In Three Days

Havana in 3 Days

Havana is an amazing -- at times, overwhelming -- city, overflowing with history, art, architecture, culture, nightlife, and more. Three days will allow you to visit its most important attractions, and maybe even to discover some of its lesser known charms.

Day 1: Start In The Old City

Start your day in Habana Vieja. Visit the Plaza de la Catedral, the Plaza de Armas, Plaza Vieja, and Plaza de San Francisco. Be sure to tour the Museo de la Ciudad, the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, and any other attractions that catch your attention. Have lunch at La Bodeguita del Medio. Spend the afternoon exploring the area around Parque Central, which includes El Capitolio, the Museo Nacional de las Bellas Artes, and the Museo de la Revolución. Make a reservation in advance and take the 2pm tour of the Partagas cigar factory.

As the day cools down, take a stroll on the Malecón. If you've got the energy, you should be able to make the 20-minute walk to the Hotel Nacional in time for a sunset mojito at their outdoor bar.

La Guarida -- For dinner you'll want to climb the rickety, dimly-lit steps to La Guarida, the city's most celebrated paladar. Reservations here are essential.

Day 2: Vedado & Miramar

Start the morning strolling along the beautiful tombs and mausoleums of Cementerio de Colón. From here, head over the outdoor art exhibit that is the Callejón de Hammel. By now, you should have worked up enough of a sweat for a refreshing bowl of ice cream at Coppelia.

From Vedado, take a Coco Taxi to Miramar and the Playa district. Be sure to visit the Maqueta de la Habana, a rather impressive mock-up model of the entire city. Since you're out in this neck of the woods, have a late lunch at La Cocina de Lilliam, on the one hand because it's an excellent restaurant, and on the other, because your dinner tonight will be pedestrian at best. After lunch, head to the José Martí Memorial, and enjoy the panoramic view from the highest spot in Havana. See if it matches up well with what you saw and learned at the Maqueta de la Habana.

Tropicana -- It's time to pull out all the stops and head to the Tropicana for dinner and a show. This place is the original and still best cabaret show in Cuba. Stick around after the show for some serious salsa dancing in the attached Salón Arcos de Cristal club.

Day 3: More Habana Vieja

On Day 3, give yourself another day in Habana Vieja -- there's just no way you had a chance to see it all in 1 day. Be sure to visit some of the art galleries and to spend some time shopping at the Calle Tacón outdoor market. Have lunch on one of the ancient plazas here. I recommend either the restaurant Santo Angel or the Cafetería El Portal. In the late afternoon, head over to the Parque Histórico Morro y Cabaña and explore the two forts and the various museums at this complex.

Los Doce Apóstoles

After touring the complex, grab an outdoor table near sunset at Los Doce Apóstoles, and enjoy the view of Havana across the harbor from this restaurant. Be sure to finish your dinner in time for the cañonazo ceremony.

After dinner and the cañonazo, head to Zorra y el Cuervo for a late night, jazz concert.