March 13, 2018
Havana was so much more than I ever expected!
Getting There
My friend and I boarded our direct American Airlines flight from LAX to Miami (it was a 4 hour flight going, a little longer coming back). Once you get to Miami from wherever you are traveling, the flight from Miami to Havana is only about 30 minutes long. You don’t have to fly Miami to Havana, but for us coming from LA, that was the easiest route. I didn’t really expect getting to Cuba from Los Angeles to be so quick and easy!
As an American, you need a valid passport and visa to enter Cuba. Get your visa through Cuba Visa Services online www.cubavisaservices.com. You order it and they Fedex it to you within a few days. You’ll have to choose a category under which you are traveling (American tourist travel is still prohibited in Cuba). Because this visit was mostly for photography and research on the city of Havana, we chose to travel under under the “Journalistic Purposes” category.
Upon arrival at the Havana airport, plan on a couple of hours just to finally exit the airport with your bags in hand. Be prepared for slow, unorganized lines (or clumps of people funneling through, as I saw it), both in passport control and then again at security (yes, they have security to exit the airport as well). Because it took us so long to finally get to baggage claim, our bags were already there waiting for us. Don’t forget to exchange some money before leaving the airport.
Stay
Casa Particulars (also known as private accommodation or home-stays in Cuba) are absolutely your best choice for accommodations when visiting Havana. The over-priced, out of date, Cuban hotels aren’t even worth considering when you compare the warmth, hospitality, and service you can find in a casa particular. With the right host/hostess, your stay in Havana can feel like a very authentic one. Our particular hostess helped us with arranging drivers with classic cars, restaurant reservations, and really so much more. She prepared coffee and breakfast for us each morning and served it in the beautiful backyard. We found this newly renovated colonial style mansion in the Vedado neighborhood, on Airbnb. Find what best suits you. We did not want to be in Old Havana or any “touristy” areas. Vedado is the type of neighborhood you would choose to live in. It’s quiet and safe. There are beautiful homes and old mansions on tree lined streets. Many of the up and coming restaurants and bars are also located in Vedado. If you decide you prefer a different area, the options are endless. Get online and start looking at the different areas in Havana and browse pictures of available accommodations. I saw a lot of places I really would not like to stay but ended up finding a gem that we would definitely go back to.
Casa Brava – www.airbnb.com/rooms/19071559
LaReserva – www.lareservavedado.com
La Candila – www.
Eat
I’m going to be very honest when I tell you the food in Cuba is not going to knock your socks off. If there is fantastic cuisine to be had in any destination, you better believe I’m going to find it. This is the thing, it’s very difficult to get consistent quality ingredients in Cuba. They make due with what they have and what they can get. So here is where we ate and can recommend for decent eats in Havana.
O’reilly 304- Very lively atmosphere with good food and great cocktails in old Havana.
Il Rustico- Good salads, pizza, and pastas in old havana. Nice change from the typical Cuban menu.
El Cocinero- The food is ok but the venue is great. Located on a rooftop in the Vedado neighborhood. Very hip vibe.
La Guarida- Probably the most iconic restaurant in Havana due to the structure that houses it. Get some good iphone photos inside this beautiful building. We ended up having to cancel our dinner reservation, unfortunately, so I can’t comment on the food. We did however get some great shots in the entry of the building and beautiful staircase.
Play
I’m sad to say we did not get to go salsa dancing while in Havana. We were so exhausted from going all day and shooting tons of photos, that by the evening we just wanted to eat and relax. This just gives me another reason to go back soon. I need to salsa dance in Cuba!! What we did get to do the very first night we arrived was experience this place……Fabrica del Arte Cubano . It’s an absolute must see when in Havana!
Please don’t miss out on this place while in Havana. It was one of the major highlights for nightlife on our trip. Art galleries/live music/live performances/bars/food/shopping/dancing and so much more, all under one roof.
