Tour the Hotel Nacional
Havana, Cuba[2 miles]
Get the low-down on the Mafia, Hollywood stars and Cold War tactics during a history tour of the famous Hotel Nacional.
Best for ages: 13+ | £4 | 1+ hours
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This beautifully revived colonial mansion, on a leafy street in the heart of artsy el Vedado, features smart rooms filled with mid-century furniture and Cuban contemporary art.
It’s big draws though are the alfresco patio, 24-hour bar, and new La Bodega restaurant serving up authentic regional Cuban cuisine.
But amid the light, style and gorgeous Spanish tiles it’s the owners and hosts who characterise La Reserva with a warm and friendly spirit. Tap into their concierge black book – your ticket to insider Havana experiences.
La Reserva is for those who love quiet luxury and want to tap into Havana’s contemporary art and culture scene.
La Reserva is in an untouristy spot on a quiet tree-lined road of handsome homes. It doesn’t feel isolated however – it’s only a short walk to a major avenue for transport links.
It’s within walking distance of the Museum of Decorative Arts, the Revolution Plaza, and the leafy avenue of Paseo, with its embassy homes, grand mansions and restaurants.
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Bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Havana, Cuba[2 miles]
Get the low-down on the Mafia, Hollywood stars and Cold War tactics during a history tour of the famous Hotel Nacional.
Best for ages: 13+ | £4 | 1+ hours
Havana, Cuba[2.6 miles]
Watch the ancient artisanal craft of rolling Cuba’s world-famous cigars at one of the very few working factories in Havana that opens to the public.
Best for ages: 13+ | £8 | 1+ hours
Havana, Cuba[3.2 miles]
Join the locals on this famous sea wall for rum and sunsets over Havana’s skyline.
Best for ages: 8+ | Free
Havana, Cuba[3.8 miles]
Havana’s magical, neo-baroque Grand Theatre stages ballet and modern dance, including performances by Carlos Acosta’s troupe.
Best for ages: 15+ | £20 | 2 hours
Other worthwhile experiences in this destination if you have the time or the interest, closest first
Havana, Cuba[0.7 miles]
Havana’s Museo de Artes Decorativas is housed in a palatial mansion, built in the 1920s in Regency style, overflowing with 33,000 antiques from Tiffany glassware to Italian marble. The treasures belonged to Countess Maria Luisa Gomez Mena, sister to famous sugar king, Jose Gomez-Mena Vila, who lived here after it was built.
Best for ages: 18+ | £2
Havana, Cuba[0.9 miles]
Dating from the 19th century, Havana’s remarkable cemetery is an architectural gem, home to marble mausoleums, winged angels, sparkling mosaics, wrought-iron motifs, Art Deco sculptures, vast government monuments and 1959 Revolution memorials.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free
Havana, Cuba[1 miles]
The vast Plaza de la Revolucion is the site of May Day rallies, Papal masses, and propaganda gatherings. It’s famous for the tall memorial to José Martí, hero of Cuban independence, and the huge black iron silhouetted portraits of Che Guevara, and 1959 Revolution leader Camilo Cienfuegos pinned to government offices.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Havana, Cuba[1.6 miles]
The largest collection of Napoleonic memorabilia outside of Europe (some 5,000 items) is housed in this glorious Florentine mansion. Go for the paintings, statues, prized bronze death mask, the French emperor’s bicorne hat, his pistols, and the original oil Napoleon Planning his Coronation by Jean-Georges Vibert.
Best for ages: 118+ | £2
Destination guides including or relevant to this place to stay
Cuba
Sensual and sultry communist Caribbean capital, home to captivating, crumbling architecture, and enlivened by dance, music, avant-garde art and cocktails.