Find Your Rumba Rhythm On The Street
Authentic Cuban rumba is a raw call and as a visitor, your best bet is to find the regular rumba spots around town, where the event is more formal but does still attract as many Cubans as tourists. So, put your dancing shoes on and head to Clave y Guagancó. Sábado de La Rumba at Centro Cultural El Gran Palenque and Callejón de Hammel are other good venues.
Step Into Old Havana
La Hababa Vieja (old Havana) is a virtual time machine of old architectural styles and techniques and gives you an insight of architectural heritage spanning more than five centuries. Also, Plaza de Armas (the oldest square in Havana and the site of the city’s foundation), El Templete (the oldest neo-classical building in Havana), Casa de la Obra Pia (notable for its curvaceous baroque portico) are other places that take you back in time.
Old Havana (Photo by Glidemax)
Toast Hemingway – go to a real Cuban Bar
Head to the classic Hemingway haunts – La Bodeguita del Medio and El Floridita for a unique experience. These places have become little more than photo opportunities and places to rip off tourists with watered down mojitos at exorbitant prices.
La Bodeguita del Medio (Photo by Dani Figueiredo)
Take a day trip to Che Guevara’s Mausoleum
The city is mecca for worshippers of Che and there are several monuments around where the famous rebel is commemorated. A huge statue of him towers over the entrance to the city at Avenida de los Desfiles on Plaza de la Revolución. The tribute also contains the remains of the other Latin American guerrillas who died with him.
Statue of Che Guevara (Photo by Linus Henning)
Roll a flat one in the Cigar Museum
Havana is cigar city, home to the habano. This is where the torcido (rolling) takes place, transforming the tobacco leaves – already dried and aged – into habano cigars and of the guided tours, the best is at the Partagas factory.
Partagas Factory (Photo By Steinar Johnsen)
By Supreet Cheema
About the author
Supreet loves to travel and getting into the skin of the destination. Active on travel forums, she likes to read and dance in her free time.
