- Parks and gardens
- Religious buildings
- Havana landmarks
- Where and what to buy in Havana
- Delicious points on the map
- Theaters and cabarets in the Cuban capital
The bulk of tourists who come to Cuba head for Varadero, where most of the country's beach hotels are concentrated. The capital of Liberty Island is usually the focus of independent travelers looking for a special travel experience, or becomes the target of organized tourists for just a couple of days. But even a short excursion to one of the most beautiful cities in the world can give a lot of vivid impressions, especially since the Cuban capital has something to see and where to go.
In Havana, the visitor will find medieval fortresses and distinctive restaurants, interesting museums and music salons, colorful cabarets and green parks. Old Havana is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Parks and gardens
Located in the subtropical zone, Havana boasts a lot of green space. City parks are a favorite vacation spot for local residents, and the most popular ones are also noted in tourist guides:
- Central Park is famous for the fact that it was here at the end of the 19th century that electric lamps were lit for the first time on the island. Today, among the trees, you can find a sculpture of the national hero Jose Martí, traditional in Cuba, flowerpots with flowers in memory of the students shot by the Spanish army, and a playground where old people noisily argue about politics and play chess.
- The green lungs of the city are called Lenin Park, opened in 1972. You can go here if you come to Havana with children. The park has an amusement area with "roller coasters" and horse riding is organized. At the entrance, visitors are greeted by a monument to Ilyich.
- The Beatles, despite their bourgeois origins, were sympathetic to Fidel. There is even a John Lennon Park in Havana, the ideological core of which is the sculpture of a musician. The caretaker will help you take a photo, cleverly putting on glasses on Lennon when tourists appear.
- The National Botanical Garden, 10 km from the city, is a place where more than 4000 species of flora representatives from all over the world are collected. The organizers are especially proud of the 500 varieties of orchids that bloom all year round. The garden sells seedlings and seeds of many ornamental plants.
In the capital of Liberty Island, you will find many small squares and green areas located at the intersection of large streets and avenues. These oases are usually equipped with benches where you can relax and plan your next walk around Havana.
Religious buildings
In Cuba, you will find more than a dozen active Roman Catholic churches, among which is the Cathedral of St. Christopher, by far the most beautiful, majestic and unique. Alejo Carpentier, the famous Cuban writer, called the temple music frozen in stone.
It was originally called the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, but later was named after the patron saint of the island. The church was built in the middle of the 18th century, but was consecrated only in 1789. Among the relics kept in the cathedral is the statue of St. Christopher in 1632, the authorship of which belongs to the sculptor from the Spanish Seville M. Anduyar. Another sculpture in the form of a crucifix and the main altar were carved by the master Bianchini from Italy. Until 1898, the remains of the discoverer of America were buried in the Cathedral of Havana, but later the body of Christopher Columbus was transported to Spain.
Russian tourists usually visit another city church, recently built on the shores of the Havana Bay. The Temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is the center of spiritual Orthodoxy in Cuba. It appeared on the initiative of Castro, and his project was developed in full accordance with the traditions of ancient Russian architecture. The main shrine of the church is an image with a particle of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov.
Havana landmarks
In 1982, the entire old part of Havana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the capital of Cuba, you can go to several museums, visit medieval fortresses and stroll along one of the most beautiful embankments on the planet.
The list of the most popular attractions will certainly include:
- The Havana Capitol was the seat of the Cuban Parliament before the revolution. It is an almost perfect copy of the building in Washington. Today, the mansion with a dome, the size of which is inferior only to similar structures in London and Vatican cathedrals, houses a conference center. An 11-meter high sculpture of a woman is installed in the foyer, symbolizing the Cuban Republic.
- The Museum of the Revolution is located in a palace built in the first third of the twentieth century. in the style of neoclassicism. The interiors of the mansion were decorated by the Tiffany firm, and the museum still has original lamps and mirrors. The exposition is dedicated to the glorious path of Fidel and his comrades. In the park next to the palace, in a glass pavilion, the yacht "Granma" is installed, on which Castro and the rebels came to the island from Mexico.
- Going to the cemetery to enjoy the sculptural masterpieces is easy in Havana. It bears the name of Columbus and is an open-air sculpture museum. The splendor of marble makes Colon one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world. The most famous burials are the graves of Milagrossa, a revered saint in Cuba, and the chess player Raul Capablanca.
- A tour of the medieval fortresses of Havana will help you learn a lot about the Caribbean pirates and the fight against them. The forts of La Fuerza, La Cabana and El Morro are worth visiting.
- In the Ham Museum of Antiquity, you can perhaps understand why the writer loved Cuba so much. The house has preserved the interiors and personal belongings of Hemingway, his library and a typewriter on which the most famous works of the legendary author were printed.
And in Havana, you can go to Revolution Square and admire the city from the observation deck of the Jose Marti memorial. Also noteworthy are the Prado Boulevard, inlaid with marble slabs, the seven-kilometer embankment with unique architecture and the St. Francis Square with the monastery of the same name.
Top 10 attractions in Havana
Where and what to buy in Havana
In the best traditions of Cuban shopping, the capital offers foreign tourists cigars and rum. You can buy them at any store and even at a gas station. Rum prices are the same regardless of the store's status, but the best choice you can find in the city center in outlets located closer to large hotels. Cigars are sold everywhere, but it is best to choose them in the shop at the Partagas factory at Calle Industria, 520. This is where the best Cuban brands are produced. You shouldn't buy cigars hand-held! Enterprising traders, taking advantage of the inexperience of foreign tourists, can sell cheaper brands of cigars under the guise of luxury ones.
It is not interesting to buy clothes and shoes in Cuba - the choice is poor and the quality is not the best. But among the antiques and works written by local artists, there are quite good examples. The best selection of scenic souvenirs can be found in the market at Avenida Takon. Do not forget to issue a permit to export the painting in the shopping gallery!
What to bring from Cuba
Delicious points on the map
Cuban cuisine evokes sophisticated feelings for the sophisticated traveler. It will not be easy for a gourmet in Cuba, because the cuisine of the Island of Liberty cannot be called exquisite. Nevertheless, there are cult places in Havana, and it is worth going there, if only because the atmosphere of these places is permeated with a special spirit.
The most famous restaurants in Havana are Bodeguita del Medio and Floridita. Both places are listed in guidebooks, like any place of Ernesto Hemingway. In Bodeguita, according to the writer, they cook the world's best "mojito", and "Floridita" is famous for its "daiquiri".
You will find the first bar near the Cathedral. Be prepared for a huge crowd of people who want to join the culture of "mojito", although, to be honest, the famous cocktail tastes much better in less public and high-profile places. But in Bodeguita, the very process of its preparation is very colorful, and the musicians add mood to the audience.
Daiquiri in Floridita you can have a drink sitting at the counter next to old Ham. His bronze sculpture was installed in the bar many years ago.
Another iconic place in the Cuban capital is the Coppelia ice cream parlor. It is located next to the "Havana Libra" hotel and is surrounded by the square of the same name. There is usually a rather large queue near the cafe, but it goes very quickly and you won't have to spend a lot of time waiting. Ice cream in Cuba is very tasty and inexpensive, especially if you go to the part of the cafe where local pesos are accepted. Then a vase with three balls of an amazing dessert will cost, in the literal sense of the word, a few rubles.
Top 10 Cuban Must-Try Dishes
Theaters and cabarets in the Cuban capital
In 1838, the Bolshoi Theater was inaugurated in Havana. It is worth going there if only for the sake of admiring the interiors. The interiors are richly decorated with marble stucco, velvet and bronze. However, outside the Bolshoi Theater is a true masterpiece of the colonial baroque. It is called one of the most beautiful opera houses in the world. The performance can be watched simultaneously by one and a half thousand guests. The Cuban Bolshoi hosts an annual international ballet festival (in October) and the seasons of ballet companies in Spain (every August).
If you consider yourself to be a cohort of lovers of cabaret performances, you should go to the "Tropicana". The famous Havana establishment opened in 1939 and since then continues to be one of the most popular Cuban attractions. Musical shows are held daily, and about two hundred artists - dancers, musicians, singers and acrobats - take part in the performance. The cost of an entrance ticket to the show at Tropicana starts from 60 euros.
