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Havana travel guide: Four Plazas of Old Havana, El Capitolio and sunset on the Malecón

Founded beside a narrow bottleneck entrance to a sheltered Caribbean bay, Havana opens from the pedestrian cobbles and baroque palaces of UNESCO-listed Habana Vieja onto the wide neoclassical boulevards of Centro Habana and the eight-kilometre seawall of the Malecón. Because the four historic colonial plazas sit within ten minutes' walk of one another, the old core is best explored entirely on foot.

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Arrival and getting around in Havana

José Martí International Airport (HAV) sits 20 km southwest of Old Havana in Boyeros; as reliable public transit from the international terminals is virtually non-existent for visitors with luggage, take an official yellow state taxi or pre-arranged transfer (25 to 35 minutes) and agree on the exact fare before departing.

  • Inside Habana Vieja, streets around Calle Obispo, Calle Mercaderes and the four main squares are closed to motor traffic and paved in stone.
  • For longer hops along the Malecón toward Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución or Miramar, negotiate the price clearly before stepping into a modern yellow taxi or classic American convertible.
  • Check current entry rules and travel advisories for your nationality before booking, and carry sufficient clean physical banknotes (EUR or USD, depending on current local exchange acceptance), as foreign-issued bank cards frequently fail in Cuba.

Sources: Cuba Travel, lugares de interés en La Habana, Cuba Travel, recorridos por La Habana

Where to stay in Havana

Choosing between Old Havana and Vedado comes down to whether you want colonial plazas right beneath your balcony or quieter, wide-avenue residential greenery along the seafront.

  • Habana Vieja (around Plaza Vieja, Plaza de Armas and Loma del Ángel): restored colonial hotels and licensed private guesthouses (casas particulares) within steps of all four historic squares.
  • Vedado and Malecón edge: airy early-20th-century mansions and ocean-facing rooms 4 km west of the old walls, well suited to evening walks along the seawall and live music clubs.
  • Confirm ahead of time whether your hotel or casa particular has backup generator power and cistern water storage, as scheduled municipal power cuts can affect air conditioning and elevators.

Sources: Cuba Travel, recorridos por La Habana, Havana geographic reference (GeoNames 3553478)

Two-day route for Havana

Dedicate your first day to the interconnected quartet of colonial squares inside the old harbour walls, then follow the western edge of the old city out to the Capitol dome and the Malecón on day two.

  • Day 1: start under the royal palms and secondhand bookstalls of the oldest square, Plaza de Armas, walk two blocks to the asymmetric baroque limestone facade of Plaza de la Catedral, continue south to the harbourfront fountain and former customs dock at Plaza de San Francisco de Asís and finish the afternoon among the colourful stained-glass vitrales and arcades of Plaza Vieja.
  • Day 2: spend the morning along Paseo del Prado (Paseo de Martí) to admire the marble steps and gilded dome of El Capitolio and the adjacent Gran Teatro de La Habana, explore the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes and spend the late afternoon walking the curved seawall of the Malecón as golden light hits the sea spray and coastal facades.
  • Midday heat or tropical downpour alternative: tour the Cuban art collection inside the Palacio de Bellas Artes, the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales on Plaza de Armas or book an interior guided tour of El Capitolio.

Sources: Cuba Travel, lugares de interés en La Habana, Cuba Travel, recorridos por La Habana, Havana geographic reference (GeoNames 3553478)

Seasonal timing and practical rhythm

Havana has a warm tropical coastal climate where daytime temperatures hover around 26 degrees Celsius in January and climb past 32 degrees Celsius with high humidity from June through September.

  • Late November through April is the drier, slightly cooler season with lower humidity, though winter cold fronts from the north (Nortes) can send dramatic waves crashing right over the Malecón wall.
  • From June to November, carry water and sun protection for morning walks, plan indoor museum breaks between 12:30 and 16:00 and step back from the Malecón roadway during high surf warnings.

Sources