Havana

The Caribbean's most enchanting colonial old town, and Cuba's capital, where vintage cars, sunsets on the seawall, Hemingway's footsteps and Cuban music all come together.

Havana is the capital of Cuba, on the island's northwest coast facing the Straits of Florida. It has a population of about 2.1 million. Founded by the Spanish in 1519, it was the assembly port of the Spanish fleet in the Americas, and "Old Havana and its Fortification System" was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1982. The city stretches along the coast from east to west: ① Old Havana, with its four great squares (Plaza de Armas, Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza Vieja) and the pedestrian Obispo Street; ② Centro Habana, with the Capitolio, the Gran Teatro, the Paseo del Prado and the Malecón seawall; ③ Vedado, with the Hotel Nacional, the University of Havana, Revolution Square and the FAC arts factory; ④ to the west, Fusterlandia and the Tropicana cabaret; across the bay, Morro Castle, La Cabaña fortress and the Christ of Havana; and to the east, Hemingway's home, the fishing village of Cojímar and Playas del Este.

Climate: tropical; November to April is the dry season and the most comfortable, at 22–28°C. May to October is hot, humid and rainy, with a higher hurricane risk from August to October.

Visas and transport: Chinese ordinary passport holders can enter Cuba visa-free for stays of up to 90 days, and must fill in the D'Viajeros form online before arrival; check the latest policy. From China, you generally connect via Madrid, Paris, Moscow or Mexico City to José Martí International Airport, and a taxi to the old town takes about 30 minutes. Getting around the city is mostly on foot; a vintage-car tour of the city takes about 1 hour and costs USD 40–60. We suggest staying 3–4 days, and you can add a trip to Viñales or Varadero.

Notes: Cuba faces shortages of supplies and energy, with frequent power and water outages, so choose a hotel or casa particular with a generator. Cards issued by US banks and most UnionPay cards do not work, so bring enough euros or US dollars in cash. You need to buy an ETECSA card for internet access. Bring any regular medications with you.

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