GETTING THERE
It’s best to fly to London from
Singapore or Kuala Lumpur first
and then make your way to
Gatwick Airport, where Virgin
Atlantic flies direct to Havana
twice a week (from £400;
virginatlantic.com). Air France,
Iberia and KLM also fly from UK
cities with one stop.
GETTING AROUND
Taxis are most visitors’ go-to
option in Havana, with fares
starting at £1. Bici-taxis (cycle
pedicabs) have also become
popular. Hiring a car is tricky but
doable (from £38 per day;
cubacar.info).
WHEN TO GO
November to March is the best
time to visit, with cooler, drier
weather – albeit peak season
prices. July and August are also
popular, though there is a risk of
hurricanes between June and
November. The shoulder
seasons of April (except Easter)
and October offer better value.
VISA
For stays of less than two
months, visitors need a tourist
card, which is valid for 30 days
but can be extended. Get it from
the Cuban embassy
(£17; misiones.minrex.gob.cu)
or your tour company.
TOUR OPERATOR
Specialist Cuba Direct’s tours
include ‘Enchanting Cuba’, an
11-night trip with four days in
Havana plus time exploring the
Viñales Valley, colonial Trinidad
and the beaches of Cayo Santa
Maria (from £711 excl flights;
cubadirect.co.uk).
FURTHER INFO
Pick up Lonely Planet’s Cuba
(£14.99) or download the
Havana chapter (£2.99) at
lonelyplanet.com. Find more
ideas at travel2cuba.co.uk.
ESSENTIALS
THE ORIGINAL CUBAN
COCKTAIL
When I arrived at Café
Madrigal – a beautiful, art-
strewn bar in the residential
Buenavista area – I was looking
forward to tasting home-grown
cocktail classics that have become
famous the world over: mojitos, daiquiris and Cuba Libres
(madrigalbarcafe.wordpress.com). But as I interviewed
the bar’s owner, Rafael Rosales, and settled in to sample
the house specialities, I fell under the spell of an entirely
different drink: the canchánchara. First created by the
mambises (Cuban guerillas) fighting the Spanish in the
19th century, this mix of rum, honey and lemon was
originally imbibed hot as a way to ward off illness. These
days, it’s served on ice, and is both sweet and refreshing,
with a Cuban rum sting in the tail.CANCHÁNCHARA RECIPE
Add three teaspoons of runny honey to 20ml of lemon
or lime juice and two shots of good white Cuban rum.
Mix well, until the honey dissolves, add ice and enjoy.
Christa LarwoodCASA HABANA 1932
The home of an Art Deco
aficionado, this friendly
b&b pays homage to the
’30s in three rooms laden
with antique signs, toys,
furniture and with plenty
of stained glass (from £20;
casahabana.net).HOTEL FLORIDA
Set in an 1830s palace,
this colonial-style hotel
(above) offers marble
floors, high ceilings andgrandeur a-plenty, plus a
café and a courtyard that
looks like it came straight
out of a medieval
monastery (from £155;
cubatravelnetwork.com).HOTEL NACIONAL
This Havana landmark has
hosted the likes of Sinatra
and Churchill in its plush,
plaque-marked rooms,
many with ocean views.
You’ll also find a seafront
bar, pools, restaurants and
even a cabaret (from £210;
hotelnacionaldecuba.com).3 PLACES TO STAY
Café Madrigal
Callejón de Hamel
Gimnasio Rafael
Trejo
La Guarida
La Lavandería
Papito’s
WHERE TO STAY
Casa Habana 1932
Hotel Florida
Hotel NacionalMAP KEYMAKE IT HAPPEN