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12 of the best things to do in Havana. A day walking in Havana
1. Join a free walking tour of Old Havana
There are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and then there’s Habana Vieja, a beguiling amalgamation of gorgeous architecture and gritty street life, which was named one of 25 World Heritage sites with best practices in conservation.
2. Relax with locals on the Malecón sea wall in the evenings
If you want to see Havana in all its glory, take a walk along the ocean-front Malecón - all 7km (4.3 miles) of it - stretching from the jaws of the harbor to the mouth of the Río Almendares.
3. See street art in Fusterlandia
The pinnacle of Havana’s alfresco art scene and a community project extraordinaire, Fusterlandia was the dream of Havana-based artist José Fuster that grew over two decades into a spectacular art district.
4. Enjoy the infectious energy of Havana's streets
Havana exudes an infectious energy. Walk its streets and soak up the atmosphere: you'll likely be sidestepping games of soccer, dodging swerving bici-taxis, peering into cavernous buildings, and listening to residents having lively conversations that could involve anything from "Dime hermano" (how’s it going, bro?) to calls of "Aguacate! Aguacate!" (Avocados! Avocados!).
5. Absorb the beauty of Necrópolis Cristóbal Colón
Havana’s huge Necrópolis Cristóbal Colón cemetery is more than a city of the dead; it's a shrine to ecclesial architecture. A stroll through its hallowed grounds is like a walk through the chronicles of Cuban history.
6. Spend an evening at a cabaret show
Long before Vegas became Vegas, Havana was the quintessential place for gamblers to lose their fortunes at the roulette wheel before drowning their sorrows at an ostentatious cabaret club afterwards.
7. Tune into the creative energy of the Fábrica de Arte Cubano
Fábrica de Arte Cubano is a dynamic art collective and performance space housed in an old cooking oil factory in eastern Vedado - the epitome of cool and creative Havana - and a place where the artists mingle with the audience and diverse people share stimulating discourse.
8. Discover Afro-Cuban religion in little-visited Regla
To better understand Havana and its Afro-Cuban culture, take a ferry to Regla, where a strong Santería tradition doesn’t dress itself up for tourism. Roam its streets and you’ll quickly find yourself immersed in a world of ration shops, bruised Ladas and humdrum bars.
9. Have an evening drink in Plaza Vieja
Habana Vieja’s four intimate squares are magical places at any time, but after dark, they take on a whole different atmosphere. Thanks to its myriad cafes and bars, the best one to linger in is Plaza Vieja, a large cobbled square ringed by colonial-era buildings ranging from 17th-century mudéjar to swirling art nouveau.
10. Witness the firing of the 9 o’clock cannon
Echoing a tradition dating back to the early 18th century, the Cañonazo is a cannon-firing ceremony that takes place every night on the ramparts of La Cabaña fort.
11. Unlock the flavors of Cuban cuisine
For too long, Cuban cuisine has been underappreciated and half-forgotten, but if Havana’s enterprising private restaurants are anything to go by the tide is turning.
12. Hit the beaches of Playas del Este
Most visitors to Cuba book a one- or two-week vacation at a beach-side all-inclusive resort in Varadero or Cayo Coco and never leave.