Itinerary · Havana · Cuba
One day in Havana
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Havana, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain
Quick answer
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 4. Day 1: Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral and Plaza Vieja. Base yourself in Habana Vieja (Old Havana).
Key facts
- Days
- 1
- Sights covered
- 5
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
- Book ahead
- Nothing essential
Day by day
Day 1: Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral and Plaza Vieja
Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral, Plaza Vieja, El Capitolio and Classic car tour, then Malecón in the evening.
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. Allow 45 minutes.
Late morning
Plaza Vieja
Take a seat at one of the plaza's café terraces in the late afternoon for the best light. Allow 1 hour.
Lunch
Lunch: Ropa vieja
Paladares across Old Havana, Centro and Vedado.
Afternoon
El Capitolio
Photograph it from Parque Central or the Gran Teatro's steps, ideally with a line of classic cars in the foreground. Allow 1 hour.
Late afternoon
Classic car tour
Agree the route, duration and price before setting off; an hour is enough for the main circuit. Allow 1 hour.
Evening
Malecón
Walk the stretch from the Prado to the Hotel Nacional at sunset, or ride it in a classic convertible.
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 Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso (Habana Vieja (Old Havana)): Ask at the box office for the week's programme; ballet tickets are good value compared with similar venues abroad.
- 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
$$$ · Best for first-timers, culture, couples and nightlife
Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
Restored colonial plazas, cobbled lanes and Calle Obispo's bars and shops
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 5–6 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.7 hours in December to 13.5 hours in June.
Getting between stops: 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.
More or fewer days
Questions travellers ask
+Is one day enough in Havana?
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 4. How many days Havana needs.