Top Attractions in Havana, Cuba
Old Havana
Old Havana (La Habana Vieja) serves as the heart of Cuba’s capital and stands out as its cultural nucleus. Founded in 1519 by the Spanish, Havana was initially fortified with walls. Although most of these barriers have disappeared, the dense 3,000-building district they once protected encompasses many of Cuba’s significant cultural landmarks.
Within the narrow streets of Old Havana, you will discover the Plaza Vieja, created in 1559, the national capital building, the Great Theater of Havana, and the Museum of Fine Arts. Other notable sites include the Cathedral of Havana, the Museum of the Revolution, and the renowned La Floridita bar, a historic haunt of Ernest Hemingway and the birthplace of the daiquiri cocktail.
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El Malecón
Havana’s iconic seawall, known as El Malecón, is an ideal locale to connect with local residents in a serene environment. Stretching for five miles along the Caribbean shoreline, this promenade runs from the harbor’s mouth to the Old Havana waterfront. Visitors can encounter a diverse mix of lovers, fishermen, joggers, tourists, and the everyday Habaneros who frequent the area.
The stunning crashing surf and breathtaking sunsets are highlights, but El Malecón also features important landmarks such as the grand Hotel Nacional de Cuba, a memorial for the victims of the USS Maine explosion in 1898, and the statue of Cuban nationalist leader José Martí located in the Plaza de la Dignidad.
The Museum of the Revolution
While visiting Havana, make sure to stop by the Museo de la Revolución. This museum narrates the story of Cuba’s triumphant fight to overthrow the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship in the 1950s. Situated in Batista’s former presidential palace, it hosts various artifacts from the conflict, including a Russian tank and a U.S.-built fighter plane that participated in the skirmishes.
Among the most notable exhibits is the yacht Granma, which transported Fidel and Raul Castro, Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos, and fellow revolutionaries from Mexico to Cuba at the war’s inception. Other displays feature weapons linked to Guevara and Cienfuegos, the engine of a U.S. U2 spy plane shot down during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and Batista’s luxurious golden telephone.
Bellamar Caves
Located near Varadero, the Bellamar Caves (Cuevas de Bellamar) are among Cuba’s oldest tourist attractions and remain immensely popular. Discovered in 1861, these limestone caves formed over 300,000 years ago and feature impressive stalactites, stalagmites, and an underground river. Visitors will find illuminated paths and stairways that make exploration accessible, and the caves maintain a relatively warm temperature throughout.
The complex includes a museum, café, playground, and gift shop. Convenient tours can be arranged from hotels in Havana or Varadero, providing an excellent opportunity to witness this natural wonder.
Trinidad
The picturesque Spanish colonial city of Trinidad transports visitors back in time. Nestled in the mountainous Sancti Spíritus province of central Cuba, Trinidad is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1514, the city presents a well-preserved depiction of a Caribbean sugar town from the 19th century (the surrounding area is known as the Valley of the Sugar Mills), characterized by ornate Spanish colonial mansions, plazas, and churches.
The heart of Trinidad is Plaza Mayor, which serves as an excellent launching point for walking tours. Major sites to include are the old San Francisco convent (now a museum) alongside the lavish mansions that belonged to sugar barons. Visitors can also Tour the lush hills, historic plantations, and stunning waterfalls of the Valley of the Sugar Mills by steam train or horseback.
Varadero
Renowned for its exquisite beaches, Varadero is home to most of the island’s international resorts. Situated on a slender peninsula east of Havana, Varadero boasts 12 miles of pristine beaches, once the settings for lavish waterfront mansions, now lined with a multitude of international hotels welcoming over one million visitors each year.
Nearby attractions and activities include jeep tours to the El Nicho waterfall, the Bellamar Caves, and the Montemar Natural Park at the Zapata Peninsula’s tip, providing ample opportunities for exploration and adventure.
Santiago de Cuba
The San Pedro de la Roca Castle, built in 1638, is one of the historic landmarks in Cuba’s second largest city, Santiago de Cuba. This Caribbean port city, founded in 1515, was the battleground for the famed Battle of San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War, as well as the earlier attack on the Moncada Barracks led by Fidel Castro in 1953, an event regarded as the initiation of the Cuban Revolution.
The city resonates with cultural significance and includes museums housing the expropriated art collections of the Bacardi family (who fled to Puerto Rico post-revolution). It also features a vibrant musical heritage and rich Afro-Caribbean culture, including the practice of Santeria. Additional attractions along the inviting streets of Santiago include a rum museum, numerous parks, and the distinctive French-Haitian district known as Tivoli.
Vinales Valley
This stunningly beautiful valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site distinguished by its unique rock formations and traditional agriculture, particularly tobacco farming, which contributes to the renowned Cuban cigars.
Encircled by the Sierra de los Órganos mountains in Pinar del Rio province, Vinales Valley’s exceptional landscape features are the distinctive mogotes, defined as hills with cliffs that rise steeply from the valley floor, a consequence of limestone erosion.
Beyond tobacco, local agriculture includes taro and bananas, while the surrounding mountains hide numerous caves waiting to be explored.
Cayo Largo del Sur
This idyllic island, situated approximately 50 miles off Cuba’s southern coast, is famous for its pristine white-sand beaches. Cayo Largo hosts a selection of small resorts, including those especially catering to clothing-optional travelers. Playa Paraiso frequently ranks among the world’s top beaches, attracting nude sunbathers looking to relax in tranquility.
The island lacks permanent residents and features minimal amenities such as restaurants, shops, and a turtle farm, providing an ideal setting for those seeking a brief escape to this remote slice of paradise.
Santa Clara
Santa Clara stands as a pivotal location in the annals of the Cuban Revolution, serving as a commemorative site for the legacy of Che Guevara. The Battle of Santa Clara, which occurred in 1958, saw revolutionary forces led by Che and Camilo Cienfuegos confront the troops loyal to the authoritarian Batista regime and swiftly prevail.
This critical victory prompted Batista’s flight from Cuba just hours later, solidifying the triumph of Fidel Castro and his allies. Today, visitors can pay homage at Che’s mausoleum, explore an armored train sabotaged by rebel soldiers, and wander through the charming streets of this 300-year-old city, centered around the splendid Parque Vidal.
The city also boasts a vibrant cultural landscape featuring rock festivals, drag clubs, and modern art museums, while the pristine beaches of Cayo Santa Maria are conveniently located nearby, linked by a causeway.
