It has been a dream of mine to visit Havana for many years now. In early December, this dream was realized. I got to experience Havana with a personal tour guide and driver, thanks to the wonderful new company, Havana 60. We had a pretty sweet ride too, a 1957 Chevy! Our tour guide, Pedro and driver Mario picked us up directly from our resort and we began the two-hour drive from Varadero to Havana.
(Mario, Linds, Pedro)
Our tour guide, Pedro, was incredibly knowledgeable and provided us with an enormous amount of information about Cuban history and culture. This was extremely interesting and really set the tone for the day ahead in Havana.
On the way to the capital, we stopped at the ‘Mirador de Bacunayagua’ which was a stunning place to snap a photograph. Surrounded by beautiful vegetation and greenery is one of the architectural wonders of Cuba, the ‘Puente de Bacunayagua’. There’s a little bar situated on the look out’s patio which makes the perfect pit stop on your journey to Havana. Snap some photos, take in the beauty and relax with a cold one.
Upon arrival, we started our tour on foot in Old Havana in the ‘Plaza de San Francisco’. This part of Havana was incredibly beautiful and without a doubt my favourite! You could wander the cobblestone streets for hours, weaving in and out of museums without getting bored. From the architecture to the museums, to the culture – Old Havana is a must! We explored the Havana Cathedral and many other stunning buildings. I could spend hours getting lost in the streets. So beautiful!
As an Ernest Hemingway lover and enthusiast, I was ecstatic to visit the ‘Hotel Ambos Mundos’ where Hemingway had lived for a little while. Inside the hotel are photographs of Hemingway and some of his adventures in Cuba. Inside you can even find a photograph of the man who inspired one of his most famous stories The Old Man and the Sea. The Hemingway tour did not stop there as we also visited ‘La Floridita’, one of the bars Hemingway frequented. While this location is typically packed with tourists – it’s worth it. Make a quick pit stop for one of their most famous drinks, a daiquiri. (So delicious & refreshing!)
Our lunch stop was at a restaurant called ‘El Canonazo’ tucked away on a large patio. The food was great however the portions are huge! I ordered the shrimp and received a heaping plate. I would recommend sharing with someone because the meals come with unlimited rice, beans, and salad, so you won’t run out of food!
In the afternoon we explored New Havana which was also filled with stunning buildings such as ‘El Capitolio’ as well as many theaters and museums. You could walk the streets of Havana for days and still find something new and exciting.
Our last stop was at ‘Plaza de la Revolucion’ a square of extreme historic significance for Cuba. Pedro provided us with great historical information to help us realize the significance of the places we visited. He even pointed out where Fidel Castro gave his longest speech which was over 7 hours!
We then headed back to our resort after an incredible day of sight-seeing, learning and adventuring! It was perfect. And we all slept like babies that night.
If you or anyone you know is heading to Cuba check out Havana 60! They offer some incredible tours to different locations. (We recommend Havana!)
** Havana60 did not sponsor this post. We just loved them so much that we had to write about them!
xoxo,
char&linds
Love Cuba and Havana is a must ! A great article with good information.
Thank you! twowildtides is going to be back in Cuba very soon, stay tuned!