Cuba Guide
Havana
Fábrica de Tobacos Partagás
Address: Behind the Capitolio
Opening time: Tours every 30min; Mon– Fri 9am–2.30pm; every other Sat 9am–2.30pm
Price: $10
The Fábrica de Tobacos Partagás is one of the country's oldest and largest cigar factories, employing some 750 workers. Founded in 1845, the factory churns out twelve brands of habanos, including such famous names as Cohiba, Monte Cristo, Romeo y Julieta, Bolívar and Partagás itself. Though steeply priced compared to most museum entrance fees, the 45-minute tours here are easily among the most fascinating things to do in the city, with English-speaking guides taking you through the various stages of production – drying, sorting, rolling and boxing – all performed in separate rooms over four floors. The second floor is used as a cigar-making school, from where, after a nine-month course, those who graduate will move upstairs and join the 250 expert workers making some of the finest cigars in the world. It's on this top floor that visitors' most lasting images are formed, where the sea of specialist rollers, 60 percent of them women, are expected to produce on average over 100 cigars a day, depending on the brand and style of cigar they are working on. During their eight-hour shifts they are read to, from a newspaper in the mornings and from a book in the afternoons. There's a very genuine sense here of watching an uncontrived, everyday operation, with most of the workers almost oblivious to the stares of tourists and the tour guide's commentary. The factory also has an excellent shop where you can pick up all the brands made here.