Havana

Havana (Spanish: La Habana) is the capital city of Cuba, and one of the fifteen provinces of the Republic of Cuba. Visitors come to Havana for its music, history, culture, architecture and monuments. Havana is a lively city that retains a lot of beautiful buildings from its heyday in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of which have been deteriorating since the 1950s, creating a romantic atmosphere of a bygone era.

Understand
Before the Communist revolution, Havana was one of the vacation hot-spots of the Caribbean, and since Cuba reopened to tourism in the 1990s, it has become a popular destination once again, albeit with many fewer U.S. citizens, due to an almost total ban on travel maintained by the U.S. federal government. However, there will be lots of tourists at any time of year, so expect huge crowds and long lines in places.

History
Havana was founded in 1519 by the Spanish. During the colonial period, it became a stopping point for treasure-laden Spanish Galleons crossing between the Old and New Worlds. Since independence from Spain in 1902, Havana has been the capital of Cuba. Today, the city preserves some of the oldest standing stone fortifications in the Americas.

Climate
As typical of Cuba, Havana experiences a tropical climate.

By plane

 * Customs officials can be very strict, and will probably snoop out any suspicious electronics or other items. Customs officials and immigration officials also work slowly and baggage reclaim can be very slow, so do not be surprised if you have a very long wait (up to 1½ hr) when entering the country.
 * To get to travel between terminals you can take a cab or use the shuttle service between terminals (Connexions).
 * To reach Terminal 3, exit at the stop for Terminal 2 and walk about 50 m west toward the airport, until you reach a bus shelter. From the bus shelter, wait for the hourly bus, hail a taxi (as low as ~US$1 if shared with Cubans), or walk the 2.5 km to Terminal 3 (for international non-US bound flights). Note that the bus does not enter Terminal 3, but drops passengers at an unmarked stop on Carretera de Murgas, across the street from La Casanosa restaurant. La Casanosa restaurant is about 200 m north-east of Terminal 3.
 * There’s an ATM and currency exchange in the departure hall (1st floor); however, don’t count on either being open, because these services are not very reliable in Cuba.
 * At the airport (airside and landside) you pay the same prices for tobacco and alcohol as you would in a store in downtown Havana. There have been reports online that bottles bought in the airside shops were not properly sealed and thus seized during security checks for a connecting flight at another airport. Therefore it might be a good idea to buy those things already before you depart to the airport. In Terminal 3 there are two tobacco shops, a small supermarket, Wi-Fi (can only be used with ETECSA-card), some souvenir shops and a snack bar that also serves alcohol. There is no ATM airside and that not all shops accept credit cards.
 * At the airport (airside and landside) you pay the same prices for tobacco and alcohol as you would in a store in downtown Havana. There have been reports online that bottles bought in the airside shops were not properly sealed and thus seized during security checks for a connecting flight at another airport. Therefore it might be a good idea to buy those things already before you depart to the airport. In Terminal 3 there are two tobacco shops, a small supermarket, Wi-Fi (can only be used with ETECSA-card), some souvenir shops and a snack bar that also serves alcohol. There is no ATM airside and that not all shops accept credit cards.

There are regular international flights to resort areas such as Varadero, and these can sometimes be less expensive than flying into Havana. From Varadero's Viazul terminal to Havana's Viazul bus terminal is 3 hr by bus.

Getting there/away:
 * By taxi – An official taxi to Havana center costs ~US$20-25, but you can find slightly cheaper (illegal) ones. The cost is roughly ~US$1/km.


 * By bus – Havana MetroBus routes P-12 and p-16 travel within 400 m to 500 m of Terminals 1 (stops on Avenida Rancho Boyeros at Avenida Van Troi) and Terminal 2 (stops on Avenida Rancho Boyeros at Carretera De Murgas). Route P-12 terminates at Parque Fraternidad on Simon Bolivar near Habana Vieja (1 block south of El Capitolio) and route P-16 terminates at Parque Maceo in Centro Habana (near the Malecon). These buses operate until about 20:00, but are generally overcrowded. Taking the bus will take longer than a taxi colectivo. For passengers transferring to reach Terminal 3,


 * By colectivo – A taxi colectivo route follows the same route as bus P-12 between Parque Fraternid (Simon Bolivar, just west of Fraternidad), and stops for Terminals 1 (stops on Avenida Rancho Boyeros at Avenida Van Troi) and Terminal 2 (stops on Avenida Rancho Boyeros at Carretera De Murgas). Taxis colectivos are more frequent than the bus, will stop less than the bus and only has seated passengers, but are likely not suitable to accommodate space for more than one full-sized travel, hiking backpack or passenger.

By train


Havana is the hub for the whole Cuban railway network and there are trains to most larger cities. However, financial difficulties have meant that services are scaled back to running every other day or in some cases twice a week. Therefore it's important to confirm in advance that they are running on the day you wish to travel. All services, including overnight trains, are seating only.

The main line Santiago de Cuba via Matanzas, Santa Clara and Camagüey and there are departures every second day. However as of 2017, trains with superior Primera class seating runs only two times per week. Journey time from end-to-end is about 18 hr.

Other services include:
 * An overnight train from Moron with stops in Matanzas and Santa Clara.
 * An overnight train from Sancti Spiritus with stops in Matanzas and Santa Clara.
 * A daytime train from Camagüey with stops in Matanzas and Santa Clara (this is the only daytime service to Havana on the main line).
 * A very slow daytime train from Cienfuegos.
 * A slightly faster evening train to Matanzas and Cienfuegos, returns to Havana overnight.
 * An overnight local train to Pinar del Rio that returns to Havana during the day.

By car
Hiring a car in Cuba will cost you ~US$33-106/day. When hiring it, beware of the price of the insurance policy, as it may be subject to a scam. The car will have a special tourist plate, which means you will be required to give generous tips every time you park your car in a crowded place. Taking into account the all-around unreliability of Cuban transport, hiring a car can be the right choice for those who don't want any hassle whatsoever. Picking up hitchhikers is almost a moral obligation for the "aware" tourist, especially when travelling between cities. Picking up a hitchhiker can be the best way to arrive to your destination without getting lost.

By bus


Update: Viazul departures are no longer from old terminal near the Zoo. They now leave from the same terminal as the Astro bus, near Plaza de la Revolucion

There are Cubanacan offices in many hotels, such as El Torre Hotel at Parque Central, that sell bus tickets for their own buses for the same rate as Viazul except that they pick up their passengers from major Havana hotels. So if staying in this neighborhood you can get picked up at one of these hotels and avoid the costs to get to the Viazul bus station.

Some have reported using Astro, which run from the main bus terminal near the Plaza de la Revolucion, but others report these are restricted to Cuban nationals.

By shared taxi
Shared taxis that travel between cities are often available from immediately outside of Viazul bus terminal buildings. For slightly higher rates than Viazul bus rates, shared taxis may offer services that can potentially be faster than Viazul buses and offer somewhat more convenient departure schedules, and pick and drop off from locations of your choosing. Shared taxis operate in old American cars, which do not have air conditioning and which offer inferior seating comforting compared the much more modern Viazul buses. Shared taxis operate if sufficient riders sign up and charge by the passenger. Shared taxi operators may claim travel times that are significantly faster than what is actually provided.

By boat
Due to political circumstances, it is difficult to enter Cuba by sea. Visiting mariners need to make arrangements in advance of entering port to avoid difficulties. Also, most ports are closed to unauthorised visitors.

By taxi
As a tourist, the most convenient way of getting around Havana is by taxi. Some of the taxis are old American Chevys from the 1950s, others are (somewhat) newer Russian Ladas, whilst most tourist taxis are modern Peugeots, Skodas and even Mercedes.

It is illegal for tourists to ride in anything other than the official government taxis. However, it is often easier to wave down one of the old Chevys or Ladas. When riding in an illegal taxi, negotiate the fare ahead of time. The fare in illegal taxis will be no cheaper than the official taxi fare. Around the city, taking illegal taxis should be no problem. However, taking an illegal taxi to or from the airport may attract the attention of the police.

By colectivos
Taxis colectivos are the old, beaten-up American cars with a taxi sign on the roof or in the front window, which will typically already have numerous Cubans on board getting on and off and will take additional passengers if flagged down. Tourists are not supposed to take them, but you will rarely run into problems and they are a fun and cheap alternative to the state-run taxis. They have set fares and run set routes, so you may need some assistance when taking them the first few times.

The drivers are generally honest regarding the fares, but it is best not to appear oblivious by asking how much at the end of the trip. Always watch what the other passengers give. There can be a long wait trying to get a taxi colectivo as they are very popular with Cubans and often full, but the experience and the savings make it worthwhile.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of colectivo routes: Parque de la Fraternida (westbound on Simon Bolivar, just west of Industria). Follows Simon Bolivar, Avenida Salvador Allende, Avenida Manuel de Cepedes, Avenida de la Independencia, Avenida de Rancho Boyeros. Route travels within blocks of Habana Vieja, Plaza de la Revolucion, Viazul bus station (800 m away), and Airport Terminal 2 (500 m away).

By Coco taxi
Coco taxis and yellow three-wheel motorbikes are a cheap way of getting around central Havana. Coco taxis are bright yellow motorcycle cabs that charge ~US$0.50/km (2016), or more if they think they can get away with it.

By bus
Havana operates modern YuTong Chinese city buses.

The cost of riding the new city bus is the same to anywhere in the city. The driver will not give you change. Almost all buses are overcrowded, there are plenty of buses running though, so if the one you want is full simply wait for the next one (don't expect to sit though). There are few clearly marked bus stops on route, but it's clear where they stop usually as you will have other waiting at the side of the road.

Other local buses can also get crowded, but in the suburbs, they are a practical means of transport for visitors.

By car
Whilst useful for reaching some of the less central locations in Havana, the price of car hire will rarely be less than using taxis.

Traffic is moderate, especially outside the rush hour. Do however expect to share the road space with a multitude of cyclists, pedestrians and poorly parked vehicles.

Parking regulations are enforced in central Havana. There are many attended, on-street car parks, use them. Expect to pay about US$1 for parking.

By bicycle
Cycling can be a great way to get around Cuba. There are a number of international tour companies  that offer guided tours, the most popular is from Havana to Santiago de Cuba. If you are travelling in February and March avoid the west to east approach as the trade winds are tough to cycle against.

By boat
Public ferries operate between Old Havana and various points on the other side of the harbour including the neighbourhood of Casablanca.

On foot
Walking around Havana is by far the best way to see and experience the city: get a decent map of the city and discover new sights on foot.

See






The Old Town of Havana, 'La Habana Vieja, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and strolling along its streets and enjoying the beautiful buildings is a must for any visitor. Some parts of the Old Town are quite dilapidated with crumbling buildings but many others have been restored to their former glory.

An evening walk along the Prado is a great way to sip in the street life and enjoying the hums of numerous cafes and restaurants. The street is however not illuminated at night. Another favorite stroll for tourists and locals is along El Malecón, Havana's waterfront with stunning views of the city.



Live music
Nearly every restaurant and hotel in town has a decent house band playing old favorites.

Learn

 * The University of Havana &mdash; Offers intensive Spanish courses from 1 week/20 hours (~US$100) to 4 weeks/80 hours (~US$360). Contact Professor Judith Portal [mailto:Jportalm@flex.uh.cu/ Jportalm@flex.uh.cu].
 * The Instituto Superior de Arte/Escuela Nacional de Arte/CNSEA offer courses of various lengths and levels in music, dance, drama, art and Spanish.
 * Dance classes of Caribbean rhythms (salsa, reggaeton, cha cha cha, merengue, bachata) with professor Raul Pedroso. Contact: [mailto:raul.salsa.cuba@gmail.com/ raul.salsa.cuba@gmail.com]. Mobile: (53) 05 352463450.

Buy
Havana is a surprisingly expensive city to stay in; if you stay in hotels and eat in restaurants it can work out to be nearly as expensive as other popular international destinations. If you are on any kind of a budget, stay in casas particulares; it is much cheaper, often more comfortable, and the food (a recurring theme in Cuba) is almost invariably better.

Although prices may be shown here in US dollars, you will pay in pesos (CUP).

ATMs are not too hard to find in downtown Havana, but American credit- and debit-cards can not be used in Havana. Credit cards issued in countries other than the USA may be issued by a bank whose parent company is a U.S. corporation. In this case, the card will not work as the parent company is bound by U.S. law. Even banks wholly owned by non-American companies may have a policy on blocking Cuban transactions in order not to compromise their US business. Always check with your bank or credit card company before leaving home to see if your card will work in Havana. Also, the ATMs do not accept MasterCard/Maestro but are marked to accept Visa.

You can withdraw money from your MasterCard in a couple of exchange offices. There is one in the basement of the Hotel Nacional, but expect quite steep service fees.

Eat
Whilst restaurants can be quite expensive at the top end for rather mediocre food, some such as the Café de Oriente have a splendid ambiance. The average government-run restaurants are about US$20 for two.

Budget
Peso stalls are all over the city, particularly on Prado Marti.

Some restaurants like Hanoi, in Calle Brasil, offer generous meals for the equivalent of US$5.

You can get ice cream in small street booths scattered around the city. You can also get a filling bocadito (small ham sandwiches) or a cajita (small meal in a cardboard box), or a "pizza".

Particularly, the Terminal de Omnibus, by the Plaza de la Revolucion, has a very good cafe with offerings as fried chicken.



Mid-range
Keeping your eyes open you can find complete menus (starter or salad, soup, main dish, dessert and a national beverage) for the equivalent of US$6-10 in pesos. In the Vieja, there are such restaurants in the smaller, not very crowded streets.

A least one paladar charges a hefty per-person service charge on top of your bill (~US$10 per couple at Paladar Amistad de Lanzarote in Central Havana) - deceivingly printed in Spanish only in a bilingual English/Spanish menu. Also no matter what the owner insists, there is never a tax levied for eating at paladares. Always ask before ordering.

There are many good, mid-priced restaurants in Chinatown. "Bavaria" is one of the best if you can picture a restaurant named after a German province pronounced like "barbaria" with Chinese decor, serving pizzas and spaghetti.





Splurge
The restaurants inside five-star hotels tend to charge excessive amounts of money for mediocre food and service.



Havana Chinatown
Check out the small Havana Chinatown a few blocks west of the Capitolio if you are looking for Chinese-themed restaurants. The food is neither spectacular nor authentic Chinese, but decent enough if you can't face another serving of rice and beans. Street food can also be a notch better here, try the area around the intersection of Avenida de Italia and Avenue Zanja.

Breakfast
All the tourist hotels serve breakfast, typically a buffet with a wide variety of good food, although overpriced (the equivalent of US$15 at the Hotel Nacional). If you stay in a casa particular ask whether you'll be served breakfast. If not, ask the landlord/lady to take you shopping. Otherwise, there's almost no hope of finding a restaurant open for breakfast. One exception is the Chan Li Po Bar-Cafeteria, open at 09:00, in Centro Habana, near Chinatown, at Perseverancia #453 (between Zanja and San Martin).

Drink


There are two types of establishments you can go to drink in Havana: Western-style bars with near-Western prices, good selection of quality drinks (and sometimes food), nice decorations, semi-motivated staff and often live music, typically found around tourist hot-spots such as Old Havana and tourist hotels. Here you will mostly meet other tourists, expats and a few Cubans with access to hard currency, but don't expect a 'local' experience.

The alternative is to seek out local neighborhood bars where you can choose from a quality, but limited, selection of drinks (mainly locally produced rum by the bottle, beer and soft drinks, very rarely will you be able to get cocktails such as mojitos), cigars of dubious and cigarettes of only slightly better quality, and sometimes snacks. These bars are also a good way to meet locals who may even open up a bit and talk about their lives after a couple of drinks.

Local bars are not that hard to find despite typically having no prominent signs displayed outside. Just ask or walk around a local neighborhood and look out for a bare-walled, neon-lit run-down room without any decorations or furniture, save for a bar and a few rickety chairs and tables, sullen staff and depressed/bored/drunk-looking customers, almost always men. Contrary to Cuba's reputation as a music and fun loving nation, these places are not boisterous affairs - they are quiet, almost subdued, music is rarely played, and have the charm of third-world railway station waiting rooms.

Nonetheless, they make for a fascinating experience (especially if you make the effort to speak to some locals - offering to buy a drink will get a conversation going, no surprise there), and they provide a good insight into what life must be like for ordinary Cubans without hard currency. As a foreign visitor, you will be generally welcomed. Discussing politics over a drink is a tricky, and typically lose-lose proposition: speak negatively about the Cuban political system and you may put your Cuban drinking companions into a very difficult position as they may very well be informed on (for hanging out with subversive foreigners); enthuse about the Revolution, Che, Fidel, Cuba's health care system, sticking it to the Gringos, etc., and people will assume that you are at best naive or at worst not in full possession of your mental faculties.

You can have a great time just outside of the Hotel Inglaterra near the Capitólio Building, drinking good daiquiris and mojitos at an affordable price.



Sleep
There are 3 main areas that travelers generally stay in: Old Havana is the liveliest (some would say hectic and dirty), Central Havana is slightly quieter and parts can be a bit seedy, and Vedado is the quietest with more greenery, and is the place to find the large hotels and nicer casas particulares.

Hotels vary. Do not be surprised if you have no hot water and bad TV-reception in a hotel that still goes to the effort of having an in-hotel doctor and hosting extravagant shows of synchronized swimming in the hotel pool.

List of casas particulares







Connect
Diario de Cuba and Tribuna de La Habana are the local periodicals. The H Magazine + Guide is an interesting publication about Havana beyond common stereotypes.

The city code for Havana is 7. Prefix with 0 or 01 when calling from within Cuba.

Internet cafes can be found at ETESCA (the state telephone company) offices, in Hotel Habana Libre, Hotel Inglatera (cheapest but slowest), Hotel Nacional and at the Capitolio.

Wireless Internet access - some high-end hotels such as Hotel Parque Central sells wi-fi scratch cards at the rate, which can be used inside the hotel and works well with iPhone/iPod Touch.

The emergency number is 116. The information number is 113.

Stay safe
Havana is quite safe for a large city. Heavily dependent on tourism, Cuban police are everywhere and pay particular attention to spots where travelers congregate (Habana Vieja, El Malecón, etc.), so you don't have to be afraid of being accosted in the daytime. Prison sentences for crimes involving tourists are extremely harsh, a fact which residents are well aware of, which adds an extra layer of deterrence. At night, however, there have been muggings in the dark streets of Centro Habana. While this part of town is perfectly safe to explore in the daytime, and can be crossed safely while going to Habana Vieja or Vedado, it's best not go there at night. If you are going to walk, do so along El Malecón, where there are lights and a lot more people.

Be wary of hustlers (jinteros/jinteras) offering to show you a nice bar or restaurant, or offering a tour of the city, as you'll be stuck paying hefty prices to cover their commission. Just walk away and continue walking—soon enough they will leave you alone. There are a few well established scams you should learn about in order to be prepared.

In local restaurants, ask for menus or prices before ordering anything; there can be special 'tourist price menus' that get pulled out after you have consumed food or drink.

When paying, it is recommended to give the exact amount of cash. If you don't have it, it is wise to state clearly how much money you are giving and how much you should get back. Otherwise, they might try not to give you your change back.

If you're male, expect to be accosted regularly by prostitutes and/or their pimps, especially in Habana Vieja. While it's illegal, the mandatory jail time for prostitution filled prisons so quickly that the government had little choice but to start looking the other way. The result is a steady, depressing stream of solicitations that can wear down even the most cynical traveler unless he's prepared for it. Particularly disheartening are the offers from young girls, some no more than 11 or 12. Accept this situation as a fact of life in modern-day Cuba—and don't contribute to it.

People on the streets try to sell you cigars, especially in Havana Vieja. Often they say (after asking when you arrived in Havana) that the "Cigar Festival" is on today or that there is a "Cigar Cooperativa", where people sell cigars in their homes for half the price. These are usually fake cigars and they try to push you to buy a whole box of cigars even if you just want to buy a few.

The air in Havana is very polluted because of old cars and factories. This will cause respiratory conditions to some visitors.

Embassies

 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt
 * 🇬🇷 Greece
 * 🇮🇩 Indonesia
 * 🇮🇷 Iran
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇷🇺 Russia
 * 🇿🇦 South Africa
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇻🇪 Venezuela

Go next

 * Enjoy the beach in Varadero
 * Taste some nature in the Valley of Viñales
 * Isla de la Juventud
 * Visit the French style city Cienfuegos, the small town Trinidad and the adjacent Topes de Collantes national park
 * Go east to Santiago de Cuba