The leafy, grand early-20th-century district — Vedado, with tree-lined avenues, faded mansions, the university, the iconic Hotel Nacional, the Coppelia ice-cream park, and the city's best nightlife, live music and restaurants. Spacious, atmospheric and central, a short ride or Malecón walk from the old town; the base for travellers who want a more local, less touristy stay with the best nightlife and dining. Havana's cultured, lively heart. Grand and characterful.
A look around
What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.
$45–90
typical per night in Cuba
The sensible middle
Typical prices for Havana — neither steal nor splurge.
Where it sits
The circle is Vedado and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.
How far is everything?
From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.
- A vintage car ride29 min walk2.4 km
- El Capitolio & Paseo del Prado7 min taxi2.4 km
- Cuban cigars8 min taxi2.6 km
- Rum, mojitos & Hemingway's bars9 min taxi3.1 km
- Morro Castle & the cannon ceremony9 min taxi3.1 km
- Habana Vieja (Old Havana)10 min taxi3.2 km
- Havana Cathedral & Plaza10 min taxi3.2 km
- The colonial plazas10 min taxi3.4 km
On your doorstep
What you’re living next to if you stay here.
- 3.The Malecón — The soul of the city by the sea — the Malecón, an eight-kilometre seawall and promenade curving along the coast, where all of Havana comes to gather at sunset: lovers, fishermen, musicians, families and friends, sharing rum and music as waves crash over the wall and the sun sinks into the Straits of Florida. Stroll it in the golden evening, watch the classic cars cruise past and the life unfold; it's the city's beating, open-air living room. A magical, free and quintessential Havana experience, especially at dusk. Utterly atmospheric and unmissable.
- 14.Hotel Nacional — A grand dame of faded glamour — the Hotel Nacional, a majestic 1930s clifftop hotel overlooking the Malecón, which has hosted everyone from Winston Churchill and Frank Sinatra to mobster Meyer Lansky (who ran a famous mob summit here). Even if you're not staying, come for a mojito on the gorgeous garden terrace overlooking the sea, soak up the old-world atmosphere and the history (there's a fascinating little museum of its storied past), and admire the elegant public rooms. A lovely, atmospheric spot for a drink and a dose of history. Grand and nostalgic.
- 15.Havana nightlife — Havana's nights are legendary and music-fuelled — from the glittering, feathered cabaret spectacle of the famous Tropicana, to sweaty salsa clubs, the artsy Fábrica de Arte Cubano (a converted factory of galleries, bars and live music, one of the coolest venues anywhere), and rum-soaked live-music bars across Vedado. Dance salsa till dawn, catch a cabaret, or explore the Fábrica de Arte; the city's nightlife is joyous, creative and utterly infectious. A brilliant, essential way to experience Havana's spirit after dark. Vibrant and unforgettable; don't miss the Fábrica de Arte.
When are you staying?
Booking.com & Airbnb open searched to Vedado; flights via Google Flights.