See

The Royal Force Castle

Castillo de la Real Fuerza

The oldest bastioned fortress in the New World, completed 1577. It now houses Cuba's premier maritime museum with excellent exhibits of Cuba’s maritime past, from pre-Columbian days through to the 18th century with the Royal Shipyard of Havana, one of the largest in the world which built nearly 200 ships for the Spanish Crown. The museum includes a huge model of Santisima Trinidad, one of the largest ships in the world during the 18th century. The fort is also a great location for viewing the harbour and city skyline.

Address: Plaza des Armas

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Havana, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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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.
See
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.
Eat
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
Drink
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.