Things to do in Havana

Housed in the former Presidential Palace, this museum chronicles Cuba's revolutionary history through artifacts, photographs, and exhibits spanning from the independence wars through 1959. The Granma yacht that brought Castro and his rebels from Mexico sits in a glass pavilion outside.

This 1929 neoclassical building, modeled after the U.S. Capitol, served as Cuba's congress until 1959 and now houses the Cuban Academy of Sciences. After extensive restoration completed in 2019, visitors can tour the ornate interior including the 17-meter statue of the Republic.

Artist José Fuster transformed his home and surrounding neighborhood into a sprawling mosaic installation covering houses, bus stops, benches, and walls with colorful tile work inspired by Gaudí. The artist is often on-site and the project continues to expand.

This 140-acre necropolis contains elaborate marble tombs, chapels, and monuments dating from 1876, including the famous Milagrosa grave that draws pilgrims. The cemetery functions as an outdoor museum of Cuban funerary art and architecture.

This eight-kilometer seawall and esplanade stretches from Old Havana to Vedado, built between 1901 and 1952. Habaneros gather here at all hours to fish, socialize, and watch waves crash over the wall during rough weather.

Located on the third floor of a crumbling mansion that served as the setting for the film Fresa y Chocolate, this paladar serves Cuban cuisine with contemporary influences. Reservations are essential for this long-established private restaurant operating since the 1990s.

This small paladar on Plaza de la Catedral specializes in traditional Cuban dishes like ropa vieja and masas de puerco fritas. The dining room occupies a colonial building with outdoor seating facing the square.

Operating since 1817, this bar claims to be the birthplace of the daiquiri and was famously frequented by Ernest Hemingway. A life-size bronze statue of Hemingway stands at his favorite spot at the bar.

This bar and restaurant, opened in 1942, is known for its mojitos and walls covered in visitor signatures and graffiti. Live traditional Cuban music plays throughout the day in the small, crowded interior.

This café on Plaza Vieja serves Cuban coffee roasted on-site, with beans grown in the Sierra Maestra. The colonial building has a balcony overlooking the plaza and a small museum about coffee production upstairs.

This central plaza features a marble statue of José Martí surrounded by royal palms and is bordered by notable buildings including the Gran Teatro and Hotel Inglaterra. The park's esquina caliente is where locals gather daily to debate baseball.

This large covered warehouse along the harbor contains dozens of stalls selling paintings, woodcarvings, textiles, and leather goods made by Cuban artisans. Prices are negotiable and it's one of the city's largest craft markets.