Havana, Cuba
Cuba’s thriving capital and the largest city in the Caribbean, Havana is not to be overlooked. With an eclectic mix of grand colonial mansions, 17th century churches, 1950s American cars, and revolutionary graffiti, fused together with wafts of cigar smoke and snippets of salsa music resonating in the air, the atmosphere in this city is so varied and unique as to be indescribable. To understand Havana, you have to be there.
With its difficult history of pirates, gambling and a British invasion and its rickety Socialist present, Havana has evolved as a combination of all of its identities. Among the beautifully Caribbean palm-lined streets are crumbling buildings and ration shops. Fume-spilling Cadillacs blast a mix of salsa and heavy metal as they cruise through the Old Town. Ornate churches feature haunting frescoes and intricate stained glass while streets are covered in graffiti and murals. The ghosts of Che Guevara and Ernest Hemingway can be found everywhere.
To fully experience Havana, you must immerse yourself in the real character of the place. Be sure to take in the amazingly preserved palaces, the varied and unusual museums and stay in a classy hotel, but also make time to visit a local bar and enjoy the atmosphere of rum-drinking locals arguing about football and politics. Walk along the Malecón to see groups of serious-faced fisherman and avoid the jinteras as the waves crash over the pavement.
Havana is both alarmingly old-school and refreshingly modern, with its cool mix of the Caribbean and the 1950s. Spend some time in the city and you too will begin to hear snippets of music carried on the breeze. A rumba tapped out on the drums, salsa music pouring out of a café and everyone in the city moving and grooving to the invisible beat that drives it.