HAVANA TOP 3

“Go to Havana now, before it changes, before the big companies get there…”

Few destinations in the world remain as authentic as Cuba’s capital city. Full of contrasts, textures and colors, Havana is a city where the new and the old coexist creating a fascinating time-travel experience. You can see an old postcard in every corner.

A city that never sleeps; its spirit reflects its people. The loud music, the horns of the almendrones, (“big almonds” as Cubans refer to old American cars) and the loud talk of the hospitable habaneros scare away any sign of loneliness or boredom. In the most popular neighborhoods, the day starts after midnight and the rumba never stops.

Every conversation with locals –who will give you a talk as if they were life philosophers– brings you closer to that surreal reality which the entire island breaths.

There are 3 moments that you will not want to miss if you visit Havana:

Four Plazas

There is no better way to start your trip than visiting the four foundational plazas of the 501 year-old city. It will be the perfect introduction to Cuba, its history and people.

The past has not passed, not in Old Havana. Camera in hand, discover Plaza de Armas (the Army Square), Plaza de San Francisco de Asís (San Francis of Assisi Square), Plaza Vieja (Old Square) and Plaza de la Catedral (Cathedral Square). The narrow and cobble-stoned streets of the old city will be the chance to discover, at your own pace, the wonders of a city, noisy at times, musical, and always alive.

Ride in an almendrón

Chevys, Buicks, Plymouths, Chyslers are among the most common old American cars you will see in Cuba. If you enjoy old cars, Havana will be your dreamed paradise. Almendrones are more than just a tourist attraction. They are still used as regular means of transportation by locals on a daily basis; and Cubans are the “magicians” of the 21st century who managed to keep these old cars running.

A ride around the city in an open-top car from the 50s will allow you to see Havana in a new light. An overlap of eras, a time-travel experience on every corner.

Sunset at the Malecón

If you visit Havana, mingle among habaneros and go for a drink at “Havana’s sofa”.

The Malecón, a 5-mile seawall that protects the city from the strong impact of hurricanes and bad weather, is the most popular place in the city for locals to sit on, relax and enjoy themselves. Ask any local for an authentic Cuban experience and they will send you right away to the Malecón.

Students, fishermen, musicians, dancers, joggers, poets, among others go to the Malecón to meet one another and have drinks, to make a living or to stare at the deep blue sea and escape, for a few minutes, the harsh reality of the island. Lovers will go for a perfect date, the melancholic to drown their sorrows, but we all go, at least once in our lives, to enjoy the most perfect sunset in Havana.

Don’t miss the chance to sit on its wall and feel the pulse of the city!