Guidebook for La Habana
Food Scene
El Café
AmarguraThe best brunch in town.
Traditional Cuban food with a twist, in a very artsy setting. Book in advance
329 locals recommend
Paladar Doña Eutimia
Callejon del ChorroTraditional Cuban food with a twist, in a very artsy setting. Book in advance
It's not on the cheap side... but the food is finger-licking delicious!!! Inspired by Cuban and Mediterranean flavours. Their fig and truffle risotto is superb.
61 locals recommend
Los Mercaderes
207 MercaderesIt's not on the cheap side... but the food is finger-licking delicious!!! Inspired by Cuban and Mediterranean flavours. Their fig and truffle risotto is superb.
It's called Museum of Chocolate, but really it's a cafeteria where you can sit and have anything chocolate-related. They make their own chocolates next door - the queue is absolutely worth it!! (Try the chocolate that has coffee cream in it!)
84 locals recommend
Museo Del Chocolate
San IgnacioIt's called Museum of Chocolate, but really it's a cafeteria where you can sit and have anything chocolate-related. They make their own chocolates next door - the queue is absolutely worth it!! (Try the chocolate that has coffee cream in it!)
The best coffee spot in Havana. (They're a bit slow but it's worth the wait)
56 locals recommend
Café El Escorial
317 esquina MercaderesThe best coffee spot in Havana. (They're a bit slow but it's worth the wait)
Drinks & Nightlife
Fabrica is a reconverted factory which is now a multi-room venue with 2 live music stages that turn into nightclub around 1am, several bars, art exhibitions on the top floor and activities such as dance shows and dance classes, theatre etc in earlier hours.
1420 locals recommend
Fábrica de Artes Cubana
& Calle 26Fabrica is a reconverted factory which is now a multi-room venue with 2 live music stages that turn into nightclub around 1am, several bars, art exhibitions on the top floor and activities such as dance shows and dance classes, theatre etc in earlier hours.
Obispo street is lined with bars. Almost all of them have live traditional music. Two of them that have really good bands are Lluvia de Oro, as indicated on map, and an open air bar with green columns a bit further up towards Central Park.
21 locals recommend
La Lluvia de Oro
Obispo street is lined with bars. Almost all of them have live traditional music. Two of them that have really good bands are Lluvia de Oro, as indicated on map, and an open air bar with green columns a bit further up towards Central Park.
It's being refurbished and might reopen soon... if you walk past, have a look, you might be lucky! Rooftop bar with a good selection of cocktails and a great mixed crowd. Bit of a hipster hangout.
13 locals recommend
Roma Bar
AguacateIt's being refurbished and might reopen soon... if you walk past, have a look, you might be lucky! Rooftop bar with a good selection of cocktails and a great mixed crowd. Bit of a hipster hangout.
Great bar to warm up on your way to Fábrica de Arte. Live music on quite a few nights a week. Mostly jazz, funk, reggae. Very cool Berlin-ish vibes. If you've been going out in Old Havana for days, this is a nice spot to go to for a change of scenery, drink margaritas, and hang out with the local alternative crowd.
48 locals recommend
Efe
Avenida 23Great bar to warm up on your way to Fábrica de Arte. Live music on quite a few nights a week. Mostly jazz, funk, reggae. Very cool Berlin-ish vibes. If you've been going out in Old Havana for days, this is a nice spot to go to for a change of scenery, drink margaritas, and hang out with the local alternative crowd.
Good for drinks, tapas and people watching. Check out the photos on the walls too
77 locals recommend
El Dandy
Teniente ReyGood for drinks, tapas and people watching. Check out the photos on the walls too
Pays homage to Cuba in the 1940s and the icon that was Beny Moré - the décor will transport you back in time.
Has really good live music!
11 locals recommend
Café Taberna
Pays homage to Cuba in the 1940s and the icon that was Beny Moré - the décor will transport you back in time.
Has really good live music!
Arts & Culture
The museum splits into two buildings: universal art and Cuban art. The one the map indicates is the universal one, you want to go to the Cuban art one which is two blocks away en route to the Revolution museum.
851 locals recommend
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
ObispoThe museum splits into two buildings: universal art and Cuban art. The one the map indicates is the universal one, you want to go to the Cuban art one which is two blocks away en route to the Revolution museum.
Very nice museum set in a lovely, big colonial house over two floors. A guide walks you through the process of rum-making. Absolutely recommended!
222 locals recommend
Museo del Ron Havana Club
Very nice museum set in a lovely, big colonial house over two floors. A guide walks you through the process of rum-making. Absolutely recommended!
Sightseeing
A whole street dedicated to Afro-Cuban folklore. Entire buildings painted depicting stories and traditions. If you don't have a guide with you to explain what you are looking at (recommended!), go to the art gallery and ask.
On Sundays 1 til 3 there's an open air Afro-Cuban music performance, it's good but it gets packed and sweaty!
390 locals recommend
Callejon de hamel
Callejon de HamelA whole street dedicated to Afro-Cuban folklore. Entire buildings painted depicting stories and traditions. If you don't have a guide with you to explain what you are looking at (recommended!), go to the art gallery and ask.
On Sundays 1 til 3 there's an open air Afro-Cuban music performance, it's good but it gets packed and sweaty!
Obispo
Obispo*THE* boulevard of Old Havana. Lined with shops, bars and restaurants.
The malecón stretches over 8km from the Western end of Vedado to the corner of Prado, in Old Havana - no need to go to the specific spot pointed on the map! It's the seafront avenue on which Cubans go to sit, hang out, fish, practice their musical instrument, gather, celebrate, think... The view of Havana from the corner of Prado & Malecón is beautiful, and so are the sunsets. Friday and Saturday nights it's full of people! Especially along Old Havana and near the corner of 23rd street in Vedado.
680 locals recommend
Malecon
MaleconThe malecón stretches over 8km from the Western end of Vedado to the corner of Prado, in Old Havana - no need to go to the specific spot pointed on the map! It's the seafront avenue on which Cubans go to sit, hang out, fish, practice their musical instrument, gather, celebrate, think... The view of Havana from the corner of Prado & Malecón is beautiful, and so are the sunsets. Friday and Saturday nights it's full of people! Especially along Old Havana and near the corner of 23rd street in Vedado.
The oldest boulevard in Havana, joins Central Park with the Malecón. In the late afternoons there's a lot of activity here, definitely go for a stroll after 4 or 5pm
125 locals recommend
Paseo de Martí
Paseo de MartíThe oldest boulevard in Havana, joins Central Park with the Malecón. In the late afternoons there's a lot of activity here, definitely go for a stroll after 4 or 5pm
As it says on the name, it's a camera obscura on top of a building on the Old Square. The views from the top of the building are fantastic, and the camera obscura itself is interesting especially for little ones. Very cheap to get in.
56 locals recommend
Cámara Oscura
MercaderesAs it says on the name, it's a camera obscura on top of a building on the Old Square. The views from the top of the building are fantastic, and the camera obscura itself is interesting especially for little ones. Very cheap to get in.
Parks & Nature
Recommended day trip: Unesco-protected biosphere reserve an hour's drive from Havana. The scenery is spectacular, you can hike and birdwatch (arrange in advance, we can help sort this for you as well as transport there and back), swim in the river, zipwire or just stroll around this quiet village. Ask us for information - it has a great history! Also, they grow their own coffee and crops in the area, so the coffee is outstanding, and so is the food.
52 locals recommend
Las Terrazas
Recommended day trip: Unesco-protected biosphere reserve an hour's drive from Havana. The scenery is spectacular, you can hike and birdwatch (arrange in advance, we can help sort this for you as well as transport there and back), swim in the river, zipwire or just stroll around this quiet village. Ask us for information - it has a great history! Also, they grow their own coffee and crops in the area, so the coffee is outstanding, and so is the food.
An elongated-shape garden that you can only enter from the square. Absolutely beautiful spot, peaceful, lovely if you want to just sit and read a book and have nobody bother you, or take a break under the shade of the trees.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta Garden
San PedroAn elongated-shape garden that you can only enter from the square. Absolutely beautiful spot, peaceful, lovely if you want to just sit and read a book and have nobody bother you, or take a break under the shade of the trees.
Shopping
Recycled clothes store currently very popular in the young alternative scene; interesting/unusual/quirky designs. Definitely worth a look.
45 locals recommend
Clandestina
403 VillegasRecycled clothes store currently very popular in the young alternative scene; interesting/unusual/quirky designs. Definitely worth a look.
Halfway between perfume museum and perfume shop. They make their own perfume and you can mix your own!
Habana 1791 (Museo Del Perfume)
156 MercaderesHalfway between perfume museum and perfume shop. They make their own perfume and you can mix your own!