Nightlife · Havana · Cuba
Havana nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Havana, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Brian Snelson, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Havana's nights are about live music: son and salsa bands in Old Havana bars, jazz clubs and cabarets in Vedado, and the Fábrica de Arte Cubano's mix of art, concerts and DJs in a converted factory. The main areas are Calle Obispo and Old Havana, Vedado, Fábrica de Arte Cubano and Malecón.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 4
- Stay near the action
- Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
- Local drink
- Café cubano
Where to go out
Calle Obispo and Old Havana
Bars with live son bands from the afternoon, plus rooftop terraces and cocktail bars.
Vedado
Jazz clubs, cabaret shows and the city's biggest live-music venues along La Rampa and nearby streets.
Fábrica de Arte Cubano
Art gallery, concert hall and club in an old cooking-oil factory near the Almendares River, open late on certain nights of the week.
Malecón
Free, informal nightlife as locals gather on the seawall with music and rum on warm evenings.
Nightlife tips
- Check the Fábrica de Arte Cubano's schedule; it opens only on certain nights and queues form early.
- Carry small cash for cover charges and tips for bands.
- Agree the taxi fare back before you leave a venue late at night.
Evening sights
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Waterfront · Centro Habana
Malecón
Walk the stretch from the Prado to the Hotel Nacional at sunset, or ride it in a classic convertible.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- Couples
- After dark
- Views
- Photo spot
Castle · La Habana del Este
Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña
Arrive by about 8:30pm to find a good spot along the wall for the cannon ceremony.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- After dark
- Kids
- Views
Architecture · Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
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.
- Time needed
- 1–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Art
- After dark
- Rainy day
What to drink
- Café cubano — A short, strong espresso whipped with sugar to form a sweet crema, served in tiny cups; a cortadito adds a splash of milk.
- Mojito — White rum, lime, sugar, fresh hierbabuena mint and soda water; Havana's best-known cocktail and a fixture of every bar.
- Daiquirí — Rum, lime and sugar blended with crushed ice; El Floridita on Calle Obispo has long claimed it as its signature, with a bronze statue of Hemingway at the bar.
- Guarapo — Freshly pressed sugarcane juice served over ice, sometimes with a squeeze of lime; sweet and refreshing on a hot day.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. July has the warmest evenings, with lows around 24°C (75°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 18:04 | 18°C (64°F) | 6 |
| April | About 19:50 | 20°C (68°F) | 4 |
| July | About 20:18 | 24°C (75°F) | 10 |
| October | About 19:04 | 22°C (72°F) | 12 |
Getting home late
- Walking — The plazas of Old Havana, the Prado, Parque Central and the Capitolio are all within 15 minutes of each other on foot; Vedado is about 45 minutes' walk along the Malecón.
- Taxi — Ask your casa host what a fair fare is for your route before you head out.
- Tuk-tuk — Yellow, egg-shaped cocotaxis are a fun way to cover short distances between Old Havana and Vedado.
- Ferry — Small passenger ferries cross the harbour from Old Havana to Casablanca and Regla, a short and inexpensive ride.
Late-night bites
- Tostones — Restaurants and street stalls throughout the city.
Staying safe at night
Violent crime against visitors is uncommon, but bag-snatching and pickpocketing occur in crowded areas, and touts promote fake cigars and overpriced restaurants. Watch for broken pavements and open drains, and carry a torch, as power cuts have been frequent in recent years.
- Emergency number
- 106 (police), 104 (ambulance), 105 (fire)
Where to stay for nightlife
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, couples and nightlife
Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
The historic core inside the line of the old city walls has the four principal plazas, the cathedral, Castillo de la Real Fuerza and dozens of restored mansions now used as museums, hotels and restaurants. Calle Obispo and Calle O'Reilly link the plazas with Parque Central and the Capitolio. Many visitors base themselves here in casas particulares or restored colonial hotels.
- Good
- Walk to most sights; Plenty of restaurants and live music; Historic hotels and casas
- Watch out
- Touts and street hustlers on the main lanes; Noisy at night; Restored streets give way to crumbling ones a block away
- Nearby
- Plaza Vieja, Plaza de la Catedral, Calle Obispo, El Capitolio
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Havana?
Calle Obispo and Old Havana, Vedado and Fábrica de Arte Cubano. Bars with live son bands from the afternoon, plus rooftop terraces and cocktail bars.
+Which area of Havana is best for nightlife?
Habana Vieja (Old Havana): Restored colonial plazas, cobbled lanes and Calle Obispo's bars and shops.