Things to do · Havana
Best Things to Do in Havana
The best things to do in Havana, what each is actually like, and how to group them into your days without wasting time in transit.
Updated 2026-07-01
What Havana is worth your time for
Havana is Cuba's magnetic capital — UNESCO Habana Vieja + Malecón + Vedado + Plaza de la Revolución, 1950s American classic cars, son + rumba + jazz (Fábrica de Arte Cubano), Cohiba cigars, Havana Club rum. One of Latin America's most photogenic + culturally intense cities, best paired with Viñales tobacco valley or Trinidad colonial time-capsule.
Best things to do in Havana
Habana Vieja plazas walking loop
Free — Plaza de la Catedral + Plaza de Armas + Plaza Vieja + Plaza de San Francisco — allow half a day; UNESCO restored heart of Old Havana.
Malecón sunset walk + classic-car ride
Free walking + US$25–40 for 1h vintage-convertible ride along the 8 km seawall + Vedado + Plaza de la Revolución loop.
Museo de la Revolución + Granma boat
US$8 — former Presidential Palace + Che + Fidel memorabilia + the Granma yacht that brought them from Mexico in 1956.
Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC) — Vedado nights
US$2 entry — old cooking-oil factory now Havana's essential nightlife + gallery + music venue; Thurs–Sun 8pm–3am; queues 30 min.
Callejón de Hamel Sunday rumba
Free — Afro-Cuban art alley in Centro Habana; Sunday noon rumba drumming + dancing (donations welcome).
Booking tours and experiences
Timed-entry sights and small-group tours in Havana sell out first in peak season. Booking the two or three experiences you care most about before arrival usually costs the same and protects the dates you want.
Fitting it into your days
Plan around 4–5 days (+ 2 nights Viñales or Trinidad). Group sights by neighbourhood rather than by ranking — it saves hours of backtracking.
Ready to book your Havana trip?
Everything in this guide is bookable through Marhaba's licensed partners.
