Seventeen years since my prior visit, my husband and I set off with 2 of our closest friends eager to see if Havana remained as my memory served me. The short answer is Havana is exactly as I last remembered: magical vibrations originating from guitars and drums, rusty cadillacs strutting their thing down the quaint streets of Havana Vieja, smoke evaporating from the cigars of elders on most street corners. The only difference on this trip is that I’m of age to appreciate the wicked concoctions of Cuban mixologists. How many mojitos can one drink on a 4-day trip to Cuba? Stay tuned.. Here are my top 10 recommendations if you’re considering a visit to Havana…
1. Drink at Hemmingway’s favourite watering holes
Albeit cliché, a visit to Havana must include following Hemmingway’s trail of supposed favourite drink spots! Written on a plaque in La Floridita, “My mojito in La Bodeguita and my Daquiri in El Floridita.” Do as Hemmingway did and enjoy a mid-day mojito (or several) at La Bodeguita del Medio. If you’re as lucky as we were, you’ll catch a live band that will enchant you, and before you know it, you’ll be several mojitos down with an ear-to-ear smile. Seating is fairly negligible, but you’ll have ample company as you linger in the street outside with graffiti covered walls (bring a marker if you wish to leave your mark). Disclaimer: This will not be your best mojito in Havana, but the atmosphere makes it more than worth a visit.
Next, make your way to El Floridita, often referred to as the “cradle of the daiquiri”. You’ll no doubt find another live band enchanting you with "Gauntanamera” and a very busy cocktail bar! It’s hot outside so you may as well quench your thirst with a Hemmingway daiquiri..;)
2. Find a roof top bar at Sunset
The most magical time in Havana is sunset, which is best enjoyed on one of the city’s iconic rooftop bars that offer panoramic views of multi-coloured buildings and rich history. Our roof of choice was at La Guarida. The added bonus was that they served my favourite mojito of the trip (and yes, I sampled quite a few to be sure of this). Watch the transformation into “Havana nights” as the sun dips below the horizon leaving stripes of yellow, blue, pink and purple. This place is magical and also my favourite in Havana.
3. Get Lost in Havana Vieja
There is so much to absorb in every nook and cranny of the fascinating old city. In my opinion, it is best experienced by ditching the map, and just taking a leisurely stroll in any which direction you fancy. Once you’ve got sufficiently lost, you may opt for a walking tour with a professional guide like we did, taking us through the major historic sites (Catedral de San Cristobal, El Capitolio, Plaza de Armas, Plaza Vieja, Calle Obispo etc) and providing us with insight into everyday Cuban life (www.bestcubaguide.com). Bring a full charged camera when exploring; every nook and cranny of Havana is a playground for photography lovers.
4. Stroll the Malecón
One of the best ways to soak up good vibes of local life is to stroll along the infamous and signature 5-mile stretch along Havana’s coast (preferably at sunset or nighttime). Built with the original purpose of protecting Havana from the sea, it now serves more as a nighttime promenade for locals, lovers and fishermen! Luckily, our Air BnB apartment overlooked the promenade, and we were gifted with a few of the most majestic Malecon sunsets (with rum in hand).
5. Explore Havana in a sweet 1950’s ride
Walking the streets of Havana would have anyone believe they are in a real-life antique car museum. The “stuck-in-time” feeling is the result of a ban on foreign vehicle imports over the past 4 decades. The cars are fascinating as a result and your trip should include exploration of Havana in a brightly coloured old-school American car. You can easily find the make and colour of your likings, which for me is a bright pink cadillac!
6. Visit the San Jose Market
The harbour side warehouse, now turned open-air crafts market on the out-skirts of Old Havana is hands down the place to go for handicraft heaven. Among some of our favourite purchases were leather sandals, a fancy cigar holder for our cigars we bought in Vinales, and some stunning art for our home. I only wish we had more room in our suitcase (and home) to accommodate more of the mesmerizing art!
7. Explore the Culinary Scene
Multiple warnings came my way when planning our trip not to expect too much with the food in Cuba, and to be careful of getting ill. However, with much research, we had a very pleasant culinary experience and all stayed happy and healthy! Some of our highlights included dinner at La Guarida and El Atelier.
La Guarida: You’ll wonder if you’re at the right place when you enter this dilapidated 20th century mansion’s entrance. Climbing several floors of the grand marble stairway, you’ll enter Havana’s most coveted “paladar” likely packed with visitors and locals alike. You’ll understand its attraction, with its quality food, extensive wine list, and great service. Note: Be sure to make reservations, and make sure to visit its roof top bar before/after dinner.
El Atelier: I must have a thing for mansions as this paladar is also set in one. The quality of the food was excellent, and the setting very pleasant.
Note: A couple of the places we intended to visit (El Cocinero and Doña Eutemia) were closed for renovations. Be sure to call in advance so you don’t end up disappointed!
8. Dance the night away
Havana comes alive at night! We didn’t have time on this visit to get to a Tropicana show, but we did make it to “Casa de la musica” for incredible live local music, salsa dancing, and just a generally all round great place to soak up local vibes and mojitos!
While we didn’t make it there, Fábrica de Arte Cubano is a very modern and hip venue that is part bar, part concert venue, and part art gallery, that several of our friends have raved about!
9. Escape to the countryside
Day trips to the nearby beaches are a very popular option from Havana. However, given that we live in the Caribbean, we opted for a day trip to Viñales, where we went horseback riding through historic valleys, learned to roll our own “organic” cigars at a family owned tobacco farm, and had the most delicious lunch at an organic farm with the most spectacular views (Read Viñales Blog for details).
10. Bring gifts to leave behind
Before leaving for our trip, we went shopping to pick up various items for children, such as colouring books, school supplies, and miscellaneous low cost toys. In lieu of tips, we gave them to various drivers and guides who had children; It was truly amazing to see how much such a small random act of kindness meant to those we encountered.
Cuba is undoubtedly a trip that reminds you to value the simple pleasures in life, and reminds you how enjoyable and satisfying a life with no frills can be. I can’t wait to plan another trip as 4 days was simply not enough to fully explore this enchanting city. I can’t wait to return soon to continue my search for Havana’s best Mojito!!
Three tips for your visit to Cuba:
Practice your Espanol!: Basic Spanish skills will take you a long way in deciphering menus, taxi and market negotiations, and just generally getting directions and asking questions. Don’t rely on locals to speak English!!
Small bills: Virtually none of the taxis that we used had any change to give us! Be sure to have lots of small change on hand for such purposes as this.
Internet: Be prepared to take a social media/internet hiatus! Like the cars in Cuba, you will also take a step back in time when it comes to technology. Restaurants, bars, and hotels will not have free WiFi. The owner of our AirBnB did provide us with cards to access the internet for short periods of time, but because locals can only purchase a certain number of these cards daily, you can’t expect to be connected all the time! My best advice is to enjoy an internet detox like we did! 😊