Suite Cuba

El Morro, La Habana. Capitolio de la Habana La Plaza Vieja de la Habana Músicos Cubanos

Plaza de la Revolución Cine Yara en la Rampa (El Vedado) El Malecón Habanero Escalinata de la Universidad de la Habana

La Habana (Havana). Capital of the Republic of Cuba is rich in history, culture, architecture and museums. Today it has a population of about 2,2 millions (20% of the total Cuban inhabitants).

History

San Cristobal de la Habana was founded on November16th, 1519 in the lands of what we currently know as Habana Vieja (Old Havana).

The early history of Havana is linked inextricably with the sea. In 1555 the village was sacked by the French corsair Jacques de Sores. In 1556 the King of Spain, taking into consideration the village's strategic position at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico, declared Havana as the major gathering point for the treasure fleets. That same year Havana replaced Santiago de Cuba as seat of the Spanish Captains general in the island. On spite of this, only in 1564 the first Spanish fleet sailed to Spain from Havana. From that moment on and for the next three centuries Havana was the most important port in the continent. To protect this important enclave the metropolis began the construction of a fortification system that lasted more than two centuries. The shelter condition of the Spanish fleet gave Havana prestige and stimulated its fast development (At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Havana had about 4000 inhabitants and in mid eighteenth century its population was 70 000). In 1607 the capital of the colony was officially moved to Havana from Santiago de Cuba (in 1592 Havana was declared a city by decree.

In 1756 Spain, for its close connection with France, was involved in the ¨Seven Years War¨ with Britain the biggest maritime power of the time. At the end of July,1762 the British fleet attacked Havana and after several days of fighting the city fell on August 13. The English held the city for 11 months. In 1763, after the ending of the war, the Spaniards regained the control of the city after exchange it for Florida. Once again the Spanish upgraded the city's defences. A new fortress La Cabaña, which was the biggest military construction in the Americas during the colonial period, was built along with the reconstruction of El Morro. When the works were finished in 1766, Havana was the most fortified city in the continent.

The 19th century, specially the first half, was a period of great progress stimulated by the Spanish permission of free trade with any part of the world in 1818 and the boom of the sugar plantation. Cuba was identified as the sugar bowl of the world and the island was one of the first territories (most of the times first than the metropolis) in received many of the new inventions of the Industrial Revolution: In 1837 Cuba became the seventh country in the world to have a railroad, the public gas lighting began in 1848, the telegraph in 1851, an urban transportation system in 1862, the telephone in 1888, and the electric lighting in 1890.

Havana was physically untouched by the wars of independence and after the culmination of the Spanish rule in Cuba in 1898 and the American occupation in 1902 its population was around a quarter million.

During the first half of 20th century Havana experimented a rapid and steady increase and was also witness of more than 50 years of corrupt and dependent governments.

In January 8th, 1959 Fidel Castro entered in Havana.

Culture and entertainment

The city has an intensive cultural live. Its dozens of museums are specialized on the most varied subjects from the history of Cuba and the revolutionary struggles of its people to the colonial architecture, the beauty arts, decorative arts, the music, ballet, Afro Cuban religions among many others. The city's theatres, movies and concert halls offer varied and high-quality programs as well as its cabaret and night clubs in which perform the most recognized Cuban musicians and artists. Additionally, Havana hosts several prestigious international festival as the Latin American International Cinema festival, the International Ballet Festival, the festival of Theatre and festivals of many musical genres, standing out the Jazz Plaza Festival, one of the most renowned in the world on this genre.

Other entertainment options are:

* The beaches of the east (Just a few kilometres to the east of Old Havana).

* The large green belt of the south which contains the Lenin Park, Expocuba the National Botanical Garden and the National Zoo. Especially recommended for those visitor that travel with children.

* The national Aquarium First Avenue and 64, Miramar. Especially recommended for those visitor that travel with children.

The neighbourhoods

The history and development of a city is always the history of its people but also of its neighbourhoods. The history and main architectonical characteristics of some of the most important areas of the city are stated below.

Old Havana

Old Havana keeps the aureole of an authentic colonial city which make Havana an odd case for the American continent, where most of the historical centres have suffered enormous losses and irreversible changes in the name of an uncontrolled modernization determined by the ostentation eagerness of a wealthy minority. This preservation of the architecture and the colonial design was quite important in the UNESCO´s declaration in 1982 of the old part of the city, including the adjacent system of colonial fortification, as a World Heritage Site. Beyond the magnificent squares, the regal baroque and neoclassical mansions and the colonial fortifications of the old part of the city, the whole Havana attracts the visitors attention for the accumulation of buildings and monuments of the most representative styles of more than four centuries of continual grow during which have not occurred mayor demolitions and urban restructurings.

Main sightseeing and Museums in Old Havana.
San Francisco de Asís Square (1628). Address: Amargura between San Pedro and Oficios.	Convent and church of San Francisco de Asís (1738). In front of the square of the same name. Today, inside of the convent there is a museum and a small orthodox church recently added, in the ancient church there is a beautiful concert hall.	Castillo de la Real Fuerza (1558-1577). First great Fortress in the New world. Located in front of Plaza de Armas.	Plaza de Armas (16th Century). Address: O´Reilly, Obispo, Baratillo y Tacón.
Palace of the Captains Generals, current Museum of the city (1776-1791). In this magnificent palace, from its ending in 1898, lived the island captains generals. Today it houses one of the best museums in the city which not only keep untouched the furniture and decoration of the colonial times but its halls also give an outlook of the Cuban History.	El templete (1828). This neoclassical Doric chapel signals the place in which the city was founded after celebrate the first miss and the first village council on November 16th, 1519.	Plaza Vieja (Old Square) (16th Century). Address: Muralla, Teniente Rey, San Ignacio y Mercaderes. Around the square there are some of the most representative colonial houses of the old city. Today these ancient houses are restaurants, shops and colonial apartment blocks. On the terrace roof of a high eclectic building located on one of the square's corners there is an excellent viewpoint of the old city and the bay.	Paseo del Prado. This beautiful avenue divides the municipalities of Old Havana and Centro Habana. On this avenue are located several hotels, restaurants, cinemas and theatres.
Plaza de la Catedral (Square of the Cathedral) (17th Century). Address: Empedrado, San Ignacio, Mercaderes y Callejón del Chorro. In this square is located the Cathedral of Havana, with the Palace of the captains general the most important buildings of the Cuban Baroque. Also in square are located the House of the Count of Bayona, current Museum of Colonial art and several houses of the 18th century as the current restaurant El Patio.	La Bodeguita del Medio: One of the most famous restaurant and bars in the world. Nevertheless, La Bodeguita has nothing of exclusivity and luxury is rather a typical Cuban restaurant in which the famous Cuban cocktail Mojito and the Cuban music are the king and the queen respectively. The walls of this magical place are filled with the autographs of its visitors in more than 60 years of existence. Many celebrities have enjoyed of the enchantments of this place, among them the American novelist Ernest Hemingway who wrote ¨Mi Mojito en la Bodeguita y mi Daiquiri en el Floridita¨ (My Mojito in La Bodeguita and my Daiquiri in El Floridita¨ Address: Empedrado just a few meters from the Plaza de la Catedral.	Obispo Boulevard. This boulevard is consider to be as the Herat of Old Havana. Along the boulevard are situated public buildings, museums, restaurants and shops. It extends from the Plaza de Armas to Monserrate Street. On the same corner of Monserrate and Obispo is located the famous restaurant-bar El Floridita, one of Ernest Hemingway's prefer places in the city. El Floridita is the house of the famous Cuban cocktail Daiquiri. On Obispo street very close to El Floridita is located a tourist information office (Infotur).	Museum of the Revolution (former Presidential Palace). Inside of this beautiful building, once the residence of the Cuban presidents, there is a very interesting museum on the history of Cuba and the revolutionary struggles of its people. The Granma yacht in which Fidel Castro and its followers travel from Mexico to eastern Cuba to start the war against Fulgencio Batista regime is on the huge backyard of the palace.
National Museum of Beauty Arts. The museum includes two buildings, the building of Cuban Arts and the one of International Arts or Asturian Centre. Specially recommended the first one with an invaluable collection of Cuban paintings from the colonial times to the present.	National Capitol. Magnificent building built during the 20th of the last century. Doubtless one of the most outstanding architectural works in Cuba. Don't miss the opportunity to tour the museum inside this impressive building.	Gran Teatro de la Habana. The oldest functioning theatre in the Americas.

Centro Habana (Havana centre)

As its name indicate, Centro Habana is the centre of the city and not only for its location but also because it represents a link between the old part of the city (Old Habana) and the new part represented by El Vedado.

Centro Habana is characterized by being one of the city's most densely populated districts. This part of the city has hardly any green area and unfortunately a good part of the housing is in poor conditions of preservation. Nevertheless, Centro Habana for the special attractiveness of its people, is one of the most interesting neighbourhoods for the foreign visitors.

In Centro Habana are located many of the biggest department stores in the city and its northern edge is occupied by the beautiful Havanan Malecón.

El Vedado

Vedado means in English reserve, this name come from the ban on the tree cutting existing in this area during the colonial age. Its history starts in 1859 when the Spanish authorities approved a growth project of the city. However, it was not until the seventies of the 19th century that begins a real development of this area. From the beginning, El Vedado was characterized by the wide streets, gardens and parks which perfectly complemented with the stately homes rise on the mayor avenues such as 17th, G (Avenue of the Presidents), and Paseo (Avenue of the Mayors)and by the lying out of an urban railway line, which would give shape to Linea Street. From 1915 on El Vedado begins to prevail as the favorite neighbourhood to the Havanan wealthy. During the twenties, stimulated by the economical boom of the post-war years, were erected in El Vedado some of the most magnificent mansions of the city. Although the neighbourhood never stops its growth El Vedado did not enjoyed a time of construction boom until the fifties when the highest buildings of the city were built here. During the fifties, the Government of the dictator Fulgencio Batista gave its approval to a plan organized by notorious gangsters of the time as Mayer Lansky to turn the littoral of El Vedado all along the Malecón Avenue into a great complex of hotels and casinos. All these plans were truncated with the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and the Mafia had to develop its plan in Las Vegas instead of Havana.

El Vedado is, for its architectural and urban development values, an unsurpassed neighbourhood in the Havanan context.

These are some of the most important houses, building and other constructions in El Vedado.

1- Santa Dorotea de Luna de la Chorrera stronghold, National Monument (1645). Malecón y 20.
2- Colón cemetery, National Monument (1871-1886). Zapata y 12.
3- House of Juan Pedro Baró (currently ¨Casa de la Amistad¨ (House of the friendship) (1927) Paseo entre 17 y 19.
4- House of José Gómez Mena, (currently Museum of Decorative Arts) (1927). 17# 502.
5- House of Orestes Ferrara, (currently Napoleonic Museum) (1928). San Miguel # 1159.
6- Havana University, National Monument (1906-1940). L e/ San Rafael y 27 de Noviembre.
7- Hotel Nacional de Cuba, National Monument, (1930). O y 21.
8- FOCSA building, (1956). 17 y M.
9- Hotel Habana Hilton, (Habana Libre) (1958). L y 23.
10- Coppelia ice-cream parlor, (1966). 23, 21, K, L.

Nuevo Vedado

Nuevo Vedado is a residential district built during the fifties of the last century. This neighbourhood stands out for the beauty of its houses and buildings which were designed by some of the best architects of that time in Cuba. Located to the south of the west portion of El Vedado, Nuevo Vedado is privileged because its situation amid a beautiful natural area. Besides the fine architecture the neighbourhood is plenty of parks and beautiful gardens.

Nuevo Vedado is recommended for the lovers of the quietness, the beauty and
harmonic architecture and the abundant vegetation.

Suggested places to visit in Nuevo Vedado

* The Havana Zoo.
* La Plaza de la Revolución (The Revolution Square)

Miramar

Divided of El Vedado by the Almendares River. The development of what is known today as Miramar began around 1910. At the beginning, the growth of this neighbourhood was rather slow owing to the boom of el Vedado. Later, little by little, Miramar came to the fore as one of the most exclusive areas of the city and the preferred by the wealthy classes. Some of the stately houses of Miramar which were built for the most prestigious Cuban architects of the day are among the most beautiful of the city. Miramar has abundant green areas and cosy parks and gardens. The Fifth Avenue, the longest avenue in Cuba, is undoubtedly one of the most beauties of Havana and Cuba. All along the shore of Miramar there are several hotels, clubs and restaurants. In Miramar is located the biggest theatre of Cuba (the Karl Marx Theatre)

Today, besides to be a residential area par excellence, Miramar is seat of most of the foreign embassies in Cuba and headquarters of some of the most important commercial and service corporations in Cuba.

Playa

Playa is one of the most extensive Havana's municipalities and includes neighbourhoods as Miramar, Santa Fe, Siboney, Náutico y Flores. Nevertheless most of Havanan know as Playa to a neighbourhood of the homonym municipality located to the south of Miramar. Playa has an attractive architecture although not as remarkable as Miramar or El Vedado. Playa as Miramar is abound in houses and small buildings. In Playa, close to Marianao, is located the renowned Cabaret Tropicana. Some of the houses listed in this Web site are situated just a few blocks from Tropicana. Playa is around 20 minutes from the International Airport José Martí.

Playas del Este (Beaches of the east)

Playas del Este cover the beaches Bacuranao (18 Km. to the east of Old Havana), Tarará, El Mégano, Santa María del Mar, Boca Ciega, Guanabo and Brisas del Mar (around 30 Kms to the east of Havana). The beaches Mégano, Santa María del Mar, Boca Ciega and Guanabo have fine and white sands and their water have beautiful tonalities.

Megano and Santa María are full of tourist al the year and is very difficult to find a casa particular (private accommodation) for renting.

Boca Ciega and Guanabo are as good beaches as Santa María is and have all the required facilities to spend an exceptional holiday of sun an beach very close to Cuban capital. In both resorts Arrímate a Cuba has houses for booking with excellent comfort.

Distances between Havana and other Cuban cities (in kilometres)

Pinar del Río: 186
Matanzas: 98
Varadero: 140
Cienfuegos: 253
Santa Clara: 287
Sancti Spírirtus: 373
Ciego de Ávila: 448
Camaguey: 558
Las Tunas: 681
Holguín: 758
Bayamo: 757
Santiago de Cuba: 884
Guantánamo: 933