Havana: Fortresses, Art and Playas del Este

Havana comprises 15 municipalities. Playa, Plaza de la Revolución, Centro Habana, Habana del Este and La Habana Vieja in particular offer numerous architectural, cultural and tourist attractions. La Habana Vieja has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. These different features may play a role when choosing your accommodation: would you mainly like to explore historic buildings and museums, or also include the beaches in the east? This will help you decide in advance whether culture, the coast or both should shape your stay.

Fortresses and the Old Town

The Castillo de la Real Fuerza, construction of which began in 1558, is part of the Old Havana fortress system. It is one of the oldest colonial fortresses in the Americas. In Havana’s Old Town, a cohesive ensemble of private houses with arcades, balconies, wrought-iron gates and courtyards sits among Baroque and Neoclassical buildings. Many of these houses visibly bear the marks of age. The fortress and the residential ensemble represent different aspects of Havana’s architecture.

Following extensive restoration in the late 20th century, the Museo San Salvador de La Punta was established in the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta.

Museums and culture

At the foot of the monument is the Memorial José Martí. It is dedicated to the life and work of José Martí. The memorial has four halls; political and cultural activities take place in one of them.

The collections of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes include painting, printmaking, sculpture, funerary art and decorative art. This gives the museum a different thematic focus from the memorial: here, a broad selection of art forms is the focus, while there, the focus is on the life and work of José Martí.

La Cabaña houses a weapons museum and is a venue for cultural and leisure activities, including the Ceremonia del Cañonazo de las Nueve. Café Cantante Mi Habana is located beneath the Teatro Nacional de Cuba, in Vedado, in the municipality of Plaza de la Revolución, and offers live salsa music and dancing. If you plan to attend either of these, check the dates of the Ceremonia and the current schedule at Café Cantante Mi Habana in advance.

Beaches and green spaces

The tourist beach area of Playas del Este extends eastward and spans 20 kilometres, encompassing the beaches of Bacuranao, Tarará, Mégano, Santa María, Boca Ciega, Guanabo, La Veneciana and Brisas del Mar. The beaches are considered the best in the province.

Marina Tarará offers seven nautical stations in Playas del Este in winter and three more in summer. Catamarans and kayaks can be rented. An inclusive service is available to guests of the hotels where the facilities are located. Check that the seasonal services are currently operating before making plans.

Rincón de Guanabo is located in the Ensenada de Sibarimar, in Guanabo, Habana del Este, La Habana. The green belt of the city of La Habana includes the Parque Zoológico Nacional, Parque Lenin, Expocuba and Jardín Botánico Nacional. These places add another connection to the landscape to the options for exploring museums, buildings and the coast.

Discover more destinations: Sancti Spíritus, Havana, Granma, Matanzas, Pinar Del Río, Santiago de Cuba, Camaguey, Guantanamo

Go to the main travel overview: Cuba.