USA Guide
Florida
Little Havana
The impact on Miami by Cubans, unquestionably the largest and most visible ethnic group in the city, has been incalculable. These non-traditional immigrants – many of the first wave driven out by Castro were doctors, lawyers, and other professionals – were soon enjoying more of the same in Miami, and some now wield considerable clout in the running of the city.
The initial home of Miami Cubans was a few miles west of downtown in what became LITTLE HAVANA, whose streets, parks, memorials, shops, and food all stand to reflect the Cuban experience. Note, though, that streets are much quieter than those of South Beach (except during the Little Havana Festival in early March), and today, many successful Cuban-Americans have moved elsewhere in the city, to be replaced by immigrants from parts of Central America, especially Nicaragua.
Make a beeline here for lunch at one of the many small restaurants on SW 8th Street, or Calle Ocho, the neighbourhood's main drag. Check out also Cuban Memorial Boulevard, the stretch of SW 13th Avenue just south of Calle Ocho, where a cluster of memorials underscores the Cuban-American presence in Miami. Here, the simple stone Brigade 2506 Memorial remembers those who died at the Bay of Pigs on April 17, 1961, during the abortive invasion of Cuba by US-trained Cuban exiles. Veterans of the landing, aging men dressed in combat fatigues, gather here for each anniversary to make all-night-long pledges of patriotism.
Opening time: Daily
Price: Free