Havana hello | Destination

Caribbean Airlines’ newest destination is one of the region’s — and the world’s — most iconic cities. From music to revolutionary history, baroque architecture to pastel-hued classic cars, from the Malecón to the bar where mojitos were (supposedly) invented — welcome to Havana, now serviced by two direct flights from Port of Spain each week

  • Havana Map
  • Hard at work in Havana, Caribbean Airlines’ newest destination. Photo by Bernardo Galmarini / Alamy Stock Photo
  • 6. Photo by Vova Pomortzeff / Alamy Stock Photo
  • 5. Photo by Lazyllama / Alamy Stock Photo
  • 4. Photo by B&M Noskowski/iStock.com
  • 3. Photo by Bernardo Galmarini / Alamy Stock Photo
  • 2. Photo by Milosz Maslanka/Shutterstock.com
  • 1. Photo by Bim/iStock.com

Hola, Havana

  1. Equal parts esplanade, seawall, and highway, Havana’s famous Malecón stretches for five miles, from the harbour of Old Havana to the Vedado neighbourhood, lined with monuments and landmark buildings. Built at the start of the twentieth century, it remains the city’s most popular spot for seeing and being seen
  2. What could be more Cuban than a mojito, the refreshing cocktail of white rum, lime juice, and mint? La Bodeguita del Medio claims to be the mojito’s birthplace. Scholars of mixology don’t all agree, but the traditional bar was certainly a favourite of writer Ernest Hemingway, one of Havana’s most famous resident expats
  3. The Gran Teatro, which opened in 1915, is home to the world-famous Cuban National Ballet
  4. Havana is one of the world’s great cities of music — not just salsa, rhumba, and son, but jazz, reggae, hip-hop, and classical, spilling out into the streets in every neighbourhood
  5. Its Moorish façade makes the Palacio de las Ursulinas one of Old Havana’s most distinctive buildings
  6. Who needs a beach when you have the Malecón — a favourite swimming spot for generations of Havana youngsters.

Havana fact file

  • Population: 2.1 million
  • Area: 280 square miles
  • Founded in 1515 by a Spanish conquistador, Havana is believed to be a Taíno name, derived from the original inhabitants of Cuba

Planning a visit to Cuba? Here’s some key information for travellers

  1. Foreign tourists require travel cards to enter Cuba, as well as travel insurance. Contact the nearest Cuban embassy for further information.
  2. Cuba has two official currencies: the peso, for small everyday purchases, and the convertible peso (also called CUC, or “dollar” in local slang), used in most shops and businesses. Credit cards are not widely accepted, but ATMs accept some foreign debit cards. US dollars are not officially accepted (though some vendors will accept or convert them) but euros are in widespread use.
  3. Internet access can be limited and irregular, so it’s a good idea to make hard copies of any documents you’ll need during your trip, including plane tickets, itineraries, and health or insurance information.

Caribbean Airlines flies direct to Havana from Port of Spain twice each week, with convenient connections to other regional destinations

Funding provided by the 11th EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme Direct Support Grants Programme.
The views expressed on this website are those of the the authors and do not reflect those of the Direct Support Grants Programme.

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