Havana

Havana is the capital and largest city of Cuba, a city of about 2.1 million people on the northwest coast of the island, facing the Straits of Florida. It is simultaneously one of the most beautiful and most complex destinations in the Americas: a UNESCO-listed historic centre (Habana Vieja, Old Havana) of Spanish colonial architecture in varying states of magnificent decay; a seafront Malecón boulevard that serves as the city's outdoor living room; and a living culture of music — son, salsa, Afro-Cuban jazz — that pulses from practically every open doorway. The city's political isolation under Castro's socialist state has paradoxically preserved much of its 1950s architectural fabric (the American hotels, the Buena Vista Social Club, the vintage Chevrolets and Buicks that serve as taxis) while generating genuine hardship for its residents. Visiting Havana is ethically complex and practically challenging (internet is limited; cash-only economy; two currencies until recently unifying) — but for those who engage with it honestly, it is one of the world's most unforgettable and irreplicable urban experiences.

Havana is one of the last places on earth where a major capital city feels genuinely outside the global tourism monoculture — there is no Starbucks, no McDonald's (at time of writing), and very little that feels designed for international visitors in the way that every Mediterranean resort destination has been smoothed into familiar shapes. Old Havana's Baroque and Neoclassical squares (Plaza de Armas, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de la Catedral) are architecturally extraordinary; the Malecón at sunset with the old American cars cruising past is one of the great urban spectacles; and a night of live music in a Casa de la Trova — a traditional music venue — with rum, dancing and an audience of mixed Cubans and visitors is the kind of experience that doesn't exist elsewhere. Havana also has real historical depth: the Museo de la Revolución in the former Presidential Palace, the fortresses of Morro and Cabaña across the bay, and the Ernest Hemingway connections (La Floridita bar, Finca Vigía estate) are all genuinely interesting. This is not a comfortable, easy destination — but that is part of why it is so vivid.

Cuban state food — the comida criolla staple of rice, black beans, roast pork (lechón), yuca and plantain — can be excellent when home-cooked or in a good paladar (privately owned restaurant), or deeply disappointing at state restaurants catering to international visitors. The paladar revolution that has been evolving since the 1990s has produced some genuinely impressive restaurants — La Guarida (in a crumbling Habana Vieja mansion, immortalised in the film 'Strawberry and Chocolate'), San Cristóbal (famously visited by Barack Obama), and several newer spots in Vedado serve sophisticated riffs on Cuban and Caribbean cooking. Rum is the city's great drink: a mojito (white rum, lime, mint, sugar, soda) at La Bodeguita del Medio (Hemingway's supposedly favourite bar, now very touristy), or a daiquiri at La Floridita, or simply Ron Santiago or Havana Club 7-year aged neat, are all part of the experience. Coffee is strong and served sweet. Fresh tropical fruit is abundantly available at the agromercados (farmers' markets).

Getting around Havana requires flexibility and patience. The most atmospheric option is the classic American car 'almendrones' (shared taxis running fixed routes) — flag one down on a main boulevard and pay a peso fare to travel with locals. Individual classic-car taxis (the convertibles seen in photographs) charge much higher dollar/CUP rates and are geared to tourists. Coco-taxis (three-wheeled yellow pods) are novelty-value tourist conveyances rather than practical transport. Bicitaxis (cycle rickshaws) are useful for short Old Havana distances. City buses (Habana Bus Tour open-top double-deckers on the tourist route, and the regular city Metrobus/guagua) cover most of the city. Walking is entirely practical within Old Havana and Centro Habana; the Malecón is a 7km coastal walk that many visitors do end-to-end. Havana's layout is logical — Habana Vieja (Old Havana), Centro Habana, Vedado (the more modern district with hotels and restaurants) and Miramar (embassies, upscale) are the main zones. No Uber or equivalent; no reliable street maps at tourist shops. Download offline maps before arrival.

Havana's public transport is complex and largely geared to residents rather than tourists. The Habana Bus Tour (T1 and T3 routes, open-top double-deckers in the tourist style) connects major sights — Habana Vieja, Vedado, Miramar — and is the easiest option for visitors; a 24-hour pass costs around $5 USD equivalent. The city's standard buses (guagua, operated by Metrobús) are crowded, poorly marked and require some local knowledge but are the cheapest way to travel. Almendrones (shared American car taxis) run fixed routes along the main boulevards for a peso fare — ask Cubans which one goes where. Individual taxis (classic American cars or Geely Chinese-made modern taxis) are metered or negotiated; always agree the fare before getting in. No Uber or Bolt equivalent operates. Walking is perfectly practical within Old Havana and along the Malecón; bicycles and bici-taxis serve shorter distances.

The Malecón at dusk — when families, couples, fishermen, teenagers and musicians all converge on the seawall — is the best free experience in Havana and one of the great urban evening rituals anywhere. The Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón in Vedado is a city within a city: an extraordinary 57-hectare 19th-century cemetery with monumental neoclassical tombs that doubles as an open-air sculpture park — almost no tourists ever go there. For the best live music, the Casa de la Música in Miramar (and the one in Centro Habana) puts on nightly salsa concerts with Cuban audiences and exceptional local bands; far better than the tourist-facing venues on Obispo. The morning at the Plaza de Armas second-hand book market — Cuba's literary culture in action — is a quiet, authentic pleasure. Sort out cash before you arrive: international bank cards often don't work in Cuban ATMs (US sanctions affect many international banking partners) — carry sufficient euro or sterling in cash.

José Martí International Airport (HAV), Terminal 3, is the main international gateway for Havana, located 18km southwest of the city. Non-stop flights from Europe are available from Madrid (Iberia, Air Europa), Paris (Air France), Amsterdam (KLM), London Gatwick (Virgin Atlantic seasonal), Zurich (Edelweiss), and others. From the UK, the easiest option is typically a connection via Madrid, Paris or Amsterdam, or a charter flight. Most US citizens remain subject to travel restrictions (you must qualify under an OFAC licence category — tourism per se is not legal for Americans, though the rules shift). From the airport, metered taxis to Old Havana should cost around CUP 1,200–1,500 (dollar equivalent approximately $25–35 at time of writing, though Cuba's currency situation is complex and volatile — always confirm the current exchange situation before travelling). Ride-hail apps do not operate in Cuba; negotiate the fare before getting in a taxi or use the fixed-rate taxi queue at the terminal exit.