Destination

Havana

Discover the best hotels in Havana

Looking for hotels in Havana for your next Caribbean vacation? Without a doubt, this destination is an unbeatable choice. There are many attractions that await in the streets of the Cuban capital: excellent examples of colonial architecture, open and hospitable people, the authenticity of the Creole cuisine and the proximity of dreamy beaches. Who could resist?

Located on the north coast of Cuba, this town is home to the country's main port. Revolutionary, with colonial spirit and dominated by a pleasant tropical climate, Havana is one of the most amazing cities in America.

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Make your stay even more special

Book your room and add access to the exclusive Elite Sky Level at Iberostar Selection La Habana or Capitol Level at Iberostar Selection Parque Central. Enjoy reserved areas with unique views, a peaceful atmosphere, and select amenities — without needing to book a superior room category.

 

Check the offer terms below *

* Offer terms

- The offer grants access to the Capitol Level and Elite Sky Level areas when booking a standard room only at www.ibercuba.com or directly at the hotel reception.

- Includes use of the hotel’s exclusive areas, breakfast at a private restaurant, daytime snacks, and preferential access to certain facilities.

- Bar drinks are not included.

- The service has an additional daily cost per person.

- Full details will be shown during the booking process.

What to see in Havana?

One of the great attractions of this city is Old Havana (Habana Vieja), its old town. Woven by a labyrinth of delightful alleys, this neighbourhood was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. One of its most important corners is Plaza de Armas, headquarters of the Governor’s Palace (Palacio de los Capitanes Generales) and the Morro Castle. In addition to monuments that leave the newcomer speechless, you will also find handicraft markets.

Do not miss the unforgettable Malecón, a unique promenade with a soundtrack played by street musicians. In any case, the truth is that any space in Havana is perfect to enjoy Caribbean beats. You can also visit the many salsa or jazz clubs, where you can delight yourself with the best music while sipping on a glass of rum, a daiquiri or a mojito.

Visit the neighborhood of Havana Centro too, with its iconic Paseo del Prado dominated by the unmistakable silhouette of the National Capitol of Havana (1929). The same could be said about Revolution Square (Plaza de la Revolución), where there is a second-hand book market.

Another place that deserves your attention is the neighborhood of El Vedado, created in the 19th century and with landmarks such as the Christopher Columbus Cemetery and the famous Rampa (or 23rd street), which is the center of Havana’s nightlife. Right next to it is Playa-Miramar, a residential area dotted with mansions and estates. There are also marinas and the exclusive Fifth Avenue.

It is also convenient to mention the beaches of the East, where you will find the most famous seafood restaurants in Cuba, Las Terrazas, which feature in two novels by Ernest Hemingway.

a boat sitting on top of a sandy beach next to the ocean

What to do in Havana?

If you are passionate about cultural tourism, get ready to fully enjoy your trip to Havana. There you will find buildings with centuries of history, as well as a first-class museum offer. Surrender to the Museum of the City, in the Governor’s Palace, and to the National Museum of Fine Arts. Inaugurated in 1918 in the heart of the Cuban capital, this institution exhibits important samples of Cuban, Ibero-American and international art.

An ideal option to visit Old Havana is to ride on a horse-drawn carriage, on a route that starts right in front of the Capitol. Another great idea is to rent an almendrón, the traditional vehicles of American origin that managed to survive the Revolution.

Would you like to treat yourself to a special evening? If so, be sure to discover the Gran Teatro de La Habana, home to the National Ballet of Cuba and a few steps from the Capitol, and the famous restaurant La Floridita. Another reference of the Antillean scenic arts is the Amadeo Roldán Theater, where you can attend dance or music shows, played by the National Orchestra of Cuba.

If you're tempted to go shopping in Havana, there's nothing better than taking a walk down Empedrado Street. Do not hesitate to wander around its bustling craft stalls. This same artery also accommodates another of the great claims of Havana: La Bodeguita del Medio, an establishment where you can savour the aroma of an authentic Havana cigar.

Of course, we could not forget the pleasures offered by Cuban cuisine. All those who wish to taste typical local dishes, such as ropa vieja or fried beef, should book a table in the best restaurants in Havana. One of them is Casa Miglis, whose stoves are dedicated to Swedish-Cuban gastronomy.

We could not forget to mention the beaches of Havana, that go from the Malecón to the sandy beaches of the East. All of them are ideal to sunbathe, swim or contemplate the most beautiful sunsets in Cuba. Among the most beautiful beaches of Cuba and its surroundings, it is worth mentioning Guanabo, Santa María del Mar, Mar Azul and Jibacoa, a natural sandy area that unfolds in a calm and peaceful bay, halfway between Havana and Varadero. And that's not all: it is also an ideal setting for diving in Cuba, exploring the secrets of a beautiful barrier reef.

a person standing in front of a building talking on a cell phone

The city

Havana is one of those cities that make you travel back in time. It has a peculiar rhythm leading to a different world, deeply-rooted in tradition and an eventful history. Its streets are filled with the most genuine Cuban spirit – the soul of the Revolution and the colonial heritage. The capital city of Cuba is also the country’s largest port. Its districts, very different from one another, feature a few essential sights. Havana is a city you will never forget.

Main areas of interest in Havana

  •  La Habana Vieja: The Old Town is the beating heart of Havana and an open-air museum of Cuban history. Here you can soak up the most genuine Cuban spirit. Designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1982, it features most of Havana’s sights. One of the most popular tourist districts in the city, it offers leisure and entertainment options in a relax atmosphere.
  •  Centro Habana: Downtown Havana, around the Old Town, marks the transition to more modern districts. With big avenues like the iconic Paseo del Prado and impressive buildings, Centro Habana offers all kinds of services, bars and nightclubs with great ambience at weekends.
  •  El Vedado: The Vedado district emerged in the nineteenth century. With popular sights like Colón Cemetery, it is Havana’s financial and administrative district. In El Vedado you can see avenues, parks and gardens and stately homes. For evening fun go to Calle 23, locally known as ‘La Rampa’.
  •  Miramar: Next to El Vedado there is one of the largest residential districts in Havana, emerging from the concentration of mansions and palaces owned by the most affluent Cuban families in the 1960s. The coastline is peppered with yacht clubs and marinas, while farther away from the coast there are avenues like Quinta Avenida where you can find all kinds of luxury stores.
  •  Cojímar and La Habana del Este: The eastern district of Havana has humbler, farming origins, being as it is an area of fertile lands. Here you will find one of the most famous fish and seafood restaurants in Cuba: Las Terrazas. Hemingway wrote about it in The Old Man and the Sea. In the direction of Varadero there lie the beaches most Habaneros go to.
a person riding a skateboard down a street in front of a building

Havana Culture

The popular events, feasts and festivals held in Havana embody the perfect mix of traditional and modern Cuba. Religion, popular wisdom, institutional history, recreation and games, and all kinds of world-class cultural activities make a packed calendar that is active all year round. In sum, Havana is a city where there is always something happening. Being part of some of these celebrations is like getting a slice of Cuban culture.

Major events in Havana

  •  December/January – El Cañoñazo de las Nueve in El Morro: Every day at 9pm, the old castle of El Morro, in the heart of Havana, a cannon is fired to remember the time when the city’s fort was closed in colonial times. Today, visitors find the ceremony amazing.
  •  1 January – Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution: Every year on New Year’s Day, Havana celebrates the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. All the activities taking place in town on this day are centred on this major event in Cuban history.
  •  February – International Book Fair: In February, La Cabaña fort in Havana turns into a huge open-air bookstore. Every year, the Havana Book Fair pays tribute to a Cuban writer and a guest country. In March, the fair moves to other Cuban provinces.
  •  April – La Habana Vieja International Festival: A Moving City: In April, all sorts of artistic expressions seize the streets of Old Havana. The result is a noisy and creative atmosphere that wraps everyone in. There are street performances, classical and modern dance shows, arts and crafts markets, street parades, square concerts… This event is part of the Dancing Cities International Network.
  •  1 May – Workers’ Day: On 1 May, the crowds fill Plaza de la Revolución for a deeply-rooted celebration, held since Fidel Castro came to power. A few years ago, the main activity used to be the speech delivered by Castro to his numerous, loving audience.
  •  June – Santa Blues Festival: This young festival, first held in 2005, is targeted at blues lovers. There are concerts in several venues on Thursday, Friday and Saturday throughout June. The festival draws international artists.
  •  July – Havana Carnival: Carnival is the most important feast in Cuba. Laughing Habaneros dressed in colourful costumes dance and parade down the streets until dawn. The capital is transmogrified. On the whole, the show is amazing.
  •  16 July – Feast of Our Lady of El Carmen: Cojímar, a village 7km away from Centro Habana, pays tribute to its Patroness in style. The religious feast is on the same day as the anniversary of the foundation of the village. There is dancing, traditional food and tons of joy.
  •  September – Havana International Theatre Biennale: Cuba is passionate about the theatre, among many other things. Every two years, in September, Havana gets ready for a big theatre festival, drawing troupes from all over the world to perform at several of the city’s halls and venues.
  •  October/November – Havana International Ballet Festival: The Grand Theatre plays host to this big dance festival, which has been held for half a century now. The Havana International Ballet Festival shows the world the virtuosity and potential of classical dance in Cuba.
  •  December – International Festival of New Latin American Cinema: One of the most important cultural events held in Havana, this festival fills the city with references to films for ten days. The selected films are screened in different venues in town.
  •  Late December – International Jazz Plaza Festival: Considered as one of the world’s most prestigious jazz festivals, this event draws lots of international jazz musicians and fans to Havana. There are concerts by artists who have made significant contributions to this music style.

Have not you booked your hotel in Havana yet?

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Experiences

Havana is an experience in its own right. A city full of plans and proposals in which passion and fun will become the best memories of your stay. Just walk around La Habana Vieja or mingle with everybody else at the Malecón to discover new sensations, meet great people and learn fabulous stories to fill your suitcase with. To enjoy the real Havana, just get carried away.

  • Puffing a cigar in La Bodeguita del Medio: A must-see for all visitors to Cuba, La Bodeguita del Medio, on Empedrado Street, in the heart of La Habana Vieja, is the place to have traditional dishes, cigars and mojitos. The atmosphere is so special and charming here, even despite its swarming with tourists these days. The bar is now a sort of museum, showing memorabilia of all the famous characters that have sat at its tables.
  • Shopping in Empedrado Street: Close to the Arts and Crafts hall and the iconic Avenida del Puerto, Empedrado Street delivers one of the most genuine Havana experiences. Just get lost among the stalls of the open-air arts and crafts market and be ready to find surprising traditional objects from this land where culture and art have a prominent role. 
  • Going to the theatre in El Vedado: Choose one of the many plays on show and spend an evening at the Amadeo Roldán, one of the finest theatres in Havana. From dance performances to drama classics to concerts by the Cuban National Orchestra, there is a lot to choose from. The Amadeo Roldán Theatre first opened in 1922 and was renovated to reopen in 1999.
  • Trying Cuban fusion cuisine: In Centro Habana, next to the Parque Central and a pebble’s throw from the Malecón, there is a high concentration of bars and restaurants serving all kinds of food: from traditional Cuban dishes to fusion gourmet specialties. If you are in for something new, try Casa Miglis and be ready for surprising top-notch Swedish-Cuban flavours.
  • Listening to jazz and salsa: Cuban bars with live music afford magical experiences. You can listen to jazz, salsa or cumbia as you sip your glass of rum or dance in the lively atmosphere that is usually associated with Cuban traditions. If you like music, and jazz in particular, this is an experience you should not miss.
  • Taking a horse-drawn carriage in La Habana Vieja: To look at Old Havana from a different perspective, try a horse-drawn carriage in front of the Capitolio. It is the ideal means of transport for a bird’s-eye view of the heart of town and an unforgettable experience as well.
  • Having a daiquiri at the Floridita: You cannot leave Cuba without a reference to Ernest Hemingway, one of the best guides around La Habana Vieja and a connoisseur of local specialties – both foods and drinks. One of Ernest’s favourites was El Floridita, where he would recommend a daiquiri. The bar is very near the Gran Teatro, and the atmosphere there invites everyone to enjoy themselves.
  • Spending the night on Calle 23: Calle 23, aka as ‘La Rampa’, is the liveliest street in Havana by night. Located in the Vedado district, it draws hundreds of youngsters and couples at weekends, who come to a bar for an early drink and then go dancing in one of the many discos available.
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Beaches

The beaches in Havana are scattered all along the coastline, from the city beach below the Malecón to the beautiful local sands in La Habana del Este. The city beaches in Havana are places where you can dance and watch the sun go down. For a relaxing day in the sun, you should head eastwards, towards Varadero.

Main beaches in Havana:

  •  Guanabo beach: One of the most beautiful beaches in La Habana del Este, 27km from the centre of town, Guanabo offers white sand, clean, calm waters and a lively atmosphere. There are all kinds of dining and entertainment services on offer too, which makes it an ideal beach for a day in the sun.
  •  Santa María del Mar beach: The local beach in Havana, Santa María del Mar is a 10km-long beach with white sand, calm waters and a moderate swell. A little bit more than a 30-minute drive from the city centre, it offers the most genuine flavours of Cuban beaches, for it is highly popular with locals, bringing along their colours, their laughter and their Cuban son.
  •  Mar Azul beach: Mar Azul is another great beach for local colour: salsa, rum and Habaneros ready to soak up the sun or retreat into their bright tents or under the sheltering coconut trees. It is a comfortable fine-white-sand beach, whose calm and lukewarm water invites visitors to take a splash.
  •  Jibacoa beach: Jibacoa is a fine example of Cuban beach beauty: natural sand facing a quiet bay, far from the madding crowd of city beaches, halfway down between Havana and Varadero. The perfect mix of relaxation and sun, it also draws diving enthusiasts due to its spectacular coral reef.
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Actividades en La Habana

Havana boasts one of the world’s most interesting cultural heritages. Most activities combine into a single cultural tour. There are so many historical sights and art centres (painting, archaeology, theatre, ballet…) that it is really difficult to decide what to see in Havana. The Capitol Building, the Grand Theatre, the Malecón… A thousand sights of interest for a thousand unforgettable memories.

  •  Capitol Building: An iconic building in the Cuban capital, raised in 1929, the Capitolio draws inspiration from the US Capitol in Washington. It marks kilometre zero of the Cuban road network. Today, this building houses the Cuban Academy of Sciences, which is open to the public.
  • Plaza de Armas: One of the most interesting sites in Havana, the Plaza de Armas is home to the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, the Castillo del Real Fuerte and the Templete. It is the oldest square in the city, dating back to 1519. Some of its buildings are Baroque gems. There are also marble sculptures and the first important fort ever built in Cuba.
  •  Avenida del Puerto: This elegant avenue runs along the bay, from La Lonja all the way to La Punta. It affords amazing views of the city’s buildings and forts (for instance, La Cabaña), and of the famous sculpture of Christ of Havana.
  •  Havana City Museum: Housed in a building with a high historical value, the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales on Plaza de Armas is one of the largest museums in Havana. It covers the history of the Cuban capital and features a beautiful courtyard and garden.
  •  National Museum of Fine Arts: Opened in 1918 in the centre of Havana, the Museum of Fine Arts is housed in two fine buildings, the Palace of Fine Arts and the Palace of the Asturias Centre. The complex also includes a theatre. The permanent collection comprises fine tokens of Cuban and international art – in particular, one of the greatest selections of Latin American artworks.
  •  Gran Teatro de La Habana: The venue of the Cuban National Ballet, the beautiful Grand Theatre, a few steps away from the Capitol Building and the world-famous the Floridita bar. Located on the west side of the Parque Central, this temple of Cuban performing arts is a Renaissance building with Baroque ornaments seating 1,500 people.
  •  Malecón: A symbol of the city’s eventful history and passionate character, and a major tourist attraction, the Malecón captures the Cuban essence and modernity, the influence of newcomers and the flavours of local products: rum, music, arts and crafts, sand and sun… Esplanade, roadway and seawall, the Malecón is a unique place in the world.
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