Old Town (Habana Vieja)

Havana

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DESTINATIONS cuba havana Do & See Old Town (Habana Vieja)

Old Town (Habana Vieja)

Havana's vibrant Old Town is where the Cuban capital of today took root in the mid-16th century. UNESCO World Heritage Site status has brought about comprehensive restoration work to many of the city's crumbling architectural treasures, built in styles as wide-ranging as Cuban baroque and art nouveau (Plaza Vieja at the heart of Old Havana is where the eclecticism is most evident and best admired from a sidewalk cafe). The Old Town's two main pedestrian thoroughfares – Obispo and Mercaderes – are lined with government-run shops and attractive paladars.

Do & See

There is plenty to do and see in fast-evolving Havana, with modern hot-spots for art, culture and culinary effort emerging at an ever-increasing rate. Beyond the staples of Habana Vieja and the Malecón lie Havana's attractive newer districts, and unmissable attractions like the eccentric "Fusterlandia" or the original former home of celebrated novelist Ernest Hemingway.