Things to do · Havana · Cuba
18 best things to do in Havana
18 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Brian Snelson, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
The essential sights in Havana are Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral, Plaza Vieja and El Capitolio. Of the 18 picks below, 8 are free, 3 work on a rainy day and 5 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral
- Free sights
- 8
- Good on a rainy day
- Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral | Habana Vieja (Old Havana) | 45 minutes | Free |
| Plaza Vieja | Habana Vieja (Old Havana) | 1 hour | Free |
| El Capitolio | Habana Vieja (Old Havana) | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Malecón | Centro Habana | 1–2 hours | Free |
| Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro | La Habana del Este | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Plaza de la Revolución | Vedado | 45 minutes | Free |
| Classic car tour | Habana Vieja (Old Havana) | 1 hour | Mid-priced |
| Plaza de Armas | Habana Vieja (Old Havana) | 1 hour | Free |
| Plaza de San Francisco de Asís | Habana Vieja (Old Havana) | 45 minutes | Free |
| Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña | La Habana del Este | 1.5–2 hours | Low cost |
| Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes | Habana Vieja (Old Havana) | 2 hours | Low cost |
| Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso | Habana Vieja (Old Havana) | 1–3 hours | Low cost |
| Hotel Nacional de Cuba | Vedado | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Callejón de Hamel | Centro Habana | 1 hour | Free |
| Fusterlandia | Jaimanitas | 1 hour | Free |
| Finca Vigía (Hemingway's house) | San Francisco de Paula | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón | Vedado | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Castillo de la Real Fuerza | Habana Vieja (Old Havana) | 45 minutes | Low cost |
The 18 best things to do
Religious site · Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
1.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. One of them houses the Museo de Arte Colonial, with period furniture and stained-glass windows.
Come early in the morning or at dusk, when the stone glows and the tour groups have gone.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
Historic site · Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
2.Plaza Vieja
Restored mansions with stained-glass fanlights and arcades surround this broad 16th-century square, which once held the city's market. Cafés, a microbrewery and the Cámara Oscura, a rooftop camera obscura projecting live views of the city, sit around it.
Take a seat at one of the plaza's café terraces in the late afternoon for the best light.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
- Food
- Iconic
Architecture · Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
3.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. Guided visits take in the Salón de los Pasos Perdidos and the replica diamond set in the floor marking kilometre zero for Cuba's roads.
Photograph it from Parque Central or the Gran Teatro's steps, ideally with a line of classic cars in the foreground.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Architecture
- History
- Photo spot
.jpg){kind=link}
Waterfront · Centro Habana
4.Malecón
The 8-km seawall and boulevard runs from the harbour mouth west to the Almendares River, past weathered façades in Centro Habana and the Hotel Nacional. At sunset it fills with fishermen, couples and musicians; in winter storms, waves crash over the wall onto the road.
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
5.Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro
The 16th-century fortress guarding the harbour entrance has a lighthouse and ramparts with views back across the bay to the Malecón and Old Havana. It is part of the Morro-Cabaña historical park on the east side of the channel.
Go in the late afternoon, then walk to La Cabaña for the evening cannon ceremony.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Iconic
- Kids
Landmark · Vedado
6.Plaza de la Revolución
The vast square is overlooked by the José Martí Memorial, a tall star-shaped tower with a museum at its base, and by steel outlines of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos on government buildings. It has been the setting for major rallies for decades.
Visit as part of a classic-car tour; the square is large and exposed with little shade.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Free
- Photo spot
Experience · Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
7.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. Prices are per car, not per person.
Agree the route, duration and price before setting off; an hour is enough for the main circuit.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Kids
Historic site · Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
8.Plaza de Armas
Havana's oldest square is shaded by palms and ringed by second-hand book stalls. On one side stands the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, the former governors' palace now home to the City Museum; nearby, the small neoclassical El Templete marks the city's founding site under a ceiba tree.
Browse the book stalls for old magazines, posters and stamps, then visit the City Museum's courtyard.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Shopping
Historic site · Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
1.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. A bronze statue of El Caballero de París, a well-known street figure, stands outside the basilica.
Check for evening classical or choral concerts in the basilica; the acoustics are excellent.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Castle · La Habana del Este
2.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. Every evening at 9pm, soldiers in 18th-century uniforms fire a cannon in the Cañonazo ceremony, a tradition that once signalled the closing of the city gates.
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
Museum · Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
3.Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
The national art museum is split between two buildings near Parque Central: the Arte Cubano building with Cuban art from the colonial era to the present, including Wifredo Lam and René Portocarrero, and the Arte Universal building with European and ancient collections.
If time is short, choose the Cuban art building; it is the collection you can't see anywhere else.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Architecture · Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
4.Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso
The neo-baroque theatre on Parque Central, crowned with sculpted angels, is home to the Ballet Nacional de Cuba. Seeing a ballet or opera performance is the best way to experience its gilded auditorium.
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
Architecture · Vedado
5.Hotel Nacional de Cuba
The 1930 Art Deco and neo-colonial hotel on a bluff above the Malecón has hosted film stars and politicians. Its garden terrace, with old cannon pointing out to sea, is open to non-guests for a drink.
Order a mojito in the garden at sunset, with the Malecón curving away below.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Couples
- Views
- Architecture
Street · Centro Habana
6.Callejón de Hamel
A short alley covered in murals, sculptures and Afro-Cuban religious symbols created by artist Salvador González Escalona. On Sunday afternoons, rumba drumming and dancing sessions draw locals and visitors.
Go on a Sunday around midday for the rumba, and keep an eye on your belongings in the crowd.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Neighbourhood · Jaimanitas
7.Fusterlandia
Artist José Fuster has covered his home and dozens of neighbouring houses in the fishing district of Jaimanitas with colourful ceramic mosaics, in a style inspired by Gaudí and Picasso. His home studio is open to visitors.
Combine with a drive along Quinta Avenida in Miramar; it is about 25–30 minutes from Old Havana by taxi.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
- Kids
.jpg){kind=link}
Historic site · San Francisco de Paula
8.Finca Vigía (Hemingway's house)
Ernest Hemingway lived at this hilltop villa south-east of the city for about two decades. Visitors look in through the windows at rooms left much as he had them, with books, trophies and his typewriter, and see his boat, the Pilar, in the garden.
Arrive early; the house is viewed from outside through the windows and doors, so crowds make it hard to see.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Vedado
9.Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón
One of the largest cemeteries in the Americas, laid out in the 1870s as a grid of avenues lined with marble mausoleums, angels and chapels. The tomb of La Milagrosa is a popular place of devotion.
Walk the main avenue to the central chapel, then wander the side avenues for the most elaborate tombs.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Castle · Habana Vieja (Old Havana)
10.Castillo de la Real Fuerza
One of the oldest stone forts in the Americas, completed in the 16th century, with a moat and a tower topped by La Giraldilla, a bronze weathervane that became a symbol of Havana. Inside is a maritime museum with ship models.
Climb the tower for a view over the harbour and Plaza de Armas.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso, Callejón de Hamel and Fusterlandia |
| History | Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral, Plaza de Armas, Plaza de San Francisco de Asís and El Capitolio |
| Views | Malecón, Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña and Hotel Nacional de Cuba |
| Food and markets | Plaza Vieja |
| After dark | Malecón, Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña and Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso |
| With children | Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña, Fusterlandia and Castillo de la Real Fuerza |
| On a rainy day | Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso and Castillo de la Real Fuerza |
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Havana?
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.
+What can you do for free in Havana?
Plaza de la Catedral and Havana Cathedral, Plaza Vieja, Malecón, Plaza de la Revolución and Plaza de Armas. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Havana when it rains?
Head indoors to Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso and Castillo de la Real Fuerza.
+What is there to do in Havana at night?
Malecón, Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña and Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso are best after dark.