Lots of places offer salsa classes, some of which can be pricey, so it’s better to go to one of the bars that will teach you for free. Our favourite was club La Reliquia in Havana Old Town. It’s not that big, but the music’s great, it has a decent and reasonably priced cocktail list, and it’s just a really fun and laid-back place to learn, either alongside locals and other tourists, or with the in-house dance instructor. Since anyone that knows me knows I lack any natural rhythm, it should come as no surprise that I was pretty useless at it, quickly earning the nickname ‘skinny zombie’ from one of the locals I danced with, most likely due to my flailing arms and deadpan expression. Whilst I may not have been a natural at it, I still enjoyed the experience and it’s definitely a must-do in Cuba. The friendly staff here make it really fun and memorable too.
Visit Revolutionary Square
A visit to Revolutionary Square is a must while in Havana. This huge square measures around 72,000 sq m and is renowned as being the spot where many political rallies took place and political figures like Fidel Castro made speeches. The square features a huge Jose Marti memorial featuring a tower and statue, as well as surrounding important buildings like the offices of the Ministries of the Interior and Communications which features huge steel memorials of the heroes of the Cuban revolution like Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. I got there via the Havana city tour bus (super touristy I know but in a city I haven’t been to before I find it helps me find my bearings and see the main sights easily), which generally arrive, and depart at that stop every 15 minutes. Otherwise, you can jump in a cab or Coco Taxi to get there.
Have Mojitos (or Pina Coladas in my case) at a rooftop bar
Mmmm I got so obsessed with the delicious Pina Coladas in Cuba. So refreshing and great with cinnamon. My favourite was served in a Pineapple (I’m a sucker for a slightly gimmicky/tropical looking cocktail) at the rooftop bar of Hotel Ambos Mundos just off Obispo in old Havana. It’s a great spot boasting amazing views all over Havana, the harbour, and the fortress, with super friendly staff too. Visit at sunset for the best pictures.