Contents
- Airport, Jose Marti International Airport (HAV)
- Cigar factories
- Climate
- Communications
- Customs
- Duty Free
- Havana
- Havana Biennial
- Havana Carnival
- Havana Jazz Festival
- Ministerio de Turismo
- Museo de la Ciudad (Museum of the City)
- Playas del Este
- Plaza de la Revolución
- Safety
- Tipping
- Varadero
- Vinales Valley
1. Airport, Jose Marti International Airport (HAV)
LocationThe airport is situated 11 miles (18km) from Havana. TimeLocal time is GMT -5. ContactsTel+53 (0)7 649 5777 or 266 4644. Transfer between terminalsA bus services the three terminals. Transfer to the cityTaxis are available. Car rentalCar rental is available from the Arrivals hall. FacilitiesCadeca provides foreign exchange; bars, restaurants and shops, including duty-free, Internet access and travel agencies are also available. ParkingShort-term parking is available. Departure tax25 CUCs (Convertible Pesos).
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2. Cigar factories
Even non-smokers have to agree that a visit to Cuba would not be complete without investigating the island’s most famous export, cigars. The art of cigar-making in Cuba is old and traditional, and three main factories in Havana offer tours for visitors to see cigars still rolled by hand. In the oldest factory, Partagas founded in 1827, traditionally a reader is employed to keep workers entertained while they fashion the famous cigars. Havana’s other cigar factories are La Corona and the lesser-visited Romeo y Julieta. There are shops attached to the factories where cigars can be purchased. Visitors are advised not to buy cigars from people off the street as these are usually rolled banana leaves fashioned into cigar look-alikes and the sellers are persistent hustlers.
AddressPartagas FactoryCalle Industria 520, Centro Habana. TelephonePartagas(0)7 862 4604. Opening TimePartagas tours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 2pm. AdmissionCUC 10.
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3. Climate
The climate is hot and humid all year round, divided into a dry season (November to April) and a rainy season (May to October). The dry season is the busiest and prices are higher at this time. September to October is hurricane season.
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4. Communications
The international access code for Cuba is +53. The outgoing code is 119 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 11944 for the United Kingdom). The city code for Havana is (0)7. Cellular phone companies have roaming agreements with many international cell phone companies, but not the United States. A GSM network covers most main towns, and cell phones are available for rent. Public telephones are widely available for domestic as well as international calls, but international calls are expensive. Pre-paid phone cards are available. Internet cafes are located in the main towns and cities.
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5. Customs
Visitors should address Cuban men as ‘senor’ and women as ‘senora’.
BusinessCubans tend to be warm and hospitable, and business is conducted more informally than in other countries. Establishing a good relationship is vital to successful business and some time may be given over to small talk. Due to relative isolation from the global economy, business in Cuba tends to take some time and effort, and one is often hemmed in by the country’s communist practices. Punctuality is always important, but don’t expect meetings to begin on time or deals to be struck quickly. Dress tends to be more casual than elsewhere and businessmen usually wear traditional shirts and women dress sophisticatedly. Business hours are usually 8.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4.30pm Monday to Friday. Some businesses are open every second Saturday.
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6. Duty Free
Travellers to Cuba over 18 years do not need to pay customs duty on 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco; 3 bottles of alcoholic beverages; gifts to the value of US$50; and up to 10kg of medicine. Seeds, fresh animal or vegetable products, narcotics and psychotropic substances; explosives, firearms and ammunition; pornographic material; publications directed against public order and morality and household electrical appliances are all prohibited. Strict regulations govern the import or export of philatelic collections; precious stones and metals; artistic, historical or cultural artefacts; and books printed prior to 1940.
Contacts
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7. Havana
Situated on the north coast of the island and built around a natural harbour, Havana (La Habana), is one of the most lively and colourful cities in the Caribbean. Much of the city’s charm can be found among the narrow, derelict streets packed with crumbling buildings and fascinating people. Every open door and overhanging balcony allows glimpses of rocking chairs and colourful washing accompanied by the strains of music. On the streets Chinese-made bicycles, yellow, egg-shaped coco-taxis and two-humped camello (camel) buses weave among the melee of 1950s Chevy’s and Russian Ladas.The historic old town, Habana Vieja or Colonial Havana, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and fast becoming a tourist Mecca. The Spanish left behind some superb colonial architecture and many of the great buildings and grand plazas are being restored to their former glory. Centro Habana boasts some of the most important museums and architectural highlights, including the Revolution Museum, and the National Capitol, resembling the US Capitol Building in Washington DC. The trendy suburb of Vedado boasts high-rise buildings and modern hotels, and draws locals and visitors alike with its theatres, art galleries, restaurants, cafes, and cabaret shows; however most of the city’s sights are in Habana Vieja and Centro Habana. The five-mile (8km) seawall, or malecón, stretches from Vedado to Habana Vieja and is lined with architectural gems in various states of dilapidation or restoration.Havana’s nightlife will exhaust even the most seasoned partygoer. After dark nightclubs and bars come alive and the famous rum cocktails flow freely. The city has plenty of cultural entertainment too, and its fair share of monuments, museums and statues. For those travellers needing rest from all this activity, the beaches are only twenty minutes east of the city.
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8. Havana Biennial
First held in 1984 as a political exercise to showcase Third World visual arts for First World art tourists, the Havana Biennial has proved itself a worthy event attracting dozens of artists who exhibit their works over a two-month period in the Cuban capital. In recent years the art fest has been dogged by withdrawal of sponsorship because of a government crackdown on cultural freedom, and censorship. The dates are therefore continually moving, but the 25th anniversary edition of this exhibition looks like it will be held in March/April 2009.
VenueSeveral galleries and sites in Havana’s old colonial centre. DateMarch – April 2009.
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9. Havana Carnival
Parades and street parties, colourful costumes, wild dancing and traditional music. Cubans really know how to throw a party and for several weeks each year they do, the fun and frolics reaching high levels over weekends when the locals put their toil and trouble away and bring out the rum. Carnival comes with some traditions, like effigies of well known people being paraded along the coastal road, the Malecon, and the gaudy ‘faroleros’, decorated lamp posts carried aloft by dancers.
VenueEl Malécon promenade. Date1-31August 2009 TBC.
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10. Havana Jazz Festival
Held every year, Havana’s feast of jazz is eagerly awaited by fans around the world, offering four days of concerts, jam sessions and workshops. Many artists travel to Cuba to perform without any remuneration, the event having gained a prestigious reputation for quality and good organisation. Star of the show is Cuba’s own Chucho Valdes, who usually performs with other local artists and international guests in the grand finale concert on the final night.
VenueHotel Rivera and others. Date14-17 February 2009.
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11. Ministerio de Turismo
Havana+53 (0)7 334 323 or www.cubatravel.cuCuban Interest Section, Washington DC, United States+1 202 797 8518.
Cuban Embassy, Ottawa, Canada+1 613 563 0141.
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12. Museo de la Ciudad (Museum of the City)
The stately Baroque residence of Cuba’s colonial governors and former Presidential Palace, the Palace of the Captains General built in 1791, stands as an impressive sight on the Plaza de Armas and is now the repository for the city’s museum collections. The museum’s displays and exhibits tell the tale of Havana, from its founding to the present day, including rooms devoted to the Cuban wars for national independence. The colourful Hall of Flags contains the original Cuban flag as well as a number of others used by the Spanish colonial government. There are also exhibits relating to archaeology, folklore and weaponry, and an art collection that includes porcelain, paintings and furniture of historic value and great beauty.
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13. Playas del Este
Twenty-five minutes east of Havana are the Playas del Este, a chain of sandy beaches stretching for six miles (10km) between Bacuranao and Guanabo. At weekends they are generally packed with Cubans escaping the city. There are a few tourist hotels lining the coast, but other than that there are limited facilities. If needing an escape from the city the beaches make a good day trip, however those expecting pristine tropical island beaches might be disappointed.
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14. Plaza de la Revolución
Dominated by the imposing José Martí Memorial, the gigantic square has seen numerous political rallies, and the podium in front of the memorial is where important political figures like Fidel Castro have addressed more than a million Cubans on important occasions, such as 1 May and 26 July each year. At the foot of the memorial is a museum dedicated to José Martí, a national hero who would certainly have become Cuba’s first president had he survived the Second War of Independence in 1895. It is possible to take the elevator to the top of the 138ft (42m) memorial, the highest structure in the city. Located behind the memorial are the closely guarded offices of Castro. Opposite the memorial on the far side of the square is the much-photographed Che Guevara image with the slogan Hasta la Victoria Siempre (Forever Onwards Towards Victory) that identifies the Ministry of the Interior building.
Opening TimeMemorialMonday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm. AdmissionMemorialCUC 5.
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15. Safety
Cuba is considered free from any threat of global terrorism, but has an increasing crime rate. Visitors are warned that theft from baggage during handling is common, and valuables should not be packed in suitcases. Be wary of pickpockets and bag snatchers in major tourist sites and on buses or trains. Crime is on the increase and visitors should be particularly careful after dark in Havana; in October 2005 there were two incidents in Centro Habana at about 2am, where foreign nationals were stabbed and robbed, and visitors are advised to take taxis after dark rather than walk. Beware of thefts from rooms in casas particulares (private homes). Tropical storms and hurricanes usually occur between June and November; although good warning is given, electricity, water and communications can be disrupted for weeks. Fidel Castro, Cuban leader since 1959, has handed the reigns over to his brother, Raul, following surgery and a long period of rest. Although the political situation is calm at present, political gatherings should be avoided.
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16. Tipping
Tipping in convertible pesos is very welcomed. A 10% tip is appreciated in restaurants and by taxi drivers. Small amounts are appreciated by all service staff.
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17. Varadero
Cuba’s premier beach resort and tourist Mecca, Varadero, is situated on a spit of land that reaches out into the Atlantic, a two-hour drive to the east of Havana. Varadero is internationally known for its transparent waters and beautiful setting and is the largest resort complex in the Caribbean, with more than 50 hotels. Growing numbers of sun-seeking European, Canadian and American tourists flock here for the warm aquamarine waters, sun and fun that are afforded by all-inclusive packages. There are 23 world-renowned dive spots along this 13-mile (21km) stretch of beach, not to mention numerous restaurants, cabaret spots, nightclubs, water and land sport opportunities, skydiving centre, golf courses, and much more.
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18. Vinales Valley
Vinales Valley
A recent addition to the UNESCO World Heritage list, the town of Vinales and the valley in which it is set in Cuba’s ‘green’ Pinar del Rio province, is characterised by its impressive round-topped hills, or mogotes. These date back to the Jurassic period and are covered with rich and varied vegetation, and are remnants of the plateau that was eroded by a network of underground rivers millions of years ago.The Vinales Valley is located about 112 miles (180km) west of Havana. The natural beauty and tranquillity of the valley is interspersed with green fields of tobacco, coffee and other crops that grow out of the rich red earth, where traditional agricultural techniques have remained unchanged for centuries. Scattered palm trees and pine forests shelter a variety of melodious birds, and the area is also a magnet for speleologists, being riddled with limestone caves and caverns.The hilly landscape, quaint villages, oxen-ploughed fields, rustic barns and underground rivers, stalagmites and stalactites provide a striking contrast to the colonial grandeur and white sandy beaches found on the rest of the island. The main valley village, Vinales, is a charming, very laid-back place that makes a good base to explore the beautiful surrounds.
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