10 Best Sights in Havana, Cuba

Havana's famous Malecón, sheltered by a sea wall, runs west for 7 km (4 miles) from La Punta (where it's also known as Avenida Antonio Maceo) and the harbor's entrance to the Santa Dorotea de Luna de la Chorrera fortress, near the mouth of the Río Almendares. Although it was designed in 1857 by a Cuban engineer, it wasn't built until 1902, thanks, in part, to the American capital that flowed to the island after the Spanish-American War. Once an opulent promenade flanked by brightly painted houses, the Malecón today is dark and dilapidated, the houses crumbling, and the wide limestone walkway broken and eroded. Yet it still has its charms. As it faces north, it offers spectacular views of both sunrise and sunset—perhaps accounting for the belief that there's not a single habanero who hasn't professed love eternal here at one time or another. Crashing waves and the rainbows created from their spray and the sun adds to the Malecón's magic.

As you walk, look for rectangles carved into the stone. These were once (and are still used as) sea baths, which fill at high tide and allowed people to splash about, safe from both currents and sharks. Just west of the Hotel Nacional you'll come to Monumento alMaine, honoring the 260 American sailors killed in the 1898 explosion of that U.S. warship, which was visiting Havana in a display of American might. The event lead to what the United States calls the Spanish-American War (for Cubans this was the final stage of their War of Independence, which began in 1868) followed by a period of heavy U.S. involvement in Cuban affairs. A plaque dedicated by the Castro government here reads: "To the victims of the Maine, who were sacrificed by imperialist voracity in its eagerness to seize the island of Cuba."

Even those convinced that they've outgrown their thirst for Hemingway will feel a flutter of youthful romanticism on a visit to Finca Vigía (Lookout Farm), the American Nobel Prize–winner's home from 1939 to 1961. The excellent guides will show you his weight charts—faithfully kept on the bathroom wall and never varying much from 242.5 pounds—a first edition of Kenneth Tynan's Bull Fever by the toilet; the lizard preserved in formaldehyde and honored for having "died well" in a battle with one of Hemingway's five-dozen cats; the pool where Ava Gardner swam naked; Hemingway's favorite chair (ask about what happened to people who dared sit in it); his sleek powerboat, El Pilar; and much, much more.

At the national aquarium, you can learn about many of Cuba's 900 species of fish. Dolphin shows are very popular, and there are also sea lion shows. At the time of writing, the aquarium was open, but undergoing refurbishment.

Constructed in 1558 by order of Spanish king Felipe II three years after an earlier fortress was destroyed by the French pirate Jacques de Sores, this classic, moat-enclosed fortress was the residence of the local military commanders until 1762. The tower, added in 1632, is topped by the famous Giraldilla (weather vane), a nod to the one atop the Giralda minaret in Seville, the city whose Casa de Contratación (House of Trade) oversaw financial and shipping operations between Spain and its territories in the Americas. Havana's favorite symbol—it's even on the Havana Club rum label—the Giraldilla honors Doña Inés de Bobadilla, Cuba's lone woman governor, who replaced her husband, Hernando de Soto, when he left to conquer Florida (and search for the Fountain of Youth) in 1539. De Soto and his expedition went on to explore much of North America and were among the first white men to cross the Mississippi River. He died in 1542, but Doña Inés spent years scanning the horizon, awaiting his return. The current Giraldilla is a copy of an earlier bronze one toppled by a hurricane and now on display in the Museo de la Ciudad de La Habana. Today the museum houses an exhibition on Cuban navigation, dating from 1577 to today. On display are miniatures of the galleons that once passed through the island with gold coins, treasures, and documentation of maritime life over the centuries.

Begun in 1589, Havana's landmark fort is named for the Reyes Magos—the Magi or Three Kings of Bethlehem, who are the patrons of its chapel—and for the fact that it occupies a morro (promontory) at the harbor entrance. It and its sister fort across the way, La Punta, made Havana the safest port in the Americas at a time when both pirates and imperialists helped themselves to whatever could be had. Built into cliffs, El Morro was furnished with a battery of 12 cannons christened La Batería de los Doce Apóstoles (The Battery of the Twelve Apostles) facing the sea and another dozen, called Las Pastoras (The Shepherdesses), nearer the ramparts. The active lighthouse flashes its beam over Havana every 15 seconds. Inside the castle, across a moat and drawbridge, are stables, the chapel, dungeons, and a wine cellar. You'll also find the fortified vaults, which contain the Museo del Morro, with displays on the fortress itself; the Museo de la Navegación, with navigation and seafaring artifacts; and the Museo de Piratas, with exhibits and bits of folklore on pirates. The armory displays weapons from around the world.

In 1762 Lord Albemarle took El Morro for the English after a 44-day siege. A year later, Carlos III recovered Cuba in exchange for Florida and promptly ordered the construction of what was then the largest fort in the Americas. Sprawling across the hill east of El Morro, the fortress was named for the Spanish king and for the typical Cuban cabanas or bohíos (cabins) that once occupied the site. With the capacity to house 1,000 troops, this immense bastion was said to be so big that Carlos was given a telescope with which to admire it from Madrid.

The infamous Foso de los Laureles (Graveyard of the Laurels) was the execution wall where hundreds died during the wars of independence. The 9 pm ceremonia del cañonazo (ceremony of the cannon shot) is a must-see event filled with nostalgia and mystery. First, a lamplighter lights the gas lanterns. Then, a crier (a recruit with a voice so good he's been signed on permanently even though his military service ended years ago) begins an eery plainsong chant that reverberates throughout the fortress and, when the wind is right, across the bay to La Punta: "Silencio; ha llegado la noche / Las luces están encendidas / Nuestro cañon se llama Capitolino / A las nueve sonará" ("Silence; night has fallen / The lanterns are lit / Our cannon is named Capitolino / At nine it will sound"). Finally, a detail of some half-dozen soldiers dressed in scarlet 18th-century uniforms marches in and loads and fires the cannon, which makes a deafening noise (cover your ears).

La Cabaña's two museums are of moderate interest. The Museo de la Cabaña documents Cuba's military history, and the Museo del Che is dedicated to the life of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, who ranks alongside José Martí as one of Cuba's national martyrs.

On a point (hence, the name) directly across from El Morro, La Punta took 11 years to build (1589–1600), under the supervision of the same Italian military engineer—Juan Bautista Antonelli—responsible for its sister fortress. The two forts are so close, it's said that voice communication is possible in calm weather. In the early 17th century, a heavy chain was stretched between them, sealing the port at night and during attacks. Today the fortress has an even more romantic role in the city's unfolding drama: it's a favorite spot for lovers. At the time of writing, it was closed to the public due to ongoing renovations, but walking around the outside still makes for an impressive view.

A glass enclosure behind the Museo de la Revolución shelters the Granma, the yacht that transported Castro and 81 guerrillas back to Cuba from exile in Mexico in 1956. Bought from an American, the 38-foot craft designed to carry 25 (presumably unarmed) passengers nearly foundered during the week-long crossing. It eventually ran aground at Oriente Province in Eastern Cuba, but it was two days behind schedule. The saga gets worse: Castro's forces were ambushed and only 16 survived, including Fidel, Che, Raúl Castro, and Camilo Cienfuegos. The park around the yacht is filled with military curios: tanks, jeeps, the delivery truck used in the 1957 assault on the Palacio Presidencial, and an airplane turbine, allegedly from a U-2 spy plane downed during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Named for the 1870 ballet by the French composer Léo Délibes, this Vedado park and its ice-cream emporium are Havana institutions. The Star Wars–type flying saucer in the middle of the square was the Revolution's answer to the many ice-cream parlors that, prior to 1959, were highly discriminatory. This state-owned establishment serves more than 25,000 customers daily. While many Cubans prefer waiting in the long lines and paying with the more accessible "national" pesos, tourists or those willing to fork out convertible pesos have that option. The parlor once offered a legendary number of flavors, but after the Special Period (the national emergency declared upon the collapse of the Soviet Union, after which Cuba suffered severe shortages of everything from fuel to food) supplies became scarce, and a flavor a day became the rule. While at first glance the fearfully long lineups don't make the place very attractive—especially if a few scoops of ice cream provide the light at the end of the tunnel. But ice cream is only an alibi here. Cubans tend to chatter, mix, and mingle while waiting. Forget Facebook; this is a real-life social-networking venue.

This vast amusement park was popular with Cubans before the 1992 collapse of the Soviet Union. The penury of the Special Period, however, has caused the carousels and other fairground attractions to be shut down. Developed on what was once a farming estate 20 km (12 miles) southwest of Havana, the 745-hectare (1,841-acre) park contains rolling meadows, small lakes, and woodlands. Look for the Monumento Lenin, a mammoth granite sculpture of the Russian Revolutionary. The Monumento a Celia Sánchez has photographs and portraits of Cuba's unofficial First Lady. The park's offerings also include art galleries, ceramics workshops, and a movie theater, although keep in mind that much of it is rundown. Horseback riding, boating, and swimming are options here as well. You can have a good meal in Las Ruinas and stay overnight in the comfortable motel.