Habana Vieja (Old Havana) harbors the port - with more and more cruise ships -, the capital's main train station, half of the city's museums, 25 public places, parks and squares, twelve churches and twice as many hotels, all in buildings totally refurbished since 2002. There are 3,500 buildings housing some 22,000 homes (casas and apartments) lodging some 70,000 Habaneros over 214 hectares : 300 buildings have been rejuvenated starting in 1982 by the office of the Historiador, Eusebio Leal and his team — is a UNESCO World Heritage site brought back in time by a quarter century of monk-like hard work. The biggest difference with the past is that many streets are for pedestrians only. When town authorities elsewhere on the island saw the success of the walking streets in the old town, they soon adopted the same locally so that in less than 5 years, all of Cuba's large towns have a pedestrian street or, as Cubans call them, a bulevar. It has given old Havana a newly-found youth, all the while respecting citizens living there before : they were put up in temporary quarters while their apartments were refurbished. Today, the lively creative spirit of its heyday when it was known as the largest colonial architecture ensemble of the Americas is back. HONK, HONK, COUGH, COUGH ! The past years have been remembered as an epoch of great dust and noisy traffic as major renovations were ongoing on the Capitolio, the old shopping mall Manzana de Gomez facing Parque Central (now a Kempinski-run 246-room luxury hotel), the main bayside street avenida del Puerto, the Practicos del Pueblo (old firemens hq), the Plazuela de Paula promenade — all of which have come on the heels of the newly-opened Almacenes de San Jose and its neighbouring market & brewery, Madera y Tabaco.

Habana Vieja divided in 6 zones

Complete Map here •••• Each zone below :

1 • Canal de Entrada

2 • Plazas : de Armas, Catedral, San Francisco

3 • Plaza Vieja

4 • Plazuela de Paula

5 • El Capitolio

6 • Parque Central

• Huge and detailed Habana Vieja map here

• What's on in Old Havana — Opus Habana here

• Visit these cultural icons in Vieja

• And lots more Museums or Museos : some 80

• Compare regular Hotel Rates with casa rates

• Habana Bus Tour ride maybe ? Check this

• Get outta' here — Visit Parque Lenin

• Rising and downward tides - La Habana

English-speaking Habana Vieja guide Martha Perez (7) 861-6284 : 25cuc for two, half-day. e-mail marthica1121 @yahoo.es Recommended by Elisa Surini of London UK.

EVENINGS Wander from plaza to plaza or look in the many new hotels, most small and charming, which are all animated at sunset. Also : Café de Paris, live music, 11h-23h, where most hustlers gather. Calle San Ignacio 202, corner Obispo; Casa de la Cultura-Vieja, shows every evening (except Monday) at 20h. Themes : bolero, son, afro, reggae. Calle Aguilar 509, e/Amarguara y Brasil; Edificio Bacardi, with a mezzanine over its magnificent hall. Walk up to the intimate bar, rather chic. Ask to go to the roof and feast your ojos. Calle Monserrate, e/Progreso y Empedrado.

BARS & CLUBS POR LA NOCHE* Bosque Bologna at 460 Obispo, one of the best night spots, according to web site The Culture Trip - Others include Café Paris at San Ignacio 22, La Bodeguita del Medio on Empedrado, Bar Monserrate corner of Obrapia, El Patio on the Plaza de la Catedral, Café Taberna on Mercaderes, Santo Angel on Teniente Rey and their favorite, La Dichosa on Compostela - the loudest place in Old Havana. Obviously, the writer never tried to sleep in Old Havana, ah ? Remember : it gets dark between 6 and 6:30 pm, from December to March in Cuba

Corner (esquina) Cuarteles, Habana and Espada, the pedestrian lane with tables of restaurant Trattoria 5 esquinas © jwhitehouse, tripad visor

Located on Plaza Vieja, thanks to a collaborative project with the government of Japan and the Ministry of Science, the Planetario de la Habana Vieja has recently reopened in time to mark its 15th anniversary © Fernando Medina Fernandez, Cubahora

Comments (go on, make our dia) webmaster @cubacasas.net

Mercaderes, corner O'Reilly © sogestour •|• La Vieja y su sonrisa © sogestour

Corner of Acosta y Compostela © sogestour •|• Real Fabrica de Tabacos, Cuba's most visited cigar factory © sogestour

La ville en rose © sogestour •|• Before the flamenco © sogestour

Largest arts & crafts market in the Caribbean Almacenes de San Jose — covers 100,000 sq ft (9,500 sq m) in a refurbished port hangar, including bars and the lot. Next door, the Woodworks & Cigar (Madera y Tabaco) Exhibition Hall © sogestour •|• Jardin Diana de Gales - Park named after Diana Princess of Wales © sogestour

DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR BILL "Almost every restaurant and bar of Vieja we were in, the bills were tampered with by something like 20% : either bad math or prices different from the menu or a charge not mentioned on the menu". source stefan-loose, july 2015

Feel like a full-day walk starting from Parque Central ? Part in Centro and the rest in Vieja. All 35 stops are described in Ingles, just click to download it. © angel perez & antonio cuan, recorridos por la habana

Alameda de Paula : it took years to restore this walkway along the bay. It leads to and from Almacenes San José, a huge Arts & Crafts indoor market with cafés, music, wifi, what nots and "stuff", as George (Bless His Soul) Carlin used to say. It is right by the Madera y Tabaco exhibition hall and café © Alvarez, Tocororo Travel

Monster on starboard ! Yet another cruise ship (crucero) is entering the bay and dumping a coupla thousand souvenir seekers © Ismael Francisco Cubadebate

El Templete - the exact place where the city was founded, literally and municipally by a conquistador named Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar on August 25, 1515 © travelswithmoose

NOW, THERE'S AN ITINERARY!
Feel the old town in and around its numerous public places, parks, squares and gardens.
Here's a list :
::: Paseo del Prado ::: (Prado e/Neptuno y Malecón),
::: Parque Carlos J. Finlay ::: (Cuba y Amargura),
::: Plaza de Armas ::: (Tacón e/ Obispo y O'Reilly),
::: Plaza de San Francisco ::: (Oficios y Amargura),
::: Parque Rumiñahui ::: (Mercaderes y Lamparilla),
::: Parque de La India ::: (Avenida de Prado y Monte),
::: Plaza de la Catedral ::: (Empedrado y San Ignacio),
::: Plaza Vieja ::: (San Ignacio e/ Teniente Rey y Muralla),
::: Parque Arqueológico ::: (Tacón e/ Empedrado y Tejadillo),
::: Parque Alejandro de Humboldt ::: (Oficios esq. a Muralla),
::: Parque Luz y Caballero ::: (Tacón e/ Empedrado y Tejadillo),
::: Plaza del Cristo ::: (Villegas, Teniente Rey, Bernaza y Lamparilla),
::: Parque de la Fraternidad ::: (Avenida de Prado e/ Reina y Dragones),
::: Parque San Juan de Dios ::: (Cuba y Mercaderes, e/Empedrado y O'Reilly),
::: Jardín ecológico Hans Christian Andersen ::: (Mercaderes e/Empedrado y O’Reilly),
::: Jardín Madre Teresa de Calcutta ::: (del Puerto, Plaza de San Francisco de Asís),
::: Parque Memorial Hasekura Tsunenaga ::: (del Puerto e/Cuba y Peña Pobre),
::: Alameda de Paula ::: (San Pedro e/Leonor Perez (Paula) y San Isidro),
::: Parque Aracelio Iglesias ::: (Oficios, Luz, Acosta y Alameda de Paula)
::: Jardín Las Carolinas ::: (Amargura e/ Mercaderes y San Ignacio),
::: Jardín Diana de Gales ::: (Baratillo e/Carpinetti y Obra Pía),
::: Parque Central ::: (Ave. Prado, Neptuno y Zulueta),
::: Jardín Aldama ::: (Amistad e/ Reina y Estrella),
::: Parque de los Mártires ::: (Zulueta y Prado),
::: Parque Calderón ::: (Oficios y Sol),

FAVE FOOD FARES ••• Torre La Vega — Best for breakfasts or a "fast-full" lunch; Obrapia 114, e/Mercaderes y Oficios ••• El Mercurio — Plaza San Francisco, at the foot of Lonja del Comercio (unofficial chamber of commerce), this terraza is ideal for lunch : a fat sandwich (a tartar or a langosta for your escort) and careful attention to hushed dialogs of neighbours ... ••• La Moneda Cubana — In this paladar (private restaurant), one finds simplicity in culinary form : chicken, fish and pork surrounded by graffitis and visiting cards; San Ignacio 77 corner Brasil (Teniente Rey) ••• Santo Angel — On a patio overlooking Plaza Vieja, the "new Cuban cuisine" is dear but original and tasty; corner San Ignacio and Brasil (7) 861-1626 ••• La Dominica — Its facade opens onto the refurbished surface aqueduct on Mercaderes. Outside or in, we treated our taste buds to pastas and pizzas; moderately expensive; Calle O’Reilly 108, corner Mercaderes (7) 860-2918 ••• Puerto de Sagua — Affordable seafare, true habaneros; Belgica 603 ••• Al Medina — Couscous, tagine and vegetarian meals in a tasteful patio; Oficios 12, e/Obrapia et Obispo ••• Café del Oriente — Homard thermidor, smoked salmon, foie gras, "sturgeon eggs" : even platinum cards won't impress the waiters, who are dressed in smoking; Plaza San Francisco de Asis, calle Oficios 112 ••• El Patio — For the last moments of another great Vieja evening, bring the love of your life (or the temp passion ; ) here for an ultimo mojito; Plaza de la Catedral ••• Las Clavellinas — Good and affordable for 6 CUC; Compostela 554, e Sol y Muralla. ••• Tipping tips here					Lady in red (waiting for pizza delivery? ;- ) © sogestour ::: 20 PRIVATE RESTAURANTS (PALADARES) IN VIEIJA HERE
« Best documentary about La Habana », dixit Marcos el webmaestro.
Plaza Vieja, restored after 20 years of meticulous workmanship by trabajadores of the Office of the Historiador © jesusromerop, panoramio
Finding the families is a project to locate kids and athletes whose picture was taken by Jon Lee in 1979. See anyone you know? Facebook page here.					BAR NONE ••• Taberna de la Muralla — Where you can savour homemade brew marveling at the Plaza Vieja (above), the masterpiece of Eusebio Leal and his faithful crew; San Ignacio, corner Muralla ••• La Bodeguita del Medio — If you did not — at least — pass by here, you did not see touristy Havana and hear some of the legends about Hemingway; Empedrado 207 ••• Café Paris — Open 24 hours, sometimes loud, full of singing clients and "frens"; Obispo 202 ••• La Marina — Quiet, shaded patio, cool atmosphere; Oficios, corner Brasil ••• Dos Hermanos — We like this no frills, historical drinking spot. In the 30's, Federico Garcia Loca did too; San Pedro 304 ••• La Floridita — Like the Bodeguita, a must for first-timers : where the daiquiri was invented and where Papa got drunk. Again ; ); Obispo 557 ••• La Lluvia de Oro — This "rain of gold" is a true pick-up place for singles and swingers, 'nuf said; Obispo 316

PLAZA VIEJA
Six ac br's, one on roof + Convent run by nuns
Calle Brazil (Teniente Rey) 115+118 and calle Oficios 204, upstairs, e/ Cuba y San Ignacio y Muralla, all within steps of Plaza Vieja in Zone 3
 

Chez Nous

Chez Nous Art Déco

Convento Santa Brigida

CALLE CUBA
4-apart block w/12 br's + convent w/dorm & br's
Calle Cuba 611, apts. # 1, 2, 4, 5 and roof, e/ Luz y Santa Clara, facing Convento Santa Clara, two blocks from Plaza Vieja in Zone 3
 

		Calle Cuba	Olga	Noemis
		Manolo	Casa Cuba	Convento Santa Clara

 

	The # 1 Reason (of Heidi's 300) to Love Havana
Plaza del Cristo Known as Mercado de las Lavanderas (marketplace of the washerwomen) in the mid-nineteenth century, the old black women who were exploited by the bourgeois spoke their own dialect known as Nacion. From 1899, its church - Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje - was run by the order of the Augustinians (Hermits of Saint Augustine or Austin Friars) of the United States, a Catholic religious order kicked out by Fidel in 1961. The square served as a fruit and vegetable market in the early mornings and was bordered by the old Bishop's House (Obispado) that was once the Episcopal Palace, the René Fraga Moreno primary school and the monument (above) dedicated to the Cuban romantic poet Gabriel de la Concepcion Valdés, aka Plácido the most published author in Cuba in the 19th century and the son of a Spanish dancer and a Cuban black barber. It was on this plaza that Graham Greene located James Wormold's house and vacuum cleaner shop in Our Man in Havana. Sources : wikipedia + rutacuba - Analay Medero Alvarez

PLAZA DEL CRISTO
Upstairs, 4 casas, 19 ac bedrooms, ensuites
Calles : Villegas 443, Teniente Rey (Brasil) 361, Monserrate 483, Amargura 255 on and around the park named the Christ of the Nice Trip in Zone 5.

The Plaza		Auberge Raquel calle Villegas	Lourdes 1913 calle Brasil
		Hostal Coabana calle Monserrate	Luis Batista calle Amargura

CALLE CRISTO
Upstairs, four casas, 10 ac br's, ensuites
Calle Cristo 12, 14, 16, e/ Brasil (Teniente Rey) y Muralla, steps from Plaza del Cristo del Buen Viaje (the Christ of the Nice Trip) in Zone 5

 

Calle Cristo		Betty - 12	Juanita -14
		Saul - 16	Colonial - 16

CASA MAURA
Upstairs, three ac br's, ensuites
Calle Refugio 104, e/ Morro y Prado, 100 m from Museo de la Revolución in Zone 1 Tel (7) 864-3923 whatsapp +5353321417
 

APARTAMENTOS O'REILLY
Upstairs, three one-br aparts w/kitchenette
Calle O'Reilly 505 (apart. 32 for check-in), e/ Bernanza y Villegas, near Floridita in Zone 6 Tel. (7) 867-1497, cel 52 68 66 48
 

Apto 22

Apto 23

Apto 33

CALLE HABANA, #209 to #906
Upstairs, 12 bedrooms + one apart, ensuites
Calle Habana, #209 (Casa Dalia), #211 (Yalina y Gustavo), 556 (Calle Habana) and 906 (Villa Paraiso), e/ Empedrado y Merced, from Museo de la Revolución to Casa natal José Marti in zones 1, 2 and 4.
 

Yalina y Gustavo

Casa Dalia

Calle Habana

Villa Paraiso

CAPITOLIO & FLORIDITA
Upstairs, 7 aircon bedrooms, ensuites
Calles Obrapia 460 (Dania), Muralla 455 (Marly), Amargura 360 (Las Bicicletas) and Obispo 518 (Javi y Gio), e/ Villegas, Aguacate and Bernanza, 5 mins from the Capitolio, Parque Central and Floridita in Zone 5.
 

		Dania on Obrapia	Marly on Muralla
		Las Bicicletas on Amargura	Javi y Gio on Obispo

BACKPACKING ON DAMAS V
Three dorms, 12 bunks, 8-10cuc, shared baths
Calle Damas n° 858 altos (upstairs), e/ Merced y Paula Leonor Perez and n° 709 altos (upstairs), e/ Luz y Acosta, near the main train station and Artesanos market in Zone 4 .
 

Ilé Aché Damas 858

Hostel Mango Damas 709

	Obrapia	Luz 115
	Pablo y Lidia	Apto Lamparilla

Pablo y Norma

Marta

Barbara

Real Habana

244 km / 151 miles

10 km / 6 mi.

25 km / 15 mi.

102 km / 63 mi.

65 km / 40 mi.

335 km / 208 mi.

140 km / 87 mi.