To be honest with you, there’s just so much to see in Havana and so many intriguing activities to enjoy, that our immersive and unique Havana Sightseeing Tours will only give you a glimpse of what there is to explore in this incredibly iconic and lively city.
Our tailored walking tour of Old Havana heads off usually in the cooler morning with your private guide. They are local residents of the city with lots of knowledge, who not only will introduce you to the main sights, but also introduce the day to day life of the local Habaneros. See where they live , shop , socialise and buy their food and provisions and feel free to ask as many questions as you like as the guides are always happy to discuss anything , with lots of local stories and gossip! The Habaneros love a gossip!
Your tour will stroll on foot through the narrow, bustling streets of Habana Vieja (Old Havana) pausing at peaceful tree lined squares. By foot is certainly the best way to discover the historical centre which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Your walk will take you through narrow streets with tall historical buildings, either beautifully restored, in scaffolding or in dire need of renovation. There are numerous plazas and buildings, so I’ll just mention a few that have made an impression on me.
You’ll visit Plaza de Armas, Havana’s oldest square with a marble statue of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes (one of Cuba’s revolutionary heroes) in the centre of it and where street pedlars will try to sell you their fried plantain chips, peanuts and other goodies. The plaza is also used as a second-hand book market, with many historical titles, that must be worth a fortune amongst global book collectors. You may see a writer giving a book presentation in front of a group of locals as many have a keen interest in literature.
Overlooking the plaza, the Museo de la Ciudad is located inside the opulent Palacio de los Capitanes Generales and the attendants that look after each room, are very keen to show you all the artefacts, furniture and paintings and tell you where they originate from.
Built in the 15th century and not far from the Plaza is one of the oldest existing forts in the Americas American continent, the Castillo de la Real Fuerza , which nowadays is a Maritime Museum.
Continue the stroll to Plaza de la Catedral , with its stunning landmark Cathedral constructed in 1727 and where Christopher Columbus’ remains were kept until they were moved to Spain. The square is really beautiful and well worth a longer visit for photographs and selfies !
Next stop and round the corner to the side of the square is the Bodeguita del medio where you can sample a Mojito (with or without Vitamin R = rum) from a bar that is the home of the Mojito. Sign your name on the wall, if you find a space as many thousands of visitors already have, including lots of famous visitors over the years.
You can then continue along the main shopping street in Old Havana called Calle Obispo, where you’ll find Hotel Ambos Mundos, one of Ernest Hemingway’s stomping grounds. He rented a room at the hotel for a while before he moved out to the opulent Finca Vigia in the countryside on the outskirts of the city.
Next stop can be Plaza Vieja, now beautifully restored with facades of the former opulent buildings now in original pastel colours . In centuries past very wealthy Cuban families used to reside in the square and from their large balconies watch processions, bullfights, fiestas and even executions
After a fascinating and immersive insight into both the history and day to day life of the locals who make Old Havana their home, its now time to be comfortably seated in classic American car ready for a totally unique Havana experience .
Be guided on a two-hour drive through Havana’s downtown neighbourhood district of Vedado and Miramar, the former wealthy area of the city and now the Embassy district with its incredibly large mansions.
Let the wind blow through your hair (if you’re in an open top car) sit back and enjoy this fascinating panoramic tour. Drive through the downtown Vedado district and its hectic and fascinating street life. Stop for photos and to enjoy the huge size of the imposing Plaza de la Revolución (Revolution Square) and huge statue of Cuba’s National Hero, Jose Marti. Two much photographed murals of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos also adorn the government buildings overlooking the square and are iconic images of Cuba.
Havana’s elegant Miramar district of the city has many embassies and mansion houses and our tour weaves through this area, visiting the Bosque De La Habana, a wooded park with the River Alemendares running through it.
The drive finishes along the majestic Malecon coastal promenade, known as “Havana Sofa”, as the locals use the sea wall for their socialising and we can always arrnage for your tour to finish at one of our favourite local private bars for late afternoon cocktails and tapas as the sun sets over the ocean.
