Orientation

Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the historical center. Alongside old buildings and museums are trendy restaurants.

Vedado

Vedado. The word means forbidden, but it is not forbidden to you as a visitor. It was originally the greenbelt of Havana, where foliage was left to flourish. This, of course, has since changed as it is now wall-towall concrete and a thriving residential area. It also holds hotels, restaurants, clubs (many great jazz clubs) and theaters.

Miramar

Miramar is a wealthy residential area that also accommodates some of the embassies and consulates, the Karl Marx Theatre and the International Conference Center.

The Arroyo Naranjo suburb is now the city’s greenbelt – moved out a ways from Vedado. It holds the Botanical Gardens, the National Zoo and Expo-Cuba.

Playas del Este has the closest beaches to Havana. Just a few kilometers from the center, it features hotels, marinas, restaurants and a few residential buildings. The beaches, running west to east, are Bacuranao, Megano, Santa Maria del Mar, Boca Ciega and Guanabo.

Ave de los Presedentes and Prado Promenade

Ave de los Presedentes between Calles 17 and 27 has monuments to presidents and heroes of Latin America. At Calle 27 is the statue of Major General José Miguel Gómez, president of Cuba between 1909 and 1913. At Calle 23 is a statue of Chilean president Salvador Allende, which was sculpted by Monica Bunster. Between Calles 17 and 19, is a statue of Benito Juarez, who is credited with leading revolts to free Mexico from Spanish rule. He became president of Mexico. The statue was presented to Cuba by a Mexican delegation. The final statue, near Calle 17, is that of Simon Bolivar, the man who is credited with freeing South America from Spanish rule. He became the first president of Bolivia and his statue was presented to Cuba by Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, where Bolivar was born.

Prado Promenade, in Old Havana, is a tree-lined street with the promenade running along the center. It is lined with stone benches where you can watch Cuban life unfold. Often there are kids practicing fencing or playing a ball game; musicians will play while other folks snack on a lunch. The marriage center is part-way down this street; often, you can watch a modern Cuban wedding here. This street was built in 1777 and has never lost its popularity.

The Malecón

The malecón is a strip of road between the city and ocean. There is a seawall along the malecón where locals sit during nice weather and chat, drink beer, gawk at tourists and enjoy the day (or evening). The malecón starts at the Castle de la Punta and goes west through the city to the Almendares River in Vedado. The tower of La Chorrera is the famous symbol at the end of the road. It was constructed in 1646 as a sentry post used for protection against invaders coming up the river. The malecón as we know it today was completed in 1921. At present, the waters along the malecón are badly polluted, but attempts are being made to clean it up. It is a slow process.

China Town and the University of Havana

China Town in central Havana has restaurants, Chinese Society groups, businesses and shops dedicated to Chinese culture. First occupied by Chinese workers in 1858, this area saw its high period between the 1930s and 1960s. This splendor is returning again, only this time for the tourists. The Chinese Cemetery is nearby at Ave 26 and Calle Zapata in Vedado.

The University of Havana was opened in 1728 in the Convent of Santo Domingo. It was moved to its present site on Colonia Universitaria in Vedado in 1902. The huge stairway leading to the main entrance is often occupied by students doing what students the world over do – exchanging ideas, making romantic dates, listening to music or reading poetry. This is the university that Fidel Castro attended to obtain his degree in law. The last time I was there I was not permitted entrance, so I went around back and found a way in. I am sure if the guard had found me I’d have been thrown in prison for trespassing. However, I am told that visitors can go into the university if they wish.