Havana

Bike tour, Discover Havana by bike

Citykleta

Citykleta offers you a wide range of shared or private bike tours, bike excursions and events in Havana through which you can get to know the city like no other.

Sunrise - sunset daily·~US$28

Castropol

Restaurant with Cuban-Asturian food. Lots of great appetizers that also works as snacks with a cocktail. The atmosphere is cosy. In front of the restaurant is a small arcade with small cast iron tables and chairs, where you can have a drink (and a snack) and look over the water and study the steady stream of old US cars on Malecon (you just have to accept the noise from the cars too).

Open now · closes midnight tomorrow·~US$7-20

Chan Li Po

The restaurant is upstairs, fully air-conditioned, looks immaculate. Despite being a Chinese restaurant, they serve European dishes too. Friendly service. About ~US$4 for one pizza. Cocktails are ~US$2.5.

Open now · closes midnight tomorrow

Colon Cemetery

Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón

One of the great historical cemeteries of the world, important in both historical and architectural terms. It's not possible to see much from behind the fence.

~US$5 for foreigners

Coppelia Ice Cream parlour

Heladería Coppelia

Practically a Cuban institution with people waiting up to an hour to get a seat.

Open now · open 24 hours

Cámara Oscura

Enjoy extraordinary 360° views of the city using the large Cámara Oscura in the old town.

DNext Bar Cafetería

They serve mainly Italian food, sandwiches and cocktails. Prices start at ~US$3.5. The establishment is fully air-conditioned and ideal for a quick meal.

Open now · closes midnight tomorrow

El Aljibe

In the Havana suburb of Miramar, El Aljibe is the definitive proof that food in Cuba needn't be bland. Try the house specialty, chicken in sour orange sauce. El Aljibe also has a remarkably well-stocked wine cellar.

El Floridita Bar

Another stop on the Hemingway drinking tour; best visited for its atmosphere, which is almost unchanged from pre-Castro days. Their daiquirís are however - certainly much to Hemingway's grievance - mediocre.

Fabrica de Arte Cubano

La Fábrica de Arte or FAC

An art gallery and club. The Fábrica's gallery and stage were established inside of a former cooking oil factory, and has since gained notoriety as one of Havana's premier nightclubs and art galas.

Factoría Plaza Vieja

Taberna de la Murallo

Brewpub located on the pretty Plaza Vieja. The pub has three main beers (light, dark and black), with seasonal additions. Beer cocktails, along with a meat-based food menu, also feature.

~US$2 for a glass of beer, ~US$12.50 for a 'meter' of beer.

Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña

A well-restored fort of the 18th century that holds two one-room exhibitions about arms and Che Guevara. Every evening there is a cannon ceremony where they fire over the Havana harbour. To get there take any bus (ex. from the Parque the la Fraternidad) that crosses the tunnel and get off right after it. Walk about 600 m to the entrance. On your way you can also stop at the smaller Castillo de los Tres Santos Reyes Magnis del Morro next to the tunnel.

Go to the eastern beaches

Playas del Este

There is a bus leaving from Hotel Inglaterra every 30 minutes. The ride takes about 30 minutes.

~US$5 for a roundtrip

Hanoi

La Casa de la Parra

Old fashioned restaurant, with live music and no A/C. They even serve traditional Cuban food, such as black beans with rice.

Open now · closes 11 pm

Havana Cathedral

Catedral de La Habana

Built in the 18th century and redesigned in the 1940s, this church is a prime example of Baroque architecture in Cuba. Houses the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Cuba.

Havana Club Rum Museum

Museo del Ron Havana Club

Go on a guided tour of Havana Club, one of Cuba's most famous rums. Most of the exhibits are subtitled in English and are fairly self-explanatory.

Hotel Habana Libre

The hotel housed Castro's soldiers for several days after they took Havana. It has an excellent selection of photos in the lobby along with one of the only 24-hr fast food restaurants in the city.

La Bodeguita del Medio

The bar in which to sample a Mojito. The former hangout of Ernest Hemingway, it is best sampled in the evening once the tourist crowds from Varadero have headed back out of the city.

La Casa

This stylish restaurant, in Nuevo Vedado, is a large California-style house typical of the 1950s. The dining room and garden are inviting and intimate. The impeccable service and consistency uncommon in Cuba, are a must in Havana.

Daily 12:00-24:00·~US$10-25

La Fontana Restaurant

One of the most notable grill restaurants in Cuba. La Fontana has a refined yet sober home environment, suitable for a dinner with a touch of familiarity and a placid conversation, while enjoying exquisite dishes from its specialty, updated Cuban cuisine. Reservations essential.

From ~US$25/person.

Lennon Park

Parque Lennon

Features the only statue of a western musician in Havana. Notable for the regularly stolen (and replaced) eyeglasses.

Los Buccaneros Hanoi

With the front of the Capitol building on your right from the main street, walk about two blocks to the left on the road that runs parallel to the Capitol. There are two bars called Hanoi. Go to the first one Los Buccaneros.

good mojitos for ~US$1

Los Marinos

Seafood restaurant on a pier in Havana harbour. A great place to relax with seafood and a beer or mojito looking at the city. On the big terrace the breeze from the water is pleasant on a warm day. Prices depends on the kind of seafood, you order. Lobster is the most expensive. The seafood paella is less expensive, has lots of good seafood in it, and you get a big portion.

Open now · closes 11 pm·~US$6-30

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

This museum has two parts: international and Cuban art. In the part of Arte Cubano art-lovers can spend hours admiring the works of the last centuries exhibited on three floors.

~US$8

Museum of the Revolution

Museo de la Revolución

Housed in the former presidential palace, this iconic museum offers a history tour from pre-Columbian to the revolution in 1959 and on to present-day socialist Cuba. There's more than a hint of propaganda among the exhibitions.

Open now · closes 5 pm·Admission ~US$6, use of camera ~US$2 extra

National Capitol Building

El Capitolio

Completed in 1929, this neoclassical building which resembles the U.S. Capitol. It housed the Cuban Congress prior to the revolution and is now the National Assembly.

National Theater

Teatro Nacional de Cuba

Come here for concerts, the Ballet Nacional de Cuba and teatre. Functions are held irregularly. Beware of scams as ushers try to sell you the same ticket for up to ~US$25 shortly before the function starts (and only paying the nationals price). Instead go to the box office to get it for the official price.

foreigners ~US$10

Partagás Cigar factory

Fábrica de Tabaco Partagas

A guided visit to the original Partagás factory gives a wealth of information about production and cultivation of tobacco and cigars. It is also the place for buying authentic Cuban cigars, more expensive than on the street but with fantastic quality.

the equivalent of US$10 in pesos for a guided tour, no photography allowed

Plaza de Armas

Spacious and elegant, the square is surrounded by baroque constructions that give it an authentic colonial milieu. It was laid out during the 1600s, replacing an old plaza which acted as the center of religious, administrative and military activity. Until the mid-18th century, it was used for military exercises and parades. After its remodeling between the years 1771-1838, it became a favored meeting spot for the city's wealthy. Today it is also known as Céspedes Park, in honor of the country's Founding Father, whose monument stands at its center. This square is one of the most outstanding in the city, enlivened by vendors of antiques and classical books on Latin American and world literature. Attractions of remarkable historical value lay around the square such as the capok tree (Ceiba) under which the first mass for the city's founding was officiated in 1519.

Plaza de la Revolución

Huge square dominated by a statue and monument of 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.