PlanoPlanoHavana is a city where the past and present collide on every block, from crumbling colonial mansions to the sound of live son cubano pouring out of open doorways. Things to do in Havana centre on its UNESCO-listed old town, the seafront Malecon, and a music and dance culture that pervades every neighbourhood from dawn to well past midnight.
Read the full Havana travel guide →4 days
December, January, February
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Capitolio Nacional
The 1929 government building modelled on the U.S. Capitol recently reopened after a 10-year restoration, with a 24-carat-gold-tipped dome and a 17-metre bronze statue inside.
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
Two buildings house the collection: the Cuban art pavilion on Trocadero displays 400 years of island art, while the international building has works by Goya, Gainsborough, and Canaletto.
Fabrica de Arte Cubano (FAC)
A converted cooking-oil factory in Vedado that functions as a gallery, concert venue, cinema, and bar, open Thursday through Sunday from 20:00 with a 2 CUP cover.
Paladar dining
Privately owned home restaurants, legalised in the 1990s, serve creative Cuban cuisine; La Guarida in Centro Habana occupies a crumbling mansion with rooftop views.
Malecon sunset walk
The 8-km seawall from Habana Vieja to Vedado fills at dusk with musicians, fishermen, and families, and is Havana's most democratic public space.
Vedado neighbourhood
The 1950s-era residential district west of Centro has broad avenues, the Hotel Nacional's terrace bar, the University of Havana campus, and the Colon Cemetery with over 1 million graves.
Callejon de Hamel
A narrow Centro Habana alley covered in Afro-Cuban murals, sculptures, and bathtub shrines that hosts free rumba performances every Sunday from noon.
Playas del Este beach day trip
A string of white-sand beaches 20 km east of Havana, reachable by local bus, where habaneros swim and grill on weekends at Santa Maria del Mar and Guanabo.
Almacenes San Jose craft market
A waterfront warehouse on the harbour sells handmade art, guayabera shirts, Che prints, and hand-rolled cigars, making it Havana's most concentrated craft market.
La Zorra y el Cuervo jazz club
Havana's premier jazz venue on La Rampa in Vedado has live sets at 22:00 nightly, entered through an English telephone-box door, with a 10 CUP cover.
The best months to enjoy things to do in Havana are December, January, February, March, April. Plan around these months for the best weather and fewer crowds.
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