So why Havana as a destination for your next trip? When one of the students in a cooking class was asked why she came to Havana she answered, “Because I can.” I think she was referring to the new opportunities for U.S. citizens to visit what was once forbidden.
In spite of a distance of only 90 miles Cuba has remained a mystery for the past sixty years. So why Havana? There is that allure to find out for yourself what the island is really about.

So are you making travel plans or toying with the idea of visiting Cuba, this country in transition? Then I hope this post will put you at ease. Having reservations about visiting the island? Then I will tell you that this was one of the most amazing trips I have ever made. I am so glad I did it! Making my Cuba travel plans, however, was a real puzzle. If you are coming with a group tour then lucky you because someone has already figured it out for you. If you like doing things on your own, though, I have a list of several sites below to help in making plans.

The featured image is a view of Old Havana from the rooftop of the Gran Hotel Manzana Kimpinsky La Habana. There is a bar and tables where you can drink Mojitos and look out over Old Havana. Beyond the infinity pool you can see men working on top of the old buildings of Havana. The image to me tells the story of Havana today. You see Havana of the past and, for better or worse, what it may become.

If you are not planning a trip, still enjoy more Havana Street Scenes below. Streets I walked through every day in Havana.

So Why Havana?

Here are some sites that I found before going to Havana, Cuba and that helped me take advantage of the time I had there. With no stress.

• Local Havana Webite  It would take me forever to list all the fun and interesting things to do in Havana, a city of millions. Luckily, there is a website that will do it for me. It will keep you up to date on lots of things that are going on in Havana before you make your trip. Find it here: https://www.havanainsider.com/

• Havana Bus Tour  Michael and I looked at each other and laughed when we found our seats on the upper level of the bus. Believing we were travelers, not tourists, neither of us had ever done a bus tour before. But we loved the fact that we could take photos from interesting angles. Route 1 will take you around the city to places we never would have found on foot. You can get on and back off. We took the whole route and back to the stop in front of Hotel Inglaterra. Later took the bus back to the cemetery to visit and walked home. The ticket is good for the whole day. Find it here: http://vacationcubatravel.com/havana-bus-tour-hop-on-hop-o

• TriAzul   We decided not to take a taxi on a two day visit to Vinales. If you are sharing the taxi with other passengers it may be reasonable but we opted for the bus. For us, it was a great decision. It was comfortable, enough room, the right temperature. It was a last minute decision and I would recommend going to Viazul several days before your day of travel. I read that making a reservation on line could be risky. The station is in front of the zoologica. This line goes to all the major points in Cuba. Besides, it was a nice relief from all the taxis we were taking in Havana.

• Airbnb not only gives you options for where to stay but for what to do. If you are doing this on your own you will no doubt have a Support the Cuban People visa. So this is it. Tons of ways to support and have a great time. One thing I did was a cooking class. So much fun.. Find it here:
  https://www.airbnb.com/s/Havana–Cuba/experiences?

• Paladores. Cuban citizens can now own their own restaurants. Not all restaurants are owned by citizens, so you want to make sure you are eating in a privately owned space. Part of the money still goes to the government but it’s great to eat in a palador which are full of creativity and innovation. I wish I could have visited them all: Jama… La Guardia…Paladar los Mercedes…El Rustico…California Cafe…5 Sentidos…Somos Cuba…O’Reilly 304

• Roof Top Bars were such a fun thing to do. Especially after learning to make a Mojito in my cooking class, I got to sample other renditions:https://www.thedriftingdrinker.com/8-must-visit-rooftop-bars-in-havana-cuba/ Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski…Bar Piscina Merador at Hotel Saratoga…La Guarida Rooftop Bar…Hotel Iglaterra…Hotel Ambos Mundos…La Flauta Magica