I’d wanted to visit Cuba for so long. From back in the 80s when I studied European Studies at university and learnt all about the Cold War, Cuba’s revolution and long term stand off with the USA, this communist Caribbean island has fascinated me. In order to make this wish a reality, there’s a lot of bureaucratic red tape, but we sorted out our itinerary, flights and visas and were finally off.

Getting There

We flew to Havana from London via Spain, as this was significantly cheaper than flying direct. José Martí International Airport is around 12 miles south of Havana. Although we usually travel independently, we did use an agent to book our trip to Cuba, this included provision of an airport shuttle bus which took us direct to our hotel.

Getting Around

The old city is best visited on foot. For further afield, we opted either for a tuktuk or taxi (preferably a classic American car for which the island is famous). Both can easily be flagged down. On our final day in Havana, we booked a classic convertible for a city tour, which is a must-do Havana experience, in my opinion.

Where we Stayed

We stayed at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba. This historic hotel is steeped in history. It has not one, but two museums. The interior has been preserved in its original state, so it’s a bit like staying in a museum. Facilities include a pool and cabaret. In the gardens you can find the bunker used by Fidel Castro during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Nacional is a fascinating place and I loved my stay here. If you don’t stay here, it’s worth a visit just for the history.

On our last night, the Nacional was fully booked, so we stayed at the Hotel NH Capri. This is another fascinating old hotel, initially owned by the mafia. Recently renovated, it has a lovely rooftop pool with views across the city and the bay.

Itinerary

	Flight to Havana Accommodation – Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Day 1	Hotel Nacional de Cuba Malecón Old Havana Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta Castillo de la Real Fuerza Catedral de la Virgen María de la Concepción Inmaculada Plaza de la Catedral Convento de San Francisco Plaza de San Francisco de Asís Plaza Vieja Lunch at Cerveceria Plaza Vieja Capitolio Nacional Cocktails at El Floridita Cabaret Parisien
Day 2	Plaza de la Revolución Monumento Jose Marti Museo de la Revolución Lunch at Sloppy Joe’s Museo del Ron Plaza Tribuna Anti Imperialista Dinner at La Roca
Day 3	Accommodation – Capri Hotel Classic Car Tour Hotel Habana Libre Necrópolis Cristóbal Colón Parque Histórico Militar Estatua de Cristo Parque John Lennon

Attractions

1	Hotel Nacional de Cuba
2	Malecón
3	Old Havana
4	Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta
5	Castillo de la Real Fuerza
6	Catedral de la Virgen María de la Concepción Inmaculada
7	Plaza de la Catedral
8	Convento de San Francisco
9	Plaza de San Francisco de Asís
10	Plaza Vieja
11	Capitolio Nacional
12	El Floridita
13	Cabaret Parisien
14	Plaza de la Revolución
15	Monumento Jose Marti
16	Museo de la Revolución
17	Museo del Ron
18	Plaza Tribuna Anti Imperialista
19	Hotel Habana Libre
20	Necrópolis Cristóbal Colón
21	Parque Histórico Militar
22	Estatua de Cristo
23	Parque John Lennon

Flight to Havana

When we land in Havana it’s already dark, so there’s not much to see. We have paid for a bus transfer from our airport to our hotel. Not the best decision, as one couple goes AWOL and we have to wait an age before we can actually depart. Then it’s a dark drive into town, peering desperately out of the window for my first glimpse of the city.

Accommodation – Hotel Nacional de Cuba

For our first 3 nights in Havana, we’re staying at the Nacional (or to give it’s proper title, the Hotel Nacional de Cuba). Built in 1930, it was once a popular hang out for the rich and famous, it’s now a little jaded, but still grand. It’s half like staying in a hotel, half like sleeping in a museum. Adjacent is the Cabaret Parisian where you can enjoy an evening of Cuban music and dance.

Havana Day 1

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

Having wanted to visit Cuba for the longest time, then arriving after dark, by morning I’m desperate to explore. I’m up ages before the old man, chomping at the bit. Initially, I have to make do with taking a few shots of the hotel grounds out of the window. Then I go off to explore the hotel.

Even if you don’t stay at the Nacional (and I thoroughly recommend that you do) it’s well worth a visit.

In the grandiose foyer is a mini museum telling the hotel’s history and a Hall of Fame detailing some of the celebrities who have stayed at the Nacional, like Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe and Winston Churchill.

In the hotel gardens, amidst the flower beds you can find the bunker when Fidel Castro hunkered down during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when he made the hotel his base. I love this stuff. I’m in my element and we haven’t even left the hotel yet!

Malecón

After breakfast, we set forth for a walk along the Malecón towards Old Havana. The Malecón is a 7 kilometre long strip which runs along the northern edge of the city, skirting Havana Bay. The portion between the Nacional and the Old Town is around 3 kilometres. Some of the buildings are beautifully restored, others lie decaying. Somehow the urban decay just adds to the city’s charm.

All around are the classic American cars Cuba is famous for, spouting petrol fumes into the sea air to create a unique aroma.

The weather isn’t great, it’s pouring down and huge waves sporadically crash over the sea wall, filling the road with even more water. But I’ve come to walk the Malecón, so that’s what I’m going to do.

Old Havana

Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta

First stop on the outskirts of the old town is the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, one of the fortresses which used to guard the entrance to Havana Port during colonial times.

Castillo de la Real Fuerza

We continue along the Malecón to another colonial fort; Castillo de la Real Fuerza.

This 16th Century fortress, one of the oldest in the Americas, sits in an impressive almost star shaped moat. You can go inside to visit a navigation museum, but we have a packed schedule, so move swiftly on.

Catedral de la Virgen María de la Concepción Inmaculada

Fortresses done, onwards to that second bastion of colonialism; religion. First we visit the succinctly named La Catedral de la Virgen María de la Concepción Inmaculada de La Habana. The 18th century cathedral with its two unequal towers is one of the oldest churches in the Americas.

Plaza de la Catedral

The cathedral takes up one side of the Plaza de la Catedral. Built in the 18th Century, this plaza is actually the youngest of the four plazas in the old town.

Convento de San Francisco

In another plaza (Plaza San Francisco) lies another formidable religious building, the Convento de San Francisco.

Plaza de San Francisco de Asís

The plaza de San Francisco dates back to the 16th Century when Spanish galleons first starting docking here. Cue construction of a church…

I love this intriguing sculpture by Etienne, entitled La Conversación.

Plaza Vieja

One last plaza on this morning’s itinerary; the Plaza Vieja. This 16th Century plaza contains an eclectic mix of buildings, both in terms of age and architectural style. And also in terms of state of renovation. Some buildings have been beautifully restored, while others are gently decaying whilst waiting their turn.

Lunch at Cerveceria Plaza Vieja

We stop for lunch at Cerveceria Plaza Vieja. The pros; you can sit on a terrace in the Plaza Vieja, enjoy a nice cold beer from the Cerveceria’s own microbrewery and listen to the band as you eat. The con; skewers hung on a rack. A basic knowledge of science (or of hanging up laundry to dry) indicates that this is a sure fire way to make your food go very cold, very quickly. That and it just looks generally unpleasant, like carcasses hanging in an abattoir. But the beer was good.

Capitolio Nacional

Havana’s grandest building is the Capitolio Nacional. Built in the 1920s during Cuba’s capitalist heydays at huge expense, it looks very similar to the Capitol in Washington DC. When we visited, it was closed for renovation, so we had to make do with admiring it from the exterior. Oh, and it’s opposite El Floridita, one of Havana’s most famous cocktail bars.

The Capitolio is open from 10am until 4pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday and from 10 am until midday on Wednesday and Saturday. A guided tour costs CUC$10.

Cocktails at El Floridita

We take a well earned break from our epic walking tour for a sit down and a daiquiri (or two) at El Floridita, one time favourite hang out of writer and prolific drinker Ernest Hemingway.

There is even a bronze statue of Hemingway propping up the bar (next to him having a cozy chat with Fidel) for you sit and drink with. All my photos from El Floritida are blurred – I can’t think why!

El Floridita’s other claim to fame is that the daiquiri was invented here in 1931. The following year, Hemingway rocked up. The rest, as they say is history…

And that concludes the first part of our first day in Havana. We have covered over six miles on foot, consuming beer and cocktails along the way. We head back to the hotel a little the worse for wear. Time for a little nap before dinner, and more cocktails…

Cabaret Parisien

Another reason to stay at the Nacional is that is is home to one of Havana’s best cabaret shows; Cabaret Parisien.

The show contains a mixture of music and dance, all very well choreographed and performed. In all, an enjoyable evening. And we only have a few metres to crawl afterwards to bed.

Tickets to the show, including a welcome cocktail, cost $40. If you want a pre-show dinner, tickets are $70.

Havana Day 2

Plaza de la Revolución

Today, another day of Havana sightseeing. We start with a 2 kilometre walk south through the city to the suburb of Vedado to visit the Plaza de la Revolucion, where two government office blocks are adorned with iconic murals. The Ministerio del Interior has a silhouette of Che Guevara with the words Hasta la victoria siempre (Always Toward Victory) underneath.

On the adjacent telecommunications building is Castro’s comrade Camilo Cienfuegos with the words: Vas bien Fidel (You’re going well, Fidel).

Memorial a José Martí

Across the enormous plaza in the Memorial a José Martí, a towering monument donated by the USSR. At 138.5 metres tall, the monument is Havana’s tallest structure. At the bottom is a small museum and you can take a lift to a lookout near the top of the monument.

The monument is open from 9:30 am until 4 pm daily except Sunday. Entry costs CUC$3. There is an additional CUC$2 charge for the lift.

Museo de la Revolución

From here, we take a tuk tuk ride back to the Old Town to pick up where we left off yesterday. The fascinating Museo de la Revolución is in two parts. The main building is housed in what was the Presidential Palace up until the revolution. Walk up the grand marble staircase where you can see the bullet holes from an unsuccessful revolution in the 1950s.

The museum tells the story of Cuba’s infamous revolution with plenty of contemporaneous artefacts, which sit in incongruous glass boxes set in front of the original décor designed by Tiffany’s of New York.

The building has been altered from its original colonial design by, for example, giving the cherubs on the ornate ceiling frescoes communist flags.

Just behind the main building as another which houses a replica of the Granma; the boat which carried Fidel Castro back to Cuba to join the revolution.

The pavilion is surrounded by other vehicles associated with the revolution.

Lunch at Sloppy Joes

We round a sweaty morning of sightseeing off with lunch at another of Havana’s most famous bars; Sloppy Joes.

Here, in another popular haunt of Ernest Hemingway, the famous sandwich bearing the bar’s name was invented.

Museo del Ron

After lunch we take a tour of the Museo del Ron at the old Havana Club Rum distillery. Here, you can visit the historic distillery and learn about the rum manufacturing process.

The tour rounds off with some rum tasting.

The museum is open daily from 9 am, closing at 5 pm Monday to Thursday and 4 pm on Friday to Sunday. A guided tour costs CUC$7.

Plaza Tribuna Anti Imperialista

It’s been a long day, so we take a taxi back to the hotel, diverting slightly to visit the Plaza Tribuna Anti Imperialista which lies in front of the US Embassy.

In a war of propaganda, the US flashed electronic messages from the top of the 7 storey embassy building. So the Cubans attempted to block the view of the embassy with some enormous flag poles.

Dinner at La Roca

For dinner we head for a popular local eatery, La Roca, where we order a Surf & Turf Sharing Platter enough to give anyone meat sweats!

Havana Day 3

Accommodation – Capri Hotel

For our final night in Havana we are staying in the renovated former Mafia hotel, Hotel NH Capri. The Capri was originally built in the 1950s and its refurbishment has maintained a 50s vibe.

I love everything about the place, particularly the roof top pool with spectacular views across the bay in one direction and the city in the other.

Classic Car Tour

We have saved the best till last. This morning, we are taking a classic car tour in a bright red convertible. The tour takes in some of Cuba’s top attractions, with stops for you to visit and take photos of the attractions, and of course for plenty of car selfies.

The tour includes some attractions we were already familiar with, such as the Plaza de la Revolucion and the Capitolio, plus some new ones, like the Hotel Habana Libre.

Hotel Habana Libre

The former Havana Hilton was commandeered by Fidel Castro’s revolutionaries in 1959 just nine months after it opened and renamed the Hotel Habana Libre. During the first few months of the revolution, Castro ruled the country from a suite on the 24th floor of the hotel.

There is a gallery of photographs of the hotel’s role in the revolution on the wall in the foyer.

Necrópolis Cristóbal Colón

After a brief stop at Havana’s huge cemetery, resting place of many great historical figures (including the famous explorer Christopher Columbus, until the Spanish demanded him back and he had to be dug up), we head for the Tunnel de La Habana.

We just took a peek over the wall, but if you want a more in depth visit, the cemetery is open from 8am until 6 pm and costs CUC$5.

Parque Histórico Militar

We emerge on the north side of Havana Port and head for the Parque Histórico Militar; an open air museum which consists of various weapons utilised by the Cubans to protect themselves from the US.

Estatua de Cristo

Not quite the size of its Brazilian counterpart, Havana has its own Christ Statue overlooking the city. The Estatua de Cristo, or Christ of Havana was built in 1958 as a present for President Batista from his wife, reaching completion just before they fled the country.

From here, there is a great view back over the city of Havana.

Parque John Lennon

We return to Havana with one last stop at John Lennon Park, where a statue of John Lennon sits on the end of a bench. There is a man on hand to ‘lend’ a pair of Lennon’s iconic glasses, so you can take a selfie with the former Beatle.

And that concludes our visit to Havana. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of it, particularly the classic car tour (and the rum). Havana is a city like no other, fascinating and friendly, vibrant and rich in culture. I have travelled extensively and Havana remains one of my favourite places.

• Trip Taken: October 2015
• Updated: May 2023