Welcome Havana
Welcome Havana, Ernest Hemingway loved Havana, Cuba and called it his home from 1939 to 1960. When he won the Nobel Prize in 1954 for his book “The Old Man and the Sea” he called himself in an interview “Yo soy un cubano sato” (“I am a Cuban stray dog”) which is a term for Cuban wandering dogs. It demonstrated his love for Cuba and Cuban’s.
Cuba is a beautiful, Caribbean island and like Hemingway you will inevitably fall in love with the vibrant music and art scenes, revel in the delights of the Hispanic colonial architecture and vintage American cars. With the history of the island’s tumultuous past, understanding the various forces that have made Cuba what it is today, is as enjoyable as its pristine beaches, beautiful coral reefs, charming towns, and cities and vibrant culture.
Havana, the exotic capital of Cuba and largest city in the Caribbean is a must-see for any visitor. For centuries, it has served as the gateway to the Gulf of Mexico and in 1982, Old Havana, the city’s historic centre, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Castilla de Moro built in 1589 protected the harbour entrance when the city became a depository for treasures that Spanish fleets brought to the New World and a safe haven to protect its Spanish galleons from the Pirates that roamed the oceans. It became the centre of trade and commerce between the old and new worlds, and the was the jewel of the Spanish colonies. Havana’s strategic geographic position was a major factor in its rapid growth.
The Malecon Sea Wall
Today, the first thing that strikes visitors when they get to Havana is its urban pulse that is deeply rooted in its very walls, its way of life and its population of over two million inhabitants. Havana is the heart of the nation’s busy political, scientific and cultural life. Museums, theatres and concert halls, art galleries and cultural institutions are popular venues while some—such as the National Ballet of Cuba, House of the Américas, Foundation of New Latin American Film and National Folkloric Dance Group—have won international acclaim. Both day and night, Havana continues to thrill visitors anew.
Havana in 2018 is a city full of sounds, chaos and order on a fragile island governed by an ageing regime. Havana is a city of depth and character, whose seductive charms are impossible to resist. It is a crumbling city with the incredible architecture where rumba and song can be heard in the streets, and a nightly cannon-firing ceremony called the Cañonazo, orders the city to silence at nine o’clock with a thunderous boom. Nobody obeys, as you will hear if you walk the neighbourhoods and listen.
Discover its grand plazas — Plaza de la Catedral and its cathedral, or Plaza de Armas, Plaza de San Francisco or Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro and the Fortaleza San Carlos de la Cabaña; its neighbourhoods such as Prado and Vedado, and the Parque Central. Treat yourself to a stroll along the Malecón, a seaside promenade, or explore the Museo de la Ciudad or the Palacio de Bellas Arte
Our casa located in the Heart of Habana Vieja is the perfect place to explore this beautiful city!
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