A city frozen and unfrozen simultaneously — crumbling colonial grandeur, 1950s American cars in every colour, the Malecón at sunset, son cubano from every doorway, and rum that costs less than water.
Getting There
Flights to Cuba from Europe typically route through Madrid, London, or Amsterdam to Havana (HAV). US visitors face specific restrictions and require specific licensing categories; the details change frequently. Within Havana, private taxis (casas particulares can arrange these), classic car taxis, and increasingly Uber-equivalent apps cover the city.
The City
Havana is the most intact colonial city in the Caribbean — not because of careful preservation but because of the specific economic circumstances of the last 70 years. The architecture of Old Havana (Habana Vieja, a UNESCO World Heritage site) ranges from magnificent to magnificently crumbling to recently restored. The Malecón (the 8km seafront boulevard) at sunset, with the city behind you and the Straits of Florida ahead, is one of the great urban experiences. Music emerges from every doorway — son, salsa, jazz, trova.
The Cars
The famous 1950s American cars (almendrones) are genuinely in use as taxis — not preserved and polished for tourists but running as daily transport, improvised and maintained with ingenuity rather than original parts. A ride in one along the Malecón is the correct introduction to the city.
What to Drink
The mojito was invented here; drink one at El Floridita (Hemingway's regular, heavily touristed but the correct setting) and one at a neighbourhood paladar (private restaurant) to compare. The daiquiri. The Cuba Libre (rum and Coke — use local rum, not imported). The Cuban rum — Havana Club 7 Años for cocktails, the aged expressions (15 Años) for sipping.
Casas Particulares
Stay in a casa particular (private home offering accommodation) rather than a state-run hotel. This is not just cheaper but more interesting — your host will arrange everything, recommend restaurants only locals know, and provide a level of context for the city that no hotel can. Book in advance through Airbnb or directly.
Practical Notes
The dual currency system has been simplified since 2021 but cash (MLC or CUP) remains essential. Card machines are unreliable. Bring euros or Canadian dollars to convert. Internet access is limited; the slow pace of the city is partly enforced by this.
Posts from Havana
Havana's Classic Cars: A City Frozen in Time
Havana is unlike any other city in the Western Hemisphere — a baroque colonial capital where 1950s American automobiles serve as taxis, the nightclubs play live son cubano, and nothing has changed for sixty years.
Reviews from Havana
Hotel Nacional de Cuba, Havana: Faded Grandeur and Genuine Character
The Nacional has housed Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, and Meyer Lansky. It hosted a summit of American crime bosses in 1946. It is a genuinely fascinating building with a genuinely complicated history — and a hotel that has not fully kept pace with the mythology but remains the most interesting place to stay in Havana.
Videos from Havana
Havana: The City That Time Forgot (Mostly)
Classic American cars, crumbling colonial architecture, salsa at street corners, rum for less than a pound — Havana is unlike anywhere else on earth, and the clock is ticking on this version of it.
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