Havana, the heart of Cuba

Havana is the capital city, largest city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city is located on La Habana (Havana) Bay on the island’s north coast of Cuba. On first impressions, Havana can seem like a confusing jigsaw puzzle, but work out how to put the pieces together and a beautiful picture emerges. A visit to the city, with its distinctive neighborhoods and rich history is sure to create lasting memories for tourists who are aware of all that Havana has to offer.  Before the Communist revolution, Havana was one of the vacation hot-spots of the Caribbean. Havana is divided into 15 municipalities, each with its own neighborhoods and distinctive feel. For travelers, the city is divided into several larger areas. The Habana Vieja area, also known as Old Havana is the heart of the city’s colonial history and was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. Centro Habana, or Central Havana, is a mainly residential area where tourists seldom visit, because of the building decay and decomposition.

Good to know:

• After indulging in Hemingway’s favorite drinks, follow his footsteps to where he slept, at the salmon-colored, 52-room Hotel Ambos Mundos. This was the writer’s first Cuban home, where he stayed for seven years during the 1930s.
• Cuba has two currencies, the Cuban Peso (CUP) and the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC). Most tourists will be using the CUC for all purchases, hotels, taxis and activities, but there is possibility to pay in equivalent in CUP
• Hiring a car in Cuba will cost you from 33 to 106CUC per day. The car will have a special tourist plate, which means you will be required to give generous tips every time you park your car in a crowded place.
• As a tourist, the most convenient way of getting around Havana is by taxi. Some of the taxis are old American Chevys from the 1950’s, others are (somewhat) newer Russian Ladas, whilst most tourist taxis are modern Peugeots, Skodas and even Mercedes.
• Nearly every restaurant and hotel in town has a decent house band playing old favorites.
• Havana is quite safe for a large city. Heavily dependent on tourism, Cuban police are everywhere and pay special attention to spots where travelers congregate (Habana Vieja, El Malecón. etc.), so you don’t have to be afraid of being accosted in the daytime.
• Those planning a trip to Havana must purchase medical insurance before visiting the city or at a Cuban port of entry, notes the U.S. Department of State website.

Havana Map & Hotels:

Hotel Deals in Havana:

Flight Deals to Havana: