how to havana
What I learned from a last-minute amazing and sometimes not so amazing trip to Cuba!
Favorite casa particular, called Old Havana HavanaRooms, highly recommend booked on Airbnb!
The quintessential “Havana sunset” moment.
10/10 would recommend this pose at sunset on an old convertible.
This is one travel destination I would not recommend day-before bookings. But if you have two days, I have everything you need to know.
1. Don’t pay attention to anything you read about it being difficult to travel there. You’ll pay $50 and get your Visa right before you board the plane. When they ask your purpose for going, say “Education” loud and proud. Nbd.
2. Your American credit and debit cards will not work. Take $100 cash per person per day you’ll be there. The exchange rate will get you around $87 CUC for $100 US. Sucks but there it is.
3. Your phone will not work. We got all cocky with our international unlimited data plans until we found out there is no cell service there. Download all the maps and screenshot all directions preferably in Spanish.
4. Which brings me to… hardly anyone speaks any English at all. For sure download a little translator or basic conversational language app.
5. Stay in casa particulares. We booked all of ours on Airbnb and it is definitely the way to go. Not to mention you can actually use your credit card. Hotels are super overpriced and not worth it.
6. Pack Quest bars (or whatever survival snacks you prefer). The food there is on a whole pretty terrible and surprisingly un-cheap, so we found ourselves living off these most of the time except for nice dinners out. Lobster is awesome and less pricey than in the states and was easily the best consistent food we had there.
7. Don’t buy cigars from street hustlers. They look totally legit but they sure aren’t.
8. Carry those cute little packs of tissues in your bag. Most public places don’t have toilet paper or they’ll try to charge you for it. This was especially fun to encounter when I got the stomach flu.
9. Favorite legit cigar shop in Havana was Conde de Villanueva. Ask for Reynaldo!
10. The two good restaurants in Havana we liked are Palada la guarida and La Concordia, and you have to get reservations in advance as we found.
11. Finally, the old car tour is SO worth it! Be sure go to negotiate down by about half, and have your driver take approximately one million pictures.
