Its Historic Center and its Fortress System were declared World Cultural Heritage in 1982 by UNESCO.
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Travel and tourism in La Habana. How to get in, maps, activities to do, where to...
Havana, capital of the Republic of Cuba, is the main administrative, political, cultural and scientific place in the country. Its Historic Center and its Fortress System were declared World Cultural Heritage in 1982 by UNESCO.
Before the Communist revolution, Havana was one of the vacation hot-spots of the Caribbean, and since Cuba reopened to tourism in the 1990s, it has become a popular destination once again, albeit with many fewer U.S. citizens, due to an almost total ban on travel maintained by the U.S. federal government. However, there will be lots of tourists at any time of year, so expect huge crowds and long lines in places.
El Habanero and Tribuna de La Habana are the local periodicals. The H Magazine + Guide is an interesting publication about Havana beyond common stereotypes.
Cuba has a tropical climate, with warm, humid weather all year long, though cold temperatures have occured in the mountains before. Being surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico, Cuba has warm water year round, with winter water temperatures at 24C, spring and fall temperatures at 26C and summer temperatures at 28C.
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 (or CUC, when there is a CUP price), the rate is mostly 1 CUC = 25 CUP. The CUC was created to replace all the US$ that were used in the tourist industry until the late 1990s.
Jose Marti International Airport (IATA: HAV) has three separate terminals. Terminal 1 is for internal (domestic) flights, Terminal 2 is mainly for charter flights from the USA and Terminal 3 is used for all other international flights.
Customs officials can be very strict, and will probably snoop out any suspicious electronics or other items. Customs officials and immigration officials also work slowly and baggage reclaim is very slow, so expect a very long wait when entering the country.
As of September 2012, new duties rules have been put in place affecting anything brought into the country, so pack accordingly. The first 44 kilos of your luggage is free (regardless of the content), however after that there is a 2 CUC per kilo charge for anything over that weight. Certain items (most electronics, small appliances, etc) will be charged a 100% duty relative to their value (it’s helpful to have a receipt for what it cost you in this regard, otherwise the customs officials will use their own price schedule which is often quite inflated). Any communications gear (two-way radios, satellite TV equipment, even walkie-talkies) will be confiscated with no questions asked. This applies not only to charter operators coming into the country from the U.S. but any entry into Cuba, regardless of the port of departure.
The local airline, Cubana de Aviación offers decent service but reservations are notoriously hard to secure (usually two weeks in advance is a minimum). Check with HAVANTUR offices located throughout the city and at major hotels for reservations. Be prepared to pay in cash. Regular services from most South American and European countries, as well as Canada, are available. From Europe, Virgin Atlantic, Iberia, Air Europe and Air France all fly regularly to Havana.
Most trains in eastern Cuba have been suspended due to poor track conditions. Only the following trains were operating to Havana in September 2007. All services run on alternate days only. The express Tren Frances, overnight from Santiago de Cuba via Matanzas, Santa Clara and Camagüey every other day (note that several hours have recently been added to the schedule due to the poor track conditions).
Since these trains run every other day (when they are operating at all), you will need to confirm in advance that they are running on the day you wish to travel. There is also the Hershey electric train running several times a day between Havana (Casa Blanca station) and Matanzas (‘downtown’ – not the main Matanzas station). The Hershey train cars are very dilapidated and will appeal certainly to die-hard train enthusiasts – but will be a good adventure for many others. The trip takes a minimum of four hours regardless of what the schedule says. Most of the seats are at least partially broken – but you should be able to find someplace to sit down. At any point of time there are two trains running on this single-track railway: one Matanzas-bound and one Casablanca-bound, provided that both trains are operational. Theoretically you can get off at Hershey and catch the train way back by walking across the platform – either train will wait for another’s arrival because technically a train cannot leave Hershey station (which serves as the midway dual-track meetup point) while another is still occupying the only track of its onward leg.
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. Taking into account the all-around unreliability of Cuban transport, hiring a car can be the right choice for those who don’t want any hassle whatsoever. Please keep in mind that picking up hitchhikers is almost a moral obligation for the “aware” tourist, especially when travelling between cities. Picking up a hitchhiker can be the best way to arrive to your destination without getting lost. Beware of the scamsregarding the cost of insurance.
Viazul operates an inter-city coach service to/from most major destinations including Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio, Sancti Spiritus, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Varadero and Viñales. The main Viazul bus terminal is 3km southwest of central Havana. Schedules are posted on the Viazul website.
Viazul can get you from Havana to almost anywhere in Cuba.
Due to political circumstances, it is difficult to enter Cuba by sea. Visiting mariners need to make arrangements in advance of entering port to avoid difficulties. Also, most ports are closed to unauthorized visitors.
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.
It is illegal for tourists to ride in anything other than the official government taxis. However, it is often easier to wave down one of the old Chevys or Ladas. When riding in an illegal taxi, negotiate the fare ahead of time. The fare in illegal taxis will be no cheaper than the official taxi fare. Around the city, taking illegal taxis should be no problem. However, taking an illegal taxi to or from the airport may attract the attention of the police, so most of the drivers will let you 200 meters behind the terminal nearby the parking lot. Taxis collectivos are the old, beaten-up yank-tanks with a taxi sign on the roof or in the front window. Tourists are not supposed to take them, but you will rarely run into problems and they are a fun and cheap alternative to the state-run taxis. In fact, the driving standards are pretty good, if you can cope with the loud reggaeton music blasting from their speaker systems – the volume of which is only lowered to hear the destinations shouted from the customers hailing the cab. Stand just off intersections of the major streets and flag down the taxi. Shout your general destination (neighbourhood) through the window at the driver. He will either drive off (with no further words being said!) or stop for you. They have set fares and run set routes, so you may need some assistance when taking them the first few times.
Fares are either 10 CUP for a short (5 km) journey during the day or 20 CUP for a longer run or at night (some drivers will accept a 1 CUC coin if you do not have CUP). The drivers are generally honest regarding the fares, but it is best not to appear oblivious by asking how much at the end of the trip. Always watch what the other passengers give: if in doubt, give only 10 CUP unless the driver asks for another 10. There can be a long wait trying to get a taxi collectivo as they are very popular with Cubans and often full, but the experience and the savings make it worthwhile. If a taxi sounds his horn as he approaches a crossroads then he has vacant spaces to fill. Coco Taxis and yellow three wheel motorbikes are a cheap way of getting around central Havana.
Havana used to have a public transportation service called the El Camello, a split-level bus pulled by a semi-truck, and resembling a 2 humped camel (thus the name). Camellos finished operation in April 2008 and were replaced by modern city buses imported from China.
The cost of riding the new city bus is 1 national peso or sometimes even 0.40 national cents to anywhere in the city (the driver will not give you change). Expect some overcrowding, there are plenty of buses running though, so if the one you want is full simply wait for the next one. There are few clearly marked bus stops on route, but it’s clear where they stop usually as you will have other waiting at the side of the road; you are able to leave when the bus stops at the traffic lights. Other local buses can also get crowded, but in the suburbs, they are a practical means of transport for visitors.
Hiring a car can be an interesting experience as the road signs are not particularly good. Some travelers suggest picking up hitchhikers and using their local expertise to get you where you want to go. There is one high way constructed by the Soviet Union on the island’s northern side. It was not finished due to the fall of the Soviet Union, but is the easiest way to head east-west. Most other roads are in terrible condition. If you are leaving Havana, make sure you do it in an air conditioned jeep, as normal cars cannot be expected to cope with the terrain of the “roads”.
Cycling can be a great way to get around Cuba. There are a number of international tour companies that offer guided tours, the most popular is from Havana to Santiago de Cuba. If you are traveling in February and March avoid the west to east approach as the trade winds are tough to cycle against.
Walking around Havana is by far the best way to see and experience the city: get a decent map of the city and discover new sights on foot.
Havana is a surprisingly expensive city to stay in; if you stay in hotels and eat in restaurants it can work out to be nearly as expensive as other popular international destinations. The problem is that Cuba has a dual economy, if you could live on pesos it would be incredibly cheap. Sadly, as a tourist this is virtually impossible. Most peso hotels won’t take foreigners or, if they do you have to pay in CUC. If you are on any kind of a budget it is advised to stay in casas particulares; it is much cheaper, often more comfortable and the food (a recurring theme in Cuba) is almost invariably better.
ATMs are not too hard to find in downtown Havana, but bear in mind that American credit- and debit-cards can not be used in Havana. Note that even credit cards issued in countries other than the USA may be issued by a bank whose parent company is a U.S. corporation. In this case, the card will not work as the parent company is bound by U.S. law. Even banks wholly owned by non-American companies may have a policy on blocking Cuban transactions in order not to compromise their US business. Always check with your bank or credit card company before leaving home to see if your card will work in Havana. Also, the ATMs do not accept MasterCard / Maestro but are marked to accept Visa.
You can withdraw money from your MasterCard in a couple of exchange offices. There is one in the basement of the Hotel Nacional, but expect quite steep service fees. Exchanging US dollars in a CADECA (Casa de cambio) will incur a 10% penality. Sterling, Euros and Canadian dollars can easily be exchanged at Cadecas and do not incur the same fee.
Whilst Convertible Peso restaurants can be quite expensive at the top end for rather mediocre food, some such as the Café de Oriente have a splendid ambiance. The average government-run restaurants are about US$20 for two.
Peso stalls are all over the city. Look for the windows or tiny storefronts with planks hanging out front, listing items and prices. Generally, an espresso is 1 CUP, a sandwich is 5-15 CUP, a pizza is 10 CUP. Availability of other dishes varies widely, but nothing costs more than 25 CUP or so. Be nice and tip well. Some restaurants like Hanoi, in Calle Brazil, offer generous meals for 5 CUC.
Keeping your eyes open you can find complete menus (starter or salad, soup, main dish, dessert and a national beverage) for 6-10CUC. In the Vieja, there are such restaurants in the smaller, not very crowded streets. Beware that at least one paladar charges an hefty per-person service charge on top of your bill (10 CUC per couple at Paladar Amistad de Lanzarote in Central Havana) – deceivingly printed in Spanish only in a bilingual English/Spanish menu. Also no matter what the owner insists, there is never a tax levied for eating at paladares. Always ask before ordering.
There are many good, mid-priced restaurants in Chinatown. “Bavaria” is one of the best if you can picture a restaurant named after a German province pronounced like “barbaria” with Chinese decor, serving pizzas and spaghetti.
The restaurants inside five-star hotels tend to charge excessive amounts of money for mediocre food and service.
Try La Fontana Restaurant, one of the most notable grill restaurants in Cuba. La Fontana has a refined yet sober home environment, suitable for a dinner with a touch of familiarity and a placid conversation, while enjoying exquisite dishes from its specialty, updated Cuban cuisine. Ask for octopus grilled over charcoal with pesto, or choose a sea snail in garlic and aged rum. It is about $25 per person, and you need to make a call to book: +53 7 202 8337, +53 5 293 2497, or +53 5 286 4747.
For great ambience and surprisingly palatable fare, Paladar “Vistamar” on Calle 1 in Miramar offers a top-notch wine list, excellent selection and quality of sea-food, and (very rare for Cuba) an assortment of beef dishes. Perched at the edge of the ocean overlooking the Florida Straits, you can enjoy dinner “al fresco” either on the balcony or the patio, or inside in a well apportioned dining room with (again surprisingly for Cuba) attentive and knowledgeable staff. Expect to pay for the privilège though, as an entre will set you back 10-20 CUC and an average bottle of wine hovers around 30. No reservations necessary, but a little hard to find as it appears to be a private house at first glance; get a taxi to get you there.
All the tourist hotels serve breakfast, typically a buffet with a wide variety of good food, although overpriced (15 CUC at the Hotel Nacional). If you stay in a casa particular ask whether you’ll be served breakfast. If not, ask the landlord/lady to take you shopping. Breakfast in a casa particular is rarely good value, as you’ll spend 3-4 CUC per person when you could go to a cafeteria and get a coffee and an egg sandwich for about 10 CUP. Otherwise, there’s almost no hope of finding a restaurant open for breakfast. One exception is the Chan Li Po Bar-Cafeteria, open at 9AM, in Centro Habana, near Chinatown, at Perseverancia #453 (between Zanja and San Martin).
You can have a great time just outside of the Hotel Inglaterra near the Capitólio Building, drinking good daiquiris and mojitos at an affordable price (2CUC in September 2005).
There are two types of establishments you can go to to drink in Havana: Western-style CUC bars with near-Western prices, a good selection of quality drinks (and sometimes food), nice decorations, semi-motivated staff and often live music, typically found around tourist hot-spots such as Old Havana and tourist hotels. Here you will mostly meet other tourists, expats and a few Cubans with access to hard currency, but don’t expect a ‘local’ experience.
The alternative is to seek out local neighborhood bars where you can choose from a quality, but limited, selection of drinks (mainly locally produced rum by the bottle, beer and soft drinks, very rarely will you be able to get cocktails such as mojitos), cigars of dubious and cigarettes of only slightly better quality, and sometimes snacks. Local bars accept CUPs and are dirt-cheap, although bar keepers will often ask you for CUCs instead – it’s up to you to negotiate an acceptable price, but keep in mind that local bar staff are state employees and (literally) paid a pittance. These bars are also a good way to meet locals who may even open up a bit and talk about their lives after a couple of drinks.
Local bars are not that hard to find despite typically having no prominent signs displayed outside. Just ask or walk around a local neighborhood and look out for a bare-walled, neon-lit run-down room without any decorations or furniture, save for a bar and a few rickety chairs and tables, sullen staff and depressed/bored/drunk-looking customers, almost always men. Contrary to Cuba’s reputation as a music and fun loving nation, these places are not boisterous affairs – they are quiet, almost subdued, music is rarely played (if at all, it will come from a radio but never be live), and have the charm of third-world railway station waiting rooms.
Nonetheless, they make for a fascinating experience (especially if you make the effort to speak to some locals – offering to buy a drink will get a conversation going, no surprise there), and they provide a good insight into what life must be like for ordinary Cubans without hard currency. As a foreign visitor, you will be generally welcomed. Discussing politics over a drink is a tricky, and typically lose-lose proposition: speak negatively about the Cuban political system and you may put your Cuban drinking companions into a very difficult position as they may very well be informed on (for hanging out with subversive foreigners); enthuse about the Revolution, Che, Fidel, Cuba’s health care system, sticking it to the Gringos, etc., and people will assume that you are at best naive or at worst not in full possession of your mental faculties. Cheers!
There are 3 main areas that travelers generally stay in: Old Havana is the liveliest (some would say hectic and dirty), Central Havana is slightly quieter and parts can be a bit seedy, and Vedado is the quietest with more greenery, and is the place to find the large hotels and nicer casas particulares. Hotels vary. Don’t be surprised if you have no hot water and bad TV-reception in a hotel that still goes to the effort of having an in-hotel doctor and hosting extravagant shows of synchronized swimming in the hotel pool.
Casa Celio, Calle D #251 e/11 y 13, Vedado (The big house at the 11 y D corner.), ☎ +5358385747. Colonial style building located in a prestigious neighborhood, next to the Chinese embassy. Four different size rooms with antique interiors, patio and an amazing terrace. 35-40 CUC for a room, breakfast is available for 5 CUC per person. The staff speaks spanish, english and russian. +5358385747, e-mail:[email protected]
Havana Room Rental provides a service to find homes that are offering rooms for rent.
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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. Prison sentences for crimes involving tourists are extremely harsh, a fact which residents are well aware of, which adds an extra layer of deterrence. At night, however, there have been muggings in the dark streets of Centro Habana. While this part of town is perfectly safe to explore in the daytime, and can be crossed safely while going to Habana Vieja or Vedado, it’s best not go there at night. If you are going to walk, do so along El Malecón , where there are lights and a lot more people.
Be wary of hustlers (jinteros/as) offering to show you a place to eat or offering a tour of the city, as you’ll be stuck paying hefty prices to cover their commission. Just walk away and continue walking — soon enough they will leave you alone. In local restaurants, ask for menus or prices before ordering anything; there can be special ‘tourist price menus’ that get pulled out after you have consumed food or drink. If you’re male, expect to be accosted regularly by prostitutes and/or their pimps, especially in Habana Vieja. While technically illegal, erstwhile mandatory jail time for prostitution filled prisons so quickly that the regime had little choice but to start looking the other way. The result is a steady, depressing stream of solicitations that can wear down even the most cynical traveler unless he’s prepared for it. Particularly disheartening are the offers from young girls, some no more than 11 or 12. Accept this situation as a fact of life in modern-day Cuba — and don’t contribute to it.
The city code for Havana is 7. Prefix with 0 or 01 when calling from within Cuba.
Internet cafes can be found at ETESCA (the state telephone company) offices which sell internet cards for $4.50CUC for an hour, in Hotel Habana Libre, Hotel Inglatera (cheapest but slowest), Hotel Nacional and at the Capitolio.
Wireless Internet access – some high-end hotels such as Hotel Parque Central sells wi-fi scratch cards at the rate of 8 CUC per hour, which can be used inside the hotel and works well with iPhone/iPod Touch.
The emergency number is 116. The information number is 113.
Central America, Cuba, World
Central America, Cuba, World
Havana, capital of the Republic of Cuba, is the main administrative, political, cultural and scientific place in the country. Its Historic Center and its Fortress System were declared World Cultural Heritage in 1982 by UNESCO.
Travel and tourism in La Habana. How to get in, maps, activities to do, where to eat and sleep. Download the Free La Habana Travel Guide.
[asa_collection]Cuba[/asa_collection]
16th May 2018
28th November 2015
28th November 2015
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