Havana is a city like no other! You’ve all seen the classic cars in your Instagram feeds but there is SO much more to this vibrant city. We put together a list of our favorite, off the beaten path spots to check out while visiting the beautiful “La Habana”.
Photo by Christina Cherry
1. Callejon de Hamel- a two block alley filled with beautiful Afro-Cuban art, mosaics and music, this small artistic oasis is an amazing site to behold with so much culture.
2. Taller Experimental de Grafica- down a little, easy to miss alley in the Cathedral Square you’ll find an almost hidden artist co-op, where you can visit some amazing Cuban artists as they work. You can even buy a fresh painting or print to bring home to all your bffs.
3. Cementerio Colon- with over 500 major mausoleums, chapels and family vaults with styles ranging from renaissance to neoclassical to art deco, this cemetery can have you lost and amazed at the beauty of times long past.
4. Fusterlandia- A Cuban mosaic artist revived his impoverished neighborhood by turning his and neighbor’s houses into a dreamy folk work of art. Don’t forget your cameras for this one!
5. Los Jardines de la Tropical- Once built for the well-to-do of Cuba, this long abandoned Spanish inspired villa and grounds are now home to rock concerts and parties. Party on!
6. Finca Vigia- protected from the hustle and bustle of Havana, Hemingway’s small, perfectly preserved Cuban home shows exactly how it would have looked as he was writing the Old Man and the Sea. This is a must for interior design lovers.
Photo by Afar
7. Bacardi Building- this pre-revolution Art Deco masterpiece was abandoned when the Bacardi family fled. It is now home to office buildings and, once it’s reopened a rooftop with a view that’s spectacular!
8. Habana 1791- located just blocks away from the beautiful Plaza Vieja, this vintage perfume shop/museum is an amazing little shop where you can mix and blend your own fragrances to take home to a loved one.
9. Copelia- this UFO shaped, Cuban modernist building is home to one of the largest ice cream parlors in the world.
10. Yellow Submarine- a bar in the Vedado neighborhood that is purely devoted to, you guessed it, The Beatles! After being banned in Cuba for years, The Beatles developed a super devoted fan base and they opened a bar to celebrate them.
This is just a peek of what we have up our sleeves! For more information on our trips to Cuba, visit www.coasttocosta.com/Cuba for our 7 day trips or www.coasttocosta.com/cubanita for our 5 day trips. Have a question? We’re only an email or phone call away! We hope we can show you around sometime!
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