Why go to Havana
Havana is a city of faded colonial facades, huge American cars from the 1950s and live music leaking out of doorways at all hours. It is also a city where the electricity cuts out, the shops are often half empty, and nothing runs quite on schedule. Go with that in mind and it is one of the most absorbing capitals in the Caribbean. The architecture alone, from Spanish baroque to art deco, is worth the flight. What stays with you, though, is the street life: dominoes on a stoop, kids playing baseball with a stick, someone arguing cheerfully about Real Madrid.
Come with patience, cash and a flexible plan. Rules, exchange rates and what is actually available change quickly, so check current entry requirements and travel advice before you book.
What to see in Havana
- Plaza Vieja and Plaza de la Catedral (Habana Vieja): The restored heart of the old city. Plaza de la Catedral has the baroque cathedral, and Plaza Vieja has the best café terraces for people-watching. Go before 9am, when the tour groups have not yet arrived.
- Plaza de Armas and the Castillo de la Real Fuerza: One of the oldest forts in the Americas, next to a small book market that sells second-hand revolutionary posters and Hemingway paperbacks.
- The Malecón: The sea wall that runs for several kilometres along the north coast. Walk it at sunset, when locals bring bottles, guitars and fishing lines. On a rough day the waves crash right over the road.
- Capitolio and Paseo del Prado: The Capitolio looks like a cousin of the one in Washington and has a spectacular interior. The tree-lined Prado leads down towards the sea and the Gran Teatro.
- Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña and El Morro: On the east side of the bay. The views back over the city are the best you will get. The nightly cannon ceremony (el cañonazo) at 9pm is touristy but fun.
- Cementerio de Colón (Vedado): An enormous 19th-century necropolis with marble mausoleums that look like small churches. It is quiet, shady and strangely moving.
- Plaza de la Revolución: Vast, stark and dominated by the José Martí memorial and the steel outline of Che Guevara on a ministry building. Worth ten minutes, not an hour.
- Callejón de Hamel (Centro Habana): A short alley covered in Afro-Cuban murals and sculptures. Sunday around noon, there is rumba and a crowd. Go for the music rather than the souvenirs.
- Fusterlandia (Jaimanitas): A neighbourhood in the west of the city covered in mosaics by the artist José Fuster. It is a taxi ride out, but it is one of the most cheerful places in Cuba.
Things to do
Take a ride in a convertible classic car along the Malecón and out to Vedado. Agree the price and duration first, and expect to pay more than a regular taxi. For something less staged, catch the small ferry across the bay to Regla or Casablanca for a few coins and a different view of the skyline.
Music is the real nightlife. The Fábrica de Arte Cubano in Vedado mixes galleries, bars and live acts under one roof and is usually the best evening in town, though it can have queues. For jazz, try La Zorra y el Cuervo. For something looser, ask your host which casa de la música is playing that night. Cocktail pilgrims can do El Floridita for daiquirís and La Bodeguita del Medio for mojitos, knowing both are tourist magnets. Hemingway fans can visit his house, Finca Vigía, in the suburbs.
If you have an extra day, go to Viñales for tobacco fields and limestone hills. It is roughly two to three hours by Viazul bus or shared taxi.
How many days and a suggested route
Three full days covers the essentials, and four lets you slow down. Five is plenty if you add Viñales or a beach day at Playas del Este.
- Day 1: Habana Vieja on foot: the four main plazas, lunch in a paladar, then the Capitolio and the Prado. End on the Malecón at sunset.
- Day 2: Morning at the Cementerio de Colón, then Plaza de la Revolución. Spend the afternoon in Vedado, with ice cream at Coppelia, and finish with an evening at the Fábrica de Arte Cubano.
- Day 3: Cross the bay to La Cabaña and El Morro, then Regla. Alternatively, spend the day at Fusterlandia and the western suburbs.
- Day 4: Day trip to Viñales, or a slow morning in Centro Habana, which is the least polished and most honest part of the city.
When to go
The dry season, from November to April, is the best time: warm days, lower humidity and the sea calm enough for beaches. December to February can have cool, breezy evenings, and the odd cold front brings rain. From May to October it is hot, sticky and wetter, with afternoon downpours. Hurricane season runs from June to November, with the highest risk in September and October. Prices for flights are lower in the wet months, but the heat in August is hard going in a city with frequent power cuts and little air conditioning outside hotels.
Where to stay
Habana Vieja is the most atmospheric and the easiest on foot, but noisy at night. Centro Habana is rougher and cheaper, with more local life. Vedado is leafy, residential and close to the best music venues, and it suits a longer stay. Miramar is quieter and more upscale, with embassies and newer restaurants, but further from the sights.
- Budget: Casas particulares, private rooms in family homes, usually run about 30 to 60 USD a night. They are the best value and often include a large breakfast.
- Mid-range: Boutique hotels in restored Old Havana buildings, usually from about 100 USD a night.
- Comfort: The Hotel Nacional in Vedado is the classic address, with a garden over the Malecón. Prices vary widely, so compare carefully.
What to eat and where
Cuban home cooking is hearty rather than spicy. Look for ropa vieja (shredded beef stew), lechón asado (roast pork), moros y cristianos (rice and black beans), yuca con mojo and tostones. For breakfast, a cortadito and a pastry from a window bakery do the job. Coppelia, the huge ice-cream hall in Vedado, is a local institution, and the queue is part of the experience.
The best meals are in paladares, private restaurants in family homes and converted buildings. Vedado and Centro Habana have strong options, and a good dinner for two often costs less than a mediocre tourist-trap lunch in the old plazas. Book ahead for popular ones, and ask your host for current recommendations because places open and close often. Supplies are patchy, so a menu does not always match what is in the kitchen. Eat where it is full of Cubans, and be forgiving.
Getting from the airport and getting around
José Martí International Airport sits roughly 15 km south of the centre. A taxi to Habana Vieja or Vedado usually costs about 25 to 35 USD and takes 30 to 45 minutes. Ask your casa or hotel to arrange a pickup, which saves haggling after a long flight. Do not rely on public buses.
Within the city, Habana Vieja and parts of Centro Habana are best on foot. For longer hops, official taxis are the simplest, and you should agree the fare before you get in. Shared almendrones (old American cars on fixed routes) are cheap and fun but need some Spanish. Bici-taxis and three-wheeled coco-taxis suit short rides. The hop-on hop-off Habana Bus Tour is a decent first-day orientation. For intercity trips, Viazul runs coaches from its terminal in Nuevo Vedado.
Rough daily budget
- Budget: about 50 to 80 USD: casa particular, local food, walking and shared transport.
- Mid-range: about 100 to 150 USD: nicer casa or small hotel, paladar dinners, a few taxis and a live-music night.
- Comfortable: 200 USD and up: a good hotel, private drivers and cocktails at the famous bars.
These figures are approximate. Cuba's currency situation is unusual, with official and informal rates that differ. Bring enough hard cash, usually euros or US dollars, since foreign bank cards often do not work.
FAQs
Do I need a visa for Cuba?
Most visitors need a tourist card (a visa) and must fill in an online traveller form before arrival. Rules differ by nationality and change, so check with the Cuban embassy or your airline.
Is Havana safe?
Violent crime against visitors is uncommon, but petty theft and hustling do happen. Be careful with bags in crowds, avoid dark streets at night and be polite but firm with touts.
Can I use my credit card?
Do not count on it. Foreign cards are often rejected, and ATMs can be unreliable. Bring all the cash you expect to need, plus a cushion, in small notes.
What about internet and power cuts?
Connectivity is patchy. Many travellers buy a local data package from ETECSA or use Wi-Fi at hotels and public spots. Blackouts are common, so bring a power bank, a torch and downloaded offline maps.
What is the best month to visit?
Between November and April is the most comfortable. December to March is the busiest and most expensive, so April or early November can be a sweet spot.
Photo: Nigel Pacquette · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Guide updated 21 Oct 2026