15 Cuba: Havana City Tour - a fascinating blend of old and new...

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit...” Aristotle

(Vintage cars at the Capitol)

Day 15: 03/07/25 (Thursday)
Activity: Havana City Tour
Hotel: Home in La Havana, Cuba

0ld Havana or La Habana Vieja is the city center and one of the fifteen municipalities forming Havana, Cuba. It has the second highest population density in the city and contains the core of the original city of Havana. The positions of the original Havana city walls are the modern boundaries of Old Havana.

(A morning view from our apartment)

(A public park in front of our apartment)

Our lodging was in the old Quarters Havana. During the day, the park in front of the apartment was not as busy and as noisy as when it was at night. Although this area attracts a lot of visitors, there are still a lot of residential buildings. Many old buildings in the southern half of Havana Vieja have been transformed into apartments, and some of these apartments are available for visitors to rent.

(Well preserved Colonial architectures)

(Church Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje next to the public park)

(Pedal-powered rickshaws waiting for customers)

(A quiet empty street in the early morning)

(Rooms on upper floors are for rental)

(Some cafes are still closed)

This morning we planned for a walking tour of Havana Vieja. Earlier, we already booked a local guide for the half day tour. The meeting point was a short walking distance away. It was still early so we detoured to a Vegan Cafe to have breakfast of scrambled eggs and Cuban bread with hot chocolate and latte. It was a government coffee shop. We paid in USD but the change was in peso. We were short changed with a very low rate.

(A Vegan Cafe near our apartment)

(A simple breakfast, toast and omelette with hot chocolate and coffee)

(A vintage car obviously in deep trouble)

We were at the meeting point early. At the Simon Bolivar Statue, we met a Muslim brother, Hamzah who informed us that the Havana Mosque is not far away. He gave his phone numbers in case we need his assistance when were here.

(Narrow streets in Havana Vieja}

(A typical front facade of a shop)

(A small park, our meeting place with our tour guide)

(Meeting brother Hamzah, a local Muslim)

The bronze statue of Simon Bolivar stands in a small park at the corner of Mercaderes and Obrapia streets in Havana's Old Town. This statue honors Simon Bolivar, the Latin American liberator, and is situated in a serene park setting. The peaceful atmosphere reflect on Bolivar's legacy in this tranquil environment.

(The statue of Simon Bolivar)

(The Conversation sculpture)

Mr. Rollie, our tour guide was a little late as his motorbike broke down on the way to meet us. Our walking tour with Rollie covered most of the old buildings and historical sites of The Old Quarter of Havana. We walked through the streets with the quaint historical buildings. Each building has a story to share.

(A cafe with awning and large wooden doors)

(Marco Polo Spice and Herbs store)

(Casa de Asia - Asia Palace)

(Biblioteca Publica Provincial Ruben Martinez Villena)

(Plaza de Armas, Havana oldest square)

A Portuguese Cafe Columnata Egipciana is a beautiful café on Mercaderes Street in Old Havana. In the 19th century, Eca de Queiroz used to go here, the great Portuguese realist writer, who was also a lawyer and Ambassador of Portugal in Havana at the time.

(A beautiful vibrant Portuguese Cafe)

(Local scenes: A gypsy and a flower girl)

(One of the many sidewalk cafes in old town)

Hotel Ambos Mundos, also known as the Hemingway Hotel is built with a square form with five floors. It has an eclectic set of characteristics of 20th-century style architecture. It was built in 1924 on a site that previously had been occupied by an old family house on the corner of Calle Obispo and Mercaderes (Bishop and Merchants Streets) in Old Havana. It is a frequent tourist destination because it was home to the popular writer Ernest Hemingway for seven years in the 1930.

(The famous Ambos Mundos Hotel)

The Museum of Mural Painting is housed in a historic building considered to be the oldest house in Havana, on the gloomy Calle Obispo, in the historic center of the city. This museum brings together, explains, and encourages exploration of the diverse pictorial treasures found on the walls and facades of some of Old Havana's buildings both contemporary and those created during the city's various artistic periods. The foundation occupies the upper and lower parts of the house, including the entrance hall, the gallery, and the courtyard. The museum is equipped with various panels with historical information.

(Goldsmith Museum in Havana Vieja)

(The Museo de Pintura Mural - Mural Painting Museum)

(Browsing through the displays in the museum)

(Murals of street arts on the walls)

El Templete is a monument to the initial mass of San Cristóbal de la Habana celebrated on November 16, 1519. It is a neoclassical monument and museum commemorating the founding of the town of Havana in Cuba. Jean Baptiste Vermay painted the interior of the monument.

(El Templete Monument)

(The 1st town hall meeting in 1519)

(Three large historical canvas paintings)

Legend has it that both the first religious ceremony and first council meeting for Havana took place under the shade of the Ceiba tree. Ceiba trees were highly revered by the indigenous inhabitants of Cuba, who were all wiped out by genocide and disease when Cuba became a Spanish colony. For the Africans brought here as slaves to replace them, the ceiba tree filled the void left by the absence of their beloved baobabs. People all over the Caribbean and in various parts of South American attribute magical-religious powers to these trees.

(The Ceiba tree brought in by the Africans)

Plaza de San Francisco de Asis Square was built facing Havana port in the 16th century, when Spanish galleons would stop here on their way through the Indies to Spain. It currently functions as a gateway to the city. Here you can find a lot of pleasant cafes and restaurants. Throughout the first few decades of the 15th century the square had a market and, in 1608, a church. The market was moved to the Plaza Vieja Square after monks complained about the noise.

(The fortress is now a Shipwreck Museum)

(The lookout tower is crown with weather vane, La Giraldilla)

Plaza de Armas is a historic square in Old Havana. It is a significant landmark, known for its colonial architecture and as a central gathering place. The monument to Carlos Manuel de Céspedes was erected in 1955, replacing a statue of the unpopular Spanish king Ferdinand VII, symbolizing Cuba's path to independence. Carlos Manuel de Céspedes is known as the "Father of the Homeland," he was a Cuban sugar mill owner who freed his slaves in 1868 and initiated the Ten Years' War for Cuban independence from Spain.

(Carlos Manuel de Céspedes)

(The entrance to the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales)

(A worker replacing wooden brick in front of the palace)

While taking photos of the street art of Old Quarter of Havana we found a statue of José María López Lledin, an elegant vagabond known as El Caballero de Paris who wandered the streets of Havana and was a well-known cult figure.

(Vibrant water colour paintings for sales)

(A statue of José María López Lledin, an elegant vagabond)

Walking in the hot summer sun around Havana Vieja was quite exhausting and we were drenched in sweat. We had a coffee break at one of the plaza cafe and watched people go about their  businesses in Plaza de San Francisco de Asis.

(A church converted into Museum of Sacred Art and Concert Avenue)

(Having a cup of coffee and a lot of water)

(The statue of Frederick Chopin at Plaza San Francisco)

(The statue of Eusebio Leal Spengler, a Cuban historian)

(A gentleman smoking Cuban cigar)

At Plaza Vieja we headed to the Camera Obscura, an optical device mounted atop a 1909 building that projects a real-time 360° view of the colonial streets below. There was a small entrance fee and a guide to explain the landmarks. There is a rooftop terrace with a panoramic view.

(A guide to explain the 360° views)

(The optical device capturing the surrounding scenes)

(The rooftop terrace)

(A panoramic view from the terrace)

(The Camera Obscure is on the 7th floor)

(Plaza Vieja Old Square viewed from the rooftop)

(Architectural blend of Cuban Baroque and Art Nouveau)

(The Capitol Building in the far end)

We visited Abdallah Mosque or Mezquita Abdallah, Havana’s first and only mosque. It is tucked into a charming colonial-era building in Old Havana. Opened in 2015 and repurposed from an antique car museum from charitable funding with support from Turkish and Saudi foundations, as well as other Muslim groups. The mosque is a one-story colonial-box style, with a modest minaret and rich Arabic calligraphy and carpets.

(Masjid Abdallah in Havana Vieja)

(A photo with the friendly guard of the mosque)

(The interior view of the mosque)

From the mosque we walked to the National Capitol of Cuba, also known as Capitolio Nacional de La Habana, a public edifice in Havana, the capital of Cuba. The building was commissioned by Cuban president Gerardo Machado and built from 1926 to 1929 under the direction of Eugenio Rayneri Piedra.

(A vintage car and the Capitol Building)

 
At the end of the tour, we went to El Chanchullero Restaurant but it was full and the queue was long. Instead we went to a chick D' Lirios Restaurant located in front of the Capitol Building. Large portion of Caribbean and Cuban cuisines are served at D' Lirios. The unique characteristic of this place is the live baritone performance of their serving staff. It is considered to be one of the best restaurants in Havana and quite pricey.

(D' Lirios Restaurant, one of the best restaurant in town)

(Having seafood dishes for lunch)

We were back at our apartment for solat jamak before we went out again to explore the other parts of Havana. We rented two trishaws to Jose Marti Mercado for souvenirs hunting. There was a misunderstanding at the end of the ride. Unsurprisingly, we ended up paying double than the agreed rental rate. We were earlier warned of scammers, conmen and pick-pockets in the old.Havana.

(Kilometer 0 Cafe in the Old Quarters)

(The park in front of our apartment)

(Trishaws peddlers, beware of scammers)

(The easy way to move around town)

(Argument on the unfair price)

Mercado de Artesania is a huge warehouse, sitting on the docks of Havana bay. It is home to numerous vendors who sell goods, artifacts, curios and paintings. Once you go here, you probably will have seen it all in the old town of Havana. Vendors know some English, most tourists will bargain, and some sellers will force you to buy their products so one has to be careful and agree on the price first. We bought some fridge magnets and duffel bags from here.

 

(Mercado de Artesania was once a warehouse)

(A huge warehouse by the Havana Bay)

(Choosing souvenirs to bring home)

(Fridge magnets and car number plates)

(Memorabilia and Cuban t-shirts)

Havana is full of history, and there is plenty to see besides Spanish architectures and attractions in the old city. From Jose Marti Mercado, we hired a Classic Car taxi for the afternoon tour to see the other part of Havana city. We had to cross the bay via Bahia de la Habana, to get to Casablanca on the other side of the harbour.

(1946 Chevrolet Stylemaster for our taxi tour)

(Many vintage cars to choose from)

(A Coco Taxi, a distinctive form of taxi only in Cuba)

 

Our first stop was at the Plaza de La Revolucion where many political rallies take place and Fidel Castro and other political figures address Cubans. The square is dominated by the José Martí Memorial. Opposite the memorial are the offices of the Ministries of the Interior and Communications, whose facades feature matching steel memorials of the two most important deceased heroes of the Cuban Revolution: Che Guevara, with the quotation "Hasta la Victoria Siempre" (Ever Onward to Victory) and Camilo Cienfuegos, with the quotation "Vas bien, Fidel" (You're doing fine, Fidel).

 

(Plaza de La Revolución)

(Image of Che Guevara on one of the Building)

Casablanca is a part of the city of Havana. It is situated to the east of the entrance to Havana Harbor. Casablanca, a charming yet often overlooked district across the bay from Old Havana, offers a mix of panoramic views, colonial history, and local culture. A refreshing contrast from the tourist-filled streets of Old Havana. A frequent ferry links Casablanca with the dock at the foot of Santa Clara street in Old Havana. We didn't take the ferry, instead our taxi drove us to Casablanca via the underwater tunnel.

(Galerias de Paseo in Havana is closed permanently)

(Casa de las Americas in Vedado, Havana)

(Modern buildings along the Malecon)

(The iconic Hotel Nacional de Cuba)

We took pictures at the big Cuba signage then drove uphill to Camilo Cienfuegos Lighthouse and the viewpoint. The iconic Faro del Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, perched atop the ramparts of El Morro Fortress, guarding Havana Bay’s entrance. It stands as the oldest operational lighthouse in Havana.

(Cuba sign located near the historic Hotel Nacional de Cuba)

(Cuba sign on the Malecon in Havana)

Not far was the Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña, one of the Americas' largest colonial forts, built in the 18th century. Cannon‑firing ceremony is held here at 9 pm daily and could be seen from the Old Havana.

 

(The Fort of San Carlos de la Cabana)

(The viewpoint from the Lighthouse)

(Capitol Building on the other side of Havana bay)

(Havana Vieja across Havana Bay)

We visited the Christ of Havana, a majestic 20 m marble statue of Christ overlooking Havana Bay, sculpted in 1958 from Italian Carrara marble. There is a panoramic terrace perfect for sunrise or sunset city views.

(The Christ of Havana statue)

(The panoramic view of Havana Harbor)

Che Guevara's house is located near the Christ statue. Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, better known as El Ché, is one of the most important and symbolic figures during and after the Cuban Revolution. His likeness has become synonymous with revolutionary grit. It has transcended from his iconic heroism into a pop culture phenomenon whose image is used on everything from coffee mugs, ceramics, and pullovers - to statues, iron busts, and murals worldwide. Comandancia del Che is a Military History Museum. The museum includes a downed US plane from the Missile Crisis. There are many outdoor exhibits rich in Cold War history.

(The house of Ernesto Guevara de la Serna)

(The outdoor exhibits of cold war history)

Back at the Home In La Habana we went for more souvenir hunting at the souvenir shops next to our apartment.

(Havana Vieja at night, serene and forlorn)

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