Hooters and Habaneras
Paul and Carole’s Travel Guide to Havana
We visited Havana in Cuba as part of our cruise holiday around the Caribbean. Havana is one of the most interesting destinations we have visited and we have put this travel guide together to help you make the most of your visit too.
Where is Havana?
Havana lies in the north-western coast of Cuba. It is located south of the Florida Keys where the Gulf of Mexico joins the Atlantic Ocean. It has over 2 million inhabitants, and the highest population density in the entire island. From end to end it is approximately 700 miles, we didn’t realise Cuba was so big!
Being money smart in Havana
One of the first things to learn when you are travelling to Cuba is about the Cuban Currency, as it can get confusing. Simply put tourists use CUC which is the Cuban Convertible Peso and locals use the CUP which is the Cuban Peso. The difference in appearance is that CUC’s have monuments and buildings and CUP’s have faces of famous Cubans on the notes and coins.
We could not get CUC’s outside of Cuba and soon learned that exchange rates vary a lot. If you are organising your own transfers from the airport then you will need to change your money before you leave the airport and signs to the money exchange were signposted.
We changed our sterling at our first hotel the Memories Miramar. At first we changed some money at reception and the exchange rate was 1.17 to the pound but soon discovered that literally round the corner off the lobby area was a little money exchange which gave a rate of 1.28! So make sure you check out all the options available to you.
Always check your change and make sure you receive CUC’s not CUP’s in return, check the notes and coins before walking away. The worth of each currency is very different \with CUP’s being worth a lot less than CUC’s.
Where to stay in Havana
The reason for us going to Havana was to join the MSC Opera Cruise Ship for a Caribbean Cruise. The cruise terminal is called the Sierra Maestra and centrally located, right across the street from San Francisco Square. and ideal for exploring the interesting streets of Havana.
Before joining the MSC Opera we stayed at the Memories Miramar Hotel, we soon realised that 4 star in Cuba is very different to 4 star in Europe. You can check out to see why in our video reviews here.
We booked our hotels through Trailfinders, and for the standard of hotel we wanted they certainly were not cheap. We did our research as normal and we were shocked at how much hotels were.
If we were travelling to Cuba again and as a couple, we would look at staying in Casa’s or Airbnb which may be cheaper, you can check them out through Booking.com below. Unfortunately, this was not an option for us this time due to the size of our group!
Getting around Havana
As soon as you arrive in Cuba you will see the classic cars everywhere. If you are planning a trip around Cuba in a classic car make sure you shop around as prices do vary a lot. We were lucky to meet up with our friend Yatiel who lives in Cuba and we had previously met on our cruise around Greece last summer.
If we had booked our classic car tour with MSC Cruises, it would have cost $75 per person with a maximum 3 to a car. There were 11 in our group which would have cost a total of $825. We were lucky that our Cuban friend Yatiel arranged our tour and we actually paid $75 dollars in total for all of us in 3 cars and had the most fantastic 2 hours blasting around Havana. A total saving of $750!
Horns and hooters were a part of our fun night out in the classic cars and as you will see in the video our hooter was definitely the most biggest and the best!
Talking to the locals there is concern of cheaper cars now being imported and the worry of the classic cars declining. We did smile when a stretch lada drove past not something we have ever seen before! We loved our evening in the classic cars, however, the fumes can become over powering so going long distances wouldn’t be something we would choose to do.
We didn’t take the local buses but we did spot the bus pull up and get filled with mopeds and a man carrying a large 8 by 4 sheet of plywood! The buses were always packed and we understand that they are not always reliable, however, more information about buses can be found here.
Another form of transport in Havana is the Coco taxi. They are yellow bucket style seats on a 3 wheel frame with a fibreglass body, apparently the name comes from Coconut which explains the shape. You see these everywhere and general approximation is that it should cost 1 CUC per kilometre but as with everything in Havana prices do vary so don’t be afraid to bargain hard!
Drinking and Music in Havana
“My Mojito in la Bodeguita, my daiquiri in El Floridita” said Hemingway of his old drinking haunts. Now a statue of the great writer leans on the bar at El Floridita which can be found on Obispo Street. At the La Bodeguita del Medio which can be found on Empedrado street customers including Castro have signed their name on the walls.
We tried twice to get into El Floridita and La Bodeguita but they were always packed which was a real shame.
However, we did manage to sample a few mojitos and daiquiries in other bars that we found. In Old Havana a bar called Cafe Bosque Bologna on Obispo Street drew us in with the live music. Must admit the service wasn’t the happiest, however, the daiquiris were excellent. We sat down and noticed that just behind our table was an area where there were turtles which was a bit strange, but we soon learnt the reason why they are there is that the Cubans believe that they bring them good karma. We had an entertaining time here with Yatiel doing her best teaching Paul some Salsa skills!
In San Francisco Square right opposite the cruise terminal is a bar called Restaurante Cafe del Oriente, a lovely bar with a seating area outside, ideal for watching the world go by and inside a very talented piano player where we spent a wet afternoon having a fun sing-song. The Mojitos here were excellent too!
The bars in Havana are vibrant and fun, the only issue to be aware of is this. If someone comes up to you in the street and recommends that you try out the nearby restaurant, have a drink in a bar, and you follow them there, you’ll end up paying more for your meal and your drinks. The restaurant/bar will be expected to pay the hustler a commission, which will be added to your bill.
When there is music in bars or on the street, it is normal for one of the band members to come around asking for tips, and if you haven’t heard of the song Guantanamera when you arrive, you certainly will by the time you leave!
Music is in the heart and soul of Cuba, you will hear music coming out of houses, bars and restaurants. It is not unusual to see locals hanging out chatting and dancing too. We loved this side of Cuba.
Street Life in Havana
Old Havana has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982. Havana displays a magnificent collection of historic buildings, all in different states of repair. Walking the streets of Havana is fascinating, however, just be aware that two of our family and friends were in wheelchairs and mobility scooters which did prove challenging. The pavements are broken and some of the streets cobbled. Also it could be a bit nerve-wracking walking under the balconies that looked like they were just about to collapse.
Havana is a photographers paradise but be prepared to pay if you are taking pictures of the characters on the streets. We paid 1 CUC for the lady and cigar above.
From watching the kids play football to passing a man with a rat on his head, street life was certainly entertaining. One of the most amusing sights was this lady who had her cat in the pram in babies clothes, we were not expecting that!
We were warned not to buy cuban cigars from the street sellers and were told they may have anything in them like grass/newspaper, and who knows what else. Go to a proper tobacconist if you are planning to buy them.
There are plenty of souvenirs to be had and don’t be afraid to barter for a better price. We bought some great cuban car pictures to go in our little Bo’s Bar at home and also bought home a couple of bottles of the excellent Havana Rum.
WiFi in Havana
WiFi in Havana is not easily available and can only be accessed by buying WiFi cards from hotel receptions and telephone shops. Like most things we found in Havana prices vary, at our first hotel we were charged 4.5 CUC’s for a 1 hour card, however, at our last hotel in Varadero the cards cost 1 CUC for the same amount of time! Easy to use you just scratch the numbers off and input this data on the sign in page which comes up automatically. The hour is counted down each time you log in and you can see how many minutes you have left.
The Malecon
The Malecon is also known as the largest sofa in the world and stretches for 8kms along the shores of Havana harbour. Locals and tourists visit the Malecon for an evening stroll, to meet friends for music, drinking and dancing or to just simply sit down and gaze at the city and the sea. This is how we imagined Havana vibrant, lively and full of life.
Street Art in Havana
If you love street art then you will love Havana. There are many colourful examples through the city to discover. Exploring Havana by foot is a delight!
Our verdict of Havana
We really thought Havana would be a cheap destination to visit and maybe if we spent our time elsewhere in Cuba other than Havana it may have been. Overall the only negative point really is the constant harassment for money was in line with what we had experienced on most of the Caribbean islands we had visited.
We travelled in November which was the end of the rainy seasons and on our first few days it did rain heavily, but the sun soon came out, stayed out and it was very hot. You may be wondering How Do I Go? But there are many travel transport options to get you to Havana.
We had a fantastic time in Havana it is one of the most interesting destinations we have ever been too. If you get the chance to visit, we would recommend that you go and actually stay in Old Havana. It is a vibrant city full of music and charm and we don’t think you will be disappointed.
After our visit to Havana we ended holiday at the beach resort of Varadero. Our transfer took 3 hours and you can watch our video reviews of the Iberostar Varadero Hotel here.
We would like to dedicate this post to our very dear friend Jane. Unfortunately this was our last trip with Jane, one of the loveliest ladies we have ever met, always laughing even when life became difficult. She will always be in our hearts.

Main avenue Havana.
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Looks like there is so much to do and see in Havana… thanks for this well articulated post!
It is a great destination and still has a lot of charm. Thanks for reading and your kind comment 😀
Are there car rental services? Also, insurance companies are available for foreigners?
Hi Nigel, Unfortunately we did not have any experience of this, but just doing a quick google search and it looks like it could be an option.
Great post about a place most of us haven’t yet been able to go. Pinning this for future travel planning. It’s so colorful and looks like a fun, happy place!
Your right it is a fun place, we would love to go back and explore some more!
Havana and Cuba in general is so so so high on my list! That’s a really handy guide you wrote here so I’m definitely saving this post for when I hopefully get to go soon 🙂
Thanks for your feedback, glad you found it handy. Hope you get the chance to visit one day it is a fascinating place!
Havana Cuba is definitely on my bucket-list and happy to read what it’s like to travel to Cuba. Great information on the two local currencies. You mentioned lots of tips and information that is very informative. How cool to be able to ride around town with the top down and see the sights for a great price. You have opened my eyes to how expensive it is to visit there. I will save this for later 🙂#feetdotravel
It was so much fun in the Cuban Cars, mind the fumes could get over powering at times. We thought it was going to be so cheap but it certainly wasn’t. Hope you get to visit as it is a fun destination!
Awesome, thanks for sharing your tips on visiting Havana, they are most useful. A friend of my just come back from Cuba, we haven’t had time to meet yet, but after reading your post I’m super excited to see all the photos and hear her experience.
Thanks Urska, glad you found them useful. Hope your friend had a fantastic time too!
Hats a bummer you couldn’t get into those clubs! I bet they would have been amazing! #FeetDoTravel
I know we tried so many times but we were a big group! There is always next time fingers crossed 🙂
Some seriously good tips in here! I did not know that about the currency and it’s good to know about “tipping” locals for photos. Pinned for when we visit Cuba, it’s on my list for sure!! #feetdotravel
Thanks Angie. The currency can be tricky glad we were informed when we arrived. Hope you get to visit as it is a fun place!
I have wanted to visit Cuba for a while and planning to explore it later this year or next year if things work out – Havana would be very high on the list and your photos just make me want to go more. Would love to experience its street life, traditional music and classic cars! Sounds like you had a great time
Havana was the best experience, Varadero was a beautiful beach but to be fair we could of been anywhere. Hope you get to visit as it is such a unique experience. We had a fun time!
I’m so jealous, I’ve been wanting to visit Cuba for years. It is such an amazing place!
#TheWeeklyPostcard
It certainly is!
I have not made it to Cuba yet. I had no idea they had 2 currencies – that is so confusing! And interesting to hear how much the prices vary. Glad you had the local friend to help you get the cars! Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.
It was so good Yatiel was home when we visited she did save us a lot of money!
Looks like you had a fun time in Havana, I would love to visit someday. I love that the woman had a cat in the stroller – this reminds me of something I would do as I use to put leashes on my cats and give them baths, haha! #TheWeeklyPostcard
Lol cat lady! It was such a fun place to visit!
I still just love those fancy classic cars, I can’t wait to go check those out one day. Amazing post!
It was a fun experience! Thanks for reading!
Ha! Love the title! Great info, too. We’ve been toying with the idea of a cruise to/around Cuba. A little harder for Americans, but it seems well worth it. We thought it would be fairly inexpensive, too, so good to know about prices in Havana. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard!
If you get the chance would definitely recommend a visit to Cuba particularly Havana. We were surprised at the prices too as thought the same.
Havana is also one of my favorite destinations and I thoroughly enjoyed tagging along on your trip via this guide! So sorry you guys didn’t get into La Bodeguita or El Floridita but I’m sure the drinks were just as good wherever you had them 🙂 Thanks for sharing, these were all great recommendations!
Thanks for your kind comments. Not getting into the favourite haunts gives us an excuse to go back lol!
Looks like the trip of a lifetime…I’d love to take a ride in one of those classic cars! Thanks for the info on the local currency – VERY confusing indeed.
It was an amazing trip and Havana was just as imagined with all the bright classical cars, great fun!
Having visited Cuba, and obviously Havana, three times in the past 10 years, your article is quite accurate. It highlights the standard impression people have when only visiting the capital and not the outlying cities and towns. When we visited Cuba, we spent more time in Havana than we had previously. Old Havana is certainly a great place to stay especially in the Casa Particulars.
Do you speak Spanish? If you could go back, what would you see first? Did you have a budget for your trip and if so, did you exceed it? What did you learn during your visit that you tell your friends about at home?
Thanks for your comment Paul, unfortunately we don’t speak Spanish. If we went back we would spend more time walking along the Malecon in the evening. Great atmosphere with the Cubans hanging out listening to music and dancing. We definitely did spend more than we budgeted for. It appears to be changing fast and they are certainly embracing the tourism, so would recommend a visit sooner rather than later!
You two always look like you are having an amazing time! Great blog, really informative and makes me want to go.
Thanks Flavia! Cuba is a place where it’s hard not to have a good time, glad you found it informative and hope you get to visit one day!
I’ve heard great things about Cuba – it sounds like an amazing place to visit. Mr TB might have issues going (Navy) but maybe we can get round that one day 🙂 Great post full of top tips. I’d love to go on a classic car tour!
It is such an interesting destination, has a real vibrant culture that is quite infectious. The classic cars are great fun!
I really want to go to Cuba, I would definitely have to do a tour in one of the iconic cars. I Le your photos! Looks like you had a great time 👍
We had a fun time in Havana would recommend a visit for sure!