3 days in Havana

Day by day

1. Day 1: Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral and Plaza Vieja

   Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral, Plaza Vieja and El Capitolio, then Malecón in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral

      The baroque Catedral de San Cristóbal, with its asymmetrical towers and curving coral-stone façade, faces a cobbled square framed by 18th-century palaces.

   2. Late morning

      Plaza Vieja

      Take a seat at one of the plaza's café terraces in the late afternoon for the best light.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ropa vieja

      Paladares across Old Havana, Centro and Vedado.

   4. Afternoon

      El Capitolio

      Completed in 1929, the domed National Capitol Building once housed Cuba's congress and has been restored as the seat of the National Assembly.

   5. Evening

      Malecón

      Walk the stretch from the Prado to the Hotel Nacional at sunset, or ride it in a classic convertible.

2. Day 2: Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro and Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña

   Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña and Plaza de la Revolución, then Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro

      Go in the late afternoon, then walk to La Cabaña for the evening cannon ceremony.

   2. Late morning

      Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña

      One of the largest Spanish colonial fortresses in the Americas stretches along the ridge east of the harbour.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Moros y cristianos

      Every Cuban restaurant and casa particular dinner.

   4. Afternoon

      Plaza de la Revolución

      Visit as part of a classic-car tour; the square is large and exposed with little shade.

   5. Evening

      Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso

      Ask at the box office for the week's programme; ballet tickets are good value compared with similar venues abroad.

3. Day 3: Classic car tour and Plaza de Armas

   Classic car tour, Plaza de Armas and Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, then Calle Obispo and Old Havana in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Classic car tour

      Restored 1950s American convertibles wait around Parque Central for hour-long tours along the Malecón, through Vedado to Plaza de la Revolución and the Bosque de La Habana forest.

   2. Late morning

      Plaza de Armas

      Browse the book stalls for old magazines, posters and stamps, then visit the City Museum's courtyard.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Lechón asado

      Paladares serving criollo cooking and roadside stalls on the way to Viñales.

   4. Afternoon

      Plaza de San Francisco de Asís

      Facing the harbour, this square is dominated by the Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asís, a former convent now used for concerts, and the Lonja del Comercio, an old commodities exchange.

   5. Evening

      Calle Obispo and Old Havana

      Bars with live son bands from the afternoon, plus rooftop terraces and cocktail bars.

If it rains

• Swap in Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Habana Vieja (Old Havana)): If time is short, choose the Cuban art building; it is the collection you can't see anywhere else.
• Swap in Castillo de la Real Fuerza (Habana Vieja (Old Havana)): Climb the tower for a view over the harbour and Plaza de Armas.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Habana Vieja (Old Havana) keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Centro Habana ($) suits budget, solo travellers and culture. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 11–15 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.7 hours in December to 13.5 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Havana
• 2 days in Havana
• 5 days in Havana

Questions travellers ask