Teniente Rey St. between Oficios St. and Mercaderes St., Old Havana ,
Havana, Cuba
(+53) 78629383
yes
About
Los Frailes
The Hotel los Frailes (Friars’ Hotel) owes its name to its proximity to the Basilica and Monastery of St Francis of Assisi in the nearby Plaza de San Francisco. It is a very pleasant little hotel despite a few idiosyncrasies, principal of which is that all the staff members are required to dress as Franciscan friars. It feels faintly sacrilegious to drink a mojito mixed by a monk, but no odder than seeing that same monk later, still in his habit, lurking outside the hotel entrance with a huge cigar between his teeth.
Another little peculiarity of the place is that the majority of the rooms have been laid out in the style of monastic cells. This actually sounds far worse than it is, for the rooms are air conditioned and so comfortable that one hardly notices the lack of a window. The first floor suites are definitely the best option, though, as they do have windows which overlook Teniente Rey Street; these rooms are thus very light and airy.
The ground floor bar with its tall windows is cool and has lots of comfortable sofas, and the woodwind quartet that regularly plays there has a very soothing effect on the nerves after a day spent in the noise and heat of Old Havana. An interesting design feature of the hotel is that the original aljibe, the central limestone cistern of the type located under the courtyard of every colonial mansion in Old Havana, has been glassed over so that one can see the deliciously clear water below.
Calle Mercaderes No. 114, Habana Vieja, La Habana
Maqueta Museum of Old Havana (Scale Model Museum)
The Museo Maqueta de La Habana Vieja (Maqueta Museum of Old Havana) (Scale Model Museum) hosts a 1:500 scale model of Old Havana, one of the most important of these models in all of Cuba, and is considered as a place of great interest, knowledge and entertainment by its inhabitants. It is continuously updated and is rather impressive due to the incredible attention to detail in its works in regards to some of the most important buildings of Old Havana. This is one of Old Havana’s must-visit museums, as it allows you to imagine what the historical center of Havana is like as a whole, and therefore being able to get a better look at it when walking its streets.
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.
Calle Oficios, esq Muralla, Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, La Habana
Alejandro de Humboldt Museum
The Museo Alejandro de Humboldt (Alejandro de Humboldt Museum) is located in a Colonial house in Plaza de San Francisco de Asís Square, in Old Havana, Cuba. Its name comes from the German scientist Alejandro von Humboldt, who is seen as the second person to discover Cuba. This is a scientific museum dedicated to biology and its main objective is to preserve research and promote the historical Humboldt’s legacy. This institution enhances the labor of Cuban and international personalities whose contributions are considered relevant for the development of culture in general terms. It exhibits the historical trajectory of the scientific and botanic data he compiled throughout the island at the beginning of the 19th century, as well as a botanic exhibition which is fundamentally made up of ferns. In this museum there is a perfect copy of a Kritosaurus skeleton found in the desert and donated by the Mexican government, as well as an enormous Pterosaur skeleton, which is around 10 meters length. The House also has a conference room with capacity for 100 persons and a specialized library on German literature.
San Ignacio y Empedrado, Habana Vieja
Cathedral Square
The sumptuous Cathedral Square isthe focus of Old Havana life. Of particular interest in the Cathedral Square are the Cathedral, a baroque church, and the Museo de Arte Colonial, housed in a handsome palace dating from 1622. Tourists linger at El Patio’s outdoor café, sipping coffee or mojitos and tapping their toes to Cuban son.
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