{"id":6461,"date":"2026-07-28T13:34:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/things-to-do-in-havana"},"modified":"2026-07-28T13:34:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:34:11","slug":"things-to-do-in-havana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/things-to-do-in-havana","title":{"rendered":"Things to Do in Havana: The Capital&#8217;s Highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.sayna-article .quick,.sayna-article .tip{background:#f4f7fb;border-left:4px solid #467AFF;border-radius:8px;padding:14px 18px;margin:20px 0}.sayna-article .tip{background:#fff7ef;border-left-color:#ff7900}.sayna-article .h{font-weight:700;font-size:1.05em;margin-bottom:6px;color:#0a0a0b}.sayna-article table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;margin:18px 0}.sayna-article th{background:#eef1f7;text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;font-weight:700;border-bottom:2px solid #dfe3ec}.sayna-article td{padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #eef1f7}.sayna-article .faq details{border-bottom:1px solid #e5e8ee;padding:4px 0}.sayna-article .faq summary{font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;padding:9px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box{background:#fff5ec;border:1px solid #ffd8b0;border-radius:12px;padding:22px;text-align:center;margin:26px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box a{display:inline-block;background:#ff7900;color:#fff;padding:12px 26px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:700;margin-top:8px}<\/style>\n<div class=\"sayna-article\">\n<div class=\"quick\">\n<div class=\"h\">\u26a1 In short<\/div>\n<p><strong>Havana<\/strong> rewards two to three days. Walk the <strong>four squares<\/strong> of Old Havana early, catch the <strong>Malecon at sunset<\/strong>, ride a <strong>vintage convertible<\/strong>, and end with live jazz in Vedado. Go to <strong>Callejon de Hamel on Sunday<\/strong> for the rumba. Skip the overpriced Bodeguita del Medio and eat one street over.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\"><span class=\"h\">Stay connected on arrival<\/span> Set up your <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/cuba\">eSIM for Cuba<\/a> before you go: 100% online activation, no physical SIM to swap.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<nav aria-label=\"Contents\" class=\"toc\">\n<div class=\"h\">Contents<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#areas\">The neighbourhoods to explore<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#vieja\">Old Havana, the colonial heart<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#malecon\">The Malecon and the seafront<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#vedado\">Vedado and Centro Habana<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#experiences\">Experiences to have<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#eat\">Where to eat well<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#twodays\">Havana in two days<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#practical\">Practical info and staying connected<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p>Havana is not a museum-city. It is a living, slightly peeling set, where 1950s Chevrolets sit beside colonial columns and music spills from windows at any hour. You come for the atmosphere as much as the monuments.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the real highlights, a two-day itinerary that holds together, and the moments not to miss depending on the day and the hour.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"areas\">The neighbourhoods to explore in Havana<\/h2>\n<p>The city makes sense by neighbourhood, each with its own character. Here is how I rank them for a first visit.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Habana Vieja<\/strong>: the UNESCO-listed historic centre, its squares and colonial architecture. The core of the visit.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Centro Habana<\/strong>: working-class, raw, colourful. This is the city&#8217;s true daily face, between washing on the lines and games of dominoes.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Vedado<\/strong>: the Havana of the 1950s, its legendary hotels, its cinemas and above all its musical nightlife.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Miramar<\/strong>: to the west, leafy and residential, less touristy, for a quiet dinner.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For a first stay, aim for Habana Vieja or the edge of Vedado: central, lively, within walking distance of the essentials.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"vieja\">Habana Vieja, the colonial heart<\/h2>\n<p>The old centre is organised around <strong>four squares<\/strong> you can link on foot in a morning. The <strong>Plaza de la Catedral<\/strong> with its baroque San Cristobal cathedral, the <strong>Plaza Vieja<\/strong> and its restored facades, the <strong>Plaza de Armas<\/strong> with the Palace of the Captains General and El Templete, and the <strong>Plaza de San Francisco<\/strong> facing the port.<\/p>\n<p>My tip: start early, before the groups arrive, and let yourself get lost in the lanes between squares, which is where the city feels truest. Have a coffee at the Bodeguita del Medio if you like, but know it has become a tourist trap, with an overpriced mojito for what it is. The best addresses are on the streets nearby.<\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Capitol<\/strong>, modelled on Washington&#8217;s, marks the line between the old town and Centro Habana. Its dome is visible from afar and works as a landmark.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"malecon\">The Malecon and the seafront<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Malecon<\/strong> is eight kilometres of sea wall along the ocean, and the city&#8217;s true open-air living room. In the late afternoon, fishermen, couples, musicians and families gather as the waves splash the parapet.<\/p>\n<p>Walk it at sunset, the best moment of the day in Havana, and it is free. At the far end, the <strong>Castillo del Morro<\/strong> fortress guards the mouth of the bay. In the evening, the cannon ceremony (el canonazo) takes place there at 9 pm, a tradition inherited from colonial times.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"vedado\">Vedado and Centro Habana<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Vedado<\/strong> is the neighbourhood of modern Havana and of the night. The <strong>Colon cemetery<\/strong>, huge and sculpted, is worth a quiet visit. But it is in the evening that the area comes alive.<\/p>\n<p>For live music, Vedado has the best venues: <strong>La Zorra y el Cuervo<\/strong> for jazz, <strong>El Gato Tuerto<\/strong> for boleros, and the <strong>Submarino Amarillo<\/strong> for Beatles fans. Book ahead or arrive early, the good nights fill up fast.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"experiences\">Experiences to have<\/h2>\n<p>What people remember of Havana is often these moments.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A <strong>ride in a vintage American convertible<\/strong> along the Malecon: a cliche, yes, but one of the city&#8217;s great pleasures. Reckon on 30 to 50 euros an hour, agreed before you get in.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Callejon de Hamel<\/strong> on Sunday around midday, when the Afro-Cuban alley ignites to the sound of rumba and drums. On weekdays it shrinks to its murals.<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>cabaret show<\/strong> at the Tropicana or the Cabaret Parisien, for the retro atmosphere.<\/li>\n<li>A <strong>son or salsa concert<\/strong> in a casa de la musica: music is everywhere, so make the most of it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"eat\">Where to eat well in Havana<\/h2>\n<p>Private dining, the paladares, has transformed the Cuban table. You eat far better than in the state canteens. In Habana Vieja, step away from the terraces facing the tourist squares and look for addresses on the side streets or upper floors.<\/p>\n<p>Two concrete markers. A menu priced in dollars, laminated and in English, signals the tourist rate. A chalkboard with handwritten prices, often in pesos, leads you to good and affordable. Reckon on 10 to 15 euros for a full dinner in a decent paladar, less in a neighbourhood cafeteria. Book in the evening at the well-known addresses in Vedado, they fill up fast.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"h\">\ud83d\udca1 Did you know<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Hemingway lived in Cuba for nearly twenty years. You cross his trail at the El Floridita bar, where he drank his daiquiris, and at the Finca Vigia, his house turned into a museum on the edge of the city.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"twodays\">Things to do in Havana in 2 days<\/h2>\n<p>Short on time? Here is an itinerary to see Havana in two days without missing the essentials.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>When<\/th>\n<th>Day 1: Old town<\/th>\n<th>Day 2: Sea &amp; music<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Morning<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>The four squares of Habana Vieja<\/td>\n<td>Vedado &amp; Colon cemetery<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Midday<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Lunch in a paladar<\/td>\n<td>Callejon de Hamel (Sunday)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Afternoon<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Capitol &amp; Museum of the Revolution<\/td>\n<td>Vintage car ride on the Malecon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Evening<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>El Floridita &amp; dinner<\/td>\n<td>Canonazo at the Morro then jazz in Vedado<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 id=\"practical\">Practical info and staying connected in Havana<\/h2>\n<p>Two reflexes make the visit far smoother. The first: pay in cash. Casas, paladares and taxis often take euros or dollars directly, so keep a few pesos for small buys. The second: plan your connection.<\/p>\n<p>Getting online in Havana is not automatic. The network belongs to the state operator, public Wi-Fi runs on prepaid ETECSA cards, and finding your way through the old town&#8217;s maze without live GPS soon has you going in circles.<\/p>\n<p>To skip the queue at an ETECSA office on arrival, set up an <a class=\"cta-inline\" href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/cuba\">eSIM for Cuba<\/a> before departure. It connects by roaming to the mobile network over 3G\/4G, which is well covered in the capital. Thanks to its roaming agreements, Orange connects you to the right network with no paperwork, with <strong>24\/7<\/strong> support and an eSIM that is <strong>fully refunded<\/strong> if you do not use it. Still, download your offline maps for the moments with no signal.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cta-box\">\n<p>Ready to explore Havana without ever losing the thread?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/cuba\">Discover the Orange Travel Cuba eSIM<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<section aria-label=\"Frequently asked questions\" class=\"faq\">\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>What are the top things to do in Havana in 2 days?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Day 1: Old Havana, its four squares, the Capitol and a vintage car ride. Day 2: the Malecon, Vedado, the Colon cemetery and an evening of live music. Add the Morro fortress at sunset.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>What are the must-sees in Havana?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Old Havana and its colonial squares, the Malecon at sunset, the Capitol, Callejon de Hamel on Sunday, Vedado and its jazz clubs, and a vintage car ride.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>How many days do you need in Havana?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Two to three days cover the essentials. Add a day to wander without rushing, or for an excursion to Vinales or the eastern beaches.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Is Callejon de Hamel worth it?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Yes, especially on Sunday around midday, when the Afro-Cuban alley comes alive with rumba and drums. On weekdays it is quieter, mostly its murals.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>How do you stay connected in Havana?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">The network runs on the state operator and public Wi-Fi uses prepaid cards. A travel eSIM using roaming, like Orange Travel&#8217;s, connects over 3G\/4G, well covered in the capital. Download offline maps for the old town too.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":6460,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"Things to Do in Havana: Top Sights &amp; a 2-Day Plan | Orange Travel","_seopress_titles_desc":"Things to do in Havana: Old Havana's four squares, the Malecon at sunset, live jazz in Vedado, a vintage car ride and a realistic 2-day itinerary for the city.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/things-to-do-in-havana","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-turism","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":6461},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6461"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6465,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6461\/revisions\/6465"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}