Things to Do in Havana: Top Highlights & Our Honest Tips

Our Havana Sights on a Map

To give you an overview of where to find the highlights in Havana, we’ve marked them on a map for you.

Top 6 Highlights in Havana

Here are the six absolute must-sees when it comes to things to do in Havana.

La Habana Vieja: The Old Town

What do you need to know? La Habana Vieja is packed with stunning buildings from Havana’s founding period in the 16th century. With colonial architecture, narrow alleyways, and old fortress buildings, the historic center is, in our opinion, the single most beautiful sight in Havana.

Is La Habana Vieja worth it? Definitely. Just be prepared for the fact that large parts of the old quarter are very run-down.

Must-Sees in Havana’s Old Town

Our honest advice: just wander and let yourself drift. You’ll naturally pass by the most important squares and points of interest anyway. Here’s a quick rundown of the best spots.

The most beautiful squares and streets in La Habana Vieja

• Plaza Vieja: A beautiful, large square surrounded by historic buildings.
• Plaza de la Catedral: A lovely main square featuring the cathedral.
• Plaza de Armas: The oldest square in Havana.
• Plaza de San Francisco de Asís. A beautiful square near the harbor.
• Calle Obispo: A pedestrian street lined with plenty of restaurants.

The most beautiful buildings in La Habana Vieja

• Catedral de la Habana: An impressive baroque church. Admission is free.
• La Bodeguita de los Medios: Havana’s most famous bar, right near Plaza de la Catedral.
• Castillo de la Real Fuerza: An old fortress next to Plaza de las Armas. It’s now a museum you can visit for a small entry fee.

The Capitol

What do you need to know? Cuba’s Capitol was built in the 1920s and served as the seat of government for about 30 years. The dome is reminiscent of the White House in Washington — and is actually a little taller than its US counterpart.

Is the Capitol worth it? Absolutely! It’s one of the most iconic attractions in Cuba. It looks especially stunning in the evening when it’s all lit up.

Our tip: You can also explore the Capitol from the inside. To do so, book a guided tour at the entrance.

Malecón: The Waterfront Promenade

What do you need to know? Havana sits right on the ocean, and the city has a long waterfront promenade that stretches from the old town far into the newer part of the city. The Malecón — as it’s called in Spanish — is perfect for a stroll and is a real standout, especially at sunset.

Is the Malecón worth it? Absolutely. The promenade is a fantastic spot for photos.

A quick note: When it’s stormy, waves sometimes crash right up onto the Malecón, making it a pretty miserable place for walking or sitting. This is particularly common during the rainy season in Cuba.

Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro

What do you need to know? Castillo del Morro sits on a rock between the sea and Havana’s harbor bay. It once served as a defense against attacks; today it’s a museum and a seriously popular photography spot.

Is Castillo del Morro worth it? We didn’t go inside ourselves, but we imagine it’s fascinating. Either way, make the trip out there — the view from the outside alone is great, and you can decide on the spot whether to visit the museum.

Our tip: From the old town, you reach the fortress through an underwater tunnel — so you can’t walk there. We’d recommend taking a vintage car taxi for this ride. That’s about as authentically Cuban as it gets!

Christ Statue

What do you need to know? Havana’s Christ Statue was erected in 1958 and has been an important landmark ever since. It also works as a viewing platform, offering a fantastic panoramic vista over the city. The marble statue is, by the way, the largest Christ statue created by a woman.

Is the Christ Statue worth it? It’s so-so. The statue itself isn’t anything special, but the view over Havana is genuinely great.

Our tip: Combine your visit to the Christ Statue with Castillo del Morro. Both landmarks are on the other side of the harbor bay from the city center, so it makes sense to do them together.

Revolution Square

What do you need to know? Revolution Square is located a bit outside the city center, near the Viazul bus terminal. It’s the largest square in Havana and frequently hosts political events. In the middle stands the José Martí Monument, and nearby you’ll find Havana’s iconic Che Guevara Monument.

Is Revolution Square worth it? Yes. It’s not particularly pretty, but the monuments and the sheer scale of the square are really impressive.

Our tip: If you can, hire a local guide for Plaza de la Revolución — learning about the history and significance of the square makes it so much more meaningful.

Beaches near Havana

There are no nice beaches right in Havana itself. But you don’t have to travel far to find a beautiful stretch of sand. The best beaches near Havana are the Playas del Este. The water is turquoise blue and you’ll get a true Caribbean feel here.

The Playas del Este are about 20 kilometers east of La Habana Vieja. The name covers several beaches that all lie side by side and look very similar. The easiest way to get there is by taxi.

Bars and Restaurants in Havana

Finding good restaurants in Havana is a real art. Generally speaking, you have two options for eating out:

• Tourist restaurants with higher prices and more variety
• Local restaurants with lower prices and less variety

The upside of tourist restaurants is that they usually offer a nicer atmosphere. With a bit of luck, you’ll also find dishes on the menu you wouldn’t normally come across elsewhere in Cuba. The downside is that prices can feel disproportionately high by Cuban standards.

Also read our tips on paying in Cuba
Local restaurants and snack bars are often a bit run-down, and they tend to serve the same food every day: sandwiches, pizza, rice and beans, and spaghetti with tomato sauce. The prices are low, but we personally felt a little out of place — you do get stared at quite a bit.

Our restaurant recommendations for Havana

• Bar Coco Loco: A tourist restaurant with good food at reasonable prices.
• Havanna Center: A tourist restaurant with tasty, if straightforward, dishes at solid prices.
• Bar Floridita: On the pricier side, but the quality is excellent.
• Hotel Nacional: The hotel’s terrace is a great spot to sit and grab a snack during the day.

Our bar recommendations for Havana

• La Bodeguita del Medio: You have to step inside this legendary bar at least once and soak up the atmosphere.
• Hotel Inglaterra: The bar on the ground floor often has live music.
• Casa de la Musica de Centro: A great spot for salsa dancing.

Where to Stay in Havana?

The best place to stay in Havana is as close to the old town as possible.

We recommend booking your accommodation on Airbnb. That’s where you’ll find the so-called Casas Particulares — places where you stay in the homes of Cuban locals. They’re often not right in the old quarter, but close by.

Staying in Casas Particulares gives you a genuinely authentic side of Cuba. The hosts are incredibly warm and will give you great pointers for what to do in Havana.

Also read our Cuba travel report

To use Airbnb in Cuba, you’ll need a VPN — otherwise the app won’t work. Also be sure to read up on internet access in Cuba before your trip.

There are also a few good hotel options in Havana. If you’re after a place that meets Western standards, though, you’ll want to book a luxury hotel.

Our hotel recommendations for Havana
Hotel Nacional: One of the most famous and storied hotels in Havana — a real piece of history.
Iberostar Grand Packard: A modern 5-star hotel right in the old town.

Note that most hotels are located in the newer part of Havana, which means you won’t be able to walk to the historic center from there.

Is Havana Dangerous?

No. Havana looks more dangerous than it actually is.

Because so much of the population is very poor, the buildings are run-down, and there’s a lot of trash on the streets — all of which can give the city an unsafe impression.

In reality, crime in Cuba is very low and robberies targeting tourists are rare. Tourist safety is taken seriously, which is why you can still walk through the alleyways of Havana in the evening.

That said, we’d still recommend sticking to the tourist areas at night.

As a visitor, you should expect to be frequently approached and stared at on the streets. But the likelihood of anyone actually doing you harm is very low.

Our Tips for Getting to and Getting Around Havana

Havana is home to Cuba’s largest airport, so you’ll most likely land here at the start of your Cuba trip.
Also read our tips for entering Cuba

From the airport, you can reach downtown Havana by taxi, private transfer, or bus.

Buses depart from the airport roughly every hour and stop at the most important hotels in the newer part of Havana. The final stop is Hotel Habana Libre. A ride costs 5 euros/dollars (pay with exact change in cash).

You can of course also rent a car and pick it up directly at Havana’s airport.

Book a rental car for Cuba at TUI Cars

Getting Around Havana

Most of Havana’s attractions are close to one another. The only places that require a longer journey from the old town are Revolution Square, the fortress, and the Christ Statue — for those, a taxi is your best bet.

Taxi Tips for Havana

There are several types of taxis in Havana. Here are the most common options:

• Vintage cars: They work like regular taxis and are the most expensive option — but you get to ride in a real vintage car, which is pretty special.
• Yellow cars: Classic taxis just like you’d expect. They’re fairly pricey but fast.
• Bicycle taxis: Cyclists with a seat attached at the back. Slower, but cheap.
• TukTuk: They’re not called TukTuks in Cuba, but they work similarly. Faster than bicycle taxis and a bit more expensive.

We explain how to get from Havana to other parts of Cuba — like Viñales, Varadero, Trinidad, or Santa Clara — in our Cuba travel tips article.

Hop-on/Hop-off Buses in Havana

A great alternative for sightseeing in Havana is the hop-on/hop-off service run by Habana Bus Tour. They stop at the most important attractions across the city. You can buy a day ticket with a credit card directly from the bus driver.

You can board at the major hotels in Havana or at a central spot like in front of the theater at Plaza Central.