Cuba is an amazing country that is on most travellers’ bucket list, and for a number of very good reasons.
It is one of those places that grows on you: for as shocking, different, difficult and at times simply frustrating I found it, I could not help falling completely in love with it.
Things to do in Cuba
Since I have left the country I have been wanting to visit again. One place I would surely like to go back to would be Havana. I've put together 11 things to do in Havana that you may not have thought of.
Eleven fun and not-so-obvious things to do in Havana
1. Visit The Capitol Building
The Capital Building is one of the best places to visit in Havana. People who know me are well aware that I am not a huge fan of big cities.
My general rule is that, regardless of how many museums, churches, bars and restaurants there are to visit in a capital, I get tired after a mere two days and make my swift escape.
Havana is the exception to this rule. In fact, it was hard to leave, because I really had a blast there. Do you want to know what I did to have a good time?
Then, read my non-exhaustive and not-so-obvious list of the fun things to do in Havana.
Not Staying in Havana Book a Half Day City Tour from Veradero
2. Ride in a taxi particular
Everybody takes pictures of vintage cars in Havana, as they are easily spotted pretty much on every street, traffic light, or parking lot.
I actually went as far as riding a few of them, and it was fun. Some of those vintage cars are kept perfect and shiny. Others are simply old and rusty. But all of them are incredibly large.
Taxi particulares (privately owned taxi) rides are shared taxi rides. Meaning that when I got in one, others people also got in. If they are going in the same direction, you'll have company. It's a good way to meet some locals!
Vintage Cars in Havana
Book your own 2-Hour Classic American Car Tour when visiting Havana.
3. Smoke a good cigar
I am not a smoker – in fact, I find smoking quite disgusting habit. And I have asthma too.
But Cuba is so famous for its tobacco and cigars I had to explore the culture of cigars. I visited the Real Fábrica de Tabacos Partagás and bought some of the best cigars for my friends.
Smoke a Cigar: Fun things to do in Havana
So I thought I may as well try one too. Ok, here’s a little secret: I did not even light it up. But I got to smell the delicious tobacco and found out a lot on how to properly save cigars.
And they are fun to chew on and pretend.
Did you know cigars are best kept in the fridge, on a wet cloth? When you take your cigars home from Cuba make them last this way.
4. Have a good cocktail
I am not an alcoholic. Far from it, indeed. Yet, for as much as I tried to be a good girl, I did not let a day pass in Cuba without having a good mojito.
Mojitos were invented in Cuba and are one of the island's oldest cocktails.
Mojitos are made from white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane), lime juice, soda water, and mint.
Where to have drinks in Cuba
So, one of the most fun things to do in Havana is to hit La Bodeguita del Medio for a mojito and El Floridita for a daiquiri.
Warning: they are touristy because they are classic spots for drinks.
They are in the gorgeous Havana Vieja (Old Havana). People go there to see what Hemingway was talking about as El Floridita was his favourite daiquiri spot.
Mojitos at La Bodeguita are average, while daiquiris at El Floridita are delicious.
Bonus: they often play live music there.
Enjoy a Mojito
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
Hotel Nacional is a beautiful old Historic Hotel. Minutes from downtown. A quick cab ride to Old Havana!
Check out Availability & Prices
Hotel Raquel
The hotel is in an impressive building in Old Havana. It is very well situated for exploring the old city and the rooms are clean.
Check out Availability & Prices
5. Take a walk on El Malecon
I grew up in a city right by the sea, and I love walking on the waterfront whenever there is one.
El Malecon is great: 8 km of paved road where the locals mostly go at sunset, to relax after a day at work.
Ocean waves crushing on the shore. Beautiful (sometimes very decadent) buildings on one side – such as the Hotel Nacional.
All of these make it a perfect place to relax. I also recommend a brief detour from El Malecon to go to the Callejón de Hamel, to look at some interesting street art and enjoy the Afro-Cuban culture.
Interested in learning more about Cuba? You may like The History of Cuba in 50 Events.
Things to do in Havana: Walk on El Malecon
6. See el cañonazo de las nueve
Every night, at 9 pm sharp (may as well be the only thing that is punctual in the country) in the fortress of La Cabaña, the ceremony of “el cañonazo de las nueve” takes place: soldiers dressed in the traditional costumes of the 18th century shoot the cannons to warn that it is time to close the city gates.
This has been done for centuries, to protect Havana from its enemies.
I truly enjoyed it. The view of Havana by night from La Cabaña is amazing, the ceremony is engaging, there are a lot of museums and exhibits inside the fortress and the entrance ticket includes a drink!
Definitely one of the most fun things to do in Havana.
7. Go to the Barrio Chino but find no Chinese people
There is a Chinatown in Havana. But there are no Chinese people there. In fact, there once was a huge Chinese community in Cuba.
What is left today is just about 2 blocks of Chinese restaurants. Still interesting to see. I enjoyed it for sure.
8. Listen to some great music
Ok, this is not a hard one. I noticed that Cubans are very musical, and they carry around a radio wherever they go!
Pretty much at every corner in Havana Vieja someone will be playing some great tunes and it is nice to stop and listen to the tunes.
Most bars and restaurants in Havana also have live music, at just about any time. Check out another musical city at Montreux and its Music Legacy
Listening to salsa is a must when in Cuba
9. Practice some salsa moves
Can you actually listen to salsa without wanting to dance to it?
I can’t, for sure. I am a nearly hopeless dancer, but I still had to give it a try, and took one salsa lesson in Havana, so that I could make a food of myself for a good afternoon.
The teacher was less than impressed with me, and kept saying I needed to relax and let go.
I was really stiff. Yet, I had a great time!
10. Browse through the book market of Plaza de Armas
The oldest square in Havana hosts a lovely book market in its centre.
I am a book junkie, and I had to browse. Besides, I met some interesting people there too and took some cool pictures.
People you meet at the book market in Havana
11. Visit the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes
I love art, and I spent a good afternoon browsing through the collection of this incredible museum that hosts international art from 500 AC onwards.
Warning: the museum is actually divided in two buildings.
Fresh guarapo juice in Havana
Bonus Tip: Try guarapo
I find the heat exhausting and at times I need a good dose of sugar to recharge my batteries.
Nothing beats guarapo for this: it is pure sugarcane juice, freshly squeezed.
I don’t like the particularly sweet taste, so I added some lime. Perfect!
Have you ever been to Havana? What were the best things you did there?
Do you have other suggestions of things to do in Havana that I may have missed?
My Adventures Across the World
Claudia Tavani is from Cagliari (Sardinia) and is obsessed with travelling. A former human rights lawyer and academic, after devoting her life to the protection of cultural identity, in November 2013 Claudia decided to give in to her biggest passion and started travelling around Latin America, and she has hardly stopped since. Blogging came as a natural consequence, for Claudia wanted to let her family and friends be updated with her adventures.
By Vernon December 6, 2017 - 10:34 am
Thanks for your post Claudia! We have just received our Cuban Visa Cards and will be traveling soon! We have done avid reading of all the books we could find and even attempted to learn some Spanish! And just about everything you write about is on our list to visit or see! Dying to ride in a Coco Taxi…..Can we take our Cell phones & iPads with us and also Canon DLS camera. Great post! Will sure add our experiences here in the New Year!…
By David November 16, 2017 - 5:08 am
Great list but i was a little disapointed about the topic “Not so obv things”.
Pretty much all except #7 is the super standard things to do there..
As said, still a good list ??
By ?i lao ??ng Nh?t August 23, 2017 - 11:34 pm
In this world, there are many places to visit, explore the culture and people of their land. However, the dominant condition is money and health.
By Explorer Whiz August 22, 2017 - 11:34 am
Really a great place to visit. I Have to say that you have really explained this Cuba in a very truthful manner.
By Allan Bartlett August 3, 2017 - 4:34 am
Interesting list for visiting Havana and thanks for your sharing. It seems that the trip will be full of surprises!
By Discounts Gyan July 30, 2017 - 8:09 am
Great post.
By Justina Muralyt? July 4, 2017 - 9:09 am
http://www.cubahipster.com/index.html – our personal honest reflection on traveling and exploration around Cuba – we wish this platform was made by someone else before our trip. But it wasn’t.
So having a tight time/budget frame it is important to know how things work there, because 8 times out of 10 locals won’t be the ones to help. At least not without 5 CUC.
By Julie May 2, 2017 - 12:35 pm
Does Cuba take credit cards? Do we need our money exchanged?
By Shannon Kircher January 30, 2017 - 5:52 pm
Thanks for the great tips! We’re hoping to head that way in March this year and can’t wait to explore Havana and Vinales!
By Mrs Clark January 26, 2017 - 11:10 am
Did you get a chance to visit Veradaro? Wondering if its worth a day trip from Havana.
By George Diamond June 24, 2015 - 8:07 pm
I hope cuba gets liberated it was a beautiful country till communism took over. I would like to open a luxury car rental office in Cuba
By hanoi food tour June 13, 2015 - 11:52 pm
Havana is the place where i definitely visit in the near future. Cuba will be the first destination for my southern america trip.
By Bob Merrick June 8, 2015 - 1:15 pm
I have had a great desire to visit Cuba, but because I am from the United States, it has been closed for us to travel there for many decades. However, thanks to President Obama, the country is open to us again. I can’t wait to visit there. I have heard much about the Cuban cigars and although I do not smoke (I quit many years ago), I may still want to try one. I have heard that Cuba’s living conditions have become stagnant and declined since the 1950s. Even if this is so, I still would like a chance to see this place.
By Claudia June 8, 2015 - 5:39 am
I am glad you enjoy this post. I definitely enjoy Havana! 🙂
By Will Hatton June 8, 2015 - 2:25 am
I have always wanted to go to Havana and now I feel that time is truly running out, with the gates of Cuba having officially been thrown open it seems to me that this is a country, much like Myanmar in 2011 or Iran now, which needs to be visited asap before it changes forever…
By Tajirul Haque June 5, 2015 - 7:10 pm
I simply loved Claudia Tavani’s post….
Some not so obvious but fun things to do in Havana……and rightly so….
walking on El Malecon, having a good cocktail and listening to some great music look really interesting things to do in Havana for me…