| Destination: La Habana |
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| Ciudad de La Habana (Havana City) |
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The city of Havana is the capital of the Republic of Cuba
and was founded in 1515. Its founders called it Villa San
Cristóbal, but the Indians of the area insisted on
calling it Havana. Due to its geographical position and the
excellent characteristics of its bay it was given the name
Llave del Mundo (Key to the World). For centuries, it was
an obligatory stop for Spanish fleets, conquerors and adventurers.
Nowadays, Havana has two main areas: La Habana Vieja (Old
Havana), declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site; and La
Habana Moderna (Modern Havana), no less attractive and full
of life and visitors. |
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| Santa Isabel Hotel |
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La Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
Old Havana has so much charm that only by visiting it can
one capture fully the contrasts, sounds and colors that coexist
there. It has the typical appearance of a Spanish colonial
city, highly appreciated for its location as the perfect center
for communications and trade with the New World. Much of the
defensive system created in those years to protect the city
from attacks by corsairs and pirates remains in place. That
is why it is impossible to walk through the area without encountering
impressive fortresses like the Castillo de la Real Fuerza,
the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, La Cabaña,
and the most unique of them all, El Morro (Morro Castle),
located at the entrance to the Bay. From here each night the
lighthouse guides ships heading for Havana or passing by offshore.
During the day thousands of visitors arrive to admire one
of the most beautiful views that the capital has to offer. |
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No less relevant are Old Havana's plazas (squares), spacious
and very beautiful, from where horse-drawn carriages are ready
to take a visitor through the whole historic center at a slow,
relaxed pace, tracing the cobble-stoned squares: la Plaza
de San Francisco de Asís, la Plaza de Armas, la Plaza
Vieja and la Plaza de La Catedral (Cathedral Square), the
latter a popular choice for photos and post cards of Cuba.
Within this typical environment of yesteryear, you may taste
the flavor of Cuban cocktails while sitting peacefully in
one of the small open-air restaurants that offer a full view
of the surrounding buildings and the passersby. The sounds
of guitars, afro-cuban percussion, and troubadours will accompany
you on your visit. |
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| Plaza de la Catedral |
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| Plaza de Armas |
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Numerous museums enrich the old city with their
quality and historical value. Those most visited are the Palacio
de los Capitanes Generales (Palace of the Spanish Governors)
which houses the Museum of the City of Havana, the Museo de
Ciencias Naturales (Museum of Natural Sciences), the Gabinete
Arqueológico (Archaeological Bureau), the Automobile
Museum, and the recently inaugurated Museo de Bellas Artes (Fine
Arts Museum) housed in three separate buildings. Nevertheless,
the whole of Old Havana may be seen as a museum of architecture
due to the wide variety of styles of the restored palaces and
mansions many of which have become inns with restaurants housed
in their internal colonial patios. Art galleries are plentiful
and often display colourful typical cuban scenes. Across the
entrance to the Bay, in La Cabaña fortress there is one
of the largest arms collections in Cuba; and in nearby Morro
Castle there is a permanent exhibition of the fort's construction
process. Also located on that side of the Bay on a hillside
is the giant statue of Christ of Casablanca, which is lit nightly.
There is a marvelous view of Old Havana from that hillside. |
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Something you should not miss is El Templete on the Plaza de Armas.
Here there is a ceiba (a huge tree native to Cuba) that marks the
place where the first public mass of the Havana municipal council
was celebrated.
Another point of interest is the Barrio Chino (China Town) with
numerous restaurants offering chinese food at very affordable prices.
This area is a reminder of long years of trade with the far east.
Not far from here is one of the largest fragments of Havana´s
wall of defensive whose construction started in 1674 and finished
in 1740. It was pulled down in 1863 to allow for expansion of the
city.
Lastly, we recommend visits to the miniature model of Old Havana
just off the Plaza de Armas and to the book stores and art galleries,
and then, of course, a walk along Obispo Street to the Floridita
Restaurant where you can enjoy a Daiquirí before strolling
along the wide expanse of the Prado Boulevard down to the Malecón
seafront avenue to watch a glorious sunset. |
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La Habana Moderna (Modern Havana)
Contrasting with the colonial atmosphere of Old Havana stands
cosmopolitan and lively Modern Havana made up by several areas
where one finds grand villas of the early 20th century mixed
with architecture of the 1950's and of the current revolutionary
period.
One of the most populated areas is Vedado, whose main artery
is the famous Calle 23 (23rd Street) with its Rampa, so-called
because it slopes like a ramp down to the Malecon and the
sea. The diversity of cultural centers, restaurants and tourist
agencies give a special atmosphere to this zone that attracts
Havana's inhabitants in great numbers. Among the attractions
are the Coppelia ice-cream parlour, focal point of a large
park, the Yara and Rampa movie theatres, and the Tryp Habana
Libre, a 23-story hotel that has as its facade a fresco painted
by the prestigious Cuban artist Amelia Peláez. |
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L & 23
(popular corner in Havana) |
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Other major attractions in this area are the performances offered
at the Amadeo Roldán Theater, Cuba's premiere concert hall,
and stage productions at the Bertolt Brecht and Julio Antonio Mella
Theatres. Besides these cultural centers there are several night
clubs that offer music programs, among them El Gato Tuerto (The
One-Eyed Cat), the Jazz Café, the Cocodrilo (The Crocodile),
the Habana Café and Dos Gardenias (Two Gardenias).
The district of Vedado also has several prestigious museums such
as the Museum of Decorative Arts, the Museum of Dance, and the Napoleonic
Museum, as well as art galleries such as the Casa de las Américas,
Galería Habana, Miriarte, and others. Still another place
well worth visiting is the Necrópolis de Colón (Columbus
Cemetery) which has avenues lined by sculptured monuments of huge
proportions and mausoleums of great craftmanship.
Modern Havana has a number of grand boulevards, among them Avenida
de los Presidentes, El Paseo, Carlos III and Quinta Avenida (5th
Avenue), the latter running the length of the pre-revolutionary
upscale residential zone of Miramar. Along this beautiful avenue
you will find major hotels, foreign and local company offices, embassies
and shopping centers.
Deep sea fishing is available at the Hemingway Marina which hosts
billfish tournaments in certain seasons of the year. Scuba diving
is also possible at several centers in or near Havana; and luxurious
yachts can be rented for sightseeing tours along the Havana coastline.
When speaking of Havana's attractions, it is impossible not to
mention the famous Tropicana Cabaret with its formidable outdoor
show of music and colors, the Café Cantante Mi Habana in
the National Theater, and La Macumba discotheque, all formidable
meeting places for music and dance.
Finally we return to the seaside Malecón, a promenade much
cherished by the people of Havana. Every day it is visited by troubadours,
flower sellers, fishermen, joggers, children at play, and couples
who watch the sun set over the sea and take advantage of the ensuing
dim light for private moments. Sitting on its wall, all these people
offer the capital the best of their hopes, dreams and, most important,
their friendly smiles.
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