5 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

      Come early in the morning or at dusk, when the stone glows and the tour groups have gone. (45 minutes, free).

   2. Late morning

      Plaza Vieja

      Take a seat at one of the plaza's café terraces in the late afternoon for the best light. (1 hour, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Ropa vieja

      Paladares across Old Havana, Centro and Vedado.

   4. Afternoon

      El Capitolio

      Photograph it from Parque Central or the Gran Teatro's steps, ideally with a line of classic cars in the foreground. (1 hour, low cost).

   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. (1–1.5 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña

      Arrive by about 8:30pm to find a good spot along the wall for the cannon ceremony. (1.5–2 hours, low cost).

   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. (45 minutes, free).

   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

      Agree the route, duration and price before setting off; an hour is enough for the main circuit. (1 hour, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Plaza de Armas

      Browse the book stalls for old magazines, posters and stamps, then visit the City Museum's courtyard. (1 hour, free).

   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

      Check for evening classical or choral concerts in the basilica; the acoustics are excellent. (45 minutes, free).

   5. Evening

      Calle Obispo and Old Havana

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

4. Day 4: Day trip to Viñales Valley

   About 2 hours 30 minutes–3 hours by car each way. Getting there: Tour, private taxi or shared taxi.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Viñales Valley

      About 2 hours 30 minutes–3 hours by car (Tour, private taxi or shared taxi); about 180 km.

   2. Day

      Viñales Valley

      A UNESCO-listed valley of limestone mogotes, red-earth tobacco farms and caves. Best for first-timers, couples and culture.

   3. Evening

      Back in Havana

      Dinner: try Yuca con mojo.

5. Day 5: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and Castillo de la Real Fuerza

   Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Castillo de la Real Fuerza and Hotel Nacional de Cuba, then Vedado in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

      If time is short, choose the Cuban art building; it is the collection you can't see anywhere else. (2 hours, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Castillo de la Real Fuerza

      Climb the tower for a view over the harbour and Plaza de Armas. (45 minutes, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Yuca con mojo

      Criollo restaurants and casa dinners.

   4. Afternoon

      Hotel Nacional de Cuba

      Order a mojito in the garden at sunset, with the Malecón curving away below. (1 hour, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Vedado

      Jazz clubs, cabaret shows and the city's biggest live-music venues along La Rampa and nearby streets.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 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 15–19 hours of visiting over 5 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
• 3 days in Havana

Questions travellers ask