Easygoing starter: Havana squares and plazas

Havana is one of those cities you just have to see with your own eyes to believe. Cuba's capital is Latin America's largest colonial city centre, simply brimming with atmosphere, and is a must visit on your Cuban holiday. You can stroll through the historic city streets and visit the many plazas, parks and museums; or do like the Cubans do and watch city life unfold in front of you from the comfort of a city bench. Watch as horse drawn carriages roll down the streets past classic American vintage cars and street-corner kiosks selling Cuba's national newspaper the Granma. A little further down the street, you'll see a salsa band putting a swing in the step of people passing by. You'll find it almost impossible to sit still when the salsa music starts to fill the air.

We'll arrange a transfer to pick you up at the airport and to take you to your hotel in the heart of the colonial city centre. If you want to experience Havana like the Cuban's do, we recommend doing a Havana Cuba tour in the comfort of a classic American car. If this takes your fancy, take a look at our Havana tour where you'll spend the night in a nostalgic 4-star hotel and go on a Havana Cuba tour in a classic American vintage.
If you would like to see where you could go after this Havana Cuba tour, take a look at our Cuba trips, or longer suggested Cuban holidays.

Duration	3 days - 2 nights, daily	Accommodation	Colonial hotel in Historic Havana. Accommodation category 3.
Price	Please see our Contact Us page for more details	Includes	Transfer, accommodation based on board and breakfast for 2 nights
Transport	Transfer from airport to hotel	Excludes	Other meals

Day 1: Arrival in Havana

Usually, you'll arrive in Havana sometime in the evening. We'll arrange for a transfer to take you to your hotel in the historic part of the city. Havana's city centre is a Unesco Cultural World Heritage site so many of the buildings have been restored, or are being restored, to their original state. You'll spend the night in a standrard city hotel with a colonial atmosphere, within a 10 minute walking distance of the most beautiful, lively part of the city, Havana Vieja. The hotels here are very old and therefore still have small bathrooms and slow lifts. Water and electricity supplies can falter at times. It's part of the charm of this historic part of Havana. After you've dropped off your luggage and freshened up, you can walk over to Parque Marti to have your first mojito on Hotel Inglaterra's terrace. Sit back, relax and take in the sights and sounds of the city. You'll see classic vintage cars, horse drawn carriages and the sounds of salsa will fill the air. Welcome to Cuba - let your Havana Cuba tour begin!

Havana Cuba tour - Sit back and enjoy the view

Havana Cuba tour - Dance along to the Cuban beat

Day 2: Havana

After breakfast it's time to get to know the city and really start your Havana Cuba tour. Go for a walk and explore the historic part of Cuba's enigmatic capital, Havana Vieja. As you stroll through the narrow, winding streets, you'll be amazed by the combinations of brightly coloured villas next to crumbling buildings. The many plazas, cathedrals and museums will keep you busy for hours. Deciding what you would like to see first isn't easy. You can stroll from plaza to plaza and, if you like, have some lunch at the restaurant Mirador de la Bahia near Plaza de Armas. The restaurant's fifth-floor location gives you an excellent view of the city. If you have some time to spare, visit Cuba's 'White House', the Capitolio and have a mojito at the famous 'Bodeguita del Medio' bar where Hemingway once drank. We also recommend visiting the Casa de la Musica in Miramar in the evening where you can listen to famous salsa bands.

Optional: Havana Cuba tour in a classic American vintage car

Do you want to learn more about Havana and see beyond its historic city centre? If so, our driver and guide will pick you up around 9:00am for a 2 hour Havana city tour in a classic American Cadillac (or comparable vehicle) with 1 hour walking around Havan Vieja.

Aside from the historic city centre, on this Havana Cuba tour you'll see Vedado - the mafia neighbourhood, Plaza de la Revolucion, where former President Fidel Castro held his famous speeches and Miramar, the ambassador's neighbourhood, with its fabulous colonial villas... a delight to drive through. If you have some time to spare, you'll also visit Cerro, a typical Havana residential area. Your English-speaking guide will tell you more about Havana - without bombarding you with dates and facts. You can also ask him any questions you have during the tour. You'll get a pretty good impression of the entire city in just a few hours. The surcharge for this Havana Cuba tour with driver and English-speaking guide is £60 per person. You'll be dropped off at your hotel around noon giving you the rest of the afternoon to explore the most historic part of Havana, Habana Vieja, on your own.

Havana Cuba tour - Go sightseeing in style

An extra day in Havana

After your guided/independent city tour, you'll have a pretty good impression of the city of Havana. However, it's almost impossible to see all of Havana in just one day.

By adding an extra day to your Havana Cuba tour you can walk through the historic city centre once more and also visit the Museo de Revolucion and a cigar factory. You could also take a look inside the fascinating Capitolio or Gran Theatre, visit the Spanish fortress at La Regla or visit the Colón cemetery (Cuba's version of the Père Lachaise). You'll discover that there are quite a few lesser known places in Havana such as the Callejon de Hamel, a completely renovated street with poetry decorating building walls. Each of these attractions will give you a better sense of what Havana is all about. If you decide to spend an additional day in Havana on your Cuba trip you'll be able to visit Havana's unforgettable hidden gems.

Day 3: Departure - End of your Havana Cuba tour

After breakfast your Havana Cuba tour comes to an end and you'll pick up your rental car and continue on your Cuban holiday.

You could, for instance, travel west with our Vinales Cuba tobacco tour or Las Terrazas Cuba trip, or start off with a Trinidad Casa holiday.

Havana Cuba tour - Classic American vintage car in Havana

Optional: transfer in a classic vintage car to start off your Havana Cuba tour

Do you want to start off your Havana Cuba tour in true Cuban style? For a surcharge of £16 per person, a classic American vintage car will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel.

If you would prefer to stay in a quiet part of Havana or would like to have a swimming pool at your accommodation in Havana, just ask our travel specialists for further options.

A sneak peek at your accommodation... (Click to enlarge)

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