Plaza de Armas surrounds a statue of the patriot Céspedes and is ringed by shaded marble benches and second-hand bookstalls. This square, founding in 1519, was the city's first open space, around which the most important political, military, religious and civil institutions were located. The palaces that surrounded it during the 18th century are worthy exponents of Cuban Baroque architecture. On the square’s eastern side a small neoclassical temple, El Templete, marks the spot where the first Catholic mass was celebrated in 1519. Next door is one of the city’s most luxurious hotels, Hotel Santa Isabel. To the north, the squat but angular and moated Castillo de la Real Fuerza (Fort of the Royal Forces) is one of the oldest forts in the Americas.  

The Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso (Great Theatre of Havana Alicia Alonso) is one of the architectural jewelry of Havana. It has an incredible neo-baroque façade with the signature of the Belgian architect Paul Belau. Located in a building known as the Galician Centre of Havana, it was inaugurated in 1915 and at the beginnings it was named Tacón Theatre. Not only in its façade there are evidences of its exquisiteness, but also its indoors halls show the luxury and elegance of the time. Its stages have shown the better artistic representations of all times, with outstanding personalities during its history (Sara Bernhardth, Enrico Caruso, Alicia Alonso) The theatre has been home to the Cuban National Ballet and, the main stage of the International Ballet Festival of Havana. Its facilities include theatres, a concert hall, conference rooms, and a video screening room, as well as an art gallery, a choral centre, and several rehearsal halls for danzarias groups and dance companies.

The Palacio del Segundo Cabo (Segundo Cabo Palace) is located on the north side of Plaza de Armas Square, Old Havana. This majestic palace is Neoclassical in style and was built in 1772 with local limestone full of holes and calcareous marine incrustations. This building was first built as headquarters of the Spanish vice-governor. Currently, and after several reworkings during which it functioned as Post office, Senate Palace, Supreme Court, National Academy of Arts and Letters, or the Cuba Academy of Science, nowaday it belongs to the Cuban Ministry of Culture, and it hosts the Centre for the Interpretation of Cuba-Europa Relationship.

The Convento de Santa Clara (Santa Clara Convent) is located at the south of Plaza Vieja Square of Havana. This is the biggest and oldest convent in all of Cuba, built between 1638 and 1643, and it is a good example of early Spanish influenced architecture. It was actually the first female convent in the city. The temple stopped serving for religious purposes in 1920, housing for some time the Ministry of Public Works. It is currently part of the restoration team of Old Havana. It being recommended to visit the Colonial-style interior patio, where the first public fountain of the city was found; the cloister, the cells of the nuns and the small cemetery.