Hi guys!
I just returned from Cuba and figured I would dish out some tips since it’s such a travel hotspot right now. Havana is everything you’ve seen in the movies – it’s full of pastel colored buildings, millennial pink cars, historic architecture, and an overall carefree, fun vibe. That being said, there’s also tons of poverty, and I recommend getting a tour guide to help you navigate the city.
BEFORE YOU GO:
You’ll want to exchange a lot of money. Most places do not accept USD or credit cards. Cuba has a duel currency system (a bit confusing) but tourists use CUC. The conversion rate is 1 CUC to 1 USD, so you won’t have to do any math in your head (THANK GOD) but your’e charged a $20 fee for every $100 you convert at most cash points, so you do lose a bit of money in that sense.
Me being me, I was a bit nervous about the WiFi situation. You can actually get free WiFi at most hotels – even if you’re not a guest. That’s actually the only way locals can get WiFi, so you’ll see crowds of people outside of the hotels. That’s a pretty good sign you can hook up to the internet.
TAKE A TOUR OF OLD HAVANA: 
Take a private tour! There are a lot of group tours offered, but I think taking a private tour is worth the money. It was about $1,000 for six of us, so that comes out to about $166 each. We used ShoreTrips and had the best tour guide Mary. She completely personalized the tour to our needs. We had to to explain the whole blogging thing, but she was super understanding and was able to find places for us to change outfits and would stop to let us shoot throughout the tour. If you’re a fellow blogger, beware that there is literally no where to change. We had to change in a Cuban mall and had to pay to use the bathroom (lol). Fun fact though, they have a Mango and Zara in there!
They even hooked us up with a millennial pink car to drive around in. Taking a car around the city is definitely the easiest (and most fun!) way to see the city. I mean… look how cute it is!
WHERE TO EAT & GO OUT:
My biggest recommendation is to get a reservation at La Guarida way in advance. Make sure you ask for a seat outside. It’s one of the nicest restaurants in Havana (Beyonce & Jay Z ate there!) and it’s not as expensive as we were expecting – only about $25 a meal! When you first enter the restaurant, there’s a huge spiral staircase and drawings of Fidel all over the walls, which is pretty neat.
Aside from the food being amazing (I got the lobster risotto) – the view is the biggest draw of this restaurant. If you get a spot outside, you can see the entire city.
For a quick bite to eat during the day, there are a ton of cute cafés throughout Old Havana. Plaza Vieja, one of the main squares, is full of super cute spots. Cafe El Escorial is one of the best places to grab coffee! At night, I recommend going to the Social Club for an authentic Cuban night out. It’s in a safe area and the the live music and drinks are amazing!
And…that’s about all I have for you guys! Hope this was helpful if any of you are planning a trip!
Leave a Reply