- Money in Cuba – Everything You Need to Know Before You Go
- Varadero on a Budget and Without an Expensive Resort
- Viñales – The Garden and Cigar Capital of Cuba
- Trinidad – 10 Things to See and Do in Cuba’s Colorful Colonial Town
- Havana on a Budget – 25 Free And Cheap Activties
- How To Travel Cuba Independently and Without An Expensive Resort
Havana, the tropical capital city and cultural heart of Cuba, is a fascinating and unique city that is full of vibrant life and culture around every corner. Havana, and Cuba in general, can be expensive if you stay in hotels and eat where most tourists eat. But if you’re adventurous and want a more authentic travel experience, you can very easily explore Havana on a budget.
I spent 5 days in Havana and it quickly became one of my favorite cities.
25 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN HAVANA ON A BUDGET
WALK AROUND AND OBSERVE CUBAN LIFE
Havana’s old buildings and classic cars easily make the city one of the best places in the world for street photography. The streets of Havana are unique and full of energy, life and culture. One of my favorite things to do was walk around Havana, observe life and take photos. It will inspire you.
One of my favorite memories of Cuba was when an older Cuban man spontaneously broke into a dance in the street on a Friday afternoon in Central Havana. And then a few young school girls in their uniforms joined in. I wish I’d gotten a video, but sometimes it’s better to enjoy the moment.
TALK TO THE LOCALS
If you can. The people you meet are what make your trip. However, be mindful about bringing up politics with Cubans due to lurking informants who can get them into a lot of trouble. If you’re lucky, a Cuban may mention it, but do not push for it.
EXPLORE OLD HAVANA AND CENTRAL HAVANA
Old Havana (Havana Vieja) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so it’s very picturesque and pristine. But also know that it’s the biggest tourist trap in Havana. Old Havana is definitely worth a visit, but if you’re looking for something more authentic, explore Central Havana (Centro Havana). It’s rundown and grittier, but it’s the real Cuba. Central Havana actually has authenticity and character, there are next to no tourists, the street photography is unreal and it’s safe. It was my favorite. It’s also where you can find cheap local eateries, which is ideal if you’re exploring Havana on a budget.
WALK ALONG AND HANG OUT AT THE MALÉCON
The Malecón is 8km of boardwalk along the ocean where locals hang out day and night. Most locals go for sunset and then hang out, drink rum and socialize all night. It’s a great, free alternative to a bar or club and it’s a great way to meet locals. Bring your own rum and share and make friends.
ADMIRE THE CLASSIC CARS
The classic cars are everywhere, but Parque Central in Old Havana, near the Capitolio (which is also an iconic building in Havana) is where you’ll find all the pristine classic cars in one place. You can give the owner a few dollars to allow you to sit in one and have a photoshoot.
HIRE A TAXI AROUND HAVANA
This can be done in the nice classic cars! Some taxi drivers will try to charge you a fortune, but a good price is $20-25CUC per hour, which is a good deal when split between a few people.
GO TO THE BEACH
Take a bus if you’re traveling Havana on a budget, or a taxi if your budget allows for it.
GET SOME LOCAL CURRENCY
Contrary to most information, you can use CUP (or moneda nacional) as a tourist (there are two currencies in Cuba), but you can only obtain it at a casa de cambio (exchange house), not the banks. Don’t exchange too much money into CUP because you’ll use it a lot less than CUC and the things you can buy with CUP are extremely cheap. For example, street food can cost the equivalent of 5-25 US cents. You can use CUP for street food, local stores and local restaurants, which are key for eating in Havana on a budget.
For more information on the two currencies used in Cuba, see here. CUC is on par with US dollars, so if something costs $1CUC, it costs the equivalent of $1US.
SUNDAY FUNDAY STREET PARTY AT CALLÉJON DEL HAMEL
This is a narrow, colorful two-block long alley between Aramburu and Hospital streets in Central Havana. The buildings and street are lined with bright paintings, murals and sculptures of Afro-Cuban culture. There is a Rumba street dance party every Sunday afternoon from 12-3pm. And there are small galleries and stores that sell local Cuban art, paintings and wood carvings.
WALK ALONG PASEO DEL PRADO
WALK ALONG SAN RAFAEL PEDESTRIAN AND SHOPPING STREET
Located in Central Havana. It’s full of locals, not tourists, and you’ll find one of the wi-fi parks along the way.
VISIT A WI-FI PARK
Even if you don’t want to use wi-fi, but you probably will because wi-fi is so rare in Cuba. You’ll know you’re in a wi-fi park when you see 100+ anti-social people immersed in their phones. It’s a unique sight to see. You can buy a $3CUC one hour wi-fi card off a dealer in a wi-fi park, which will go down like a drug deal, but it’s normal and safe.
VISIT THE PLAZA DE LA REVOLUCIÓN
Located in Vedado. It basically looks like a giant, empty concrete parking lot surrounded by very grey, communist government administrative buildings. Here you’ll find one of the most iconic images in Cuba- a giant mural of Cuba’s revolutionary hero, Che Guevara, as well as a portrait of Camilo Cienfuegos.
ADMIRE THE BOOK MARKET IN THE PLAZA DE ARMAS
Which is the oldest square in Old Havana. The books are all antiques and you’ll find some antique trinkets and treasures as well.
TRY A CUBAN CIGAR
LEARN TO SALSA DANCE
Everyone dances in Cuba, even the grandmas are out having a great time. Friendly locals will happily try to teach you. If you tried and still have two left feet, you can admire all the amazing Cuban dancers instead.
DRINK MOJITOS
It’s Cuba’s national drink of white rum, mint, sugar and soda. It’s so tasty and so refreshing! See below for some location suggestions.
NIGHTLIFE
INGLATERRA HOTEL ROOFTOP TERRACE
Go for a drink and an amazing view of Old Havana.
EXPLORE VEDADO
A more modern, affluent neighbourhood and the nightlife hotspot.
FABRICA DE ARTE CUBANO
Also known as FAC Club, which showcases Havana’s contemporary world-class art scene within a great nightclub, all in one very cool, modern and unique spot. The first floor has artwork, a bar, food, a live band playing and a packed dance floor. Upstairs has more art, an indie film playing on a giant screen, and a patio where you can lounge and hang out.
Cover is $2CUC and drinks are $2-3CUC. The extra large mojito is the best value at $5CUC with about 4 shots of rum. They free pour alcohol, so your drink will be about 80% rum because rum is cheaper than soda, after all. You can find blended mojitos upstairs, which are delicious and extra refreshing.
I went to Fabrica de Arte Cubano a few times in Havana and had so much fun every time. I think it’s one of the coolest club in the world.
Good to know: Upon entrance, they give you a card that they stamp every time you buy a drink or food. So you don’t pay until you leave, which isn’t ideal because the lineup to leave is massive. Don’t lose your card or you have to pay $30CUC. Also, the washrooms don’t fit the classy vibe of the rest of the club. They’re filthy, so you need to bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer.
CASA DE LA MUSICA
Go for the live music and dancing. There are two Casa de la Musicas- one in Miramar and one in Central Havana. The one in Miramar is more upscale and expensive, which generally rules out seeing any locals there. So the one in Central Havana is probably where you want to go if you’re in Havana on a budget because it’s cheaper, more authentic and you’ll meet lots of locals to dance with.
EL FLORIDITA AND LE BODEGUITO DEL MEDIO
These are the famous Hemingway bars in Old Havana. They are very popular, but very touristy.
THE MALÉCON
This is where the locals hang out, drink rum and socialize at night.
LA ZORRA Y EL CUERVO
This is a famous jazz bar in Vedado. The $10CUC cover includes two cocktails.
NACIONAL HOTEL
Go for a drink and enjoy the amazing view of the Malecon and the city. It’s well worth the $5CUC for a mojito.
WHERE TO EAT
If you get some CUP (local currency), you can try the street food for 5-25 cents, which is the ultimate way to eat in Havana on a budget.
Avoid the overpriced tourist restaurants and eat where the locals eat for $1-3CUC. These restaurants are much cheaper and more authentic. And honestly, the food isn’t going to be great anywhere so you might as well spend as little as possible on food.
Casa particulares typically have the best food. They’re huge meals, but they’re overpriced in comparison to what you could find in the local restaurants. Expect to pay around $3-5CUC for breakfast and $7-10CUC for dinner, which are reasonable prices if you’re not on a tight budget and if your currency is strong. And it supports the locals who really need it.
GET IN
If you fly into Havana, a taxi from the airport to the city centre is an overpriced $25-30CUC 30 minute drive. If you’re traveling Havana on a budget and solo, try to meet travelers on your flight or at the airport to share a taxi and cut costs (and to make friends, of course). I did this as a solo female traveler and the friends I made at the airport became friends for the rest of my trip.
WHERE TO STAY
A casa particular (which is like a homestay) will be $20-25CUC per night, or $10-12CUC each if you share with someone. Staying at a casa particular is awesome because you get your very own Cuban mom or grandma as a part of the deal! All of my Cuban moms at the casas I stayed at were such lovely people. Staying in a casa is great for visiting Havana on a budget, it’s a much more authentic experience than staying in a hotel and it provides an extra and necessary source of income for Cubans (and they pay a fixed fee to the government regardless of how many or how few travelers they receive). Whereas, if you stay at a hotel, expect a ridiculously overpriced, less authentic experience and all the money goes straight to the government, which is an all-around waste.
If you’re looking to meet other travelers, hostels aren’t really a thing yet in Cuba, but there are a few in Havana and the other cities. For this reason, Cuba can be somewhat difficult to meet other travelers, if you’re a solo traveler. If you’re traveling around Cuba solo and on a budget, I highly recommend starting your Cuba adventure in Havana and stay at one of the hostels so you can meet other travelers to travel Cuba together.
You can book a hostel online before you arrive in Cuba. Stay at Rolando’s Backpackers for around $10-12CUC per night. It’s in a great location in Central Havana, a few blocks from the Malecón and it’s such a great place to meet people as a solo traveler. It’s a very small hostel, so you need to book in advance. If there aren’t any beds available, you can show up at the hostel regardless because there may be a cancellation or they’ll find you a casa particular nearby and invite you to hang out at the hostel and meet other travelers. The staff are really nice and helpful.
The hostel has a rooftop bar, but you can bring your own alcohol. If you’re drinking your own alcohol, buy at least one drink from the bar to be polite. The hostel provides breakfast and dinner for an extra charge. You can find a cheaper and more substantial breakfast elsewhere, but the dinners are good and very substantial for $5-7CUC for vegetarian or meat and they always include soup and dessert. But you can find dinner for $1-3CUC if you venture out of the hostel and eat at local places. You don’t need to tell them in advance if you want breakfast and dinner, like at a casa particular.
GET OUT
You can get around via bus, taxi or colectivo. I always found a group to travel with, so I mostly took taxis and colectivos to get around. I only took the bus twice. If you take the bus, you often have to book in advance because they fill up. If you want to take a taxi or colectivo, you need to practice your bargaining skills and your Spanish (or find someone who can communicate) as many taxi drivers don’t speak English. Aside from government officials, taxi drivers make the most money in Cuba, so they’ll hustle you hard for a high price. If you’re on a budget, you’ll want to travel with a group, so you can split the cost 5-6 ways. Approximate taxi costs and travel times from Havana:
Trinidad – $100-120CUC, 5-6 hours
Viñales – $80CUC, 3-4 hours
SAFETY
Along with the rest of Cuba, Havana is quite safe, but still exercise regular caution.
Havana is one of the greatest cities in the world and I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did!
MORE INFORMATION ON TRAVELING CUBA
How to Travel Cuba Independently and Without an All-Inclusive
What to Know About the Currencies and Money in Cuba
Varadero on a Budget and Without an Expensive Resort
