Souvenir Shopping

[emcp]

We will be docking at 2 Cuban ports. Was wondering which was the better place to shop for souvenirs, Havana or Cienfuegos? We will stop in Havana first so is there anything that we should definitely buy there that Cienfuegos may not have? Are the same items sold cheaper one place as opposed to the other? Looking at usual cigars, rum, t-shirts, and other such reminders of our trip.

Thanks for the help.

 

Eva

[Roce48]

In Havana we went to the San Jose Market. A lot of Art Work, trinkets, t-shirts and souvenirs. 

[farmerj]

Some good advice we got from our tour guide:

"Buy it whenever you see it."

 

This is really good advice.  I'm really sorry that I didn't take that advice. 

Just returned (3/1) and we docked in 3 ports.  (Havana, Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba)

I figured that we could buy our souvenirs across all 3 ports.  We were wrong.  Buy most if not all in Havana.  Best selection.

 

Havana has everything that you'd wand to buy as a souvenir, unless you want Cienfuegos or Santiago de Cuba on it.

We even thought that the artwork had much more of a 'better' selection in Havana.

Rum & Cigars, buy from an official shop.

 

Cienfuegos:  very limited TShirt, keychains, frig magnets.  I didn't see any cigars.  Rum was VERY limited to Havana Club and prices were national standard.  The 4pack of Havana Rum sampler was only $12CUC, whereas I paid $20CUC in Havana at the Museum.

 

Santiago de Cuba:  almost no TShirts; very limited keychains & magnets.  Lots more wood carvings.  No rum or cigars.  Was able to buy some Crystal beer to bring home.  ($1 CUC/ea bottle)

 

Enjoy your trip!

[ebslcc]

On 2/21/2019 at 10:44 AM, emcp said:

We will be docking at 2 Cuban ports. Was wondering which was the better place to shop for souvenirs, Havana or Cienfuegos? We will stop in Havana first so is there anything that we should definitely buy there that Cienfuegos may not have? Are the same items sold cheaper one place as opposed to the other? Looking at usual cigars, rum, t-shirts, and other such reminders of our trip.

Thanks for the help.

 

Eva

Havana San Jose market has better selection vs. other ports.  I was told that most of the vendors buy from government wholesale. The vendors are just re-sellers. Also, some stalls are actually government owned. Our Santiago tour guide told us that one side of the walk way going to El Morro are government vendors and the other side are private. With Cuba, the government always try to cut into private businesses!  For Cienfuegos, the Calle 29 (29th Street) market is very near the port terminal. Prices are cheaper than Trinidad (if you are going there).  If you are on a private tour a good tour guide will help you negotiate best price!  

See