12 of the best things to do in Havana

12.01.2024 - 11:57 / lonelyplanet.com

Havana seduces you slowly, getting under your skin with its street energy, historical heirlooms and charismatic people. It's a complex city with many different layers.

The range of attractions on offer in Havana is impressive and many things are free to visit. Explore the meticulously renovated UNESCO World Heritage Site that is Habana Vieja, visit an art factory where you can listen to internationally recognized musicians, or hang out on one of Havana's nearby beaches, all embellished with white sand and shady palm trees.

Here are the best experiences on offer in Cuba's capital.

There are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and then there’s Habana Vieja, a beguiling amalgamation of gorgeous architecture and gritty street life, which was named one of 25 World Heritage sites with best practices in conservation. 

Starting in the 1960s, city historian Eusebio Leal transformed this area into one of the finest restoration projects in the Americas – and not just for tourists. City authorities have reinvested the impressive profits into social projects for the community’s 100,000 people.

Planning tip: The best way to see the historic quarter is on a free walking tour that kicks off daily from the Plazuela de Santo Ángel. Look for a guide with a white umbrella and leave a big tip.

If you want to see Havana in all its glory, take a walk along the ocean-front Malecón – all 7km (4.3 miles) of it – stretching from the jaws of the harbor to the mouth of the Río Almendares. 

Flanked by crashing waves on one side and gracefully aging buildings on the other, the Malecón is where the whole city decamps in the evenings to pontificate, dream, gossip and let off steam.

Fishers stand on the sea wall, musicians loudly practice their instruments, lovers canoodle in the shadows and, for a fleeting moment, everyone’s problems seem to dissipate in the sunset.

The pinnacle of Havana’s alfresco art scene and a community project extraordinaire, Fusterlandia was the dream of Havana-based artist José Fuster that grew over two decades into a spectacular art district. 

In the 1990s, Fuster began decorating the walls and houses of his home neighborhood, Jaimanitas, with a pastiche of surreal murals and mosaics that paid tribute to the work of Gaudí and Picasso.

Infusing them with Cuban motifs and complementing the area with avant-garde sculptures, Fuster expanded the project until it covered more than 80 buildings, from bus shelters to the local doctor’s office. The impression today is a kaleidoscopic ensemble of color and creativity that has made the fishing neighborhood into one of the city’s top sights.

Havana exudes an infectious energy. Walk its streets and soak up the atmosphere: you'll likely be sidestepping games of soccer, dodging swerving