Havana Sights

Full Havana Travel Guide »    Havana Interactive Map »    Print This Article »

The Capitol Building in Havana (Capitolio Nacional)

• Museum of the Revolution and the Capital building.

• Visit the Partagas cigar factory - just behind the Capital Building (cost 10CUC for a half hour guided tour). Please note that there is no photography allowed. It is the place where you can also be sure to get the correct cigars in the shop - more expensive than 'street offers' - but the quality of these offers is definitely questionnable.

• Havana Club Rum Factory — 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.

• Walk along the Prado street in the evening. Great public space - unfortunately not illuminated at night. The Prado hums with street life, cafes and charm.

• Walk along El Malecon — A favorite stroll for tourists and locals, a walk along the El Malecon runs along the main streets of Havana and provides stunning views of the Bay.

• Enjoy the glory of La Habana Vieja (The Old Town) - some of it faded and crumbling - but there are many beautifully restored buildings as a result of the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.

• Plaza de la Revolucion — The 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.

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

• The US Special Interests building in Vedado, just off the Malecon. In the absence of a United States embassy in Cuba this heavily fortified and guarded building is where Cuban citizens go to apply for US Visas. It was notable for displaying news which is unfiltered and not censored by the Cuban government on electronic billboards situated behind the windows of one of the floors, but these were switched off in 2009. It is also the focus for regularly staged protests.

• Hotel Habana Libre in Vedado. 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 hour fast food restaurants in the city.

• Enjoy extraordinary 360-degree views of the city using the large Camara Oscura in the old town.

• The Catedral de San Cristobal in old Havana. Said to be the only example of a baroque construction that possesses asymmetrical features, one of the towers is wider than the other.

• Plaza de Armas. Spacious and elegant, the square is surrounded by baroque constructions that give it a authentic colonial milieu. It was laid 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.