One Day in Havana

[hrwi]

Hi gang!

 

I keep tagging onto others' threads but might as well start a new one. I'm sailing on Carnival Paradise in October, so we pretty much get one day in Havana. Arriving at 11:30 Friday, leaving at 6 am Saturday. There will be myself, my husband, and my 3 kids (7, 11, and 14). We are pretty adventurous travelers and willing to sort things out, so not super interested in a ship excursion.

 

What would you recommend? I know it's a pretty walkable city, but if we wanted to do a bit more, would you recommend the hop on hop off bus, or a vintage car tour? Anything in particular we should see? We really just want to explore and see as much as we can in that one day. And everyone can stay up pretty late, if there's something exciting to see when the sun goes down.

 

We are absolutely totally fine with eating street food and getting sweaty and dirty. We like that just fine, particularly if you tell us there is something we can't miss! We will have two sea days after this to recoup.

[VidaNaPraia]

Hi gang!

 

I keep tagging onto others' threads but might as well start a new one. I'm sailing on Carnival Paradise in October, so we pretty much get one day in Havana. Arriving at 11:30 Friday, leaving at 6 am Saturday. There will be myself, my husband, and my 3 kids (7, 11, and 14). We are pretty adventurous travelers and willing to sort things out, so not super interested in a ship excursion.

 

What would you recommend? I know it's a pretty walkable city, but if we wanted to do a bit more, would you recommend the hop on hop off bus, or a vintage car tour? Anything in particular we should see? We really just want to explore and see as much as we can in that one day. And everyone can stay up pretty late, if there's something exciting to see when the sun goes down.

 

We are absolutely totally fine with eating street food and getting sweaty and dirty. We like that just fine, particularly if you tell us there is something we can't miss! We will have two sea days after this to recoup.

 

You could do a hop on/off bus or a classic car ride to get oriented to the city initially or you could walk around Havana Vieja first and then do it when/if the kids are tired.

Vieja is interesting to walk. The main tourist street s Calle Obispo with lotsof souvenir places. Get onto the “back” streets away from the main touristsquares. People live in ground floor apartments open to the breeze, so you cansee a lot of daily life going on right in front of you ….local shops, littlerestaurants for a sandwich and a cold drink.

The kids might like to take a bici-taxi ride. You’d probably need 2-3, but thedrivers often hang out together, waiting and chatting.

You might want to make a dinner reservation at a well-rated restaurant in the www.lahabana.com listings.

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At 9pm, there is a nightly cannon firing at the fort across the bay. (by taxithrough the tunnel or by ferry). There are costumed participants, carriagerides, rooms to explore, a draw bridge, crafts, and the big boom. You can seethe whole city, blinking lights, across the harbor.

If you want to hear some music, maybe try the (Buena Visata Social Club type)Tradicionales de los 1950s, 2 blocks behind the Saratoga Hotel (which isacross from the Capitolio (building that looks like the US Capitol). Kids areallowed in most clubs, so look at www.lahabana.comfor a monthly schedule of music and dance and art. You can usually see videos of the musicians/singers mentioned there on YouTube to see if they appeal.

And it will probably be humid and very hot.

 

[hrwi]

I'm so excited - just logged on to the carnival site and we have the following morning now as well! We will be leaving a noon, so I assume we have until 11 am to see a bit more of the city. I will want to stay close to the port probably so we don't become cuban residents. ;)

 

Is it an early city? Might be a cooler time to see some things, eat pastry and drink coffee? Any tips for this? I know when we are in NYC, often we are up too early for the good breakfast places at 8 am.