Havana, Cuba - Accommodation & Vacations
Havana is the capital city, major port, and main business center of Cuba. The metropolitan area has over 3 million inhabitans, making Havana the largest city not just in Cuba, but also in the entire Caribbean region. Being a world-renowned travel destination due to its luxurious accommodation, many tourists spend there shorter or longer vacations in its hotels and resorts.
Havana is located about 170 km (106 miles) southwest of Key West, Florida, facing the Straits of Florida, and is surrounded by Havana province. It was founded in 1515, so is one of the oldest cities founded by Europeans in America. The city was protected by fortificaions because it was often attacked by pirates and French corsairs. Its fortifications and the historical center of Havana are protected by UNESCO. Havana hosts nowadays the Cuban government.
Havana is unique due to its unrivalled arcades built largely by Spanish immigrants. This city was a key transshipment point between the new and old world, so as a result it was the most heavily fortified city in the Americas.
Hotels & Resorts
This city is renowned not just due to its colonial architecture, but also due its beaches, 4 and 5 star hotels and resorts! Playas del Este (which means "Eastern beaches") are just at 30 minutes drive of Havana, on the road to Varadero. The first beach is Bacuranao, at 18 km (11 miles) east of Havana. There are coral reefs and a sunken Spanish galleon from 18 century, making it one of the popular scuba diving resorts of the country. Two kilometers (1 mile) east of Bacuranao is Tarara beach, home to Marina Tarara & Club Nautico, place of the yearly "July Old Man" and "Sea Fishing Tournament". Next is Playa Guanabo, mostly visited by locals. In the deeper water, turtles, blue marlins, tuna, and swordfish can be admired. The entire shoreline of the city is good for scuba diving; there are more than 70 diving resorts in the area, including some sunken ships that have been declared as part of Cuba's historical heritage. In the capital are four international diving centers.
Beside great accommodation in luxury hotels, Havana offers interesting places to see during a vacation such as:
- Castillo del Morro, a stunning fortress guarding the entrance to Havana bay. It was built to stop the English pirate Sir Francis Drake.
- La Cabana is a fortress located on the eastern side of the Havana bay and is the most impressive fortress from colonial times.
- Malecon is an avenue that runs along the seawall built along the northern shore of Havana, from Habana Vieja to Almendares River, forming the southern boundary of Old Havana, Centro Habana and Vedado.
- Great Theater of Havana is famous particularly for the acclaimed National Ballet of Cuba; sometimes it hosts also performances of the National Opera.
- Necropolis Cristobal Colon is a cemetery and open air museum, being the most famous cemeteries in Latin America and known for its beauty and magnificence.
- Botanical Garden is a garden with beautiful scenery and hosts Caribbean species, particularly from Cuba. It contains also a Japanese garden, with fountains and waterfalls.
- National Aquarium is a unique exhibit, displaying the island's marine flora and fauna.
- Christ of Havana is a statue of Christ blessing the city from the other side of the bay, similar to the more famous "Cristo Redentor" from Rio de Janeiro. Carved from marble, it was erected in 1958 on a platform which is also a good place to watch the older part of Havana and the harbour.