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Things to Do in Havana (2026)
Start your Havana journey along the iconic Malecón, a 8-kilometer seawall promenade that comes alive at sunset. Locals fish, chat, and play music here, making it the perfect sp… 🏛️ Walk the Malecón
Start your Havana journey along the iconic Malecón, a 8-kilometer seawall promenade that comes alive at sunset. Locals fish, chat, and play music here, making it the perfect spot for people-watching. It's free and accessible 24/7, but bring water and sunscreen during the day.
🚗 Ride in a Classic Car
No trip to Havana is complete without a ride in a vintage American car from the 1950s. Book a 1-hour tour through your hotel or negotiate directly with drivers near the Capitolio. Expect to pay around 30-40 CUC per hour (cash only). Haggle politely for the best price.
🎨 Explore Old Havana
Wander the cobblestone streets of Habana Vieja, a UNESCO World Heritage site with colorful colonial buildings. Don't miss the Plaza de la Catedral and the Museo de la Revolución at Refugio 1. Entry to the museum is 8 CUC, and it's open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
🍹 Sip a Mojito at La Bodeguita
Visit the legendary La Bodeguita del Medio at Calle Empedrado 207, where Hemingway famously drank mojitos. The bar is tiny and often crowded, so go early (opens 11 AM). A mojito costs about 5 CUC, and the walls are covered in graffiti from decades of visitors.
🎵 Catch Live Music at Casa de la Música
For an authentic Cuban night out, head to Casa de la Música in Miramar (Calle 20 esq. 35) or the one in Centro Habana (Galerías Paseo). Cover charge is around 10-15 CUC, and live salsa bands start around 10 PM. Dress smart-casual and expect a lively crowd.
🏖️ Relax at Playas del Este
Escape the city heat at Playas del Este, a string of beaches just 20 minutes east of Havana by taxi (about 25 CUC one way). Santa María del Mar is the most popular, with soft sand and clear water. Bring your own towel and snacks, as beachside restaurants can be pricey.
🚌 Take a Hop-On Hop-Off Bus
The Habana Bus Tour is a convenient way to see major sights, with two routes covering Vedado, Miramar, and Old Havana. A day pass costs 5 CUC and you can hop on and off at designated stops. Buses run every 30 minutes from 9 AM to 7 PM.
🍴 Dine at a Paladar
Experience Cuba's private restaurant scene at a paladar like La Guarida at Calle Concordia 418. These family-run spots offer creative cuisine in charming settings. Reservations are recommended for dinner, and expect to pay 15-25 CUC per person for a full meal with drinks.
Good list, hits the main spots. I'd swap the hop-on hop-off bus for just walking or taking a coco taxi, those three-wheeled yellow things you see everywhere. A short ride between plazas in Old Havana costs about 5 CUC and it's way more fun than a bus, plus you can flag them down anywhere.
For the Malecón, go around 6 PM on a Sunday. That's when the local families come out with their kids and homemade snacks, and you'll see domino games and sometimes impromptu rumba circles near the Hotel Nacional stretch. It's a different vibe than the touristy sunset crowds during the week.
Nice list, covers the essentials. One thing I'd add is to make time for the Fábrica de Arte Cubano in Vedado, it's a former cooking oil factory turned into a massive art gallery and nightclub. Entry is around 10 CUC and it's open Thursday through Sunday from 8 PM. The mix of contemporary Cuban art, live music across multiple rooms, and a decent bar makes it a favorite for locals my age.
Also, for the classic car ride, negotiate for a 30-minute loop rather than a full hour. The novelty wears off after twenty minutes of fumes and traffic, and you can get the price down to 15-20 CUC if you're firm but friendly. Stick to the Malecón and Old Havana for the best photo spots.
solid list, covers what you need. one thing i'd add is to hit up the heladería Coppelia on Calle 23 in Vedado. it's this massive socialist-era ice cream parlor, like a concrete spaceship, and it's a whole experience. theres usually a line but it moves fast, and a scoop is like 5 pesos nacionales, not CUC, so basically peanuts. locals hang out there for hours, it's a real slice of daily life.
for the paladar tip, La Guarida is great but book way ahead, like a week if you can. my go-to is actually El Cocinero, it's right next to the Fábrica de Arte Cubano in Vedado, same owner. rooftop terrace with a view of the old smokestack, food's creative and the vibe's less touristy. mains around 20 CUC and they do good cocktails too.
3 Days in Havana: Itinerary 2026
Start your morning at Plaza de la Catedral, home to the stunning Catedral de San Cristóbal (Calle Empedrado, open 9am-5pm). Walk along Calle Obispo, a pedestrian street lined… 🗺️ Day 1: Old Havana
Start your morning at Plaza de la Catedral, home to the stunning Catedral de San Cristóbal (Calle Empedrado, open 9am-5pm). Walk along Calle Obispo, a pedestrian street lined with shops and cafes, and stop for a coffee at El Escorial (Calle Obispo 157, $1-2). In the afternoon, visit the Museo de la Revolución (Avenida Bélgica, $8, open 9:30am-4pm) and end your day at the Malecón for sunset.
🚕 Getting Around
For short distances in Old Havana, walking is best. For longer trips, use a classic car taxi (negotiate price before riding: $10-20 per ride within the city) or a cocotaxi (three-wheeled motorcycle, $5-10). Public buses are cheap ($0.05) but crowded and unreliable. Allow 15-20 minutes to cross from Old Havana to Vedado by taxi.
🏛️ Day 2: Vedado & Centro
Begin at the Plaza de la Revolución (Avenida Paseo, free entry to the square) to see the iconic Che Guevara mural. Then explore the Necrópolis de Cristóbal Colón (Calle Zapata, $5, open 8am-5pm), a vast cemetery with ornate tombs. For lunch, try La Fontana (Calle Línea, mains $10-15). In the evening, catch a performance at the Gran Teatro de La Habana (Paseo de Martí, tickets from $20).
🍴 Local Food Tips
Eat at paladares (private restaurants) for authentic Cuban food. A good option is Doña Eutimia (Callejón del Chorro, Old Havana, mains $8-12). For a quick bite, try a medianoche sandwich from a street vendor ($2-3). Avoid tourist traps on Calle Obispo; instead, walk a block off the main streets for better prices and quality.
🎨 Day 3: Art & Culture
Spend the morning in the Fábrica de Arte Cubano (Calle 26, Vedado, $5 entry, open Thu-Sun 8pm-2am) for contemporary art and live music. Then head to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Calle Trocadero, $10, open 9am-5pm) to see Cuban art from colonial to modern. In the afternoon, stroll through the leafy streets of Miramar to see grand mansions and embassies.
💰 Money & Costs
Cuba has two currencies: the Cuban Peso (CUP) for locals and tourists at some places, but most tourist services use the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) or USD. Bring cash (Euros or USD) as credit cards from US banks don't work. Exchange at official CADECA offices for the best rate. Budget $50-80 per day for mid-range travel including meals, transport, and attractions.
🌙 Evening Activities
For live music, head to La Bodeguita del Medio (Calle Empedrado, Old Havana) for mojitos and salsa. For a more local scene, try El Gato Tuerto (Calle O, Vedado, cover $5). If you want a rooftop view, go to the Hotel Inglaterra (Paseo de Martí) for a drink with a view of the Capitolio. Most venues close by midnight.
this is a pretty thorough guide, nice work. one thing i'd swap is day 2's lunch at la fontana for la guarida on calle concordia, it's a bit of a walk from the necropolis but the rooftop is gorgeous and the ropa vieja there is the best i've had in the city, mains are like $12-18. also for day 1, if you're on calle obispo stop at the libreria habana for old posters and books, it's tiny and easy to miss but they have cool revolutionary-era prints for like $3-5. the museum of the revolution tip is solid, honestly the courtyard with the yacht is more worth your time than the indoor exhibits. and for evening stuff, skip la bodeguita unless you want to pay $8 for a watery mojito surrounded by tourists, walk to el chanchullero on calle teniente rey instead, same vibe but half the price and the crowd is way more local
solid guide, day 2 is the heaviest walking day so wear good shoes. for day 1, skip the museo de la revolucion if you're short on time, the building itself is more interesting than the exhibits inside. if you're around old havana at dusk, grab a liter of rum from a bodega and just sit on the malecón wall near the hotel nacional, that's where the locals hang and you'll get a better sunset than any tourist spot. also for food, don't sleep on the pizza places on the corner of galiano and san rafael in centro, like $5 for a whole pie and it's legit
good guide, especially the fabrica de arte cubano pick, that place is genuinely world-class and worth lining up for. one thing i'd add is that the malecón at sunset gets packed with people selling rum and cigars, but if you walk a bit east past the monument to the victims of the uss maine it gets quieter and you get a better view of the castillo del morro across the bay. also for day 3, the bellas artes museum has a great rooftop cafe that most people miss, cheap coffee and a solid view of the capitolio from a weird angle. if you're into cigars, skip the partagas factory tour in old havana and just buy from the lcdh in miramar, same sticks but no wait and the guys there actually know their stuff