Visiting Havana is like going through a time machine. You see American vintage cars rolling through the streets like you are still in the 1950s. You encounter Lada cars pushing through the traffic as if you are still in the Soviet era. There are almost no skyscrapers nor commercial billboards. You’ll see the beauty of decaying buildings being used for anything except what they were built for. Havana is unique.

Must Experience

• A drive through the modern part of Havana in a classic vintage car with open roof. You’ll see city landmarks like the Malecon, Miramar area and Revolution Square.
• Walk and get lost in the pedestrian zone of Colonial Havana. Marvel at the centuries old buildings and observe the people going about their daily life.
• Try a salsa dance lesson with enthusiastic local teachers on a colonial patio.
• Visit a cigar factory where cigars are rolled entirely by hand. Try a pairing session of a Havana cigar, with a Cuban coffee and rum.
• Prepare and drink one of the many Cuban cocktails like a Mojito, Cuba Libre or Ron Collins, or try a quality-aged rum on ice.

Must Eat

• Bodeguita del Medio is the landmark restaurant where the mojito was invented. Here you can try the typical Cuban food of rice, beans, roasted pork and fried bananas or sweet potatoes. There is always a band playing traditional Cuban music.
• Paladars is another name for a private restaurant. Many are really top places with creative chefs mixing authentic Cuban food and ingredients with international influences.

Best Nightlife

• Traditional Cuban music, known as Buenavista Social Club, is played in many bars and restaurants of Old Havana. In some places like Rosalia de Castro or Guajirito, there are live shows every evening, with dancers and people having lots of fun with the inspiring music.
• Fabrica de Arte Cubano is a cultural institution that only opens at night from Thursday till Sundays. In an old factory hall, artistic performances and exhibitions attract the local crowds. It is a unique venue considered by TIME magazine as one of the world’s Top 100 greatest places.

Best time to visit: High season is roughly from December to March as the weather is mild and dry. The rest of the year there is more humidity, higher temperatures and a risk of hurricanes from July to October. Visitors come year round however, as rains are mostly in the afternoon and the sun doesn’t get too hot.

Top Tip: Combine a stay in Havana with a few days at the nearby beaches of Varadero. Or venture into the interior of the country and visit the colonial city of Trinidad or the tobacco growing area of Viñales.

Our recommended DMC: Cuba for Travel has an office in Havana. Their team, led by Johan Dorssemont, has a deep knowledge of the destination and all the necessary contacts to design a creative trip anywhere in Cuba.