7 Offbeat things to do in Havana

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Sep 2023

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written by Rachel Lawrence

updated 18.02.2019

Cuba is top of many a traveller’s wishlist, there is no shortage of things to do in Havana. A captivating capital, its galleries, theatres, markets and memorials to the revolution are all worth a visit. Equally pleasurable is soaking up the atmosphere of Old Havana. But, if you fancy visiting some of its more quirky corners, we’ve picked out a few of the more unusual for you.

Tailor-made travel itineraries for Cuba, created by local experts

Cuba - Family, Beach, and Culture
15 days /from 2867 USD

Cuba - Family, Beach, and Culture

Enjoy a 2-week family adventure visiting highlights and hidden gems of Cuba. Marvel at the colonial architecture in Havana, enjoy a ride in a Classic Car, explore the forests close to Trinidad, and relax on white sandy beaches of Cayo Levisa - this trip packs it all into one itinerary.

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Bike Cuba
5 days /from 975 USD

Bike Cuba

A moderately challenging cycling holiday through Cuban countryside visiting the tobacco fields of Viñales Valley and a pristine Caribbean beach in Cayo Jutias.

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Western and Central Cuba by E-bike
13 days /from 3399 USD

Western and Central Cuba by E-bike

Combine a leisurely activity with an insight into some of Cuba’s most fascinating cultural highlights on this new e-biking tour of Western and Central Cuba. Explore the tobacco region of Viñales, cycle along the Bay of Pigs and relax on the fine sandy beaches of Cayo Las Brujas.

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Family Trip - an active adventure
8 days /from 1829 USD

Family Trip - an active adventure

Take the family a step back in time: Explore Havana in classic cars and on foot, take a boat trip to the Cueva del Indio in Viñales and relax on the white, sandy beaches of Cayo Levisa.

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Salsa Cubana
8 days /from 1861 USD

Salsa Cubana

Only have a few days? Take this Highlight Tour of Western Cuba to explore the main areas: From Havana over the Viñales valley to Trinidad and Che's monument in Santa Clara. This fast-paced itinerary is packed with highlights.

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Salsa Cubana - Extended
11 days /from 2135 USD

Salsa Cubana - Extended

Cuba, the island of rum, salsa, and the revolution. Explore the island's Western highlights on this trip: From Havana over the Viñales Valley to the famous Bay of Pigs and Trinidad - this trip has no shortage of highlights.

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Compact Cuba: Havana to Trinidad
6 days /from 1495 USD

Compact Cuba: Havana to Trinidad

Fall in love with Cuba as you explore Havana’s enticing and fading colonial streets, where salsa music emanates from every window, and the sweet pungent aroma of cigar smoke holds the air. Continue to the beautiful colonial city of Trinidad, and the fascinating Bay of Pigs.

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The Culture and Beaches of Cuba: From Havana to Varadero
8 days /from 1950 USD

The Culture and Beaches of Cuba: From Havana to Varadero

This trip takes in three distinctly different areas of Cuba: begin at the iconic, cultural hub of Havana, before travelling to the picturesque rural town of Viñales, and then onto the picture-perfect Varadero Beach, one of the best in the Caribbean. Strike the perfect balance with this unique trip!

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Cuba Completa - Off the beaten track
15 days /from 2561 USD

Cuba Completa - Off the beaten track

Go off-the-beaten-track in Cuba. Explore the birthplace of Fidel Castro, relax on Cayo Saetia, an island that used to be Fidel's private holiday home, and explore the Eastern part with Santiago de Cuba.

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Complete Cuba: Nature, Tradition and Sights of the Revolution
15 days /from 3191 USD

Complete Cuba: Nature, Tradition and Sights of the Revolution

This evocative country offers everything from rich history to exquisite cuisine, idyllic beaches, unique landscapes and charming, colourful cities. Discover the best Cuba has to offer with the complete itinerary encompassing sights related to its literary past and the revolution.

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1. Explore contemporary art at Fábrica de Arte Cubano

Housed in an old peanut oil factory in Vedado and decked out with sleek lines, minimal shades and multiple rooms, Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) follows the tried and tested route of counter-culture colonization of industrial spaces that has transformed Shoreditch, Berlin and New York’s Meatpacking District. Yet despite the cosmopolitan air, from the contemporary art displayed in the gallery space upstairs to bands playing in the rooms downstairs, FAC is quintessentially Cuban. A night here might involve sipping cocktails on the moonlit patio, watching a local theatre company, listening to classical music – or the latest Cuban hip-hop artists – or letting loose at a weekend club night.

Havana Vedado District

Some of Vedado's former factories are being turned into vibrant art venues © Fotos593/Shutterstock

Inspired by our list of things to do in Havana? Take a look at our new tailor-made travel service. We've partnered with local experts who can take care of the entire planning process of your trip for you.

2. Listen to music at El Jelengue de Areito

Also known as the Patio Areito or the Patio EGREM, this small but authentic music venue belongs to the inauspicious recording studios of the country’s most renowned record label, EGREM. A patio bar leads into a rather plain performance room where a different band or soloist play every evening. Expect anything from trova and son to rumba and hip-hop. El Jelengue de Areito, San Miguel no.410 e/ Campanario y Lealtad, Centro Habana. Tel: 862 0673.

3. The most stylish of things to do in Havana: take a vintage car tour

Havana Super Tours run themed tours, all in vintage American cars, including an Art Deco Tour, a Hemingway Tour and a Mob Tour, tracing the history of the Mafia in pre-revolutionary Havana. Run by the irrepressible Luis Miguel and his team, tour prices start at $35–40CUC per person for three-hour trips, with a minimum of two people and a maximum of six per tour.

Driving an old car in the street of Havana, Cuba

Taking a vintage car tour through Havana will make you feel like a '50s film star © danm12/Shutterstock

4. Rummage through vintage posters at Memorias Animas

Antique and art dealers can be found all over the city since the Cuban government lifted many of its economic restrictions, but Memorias Animas is a real diamond. Though many of the vintage posters and photographs here are reproductions, they are excellent quality. You’ll struggle to find the same copies anywhere else. There are tonnes of originals too and the little shop is heaving with pre-revolutionary memorabilia. You'll find Cuban beer and cigar adverts, chocolate box covers, Cuban and American 1950s magazines. What's more, the store also has postcards from around the world and old photos of Havana.

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5. Attend at talk at Casa de las Américas

The Casa de las Américas is housed in a dove-grey Art Deco building inlaid with panes of deep blue glass on Avenida de los Presidentes. It was established as a cultural institute in 1959 by the revolutionary heroine Haydee Santamaría. Her goal was to promote the arts, history and politics of the Americas. Today it hosts regular conferences, musical performances and talks, many of which are open to the general public. Outside of these events, visitors must stay in three restricted places. First, the bookshop. Second, the ground-floor reception area that sometimes hosts small art exhibitions. Third, and most worthwhile of all, the lovely little Galería Latinoamericana on the first floor.

havana-casa-americas-shutterstock_624963797

Casa de las Américas in Havana

© Felix Lipov/Shutterstock

6. Eat ice cream at Coppelia

In the middle of an attractive park in Vedado dotted with weeping figs and rubber trees is Havana’s mighty ice-cream emporium, Coppelia. This location is the flagship branch of this national chain. Looking like a giant space pod atop a podium, the multi-chamber restaurant was designed by Mario Girona in 1966. His aim was to create an eating place with prices within the reach of every Cuban. Serving over a thousand customers a day, it’s a city institution, hugely popular with locals. Many regularly wait in line for over an hour for their treats. Cuban film buffs will recognize the park from the opening scenes of Tomás Gutiérrez Alea’s seminal 1993 film, Fresa y Chocolate. Coppelia, Calle 23 esq. L. Tel: 7 832 6184.

ice-cream-havana-shutterstock_727131016

Ice cream sundaes at Coppelia

© Inspired By Maps/Shutterstock

7. Visit the Cámara Oscura

In the northeastern corner of Plaza Vieja, where Mercaderes crosses Brasil, is the Cámara Oscura. This unusual museum offers a captivating ten-minute tour of Habana Vieja and the bay through a 360-degree-rotating telescopic lens. It's definitely one of the most unique things to do in Havana. The museum is located at the top of the seven-storey Gómez Vila building, built in 1933 and one of only two post-colonial edifices on the square. The impressive piece of kit can pick out sights and scenes from all over the old city in close detail.

Plaza Vieja Havana

Visit Havana's Camara Obscura in Plaza Vieja © Maurizio De Mattei/Shutterstock

Rachel Lawrence

written by Rachel Lawrence

updated 18.02.2019

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