Those choosing Havana for a trip can shape their stay around the city’s history, green spaces and water sports. La Habana is predominantly urban in character, while also featuring lush vegetation. The Museo de la Ciudad is known for its historical and artistic collections, while the Gran Parque Metropolitano encompasses an extensive green belt. Water sports add scuba diving and snorkelling to the picture.
History and collections
The Museo de la Ciudad was founded on 18 October 1968 and has collections covering history, weapons, documents, fine arts and applied arts. Its range brings together historical and documentary material with two distinct areas of art; weapons are also included. This gives you a clear cultural focus to consider when planning your trip, one that goes beyond a single art form. If you are considering Havana for its culture, the collection themes can help guide your choice.
Cityscape and green spaces
The Gran Parque Metropolitano forms an extensive green belt encompassing areas in four municipalities of La Habana. The belt includes the Parque Zoológico Nacional, Parque Lenin, Expocuba and Jardín Botánico Nacional. It spans areas in four municipalities of La Habana and includes these four places. At the same time, La Habana remains predominantly urban in character and features lush vegetation. Here, the city and its greenery stand side by side as two aspects of the same landscape.
Further place descriptions provide a more precise geographical reference for two locations: Laguna del Cobre-Itabo is situated near Santa María del Mar in Habana del Este, La Habana. Rincón de Guanabo is located in Ensenada de Sibarimar, Guanabo, Habana del Este, La Habana. If you consider these places when choosing your trip, their full names help distinguish their respective locations.
Water sports in La Habana
Water sports such as scuba diving and snorkelling are offered in La Habana with the support of specialised water-sports instructors at dive centres. This adds another possible focus alongside culture and urban greenery. If one of these activities is important to your stay, ask a dive centre about specific locations and times before making firm plans.
Other contrasts across Cuba
Those weighing up other destinations in Cuba can compare their different thematic focuses. San Pedro de la Roca Castle was added to the World Heritage List in 1997. Desembarco del Granma National Park is in south-western Cuba, in the municipalities of Niquero and Pilón in Granma Province. The Valley de los Ingenios comprises the sites of 75 former sugar mills, as well as plantation houses, barracks and other structures associated with Cuban sugar production.
Cuba’s defensive network in Old Havana is also part of this context: it includes some of the oldest and largest stone fortifications in the Americas still standing today. The fortifications were built between the 16th and 19th centuries. Varadero offers a different point of reference: it covers 14.4 square kilometres, and the strip of sand along the beach is an average of 22 metres wide. Historical entries, specific features of a cultural heritage site and geographical measurements can thus serve as different reference points when choosing between destinations in Cuba.
Discover more destinations: Havana, Granma, Guantanamo, Cienfuegos, Santiago de Cuba, Matanzas, La Habana, Holguín
For the broader travel overview: Cuba.
