Havana 3-day itinerary

Begin in Habana Vieja, Havana's UNESCO-listed colonial core. Start at Plaza de la Catedral at 8am before tour groups arrive — the 18th-century Baroque cathedral faces a square of restored palaces with wrought-iron balconies. Walk through Plaza de Armas where book vendors sell revolution-era posters and vintage novels. Continue down Calle Obispo, the pedestrian spine of Old Havana — every crumbling doorway reveals a barbershop, bodega, or family living room. Breakfast at Cafe El Escorial on Plaza Vieja (cortadito coffee CUP300, toast and eggs CUP600) — one of the best plaza-facing spots in the old city.

Visit El Floridita bar (daiquiri $7 USD), where Ernest Hemingway drank daily — his bronze statue still occupies the corner barstool. Walk to La Bodeguita del Medio (mojito $5 USD), the birthplace of the mojito according to legend, with walls covered in signatures and graffiti. The Capitol Building (El Capitolio, CUP3,000 entry) is a stunning neoclassical dome modelled on Washington's Capitol — recently restored, its marble floors and 60-metre rotunda are spectacular. For lunch, eat at a local peso restaurant (comedor) if you can find one — rice, beans, and pork for CUP100–200. Otherwise, paladar San Cristobal (mains $8–14 USD) serves excellent creole cuisine.

Walk the Malecon at golden hour — Havana's 8km seafront wall transforms into the city's living room at sunset. Families, couples, musicians, and fishermen line the wall as waves crash and the sky turns orange behind the Hotel Nacional. Bring a bottle of Havana Club rum (CUP1,500 from a shop) and join in — this is Cuba at its most authentic. Dinner at Dona Eutimia (mains $6–12 USD) near Plaza de la Catedral — their ropa vieja and tostones (fried plantains) are among the best in Havana. Then find live son cubano music at any bar in the old town — cover charges are rare.

Start at the Museum of the Revolution (Museo de la Revolucion, CUP4,000) in the former Presidential Palace. Three floors trace Cuba's history from Spanish colonialism through the revolution — Fidel's bloodstained uniform, Che's beret, and the actual Granma yacht that carried 82 revolutionaries from Mexico in 1956 (displayed in a glass case outside). The propaganda is fascinating regardless of your politics. After the museum, negotiate a classic car tour — CUP8,000–12,000 for 1.5 hours in a 1950s convertible Chevrolet or Buick cruising the Malecon, through Vedado, past the Plaza de la Revolucion.

Drive or bus to Vedado, Havana's art deco and mid-century neighbourhood. The Plaza de la Revolucion is dominated by the Ministry of the Interior building bearing Che Guevara's iconic outline sculpture — one of the most photographed images in Latin America. The Jose Marti Memorial tower (CUP2,000, elevator to the top) offers 360-degree city views. Walk to the Hotel Nacional — a 1930s grande dame hotel with Mafia-era history, beautiful gardens, and an ocean-facing terrace bar (cocktails $5–8 USD). Lunch at Vedado paladar Cafe Laurent (mains $8–12 USD) on a hidden penthouse with city views.

Thursday through Sunday, Fabrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) opens at 8pm — entry is $2 USD. This converted oil factory is Havana's cultural epicentre — live bands play Cuban jazz and timba on one floor, DJs spin electronic music on another, art galleries and film screenings occupy the upper levels, and bars serve mojitos and Cuba Libres ($3–5 USD). On other nights, head to Casa de la Musica in Miramar or Centro Habana for live salsa — the energy when a full son cubano orchestra plays is electric. Or take a salsa class at La Casa del Son ($10 USD for 1 hour) before hitting the dance floor.

Walk to Callejon de Hamel in Centro Habana, a narrow alley transformed into an Afro-Cuban art installation — murals, sculptures made from bathtubs and machine parts, and shrines to Santeria orishas (deities) cover every surface. On Sundays at noon, a live rumba performance fills the alley with drumming, dancing, and call-and-response singing — this is the heart of Afro-Cuban culture and utterly electrifying. Browse the surrounding Centro Habana streets — this is real Havana, unrenovated and raw, where laundry hangs between balconies and domino games happen on every corner. Breakfast at a ventanita (street window) — cafe con leche and a ham croqueta for CUP100–200.

Take a taxi colectivo (shared taxi, CUP200 per person) or Grab-style taxi ($10–15 USD) to Jaimanitas, a fishing village on Havana's western edge. Here, artist Jose Fuster has spent decades covering his home and the entire neighbourhood in colourful mosaic tiles — inspired by Gaudi and Cuban folk art. The result, Fusterlandia, is a surreal open-air gallery stretching several blocks — bus stops, park benches, neighbouring houses, and fences all glitter with mosaic art. Entry to the main house and gallery is free (donations welcomed). Buy original signed Fuster tiles ($20–50 USD) directly. Lunch at a nearby paladar in Miramar — seafood paella for $10–12 USD.

Ask your casa particular hosts to cook dinner — most offer meals for $8–12 USD per person and it's the best way to eat in Cuba. A typical home-cooked feast includes congri (rice and black beans), lechon asado (roasted pork), maduros (sweet plantains), avocado salad, and fresh tropical juice. The conversation over dinner — about daily life, the economy, family — is often the most memorable part of a Cuba trip. After dinner, walk the Malecon one final time. Bring rum. Share it with strangers. Listen to someone play guitar. Havana at night, with the salt air and crumbling grandeur, is unlike anywhere else on earth.