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Walking Tour of Old Havana, CubaVisiting Habana Vieja and its Plazas is a Must for Cuba Travellers
Colonial Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Sight since 1982, is full of historic churches and monuments. Exploring its four main plazas is a good way of taking it all in.
Old Havana is one of the most attractive urban areas in the Caribbean. Five decades of communism have not been kind to Cuba's capital, but significant parts of Habana Vieja have been painstakingly restored. Old Havana's architecture spans four centuries of styles, it is an eclectic mix of Baroque and neoclassical monuments. Plaza de San FranciscoPlaza de San Francisco was the core of commercial life in Havana. The Terminal Sierra Maestra cruise port has two piers opening onto the buzzling plaza. Passengers disembark onto the cobbled streets of Old Havana with all the main sights nearby. Dominating the plaza is the Lonja del Comercio, a former commodities market, which provides office space for foreign companies with joint ventures in Cuba. The baroque basilica of San Francisco de Asis towers over the square. From the bell tower (43 m/138 ft) one has a wonderful view of Habana Vieja and its harbor. The beautiful cloister of the adjacent monastery houses a museum of holy art. The church serves as a concert hall for the world-renowned Camerata Romeu, an all female string ensemble founded by Zenaida Romeu in 1993. The basilica is said to have the best acoustics in Havana. Plaza de ArmasPlaza de Armas (Square of Arms) was built in 1584 for military exercises. Most mornings used books are sold here, mainly post-revolution editions on Cuban history. Havana's town hall is now the city museum and gives an overview of its history. A few steps down on Calle Oficios is the Casa de los Árabes ("The Arab House"). Two 17th century mansions house a museum and the Al Medina Restaurant. The restaurant invites with the aroma of cinnamon and mint to taste Middle Eastern specialties like Ajonjolí Chicken on Couscous. There is a significant Muslim minority who hold Friday Prayers in the Casa de los Árabes. The museum’s inviting courtyard with its arched doorways and half-moon shaped colored glass windows is modeled after Andalusian designs. The prayer house was founded by an old Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian colony. Guides are eager to show visitors around for a small fee. Qatar donated funds for the remodeling of the museum. Plaza ViejaPlaza Vieja served as a civic square in colonial times. It was the site of executions, processions, bullfights, and fiestas, witnessed by Havana's wealthiest citizens, looking on from their balconies. The square was radically renovated in the 1990s. The tallest building is the Edificio Gómez Villa on the northeast corner. Its top floor is the home of the Cámara Oscura (daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; CUC1), an optical reflection camera that revolves through 360 degrees and projects a real-time picture of Havana at 30-times magnification in a completely darkened room. The Bar Plaza Vieja in the southern corner of the square has tables outside and is a great place to try micro-brewed beers, and listen to live bands. Plaza de la CatedralThe cobbled Plaza de la Catedral is the most visited in Havana Vieja. The Cathedral of Saint Christopher has been described by one Cuban writer as "music set in stone". The church's asymmetrical towers, one is wider than the other, allowed the water that accumulated on the plaza (a former swamp) to flow freely through the streets. Cathedral Square is surrounded by some of Havana's oldest buildings, the wealthiest families built their mansions here. With the cathedral towers lit up every night, it is a great spot to visit after dark. Restaurants have tables set outside, where locals and tourists relax over drinks and listen to music. La Bodeguita del Medio, Ernest Hemingway's old haunt, is just a block away. Since every tourist wants to taste a cocktail or smoke a cigar right here, prices are steep. Worth a stop is the Centro Wilfredo Lam (northwest corner of the plaza). It exhibits pieces by the internationally renowned Cuban artist Wilfredo Lam (1902-1982), who captured the Afro-Cuban spirit. Lam grew up in Cuba with a grandmother who practised Voodoo rituals. He came of age in Paris, where he was close friends with Picasso. The center promotes contemporary art from around the world and has a large music store. The buzzling open-air market at Calle Tacon (Wed.-Sat.), a good place to shop for arts and crafts -from hand-made jewelry, paper-mache 1950s autos to paintings - is around the corner . Centro Wilfredo Lam, Mon.–Fri. and alternate Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; CUC2 Arab House (Oficios #12, tel. 07/861-5868; Tues.–Sat. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.–1 p.m.; CUC1) A Walk Through Vedado, Havana (Cuba) Good Information on Cuba in CubaAbsolutely
The copyright of the article Walking Tour of Old Havana, Cuba in Cuba Travel is owned by Christine Welter. Permission to republish Walking Tour of Old Havana, Cuba in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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