Havana (Cuba) Travel Guide
I planned my first Havana trip expecting a museum on a timer, an old city frozen for tourists to photograph. What I found instead was a neighborhood that works, a city that hums past me on bicycles and beat-up Russian Ladas, and a pace of life I had not felt in years. Cuba is complicated, and nobody should pretend otherwise. But if you go with patience and a little cash, Havana rewards you in ways no itinerary can capture. This guide covers what I wish someone had told me before I landed.
Getting to Havana
Most visitors arrive at Jose Marti International Airport, about twenty kilometers southwest of the center. You cannot rely on your phone here, so I arranged a host pickup before I flew, and I would recommend the same. Airport taxis exist, but the meter and the rate are whatever the driver decides, and without a local price in your head you will overpay. I carried US dollars and euros and exchanged them in small amounts as I went. The exchange rate for tourists is poor at the official counters, so the practical move is to bring solid cash and let your host or a trusted casa guide you on the rest.
Where to Stay in Habana Vieja
I stayed in a casa particular, which is a private guesthouse licensed to rent rooms. This is not a hostel and not a hotel; it is someone’s home, and that distinction matters. My host cooked me fresh fish on my second night and talked for an hour about her family. You book casas through WhatsApp and Airbnb before you go, and you pay in cash when you arrive. Habana Vieja is the obvious base for a first visit. Everything worth seeing sits within comfortable walking distance, and by my third morning I knew my block by the sound of its doors. The streets are loud and the masonry is crumbling, but neither is a reason to stay away.
Eating Your Way Through the City
Skip the all-inclusive buffet mindset entirely. Eat at paladares, which are privately run family restaurants, and the food will make you forget the island’s reputation. I had my best meal of the year in one small dining room where the owner walked through every plate before I ordered. Ask about the daily special, because it is usually what the market actually had that morning. Ropa vieja, slow shredded beef, appears everywhere, and for good reason. For a quick bite I trusted the corner cafes in the early afternoon, and I stopped caring about scores or reviews by day four. When a place is busy with locals at lunch, it is worth your pesos.
Classic Cars and the Malecon
I booked a ride in a 1950s Chevrolet purely for the photo, and I got more than that. These cars are not museum pieces. They are working taxis rebuilt on modern engines, and riding in one is the fastest way to hear a local explain the city. Negotiate the fare before you sit down, always, and agree on it in writing if you can. The Malecon, that long seawall road, is where Havana goes in the evening. I walked it at sunset, when families gather, couples argue and make up, and fishermen cast into the spray. It is free, it is beautiful, and it is the best thing I did in the whole city. Go twice. It changes with the light and the wind.
Money, Internet, and the Basics
Two realities can catch travelers off guard. First, the internet is unreliable and mostly routed through prepaid data cards from Etecsa, the state telecom. I bought cards at a hotel kiosk, connected in public squares called wifi parks, and managed my expectations. Second, the country runs on cash. Cards rarely work for foreign visitors, so I carried enough for the week and broke large bills early. I also packed my own basics. Medicines, sunscreen, tampons, and decent soap are hard to find at short notice, so bring more than you think you need. Cubans are famously generous hosts, and a few extras from your own bag can make a friendship.
Safety and What Not to Worry About
Havana is a safe city by most global standards, and I felt comfortable walking at night in the well-lit parts of Habana Vieja. The real nuisance is the persistent tourist economy. Someone will approach you with a cigar deal, a taxi offer, or a story that ends in a request. None of this is dangerous, but it is constant, and I dealt with it by staying polite, saying no clearly, and keeping my wallet out of sight. Politeness is worth real money here, both for your comfort and for the reputation of travelers who come after you.
A Final Thought
Havana broke every neat expectation I carried in. It is not a theme park and it is not a hardship post; it is a city full of musicians, engineers, cooks, and poets who are doing remarkable things with very little. Travel here well means going slow, spending as locals spend, and remembering that you are a guest in a place with a long story of its own. Book your room, pack cash, leave the itinerary loose, and let the city show you the rest.
