Panoramic view of entrance to Havana Bay

La Habana, Cuba

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Havana, Cuba
(location 23°8′N 82°23′W, 90 mi., or 145 km, south of Key West, Fla.)

La Habana was founded as a Spanish trading settlement in the early 1500's. This settlement was subsequently moved to the present location of Old Havana in 1519, and was named capital of the Spanish colony of Cuba in the year 1607.

Through it's history as a Spanish colony it was looted, pillaged and burned by French and British buccaneers and it figured as an important ship-building and trade port in the islands. In 1762 it was taken over by the British, only to be returned to Spain shortly thereafter, in exchange for the Spanish-held land of Florida.

Old Havana was entered into the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982. Today visitors can see numerous of Havana's splendid but crumbling colonial structures and facades being restored and refurbished due to this effort.

Sightseeing in La Habana, Cuba

The neighborhoods of most interest to visitors to La Habana are:

Old Havana - the region which was originally circumscribed by the old walls of the original port, very few remnants of which are still standing. In Old Havana there is a wealth of museums, plazas and historical colonial buildings and architecture to be found;

Centro Havana is the extension of Old Habana as it grew beyond its walls, and is bordered by Old Habana on one side and Vedado on the other.

Vedado, the more modern tourist area, is both residential and commercial; this is the area in which the Hotel National is to be found, as well as Neveria Coppelia, serving natural fruit-flavored ice creams.

Miramar, the upper-class area of Embassies and fine colonial and more recently-built homes and hotels.

Havana's Malecon (harbor-front seawall, walk and drive) extends all the way from the entrance to the bay in Old Havana through to the border of Vedado with Miramar on the Almendares River, a distance of about 7 kilometers..

Museums

Casa Natal de José Martí / Birthplace of José Martí: The birthplace of national hero and writer, José Martí, declared a museum in 1925. Calle Leonor Peréz, Old Havana, across from the train station.

Farmacia Taquechel / Taquechel Pharmacy Museum: A pharmacy restored as a museum exhibiting French porcelain containers, pharmaceutical tools and elaborate woodwork and decor. Located on Calle Obispo No. 155 between San Ignacio and Mercaderes streets, Old Havana.

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Museo Antropológico Montane / Montane Anthropological Museum - Exhibits of pre-hispanic arts and cultures. University of La Habana, Edif. Felipe Poey, Plaza de la Revolucion, Vedado

Museo de Arte Colonial / Museum of Colonial Art: Exhibits furnishings, art and decor of the Colonial era. Calle San Ignacio No. 61, Old Havana.

Museo de Ciencias Naturales Felipe Poey / Felipe Poey Natural Sciences Museum: Exhibits of collections, including birds, fish, sponges, mollusks, crustaceans, mammals and reptiles, gathered by international and Cuban naturalists and scientists. Edif. Felipe Poey, 1st floor, Plaza Ignacio Agramonte, University of Havana, Vedado.

Museo de la Ciudad de Habana / Museum of City of Havana). Museum documenting the history of the city from colonial times; exhibits of furnishings, artworks, carriages and decor of the colonial era. Calle Tacón No. 1 between Obispo and O´Reilly streets, Old Havana

Museo del Ron / Rum Museum - Located in the harbor area of Old Havana, the Havana Club Rum museum will give you a tour showing the process of rum distillation, aging and bottling, and at the end of the tour a taste of some of Havana Club's golden, smooth, aged rum. Rum can be purchased in the store on the premises. Av. del Puerto 262.

Museo Histórico de las Ciencias "Carlos J. Finlay" / "Carlos J. Finlay Historical Sciences Museum: Museum documenting the achievements of Cuban scientist, Carlos J. Finlay, who discovered that yellow fever was transmitted by a particular type of mosquito, leading to the possibility of the erradication of the disease. The museum also documents the advances and development of medicine in Cuba in general, as well as internationally, and includes an historical archive and library housing more than 95,000 volumes. Calle Cuba No. 460 between Amargura y Teniente Rey streets, Old Havana.

Museo Nacional de Música/ National Museum of Music: Museum documenting the evolution of Cuban music and its African roots, as well as international music and instruments. Calle Capdevila No. 1, Old Havana, near the Museo de la Revolucion.

Museo Napoleónico / Napoleonic Museum: Housed in a Florentine mansion, this museum exhibits many of Napoleon Bonaparte's personal articles, arms and artifacts of the era. Calle San Miguel No. 1159, Vedado, near the University.

Museo Postal Filatélico / Postal Museum: Cuban and international stamp collections. Av. Independencia, Plaza de la Revolución, Vedado.

Museo de la Revolución / Museum of the Revolution: This building was formerly the Cuban Presidential Palace. The museum documents the unfolding of the Revolution with complex exhibitions of documents, maps, arms, photos and personal articles of the revolutionaries and other important figures of revolutionary history. The Granma Memorial is located to the rear of the building, exhibiting the yacht which carried Fidel Castro and his comrades from Mexico to Cuba, as well as a number of military vehicles and aircraft. Calle Refugio #1, Old Havana.

Other Buildings, Monuments and areas of note and interest to the visitor in Havana:

El Capitolio Nacional / The National Capitol: Modelled after the U.S. Capitol building and inaugurated in 1929. One can tour the marbled halls and view the various meeting and conference rooms. Tours are available.

Parque Central, Hotel Inglaterra y El Gran Teatro de la Habana / Central Park, Hotel Inglaterra and Havana's Grand Theatre: Next to the Capitol building, the Gran Teatro in its present reconstruction dates from 1915 and can hold up to 2,000 spectators. Next to it, fronting Havana's Central Park with its statue of José Martí, is the Hotel Inglaterra, Havana's oldest hotel and one of its most charming. Worth a visit through it's lobby, and the sidewalk cafe/bar, El Louvre, offers live salsa music daily throughout the afternoon and evening.

Iglesia de San Francisco de Paula / Church of San Francisco de Paula: Located in the port area of Old Havana, this church dates from the 18th C.

Plaza, Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco de Asis / Plaza, Church and Convent of Saint Francis of Assisi: Located on the cobblestoned Plaza de San Francisco close to the dock area, the Church and Convert were constructed in the early 1700's. Restoration was undertaken in the early 1990's. Concerts are now held in the church.

Plaza Vieja / Old Plaza: Located off Calle Brazil (Teniente Rey), the Old Plaza is skirted by some beautiful old and columned mansions.

El Cristo de la Habana, Fortaleza de San Carlos de La Cabaña, Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro / Christ of Havana Statue, Fortress of San Carlos de La Cabaña, Castle of Los Tres Reyes del Morro: Across the bay from Old Havana, accessible via the Bay Tunnel which crosses under the mouth of Havana Bay, or by passenger ferry from the Muelle de Luz (Dock of Light), the Castle, Fortress and Christ statue all play sentry over the bay, port and old town of Havana. The castle and fortress are lined with cannons which protected the city, and every night at 9 p.m. a cannon is shot off along the Cortina, above the jetty, as it was centuries ago to signal the closing of the gates of the walled city.

Plaza de Armas, El Templete y el Castillo de la Real Fuerza / Plaza de Armas, the Small Temple and the Castle of the Real Fuerza: The Plaza de Armas is a beautifully treed and gardened square in which a book market is set up most weekdays. On the side facing the harbor is a small replica of the Greek Parthenon (the Templete) in front of which is a massive Ceiba tree (Kapok), and next door to the square is the Castle of the Real Fuerza (2006: undergoing restoration).

Plaza de la Catedral y el Mercado de Artesanias/ Plaza of the Cathedral and the Crafts Market: The Plaza of the Cathedral is a charming, busy square off Calle San Ignacio in the old section of Havana. Around the corner from the Cathedral itself is the famed Bodeguita del Medio, a favorite watering hole for those searching for a refreshing Mojito. A Crafts Market sets up stalls in the Plaza and along neighboring streets from Wednesday through Saturday, offering a plethora of souvenirs including maracas and bongos, carved tropical hardwood figurines, embroidered clothing, paintings, ceramics, jewellry and other crafts.

Cuban Music

Salsa!

Cuban Music & Entertainment:

Live music can be found in practically any bar or restaurant in Havana from about 12 noon on throughout into the night and early hours of the morning. Many of the clubs actually have matinee and afternoon performances as well as late night shows, allowing those travellers who are habitual early birds and don't want to stay up all night a chance to experience as much of Cuba's good music as the night owls. Restaurants and bars don't usually charge a cover charge even if they have live music, but the musicians do "pass the hat" for tips and virtually all groups have CDs for sale. The clubs and cabarets listed below do charge a cover for entrance over and above food and beverages consumed.

Casa de la Musica, Miramar - Calle 20, at the corner of Calle 35, Miramar. Tel. (537) 204-0447, 202-6147. Both matinee and nightly performances of some of the best old favorites and up-and-coming recording artists in Cuba today. Under the aegis of EGREM recording studios.
Nighttime Program: http://www.egrem.com.cu

Casa de la Musica, Galiano y Neptuno, Centro Habana - Tel: (537) 862-4165, 860-8296
Nighttime Program: http://www.egrem.com.cu

La Tropicana Cabaret - Calle 72 No. 4504 and Calle 43, Marianao, Havana. Open: Tuesday thru' Sunday 9 pm to 2 am. A flamboyant show performed on an open-air stage featuring troupes of exotic dance routines and quality performances - an extremely popular and engrossing presentation. The cabaret dates from 1939. Tel: (537) 267-1717.

La Parisienne Cabaret, Hotel Nacional, Calles 21 and O, Vedado. Much along the lines of La Tropicana, the Parisienne Club also opens at 9 pm with a spectacular, colorful and entertaining musical show. Tel. (537) 873-4701.