Tuesday was our first breakfast at the casa and it was, according to our guides, very traditional: lots of fresh fruit, breads, eggs, slices of jamon and chorizo, coffee and fresh juices. I was in heaven. I love toast and fruits for breakfast! We then headed into Old Havana, passing many sites along the way including the capitol building, the Spanish Embassy, Havana Opera House, etc. before arriving at a local hotel where we were ushered into a conference room for a presentation on Cuba and Havana. It was conducted by one of the managers of the Cuban tour company we were with and it was interesting and informative.

He told us how they aren’t “renovating” the buildings, but completely rehabilitating them by updating internal infrastructure as well as the outside. He talked to us about the influx of tourists and the strain it’s putting on the current infrastructure. The government -still owning almost all of the hotels – has raised rates very high to try to balance things but issues remain. It’s clear the city of Havana and Cuba overall have serious challenges to face as they decide what kind of tourist destination they want to be.

We were told Cuba didn’t want to be as commercialized as its Caribbean neighbors – there was no desire to have a Starbucks on every corner. I hope that’s true and that this tiny, scrappy and beautiful country can move forward in the best way for them.

After the history lessen, we went on a walking tour around the old city with our guides. It was already hot and humid but no one in our group complained – I think we were all too fascinated by what we were seeing to care about the endless amounts of sweat dripping down our faces. Ha!

We passed by many beautiful squares, all with different names and histories – it kind of reminded me of Savannah. Old-world charm was all around and the locals dressed in traditional garb or playing music in return for a CUC were not overwhelming. Some places are so touristy that the local magic is lost – not the case here. It felt just right.

Narrow streets filled with buildings of color gave way to busy corners with open-air restaurants and cafes. We passed many construction projects, countless little green spaces and parks, and even visited an antique book market. 

We spent a lot of time at Plaza de la Catedral – first popping in the popular restaurant, Dona Eutimia, to make reservations for some folks, then visiting a silk-screen art studio before checking out the cathedral and the Casa del Marqués de Arcos – a former mansion that’s been recently restored as a museum (next two pictures below).

I left the silk-screen studio empty-handed but couldn’t stop thinking about a piece that had caught my eye so I rushed back before our tour left the square and snagged it up. 🙂

Our final square of the day was Plaza de Armas, which had stunning buildings surrounding a beautiful park and fountain. Time for a selfie.

Music is everywhere in Cuba! And so is color – whether the buildings have been rehabilitated or not, you simply can’t miss how colorful and vibrant this place is.

By lunchtime we were all ready for some cool air(conditioning) and a refreshing beverage. Our welcome drink at ChaChaCha Paladar was a Cuba Libre – cola (they don’t have any Coca-Cola here, y’all – embargo), lime and generous pours (pictured below) of Havana Club 3 year rum. De-licious. Sean had Ropa Vieja for lunch (also pictured below) and I had grilled swordfish. The potatoes were obviously cooked in lots of butter and were therefore quite yummy. The rice and black beans were tasty but not as good as the ones from our lunch the previous day at the Casa restaurante.

Sean ordered a mojito as his 2nd drink and it was great. All food was served on chargers that were actually old records. Very fun!

After lunch we made our way to the Rum Museum which I think we were all hoping was going to be cooler than it was – both literally and figuratively. It was only for Havana Club Rum so it felt pretty sales-y and the museum was a series of dark, windowless rooms without any air conditioning or even fans. Yikes. The sample of 7-year Aged rum at the end was the best part. 😉

Right by the port, in the old town, there’s a huge building that houses a large market filled with all sorts of souvenirs, goodies, trinkets and art. In addition to several paintings and illustrations, Sean got a Panama hat and I got a cute pair of leather sandals. Lots of fun exploring here and interacting with locals. Knowing how little they make at their regular jobs makes it that much easier to buy their crafts – it really makes a difference in their lives.

We got back to our casa (hotel) and decided, since the weather was nice and rain might be coming the next few days, to take our trip out to Santa Maria Playa. We chatted with the hotel manager and he booked us a taxi. The beach was about 30 minutes away and our ride outside of Havana and through the small villages was awesome. The video captures it pretty perfectly. What a memory!

While the sandy beach did have some trash on it, the water was beyond incredible. Crystal clear to more than 5 feet deep – so clear we could see the colors and shimmers of the fish swimming around us! Nature is amazing when it’s free from so much human pollution – commercialization will definitely impact the waters around Cuba. Thankful we got to experience it now – and crossing my fingers they can keep control of development and retain the natural beauty and quality.

Our car for the afternoon! Our driver was a young Cuban man who spoke almost no English but thankfully Sean and I know a good bit of Spanish so when roads were closed on our way back, we understood what was happening for our detours.

The detour ended up being beautiful because we ended up across the bay from the city and up on the hill with entire skyline on display against the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. I didn’t get any photos so you’ll just have to trust me when I say it was spectacular.

Once back at the hotel, we showered and got ready to head to dinner. We decided to stay local and headed to Casa Miglis, which was on several lists we’d gotten on restaurant recommendations. It was about 1 block from our place – very convenient – and set in an unassuming building. The inside was very cool, though, with a funky bar and lounge area and then a restaurant section with a big sign hanging from the ceiling (photo below).

We started with the ceviche, which was fresh and delicious and accompanied by some lovely live music. We also had some Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes and pork souvlaki with fried potatoes. It’s a very protein-and-starch driven food scene – not a lot of vegetables. The mains were ok – meat was generally overdone, but we had a very good experience here and would recommend it to others looking for a nice place in Central Havana.

After dinner, we walked along the Malecon to people-watch and feel the sea breeze. Sean finished up his Cohiba cigar from the night before and then we headed back to the hotel. A very full day but absolutely fabulous in every way.