Cuba St. on the corner of Peña Pobre St., Old Havana ,
Havana, Cuba
(+53) 78627656
yes
About
Palacio San Miguel
Clients are always appreciative of the service at the Hotel San Miguel, where the staff members are particularly helpful and welcoming. This grand nineteenth century mansion was restored and is now run by the Office of the City Historian of Havana, so all its profits are reinvested in the restoration of the city’s historical centre.
The establishment is named after Antonio San Miguel y Segalá, an important member of Havana society who acquired it in 1913. Its interiors combine grandeur with intimacy, sometimes to slightly eccentric effect, as in the sweeping marble stair which seems to have ideas above its station, shoehorned as it is into a rather small hallway. The rooms at the San Miguel are very comfortable, though, and from the roof terrace there’s a wonderful view of the entrance to the harbour and the lighthouse of the Castillo de los Tres Santos Reyes Magos del Morro.
The San Miguel is excellently placed for exploration of Old Havana.
Refugio No. 1 e/ Zulueta y Monserrate, Habana
Museum of the Revolution
Situated in the former Presidential Palace (1920-1960), the Museum of the Revolution is a colorful building of a large dome and a mixture of styles. A detailed panorama of the struggle undertaken by the Cuban people in order to obtain its freedom is available in its 38 rooms. Its outdoor areas feature the Granma Memorial, where visitors can see, protected by an enormous glass case, the boat on which Fidel Castro and more than eighty combatants returned to Cuba from exile in Mexico to recommence the fight for the country's independence.
Calle Compostela No.2, Habana Vieja, La Habana
Iglesia del Santo Ángel Custodio
The Santo Ángel Custodio Church was built in 1695, but wasn’t considered a church until 1788. It lies on one of the few and modest hills of the city, called Loma del Ángel. The original church was severely affected by the 1846 hurricane, its tower and the whole of the front and back of the nave were destroyed, so it was completely refurbished in the peculiar gothic style that can be seen today. Currently, the temple has two towers and an atrium where the church’s cemetery was formerly located. The entry doors are in the shape of pointed arches, and in its interior has three naves covered by barrel vault, as well as an ambulatory, the only church in Cuba to contain this feature. Félix Varela and José Martí were baptised in this church. It is also interesting to know that this temple is mentioned in Cecilia Valdés, a great 19th century Cuban novel by Cirilo Villaverde.
Fortaleza de San Carlos de La Cabaña, Carretera de La Cabana, Habana del Este
The Cannon Blast Ceremony
The Cannon Blast ceremony (El Cañonazo de las Nueve) is one of the oldest and attractive traditions of Havana. In colonial days, the shots signalled the closing of the gates of the walled city and the rising of the chain across the entrance to the harbour. The tradition of firing a cannon every night at 9:00 pm was kept even after the wall was torn down and is still used for checking your watch.
Trocadero e/ Zulueta y Monserrate, Habana
National Museum of Fine Arts
The National Museum of Fine Arts houses Cuba's most important art collections, as well as paintings dating from the 18th to the 21st century and ancient art. The exhibition areas treasure collections of Cuban and European painting, which harmonize with works of art of ancient Greece, Egypt, and Rome. Its valuable assets are divided into two buildings: Cuban Art, just a short walk from the Museum of the Revolution, and Universal Art, in the magnificent building that was once occupied by the Asturian Centre, opposite the Central Park.
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