Old Havana

About this place

Old Havana is the original heart of the city, bounded by the line of its old walls and among the capital's most crowded districts. UNESCO listed it in 1982 for its Baroque and neoclassical architecture, its fortifications and its place on the route to the New World. It is a place of narrow streets and squares, with buildings both restored and worn. The Spanish founded Havana on 16 November 1519 at a natural harbour on its bay, and it became a stop for treasure galleons sailing between the Old World and the New. In the 17th century it was among the main shipbuilding centres. Many buildings fell into ruin in the later 20th century, and a campaign to restore them began in 1983 and continues. From across the harbour you see a long line of roofs and domes, with the Capitol's dome at the centre. Inside are rows of arcades with painted columns, iron balconies and wooden shutters, and stone-paved streets with old American cars. It is enough to walk without a plan from square to square, as each shows a different front. The cathedral, Plaza Vieja and the Capitol are all here or at its edge, so you need no car. Watch for worn balconies on unrestored streets and for your bag in crowds. Morning is best for walking, before the heat. The UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to Cuba because of fuel, power and water shortages, so read the current advice before you plan.