# Heading to Havana? Insiders Share Their Best Tips > Discover where to stay, eat and explore in Havana as insiders share their favorite restaurants, hotels and spots that reveal the city's true spirit. - URL: https://langandtrip.com.ua/en/article/zbyraietes-do-havany-insaidery-diliatsia-poradamy/ - Language: en - Published: 2024-07-11 - Categories: Culture, Historic Sites, Beaches, Tours, Cuba, Food & Drinks --- Exotic, mysterious and vivid, Havana is steeped in a grandeur that time has left untouched. Yet with President Barack Obama's announcement of a historic overhaul of relations between the United States and Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean and its capital, Havana, stand on the brink of dramatic change. Home to 2 million people, Cuba's capital feels like a Hollywood back lot: once glamorous, now touched with age, but still brimming with things to keep travelers busy as they wonder what to do in Havana. Old Havana overflows with colonial castles, monasteries and cobblestone squares. Finned Detroit relics, their tailfins sharp enough to draw blood, rumble along the seaside Malecon boulevard. And the Tropicana cabaret, a sultry, over-the-top salsa spectacle, recalls the pre-revolutionary heyday of sin. Welcome to communism, Caribbean style. Socialism and sensuality. Havana's rough-edged, faintly decadent authenticity is unlike anywhere else: a captivating blend of colonialism, capitalism and communism. It is also uniquely enchanting. You won't want to sleep, for fear of missing a defining experience, as you explore streets still haunted by the ghost of Ernest Hemingway. But even before Obama's December phone call with Cuban President Raul Castro, the first presidential-level contact with Cuba since the Cuban Revolution, Havana was already in a state of dramatic flux. Private restaurants (known as "paladares") set in private homes have been sharpening the dining scene for years. Elegant boutique hotels radiating Miami-style colonial chic were already filling up with visitors from the United States (thanks to the recent "people-to-people" license provision) who now outnumber Canadian and European tourists. Here's what you can do in Havana: ## Hotels Luxury Hotel Saratoga Behind the glamorous Hotel Saratoga, Havana's finest, stand shrewd European investors. Its colonial facade is exactly that, a facade: inside are spacious rooms with chic decor and 21st-century comforts. It's the only hotel in Havana with free Wi-Fi. The rooftop has a pool with a sun deck for relaxing and tanning, perfect for plotting what to do in Havana. At the Moorish-style Anacaona restaurant you can light up a cigar and sip a cocktail in the neon-lit mezzanine bar. Hotel Nacional ![](/storage/image/prev/august-article-image-79-1-2024.jpg) Towering over the Malecon waterfront, this famous grand hotel is considered the best in the city. For decades it has hosted a parade of celebrities, from Al Capone to Naomi Campbell. The rooms are a little worn. Executive rooms are in better shape and worth the extra cost. The Moorish-style lobby offers a stunning architectural photo op. Cigars and mojitos on the terrace bar make a fine prelude to the thrills of the hotel's Parisien cabaret. Mid-range Hostal Los Frailes ![](/storage/image/prev/august-article-image-79-2-2024.jpg) A few steps from Plaza Vieja in the heart of Old Havana (Habana Vieja), this charming boutique hotel plays up a monastery theme, right down to staff dressed in monastic robes. There's nothing medieval about the comforts, though: the rooms have every modern amenity. A live quartet performs beautifully in the lobby bar. Historic landmarks surround the hotel. The neighboring square is home to art galleries, museums and a tavern. Budget Hostal Valencia Take the former home of a Spanish count, turn the ground floor into a paella restaurant and bistro bar, and the upper floor into bedrooms filled with antiques and cool marble floors. The result? Beauty at a bargain price right in the heart of the colonial quarter. Every room is unique. Many have balconies overlooking the street, though some lack air conditioning and hot water is never guaranteed. ## Restaurants La Guajira A favorite of Havana's diplomats, expat foodies and visiting VIPs, Cuba's trendiest restaurant is fully booked every night of the week. Its setting, the third floor of an almost abandoned but photogenic building in the rough-around-the-edges Cerro district, feels straight out of a Fellini film. The cozy atmosphere is heightened by original artwork and posters that adorn the walls. Owner Enrique Nunez lived in Spain and brings European savoir-faire to the menu, with signature dishes such as chicken in a honey-mustard sauce and pork medallions in a mango sauce. You may recognize La Guajira as a setting in the popular film "Strawberry and Chocolate." Once you've decided what to do in Havana, here's where to decide what to eat. La Guajira, Calle Concordia 418, Centro Habana; +53 7 866 9047 Cafe Laurent This recently opened paladar ("paladares" are private restaurants, often set up in the owners' homes) occupies a rooftop penthouse in the Vedado district. It serves some of the best food in the city from an ever-changing menu. The chocolate brownie is exceptional. There's a wonderful cocktail terrace with a breathtaking view of the Focsa building. The retro-style decor would fit right into Miami's South Beach, reason enough to dress up a little. The prices are a genuine bargain and the service is flawless. Le Chansonnier The dull exterior of this Beaux-Arts mansion conceals the colonial-modern beauty of a lavishly designed private restaurant, an impeccable vision from owner Hector Higueras. French influences merge with Cuban ingredients on an ever-changing menu. Octopus in cuttlefish ink, followed by chicken breast with a tamarind sauce, is memorable when available. The music is live and, rare for Cuba, the main dining room is non-smoking. Smokers get their own private space, and romantics can book a table under the canopy on the terrace. Atelier A trio of siblings transformed a quirky century-old mansion into this cosmopolitan paladar atop a five-story apartment building. Expats flock here, your best indicator in Havana. The cooks aren't afraid to experiment, from caramel duck to a delicious sirloin steak with shrimp and celery mousse. The daily menus are written on Cuban ration cards. The portions, however, won't leave you hungry. You can unwind on the spacious balcony with soft cushions and concrete sofas. La Torre With the best views in the city, this state-run restaurant on the 33rd floor of Havana's tallest building has panoramic glass walls for sweeping views in every direction. The south side offers the most breathtaking views. It's a great spot for a long, lingering look while you decide what to do in Havana. The menu blends continental and Cuban dishes. Classics include ropa vieja (stewed beef with white rice and vegetables) or fish fillet cooked in white wine, followed by the best profiteroles in town. El Aljibe Recently abandoned by the expat community and now a mainstay for tour groups, "The Well" still serves what may be the best roast chicken (in an orange sauce) in Havana. The a la carte menu certainly has something for every taste, but the all-you-can-eat signature chicken dish with all the trimmings is the top choice for anyone with a big appetite. This thatch-roofed open-air restaurant in the upscale Miramar district boasts a huge wine list along with a cigar shop. Service can be slow when the groups descend. Los Nardos The long line to get into this restaurant speaks for itself. On the top floor of a crumbling building across from the Capitol, this hidden gem serves up enormous portions of Cuban dishes. Favorites include garlic shrimp and lobster in a Catalan sauce. The house sangria is good and comes to groups in pitchers. The semi-private restaurant is run by a Spanish Asturian association, so the service is top-notch. The best place to sit is the main second-floor hall, with its handcrafted furniture. Coppelia ![](/storage/image/prev/august-article-image-79-3-2024.jpg) Cubans love ice cream and worship this shrine, which takes up an entire block in the heart of Vedado, conveniently located next to the key hotels. Sadly, foreigners are confined to their own tiny section and pay 1 CUC per scoop. Savvy visitors make friends with Cubans in the line and join them in one of the leafy sections or, on rainy days, in the spaceship-like 1950s building. Here just five pesos will buy you a whole bowl of delicious ice cream. Congratulations! You've just experienced a Cuban rite of passage in true habanero style. ## Nightlife Tropicana ![](/storage/image/prev/august-article-image-79-4-2024.jpg) Sure, the Revolution shut down the strip clubs, but paganism in stilettos still reigns at Havana's raciest (and biggest) Las Vegas-style cabaret. More than 200 performers shimmy, sway and sashay through this open hymn to retro-redux temptation. Even female patrons love it, not least for the over-the-top decor and the Adonis-like acrobats of the show. It will burn a hole in your wallet, but a cigar and a bottle of rum (plus cola) are thrown in to guarantee your enjoyment. Casa de la Musica Havana's hottest dance club draws revelers who really know how to set the dance floor on fire, and they aren't shy about inviting foreign newcomers to dance. Cuba's hottest bands often perform here. The headliners often don't start playing until deep in the night, a good excuse for an afternoon siesta. Taberna de la Muralla At this Old Havana beer pub, the seating looks out onto Plaza Vieja. Dedicated beer lovers may be inspired to learn that the place was founded and co-run by Austrians. It serves a refreshing pilsner and a stronger dark beer. Serious drinkers (or groups) can order a three-liter dispenser, a tall glass cylinder with a tap and a central tube filled with ice to keep the beer cold. Cafe Concierto Gato Tuerto You half expect Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack to turn up at this classy 1950s-style spot, just a few steps from the Hotel Nacional. Any night is a gamble on live music: performances can range from a sultry bolero to funk and reggaeton. It's a great date spot, though there's little room for dancing and it can get smoky. Even so, it's a wonderful place to add to your list when thinking about what to do in Havana. There's a restaurant on the upper floor, but the club gets crowded, so you'll have to eat early if you want the best seat for the show. ## Shopping / Sights Habana BusTour For sightseeing and figuring out what to do in Havana, there's no better option than riding an open-top double-decker bus anywhere along the HabanaBusTour route. The ticket (5 CUC) is valid for 24 hours, and you can hop off and on at any of the 44 stops. If you fancy sunbathing on the beach, catch the single-decker bus at Parque Central and head for Playas del Este. Plaza Vieja ![](/storage/image/prev/august-article-image-79-5-2024.jpg) The most charming of the colonial quarter's four main squares recently emerged from a decade-long restoration. The centuries-old buildings on every side now gleam like stone candy. The "must-see" list includes the Playing Card Museum (Museo de Naipes) and the planetarium (Planetario). An elevator rises to the roof of the Gomez building, where you can take in a 360-degree, real-life view through the Camera Obscura. Now you've earned a cold beer at the Taberna de la Muralla. Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes Housed in a striking 1950s modernist building, the three-story Museum of Fine Arts (Cuban section) enchants with its finest paintings, lithographs and sculptures spanning four centuries. The main event is the 20th-century collection, featuring such revered names as Armando Menocal, Wifredo Lam and Rene Portocarrero. To make sense of it all, you'll need to hire an English-speaking guide (2 CUC). Plaza de la Revolucion ![](/storage/image/prev/august-article-image-79-6-2024.jpg) Gone are the days when Fidel mesmerized the crowds here with his winding oratory, but this vast square will still draw a sigh of awe. The striking sights include an 18-meter marble statue of national hero Jose Marti in front of the government palace (where the Castro brothers hammer out state policy). Watching over it all is a five-story iconic portrait of Che Guevara, fittingly mounted on the facade of the sinister Ministry of the Interior. If you can, time your visit for the May Day parade (May 1). Museo Ernest Hemingway The main shrine for fans of "Papa" is the former home of the Nobel laureate, Finca Vigia, on the southeastern outskirts of the city, a 30-minute drive away. The hilltop estate is preserved exactly as Hemingway left it, with his priceless belongings still in place. You can't go inside, though. You look in through the open doors and windows. His sport-fishing boat, the "Pilar," rests on stilts in the garden. Playas del Este ![](/storage/image/prev/august-article-image-79-7-2024.jpg) On hot weekends, half of Havana seems to head for the "Eastern Beaches" to sunbathe, party and flirt. Snow-white sands dissolve into turquoise waters, perfect for lazing and swimming, though in winter you may meet jellyfish in the water. You can rent pedal boats and go windsurfing. Thatch-roofed ranchitos sell fried fish and offer a break from the heat. Tarara is the prettiest stretch and has the most amenities, but charges an entrance fee (10 CUC). Las Terrazas This sustainable community is where habaneros head for a breath of fresh mountain air. Hiking trails and colonial-era coffee plantations await exploration, and specialist bird-watching guides will lead you in search of the tocororo, the national bird. The pleasant studio of landscape painter Lester Campa is worth a visit. You can dine outdoors at Fonda de Mercedes and enjoy a cappuccino at Cafe Maria. Las Terrazas, Autopista Nacional Habana-Pinar del Rio, Kilometer 52; +53 48 57 8600 Parque Nacional de Vinales ![](/storage/image/prev/august-article-image-79-8-2024.jpg) Nothing in Cuba rivals the Valle de Vinales for scenic beauty. It's a popular spot for nature lovers who hike, ride horses and gaze at the striking limestone formations known as mogotes. It's also the finest tobacco land. The best time to visit is winter, when the fields are sown, or spring, when the tobacco is harvested. Parque Nacional de Vinales, 26 kilometers north of Pinar del Rio and 212 kilometers west of Havana