Holidays in Havana Give New
Meaning to Vacations
A country where most visitors head to the resorts of Varadero, I opted to head into the capital of Cuba, filled with history, life and adventure.
If you’re one of the people who has gone to an all-inclusive
resort in the Caribbean or South America, you know what it’s like. Buffet food,
watered-down alcoholic drinks and a list of pre-set activities that never have
enough people involved. As someone who got tired of all of this, I had to find
a better alternative when planning a vacation away. That’s why I’ve turned to
Havana,
Cuba.
History
Havana tourism has
only
increased over the last few years, with the country maintaining its history
through monuments and aging 18th century aesthetic, which the government is
dedicated to protecting. Walking the streets of Havana gave me an experience
that is difficult to find elsewhere. Seeing an overview of Old Havana from a
rooftop where
Fidel
Castro marched through the city to conclude the
Cuban
Revolution was enough to intrigue me and should be sufficient to draw the
attention of fellow history buffs.
 |
Overview of
Old Havana from the rooftop of Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski.
Photo: Michel
Johnson-Figueredo
|
Life
Havana is Cuba’s most populated
city but it still
lags
behind the world in internet connectivity. You can expect to find people
living in the moment and being outside on the street instead of locked
indoors.
Dancing and loud music can be
heard at anytime during the day, in the morning as locals clean their homes or
late at night as parties blare through the old city. This makes it a dream for
those who love live music ranging from
Jazz
to Afro-Cuban tunes. Salsa floods the streets, I’ve even encountered a
couple of
dancers
performing on my way to breakfast.
 |
El Barrio
del Arte (Art District)
Photo: Michel Johnson-Figueredo
|
Adventure
With so much to discover, you may
need to take an extra week to see it all. It took me two years to really enjoy
everything there was to offer and I’m going back in December. Havana has
many viewpoints which make for wonderful pictures and experiences.
El
Malecon, a long boardwalk-style avenue along the coast, gives a wonderful
view of the sunset over the Cuban horizon. I found myself going for walks as
much as I could because of the views this development had to offer. The
surrounding beaches of Havana, Santa Maria and
Boca Ciega are also a joy
to look at. Cuba is known for its beaches in Varadero, although the ones close
to Havana are just as majestic and less crowded with tourists.
 |
Playa de Boca Ciega, 20 minutes outside of
Havana.
Photo: Michel Johnson-Figueredo
|
If you find yourself in the same situation I was in, take my
advice and look into this wonderful, often overlooked location. If you have similar
getaways you would like to share with other readers or myself feel free to
leave suggestions in the comments below.
