Read Time : 5 mins

I came to Cuba in June of 2015 & visited Havana Vieja, upon revisiting I was a little surprised at how much it has changed. More people, more tourists, more cars, a lot more going on & of course to go with all of this higher prices!

However a trip to Havana & to the magical Havana Vieja is a must when visiting Cuba & somewhere that both myself & my boyfriend Adam wanted to visit. With 4 days in Havana to explore the old town here is what we got up to…

Note from the author: This article has been written by me from my travel experience. I may recommend & provide links to products & services that I have used & may make commission from such links. This commission helps cover the costs of running this website & will be at no extra cost to you. Anything that I am recommending is from my personal experience & belief that it is worth using. Happy reading!

4 Days In Havana

What We Did

The thing with Adam & I is that we both love to do things at our own pace! Neither of us really like to do the tour guide thing where you are limited on time in each place, we both like to go somewhere, see if we like it & spend more time there if we fancy.

We also both love to take photos so for us having 4 nights in Havana’s old town (Havana Vieja) before we moved into an apartment in Miramar & started Spanish school seemed like a good option & gave us enough time to explore it at our own leisure.

Havana Vieja – What We Saw

A lot, at first we had a couple of days wandering around the old town & took in all of the main sights, including…..

Plaza Vieja, our guest house was just 5 minutes from here so we spent quite a bit of time in this old square just admiring it’s beauty & watching the world go by.

Plaza de Armas with it’s colonial buildings, 16th century castle & the beautifully restored calle’s that run just off of it this plaza & it’s surrounding streets are just so photogenic.

Plaza De Catedral, probably our favourite with it’s dominating Cathedral & La Bodeguita Del Medio close by where you can stop for a famous Hemingway Mojito.

Plaza San Francisco, the main sight here being the stunning Basílica this is a lovely square to have a wander around & can be reached by walking through it Plaza Vieja on the way to Plaza de Armas or vice versa. There is also an undercover artisan market just opposite this plaza close to Havana’s train station that is worth the visit should you wish to buy any Cuban souvenirs.

What Else We Saw

Parque Central & around – This is the area just on the edge of Havana Vieja where a lot of important sights are located. Here you can see the huge Capitolo, the Gran Teatro de La Habana & take a wander along the Paseo Del Prado. You can also sample a Daquiri at El Floridta to complete your Hemingway drink tour!

The Museo de la Revolución is also located in this area & although we had read mixed reviews on it before visiting, would definitely say it is well worth the visit. It’s an 8 CUC per person entry fee but will give you a lot of information on the history of Cuba & the revolution.

We also went along the Malecón in the early morning & at sunset. Explored some of Vedado & visited the Plaza de la Revolución which although it is not the prettiest of sights is the main symbol of the revolution in Cuba & should not be missed.

How We Did It

Mainly on foot & this is the way I would really recommend to see Havana Vieja, you’ll be able to wander around at your own pace, down any street you like & really take it all in.

Whilst Cuba is very safe & relatively hassle free remember that most people showing an unusual amount of interest in you in a touristy area are probably not looking to just befriend you, it’s best to be as polite as you can with people but make it clear that you are quite happy doing your own thing.

As we had our own bikes (that we have brought with us to cycle Cuba) we also spent a day on these exploring the area around Vedado & for the Plaza de la Revolución as it was a much easier way for us to get around.

You could look at hiring a bike if you don’t have your own. You could also take a private taxi but this can work out to be quite expensive. A cheaper alternative would be to jump in one of the collectivo (shared) taxis close to Parque Central to take you further afield, you should pay a max of 1 CUC per person & this will get you all the way to Miramar. It’s worth noting that most collectivos only run along certain roads so it’s best to negotiate with the driver & agree a road that closest to where you need to go. Only try to flag down a collectivo that already has other people inside, the taxi driver will normally try to charge a lot more if he thinks it’s only you for the ride.

Resources Used

We have a guide-book on Cuba by Eye Witness Travel hat is just perfect for exploring solo, it’s packed full of information so you can effectively do your own tour of a place by just reading from this as you go along.

We also use Maps.me to navigate, I mention this app in a lot of posts & it’s well worth downloading.

Havana On A Budget 

2 pieces of advice if you are trying to budget in Havana – Book your accommodation in advance so you can easily research what you can get for your money and stay away from the main tourist squares when it comes to food & drink.

For snacks there are lots of markets selling fruit & small take away shops offering food in CUP rather than CUC, just get your head around the CUP to CUC exchange rate & you’ll be good to go. Buying drinks including water from a proper store rather than from restaurants, guests houses or street vendors will also save you money. As well as skipping breakfast in your guest house in preference of eating at a local place, in comparison you’ll pay 5 CUC at your guest house as opposed to 0.50 – 1.00 CUC or sometimes even less.

Where To Stay In Havana Vieja?

We stayed at Casa El Arco which we would highly recommend. Situated right in the center of Havana Vieja. It is the perfect place to explore the intriguing city of Havana in 4 days or how ever long your time frame. You can checkout Casa El Arco’s availability here.

Verdict on Havana Vieja

Whilst for me it has changed dramatically a trip to Havana should not be missed, there’s a hell of a lot to see in this city that is immersed in history & culture. If you take your time to explore it on foot & really embrace it I am sure you will not be disappointed!

Happy travels 🙂

We hope you have enjoyed our four days in Havana post. You can also check out our other adventures across Cuba here.

Kelly & Adam x

Havana Vieja Related Posts

Pin me for later!

           

about the wilder route...

The Wilder Route - Author Bio. Image shows Kelly & Adam sat on a rock with a cloud encompassed mountain behind them, they are facing the camera & smiling. Kelly is wearing a bright yellow coat, a brown hat, jeans & yellow leg warmers. Adam is wearing a navy blue coast & jeans.

In 2017 Kelly & Adam Peck embarked on a journey that would change their lives forever... 

Equipped with a couple of second-hand bikes, they took a one-way flight to Havana, Cuba &, after a cycling escapade that took them over four hundred kilometres - through remote villages & untouched landscapes, the roots of The Wilder Route were firmly planted. 

From there the adventure was destined to continue... this intrepid couple spent the next 10 months soaking up the vibrance of Mexico, hiking up volcanoes in Guatemala, taking in the wild scenery of Canada & experiencing the beauty & diversity of Colombia, before eventually returning to the UK. 

With the feeling of exploration in their souls, Kelly & Adam knew that they wanted to build a life that brought them closer to nature, a life that made adventure part of their every day. Selling most of their belongings & packing the rest of what they owned into their tiny home on wheels, van life became the next step of their journey.

Since moving into their motorhome in 2018 (a Bessacar E560 named Barnaby) they have experienced many more magical moments, built their online business on the road & have even planned a wedding & said "I do" along the way.

Featured in publications such as Wanderlust Magazine & Housesitting Magazine & speaking at events such as Destinations ShowsBorderless Live & The Caravan & Motorhome Show about living a location-independent lifestyle - they are passionate about helping & inspiring others to explore, to connect with nature &, to live alternatively.

New to the wilder route?

start here

   follow the wilder route

 

 

any questions or comments? drop them below...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

as seen

as seen

The Wilder Route seen at Destinations - The Holiday & Travel Show in association with The Sunday Times
The Wilder Route seen at The Caravan & Motorhome Show, Event City, Manchester
The Wilder Route seen at Borderless Live
The Wilder Route seen in Wanderlust Magazine

as seen

The Wilder Route seen at Destinations - The Holiday & Travel Show in association with The Sunday Times
The Wilder Route seen in Wanderlust Magazine
The Wilder Route seen at The Caravan & Motorhome Show, Event City, Manchester
The Wilder Route seen at Borderless Live

The Wilder Route was born from our love of adventure & continues to be driven by our desire to help & inspire others to explore, connect with nature &, live alternatively.

When browsing through this site you may come across links to products or services that we recommend (known as affiliates link) – if you click from this site through an affiliate link & proceed to purchase the product or service that we recommend we may make a small commission (at no extra cost to you).

You will also come across advertisements on this site provided via third-party providers. Whilst we endeavor to keep advertisements & their placement in positions that will not hinder your experience on our site, we appreciate that advertisement for some can cause minor annoyance.

Please be aware serving advertisements to you & including affiliate links throughout this site provides us with an income that allows us to continue to bring you van life, travel, adventure & nature-filled content.

Everything you read on www.thewilderroute.com comes from our own experience. We only work with & recommend brands that we are passionate about & services that we have tried & love.

If you have any questions at any time about what we recommend, please email us at hello@thewilderroute.com as we'll be happy to help.

With love & peace,

Kelly & Adam x

Unless credit has otherwise been given all materials & views contained within this website are our own – including all video, audio, photography & written content which remain the copyright of The Wilder Route - Copyright © 2016 –  2023 The Wilder Route. All Rights Reserved.

All copying , of any kind, is strictly prohibited.

Should you wish to use or enquire about using any of our content including photographs please contact us at hello@thewilderroute.com

At The Wilder Route we are committed to protecting & respecting your privacy. Please read through our privacy & cookie policy carefully to understand our views & practices regarding your personal data & how we will treat it.

As a blog & interactive van life, travel, adventure & nature site we love to connect with you & by visiting this website, you are accepting & consenting to the practices described in this policy.

This Data Protection & Privacy Policy refers to www.thewilderroute.com which is part of our registered business The Green Club Ltd (Company number: 11483353) registered at 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX, UK.

The Wilder Route

a life amidst nature

The Wilder Route

a life amidst nature

website design by The Green Thread

Copyright © 2016 –  2023 The Wilder Route. All Rights Reserved.

It is strictly prohibited to use any of the content on this website, including photographs, without our permission. Should you wish to use or enquire about using anything on www.thewilderroute.com please contact us at hello@thewilderroute.com

Copy link