Cuba is a mesmerizing island on the Caribbean and is popular for its picturesque beaches that attract millions of tourists every year. This city stands out from its neighbors for its impressive Spanish colonial architecture from the 16th century. There are many things to do in Cuba including its famous rum, music, dance, clubs, and night life.
If you love to explore new places, then you will find many interesting things to do in Cuba including a visit to the Malecon. This place in Havana is actually a long sea drive with some fascinating houses with colorful exterior. These corrosion inflicted houses were built in the 1900s and were popular meet-up places for artists, philosophers, musicians, lovers, and travelers. If you are a nature lover, then the Parque Nacional Alejandro de Humboldt should be on top of your list of things to do in Cuba. This park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 and remains a tourist hotspot to date. This park offers some of the most interesting wildlife species for visitors to witness. This park features mesmerizing mountains covered with pine trees. When touring this park, you will come across more than 1000 flowering plant species, 20 amphibian species, and many other reptiles and birds. One of the most interesting things to do in Cuba is visiting Valle de Vinales. This tourist spot features impressive pine population and breathtaking limestone cliffs. When visiting this spot, make sure you have your hiking and rock climbing gear with you. This is also the place of Cuba’s finest cave system.
It is a must to visit tobacco plantation in Cuba. The city is known for its cigars. The Alejandro Robaina Tobacco Plantation is one of the most interesting places to visit in Cuba. This tobacco plantation is located to the southwest of Pinar del Rio and grows the finest quality tobacco. The Museo Histórico Municipal should be one of your top things to do in Cuba. This museum features Trinidad’s finest showpieces. Located near Plaza Mayor, this museum was built in the early 18th century and was owned by the Borrell family. The house was later owned by Cantero, whose wealth is on display inside the building. There are many more impressive places to visit in Cuba including the Zoológico de Piedras. This animal sculpture park is quite mesmerizing. The zoo features more than 300 sculptures of rhinos, hippos, and other animals. If you want to explore the history of Cuba, head to the San Pedro Fort which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. This fort was built in the late 15th century for the sake of protection of Santiago from pirates. If you head to the top of the fort, you will witness breathtaking views of the coast.
The Malecon, otherwise known as Avenida de Maceo, is the beachfront community along the Havana Harbor in Havana, Cuba. The 50mile stretch of seawall, roadway and esplanade is situated in Old Havana to the north side of Centro Habana area and the Vedado area. Work on Malecon started early in 1901 in order to protect the city from water. However, in the following decades Malecon would become more of a nightlife and tourist destination.
One of the most popular things to do in Malecon is visit La Rampa at the intersection of 23rd street, ideally at night. At night the area is very active with live music, open air dining and art galleries, and pubs that make it one of the most happening areas in Havana. Malecon is also home to monuments such as Monument to the Victims of USS Maine, Calixto Garcia, and Antonio Maceo among others.
Visiting the Castillo de le Real Fuerza along with Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta is amongst the popular things to do in Malecon. The castles offer majestic views of the Havana Harbor and have so much rich history in them that you should explore!
Morro Castle is a fortress that guards the entry to Havana from the Havana Bay. Morro Castle was designed by Juan Bautista Antonelli, an Italian engineer during the colonial times. The fortress was captured in 1762 by the British but was returned to the Spanish only a year later after a treaty. Today the Morro Castle is a popular tourist destination that is still standing strong since 1589.
One of the popular things to do in Morro Castle is visit the exhibits. One of the permanent visits takes you on a journey spanning more than 2 centuries of how lighthouses and watchtowers were used to defend La Habana in the olden days. The castle also has cannons around the fort with central barracks that are four stories high.
Visiting the underwater archeology exhibit located on the central barracks is also amongst the popular things to do in Morro Castle. The Morro Castle also offers fantastic views of the sea crashing to the rocks from the small turret and the end of the wall. On the opposite side of the wall, you can find modern weaponry and cannons and get panoramic views of Cojimar.
The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de la Habana, also known as the National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana, is a fine arts museum that primarily exhibits Cuban collections from colonial era to modern times. The museum was established in February, 1913 and is located in Old Havana. The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de la Habana is situated on two buildings one of which is dedicated to Cuban arts while the other to universal arts.
One of the best things to do in Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de la Habana is to arrive here early by noon or afternoon in order to explore its rich collection comprehensively. The museum is open from Tuesday till Thursday between 12pm and 11:59pm, and is best explored by paying a visit to both the buildings.
Visiting the Palace of Fine Arts is amongst the popular things to do in Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de la Habana. The building is dedicated to Cuban art from the 17th century up to contemporary art and sculptures that cover various topics from religion and life to politics and civilization!
Old Havana is the downtown of Havana is designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Old Havana has the second highest population of all areas in the city and is the cultural, historical, and heritage core of Havana. The walls of the Havana city serve as modern boundaries to the old part of the city. Founded in 1519, the downtown features neoclassical and baroque influences and styles in its wonderful and unique architecture.
One of the best things to do in Old Havana is visit the Malecon waterfront strip that provides amazing views of the old town’s skyline and has some of the best cultural and music events in the city. The streets of Old Havana are known for their old town charm and ambience and lead up to various landmarks and points of interest.
One of the best things to do in Old Havana is visit the Plaza de Armas which is the primary tourist destination in the region housing various arts and craft shops and clothing stores. With so many famous castles and forts and museums and old town streets to see, Old Havana is definitely a place you should not miss visiting!
Resting peacefully in Santa Clara, Che Guevara Mausoleum also known as Mausoleo Che Guevara is a memorial that houses the historic remains of Ernesto Che Guevara, The Marxist revolutionary who was executed. It is believed that 29 of his fellow-combatants were also killed in the year 1967 during his attempt to prompt an armed-uprising in Bolivia.
The memorial invites tourists and locals to explore the history and get mesmerized by the workmanship of the bronze 22 foot statue of Che Guevara. It’s one of the many things to do in Che Guevara Mausoleum. This museum in dedicated to Che Guevara’s life. Santa Clara the place where this memorial is located was selected as the location in the remembrance of Guevara and his troops who fought bravely during the epic Battle of Santa Clara that took place in the year 1958.
Besides viewing Che Guevara’s statue in its full glory, reading articles that belonged to Guevara and his troops is also among the fun things to do in Che Guevara Mausoleum. You can find these articles in chronological order just beneath the statue. It’s a great place to brush up your history and learn interesting facts about the past.
Home of the famous and well-reputed American novelist, journalist and short-story writer, Ernest Miller Hemingway, Finca Vigia is now a museum that invites tourists to come and explore the life of the novelist up close. It is located in San Francisco de Paula, Cuba, one of the four largest Caribbean islands located to the east of Central America.
Finca Vigia was built in the year 1886 by Miguel Pascual Y Baguer, the talented Catalan architect. Ernest Hemingway lived here from mid 1939 to 1960. It was here that Ernest Miller Hemingway wrote his famous novel about the Spanish Civil War, For Whom the Bell Tolls. After his death, his wife deeded Hemingway’s home complete with library and furnishings to the Cuban government. Now Finca Vigia is open to public. There are many things to do in Finca Vigia, so you can be confident that you are bound to have a good time here.
Among the many things to do in Finca Vigia is exploring this museum. Unravel the history, explore works of the famous novelist and the furnishing he had back in the days. It’s a great way to learn how the novelist lived and about his life.
