Every night at 9 pm tourists flock to the Havana’s La Cabaña (fort) to watch the cannon show, cañonazo ceremony, where locals re-enact an 18 th – century shoot out over the water. You might see locals practicing Santeria in the river, a Caribbean religion where members sacrifice animals. The castle was built starting in 1590 to protect Havana against military attacks, and also served as a watch post to keep an eye out for enemies (like pirates!). in Havana. It’s where he wrote some of his most famous novels like: For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Old Man and the Sea. The largest public square in Cuba, and one of the largest in the world, Plaza de la Revolucion is where Cuba’s most important government offices are located. Maybe you’re a cigar aficionado or simply looking for some R&R, Havana has something to offer everyone. Watch out though, as a few of them have turned into tourist traps. Its fantastic views make it a great first stop, a short taxi ride from the city center. Known as one of the hottest cabaret shows in the world, the Tropicana Nightclub Show is a world-famous spectacle set in a lush, tropical open-air venue that bursts with colorful lights, glitter, and glam. What are the top attractions to visit in Havana? And all of our holidays are designed to help you Discover Your Smile. Things To Do in Havana. Horseback riding in Viñales is a popular way to enjoy the lush scenery and country atmosphere. Ernest Hemingway lived outside Havana for twenty years, and naturally got much of the inspiration for his novels from the city—more specifically, from its bars. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. So all around the city you’ll fi... Read More, As you’d expect from a capital city, there are plenty of shopping opportunities ... Read More, Our top deals tailored to you, straight to your inbox Sign up for offers. Havana is sunny year-round, so you really can’t go wrong in terms of choosing a time of year to visit. Their pizza is baked in a wood oven, and the spot is a prime location for people-watching. This website will provide you with information on the protection that applies in the case of each flight before you make your booking. Visitors can tour the Capitol in groups of 15 from Tuesday to Sunday each week. Unfortunately, Americans aren’t technically allowed to book this hotel, as it’s owned by the Cuban government. Free Walking Tour. Drop me a message in the comments below! When you think of things to do in Havana, chances are rolling down the street in a colorful, vintage convertible with the top down is a top contender. Casa del Son is Havana’s biggest and best dance school, offering locals and visitors classes in just about every type of traditional Cuban dance. Cuba’s capital city is meant to be explored and there are plenty of fun things to do in Havana and cool places to visit. It’s a small village tucked away in the middle of green fields, tobacco plantations and rock formations. Click on the top left of the map to find separate layers marking the route and points of interest. It’s also the unofficial symbol of the city, often seen on postcards and in films. “Star” the map to save it to your own Google Maps, or open the map in a new window for a larger version. Registered address: Wigmore House, Wigmore Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, LU2 9TN, About TUI MyTUI app Cookies Notice Manage Cookie Preferences Privacy Notice Terms & conditions Ways to Pay Media Centre Travel Jobs Affiliates Discover Google Play Store App Store for Ios Travel Money Holiday Budget Calculator TUI Group document.getElementById("copyRightYear").innerHTML = "© "+new Date().getFullYear() + " TUI Group"; First Choice Holiday Brochures Travel After Brexit Holiday WeatherNHS Discounts. If you’re into museums and taking photos in front of tourist attractions, you can find those places easy enough without a guidebook; just follow the English speaking tourists. Another tasty spot is Bella Ciao, which has a reputation for the freshest pizza (and pasta!) 6 Things to do in Havana Explore Havana Viejo. A happy medium is to visit sometime in the winter (November-March), as it’s both warm enough to enjoy the beaches but not hot enough to make you wish you were back in your air-conditioned hotel. It’s usually difficult to book a table, and the meal prices aren’t cheap either. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. The 10 best things to do in Cuba From blissful beaches to underground clubs (literally) here's our round-up of the best things to do in Cuba By Matt Meltzer Posted: Sunday June 24 2018 Tickets are a bit pricey -— roughly $85 USD per person -— but include a welcome drink and cigar. See gov.uk/travelaware and follow @FCDOtravelGovUK on Twitter and Facebook.com/FCDOtravel - for the latest general FCDO travel advice, including coronavirus travel guidance, security and local laws, and passport and visa information. What makes Cuban pizza special is the “sofrito” — essentially a holy mix of onion, garlic, and bell pepper sautéed in olive oil with tomato and spices. For things to do in Havana at night, check out Havana’s La Cabaña (fort). Today, El Morro Castle is used as a museum and can be visited for a small fee. Tourists can easily tour the entire city with only $10 USD and access to the Havana city tour bus. Make sure you try the traditional ropa vieja. Once you’re on the ground, local taxis are everywhere. To find out more, please read our This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in Canada. Typically, these rooms run from 25 to 40 CUC per night, but be sure to add a bit to that cost if you want homemade breakfast included. You can get a brilliant 360-degree panoramic view of Old Havana from the top floor of the Gómez Vila building in Plaza Vieja, the tallest building in Old Havana. When you think of things to do in Havana, chances are rolling down the street in a colorful, vintage convertible with the top down is a top contender. Discover Cars is a great site for comparing car prices to find the best deal. If you find it useful, I would appreciate it if you use the affiliate links provided when you book hotels, rental cars or activities. For pre-planned tours, there is usually a flat-fee (about 40 – 50 CUC per hour) that the driver communicates up front. Translated as “the pier”, El Malecon is a restored seafront walkway situated along the city’s north coastline and provides lovely views of Havana’s iconic architecture and coast. We had a great night there! For starters, I recommend heading to 5 Esquinas Trattoria on Cuarteles Avenue. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next: Have any travel questions about things to do in Havana? Out back you’ll find some old military vehicles, tanks used during the Bay of Pigs operation, airplanes, and the yacht used to ferry Castro from Mexico to Cuba to start the revolution in the first place. This is the city’s Old Town and it’s the most popular area with tourists. Learn some basic Spanish words! Read more about why you should always carry travel insurance. It is composed of 3 bastions linked by curtain walls, casemented barracks and also houses cisterns, a chapel, officer’s quarters, a wine cellar, stables, and dungeons. Cuba has elevated cigar smoking to an art form. Fusterlandia is unique in that it isn’t its own site-specific artwork, but rather crafted into the neighborhood. We have reviews of the best places to see in Havana. We hit the bars & clubs a few different times to check out live music, one of my favorites was a bar called Kilometro Zero. And since Havana’s perched... Read More, Afro-Cuban jazz is a big part of Cuban culture. Known as the juice box for big kids, this rotgut rum is sold in individual packs. Viñales is known for its tobacco farms and limestone hills. Sure, the US trade embargo and the Cuban government itself hasn’t been particularly kind to the Cuban people, yet they still seem to make the most of the situation, and welcome tourists with open arms. If you want to save some money, and don’t have to go far, trying hiring a bicycle taxi or a “coco taxi” scooter for a fun ride. Ever since the 18th-century, a cannon has been fired in Havana every evening at 9pm at the Fortaleza San Carlos de la Cabaña (Fort of St Charles). In recent years, Cuba has seen some major changes as the United States finally eased restrictions on travel. There’s a museum there open from 10am to 4pm Monday through Saturday and 9am to 1pm on Sundays. Or rent local apartments on Airbnb ($35 discount!). If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. So make sure to stop into a paladar (locally-run restaurant) for an authentic Cuban food experience. Hotel Nacional is not only the most famous hotel in Havana -— it’s also home to one of the city’s best cigar shops called La Casa del Habano. You’ll see locals partying with their box of Tumbao or Planchao. There are plenty of options for vintage car tours in Havana, and most operate like a regular taxi. There are the classic car versions, which are kinda expensive (negotiate first), or the local shared taxis, which only cost 0.50 CUC per person (but you need to know their set route or speak Spanish).