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.
Carretera de La Cabana, Habana del Este
Tres Reyes del Morro Castle
Perhaps the most iconic of all Cuban fortresses. Its construction began in 1589 and was completed in 1630, playing a key role in the defence of Havana against raids by corsairs and pirates. When the English attacked and captured Havana in the year 1762, the castle was damaged and later as soon as Spain took power again it was rebuilt and modernized. A lighthouse was added to the Morro in 1764. Standing 45 metres above sea level, it has become an unmistakeable symbol of Havana.
Calle Mercaderes No.120, Habana Vieja, La Habana
Tobacco Museum
The Museo del Tabaco (Tobacco Museum) is located within an 18th century building that belonged to the Bartolomé Luque family, in Calle Mercaderes Street, Old Havana. This museum is dedicated to the preservation and display of collections related to the plantations, production and commercialization of Cuban tobacco. It exhibits a large collection of pipes, leaves and other related items, as well as a collection of lithographic stones and machines of important cigar companies. The museum has a small shop where you’ll be able to get different Havana cigars and items for smokers.
Carretera de La Cabana, Habana del Este
San Carlos de La Cabaña Fortress
The vast Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña, known as ‘La Cabaña’, running beside the harbor, was constructed after the English capture of Havana in 1763. The largest of the military structures built by Spain in the Americas, this fortress was completed in 1774 and its presence formed an effective complete deterrent against the country's enemies. The polygon, occupying an area of around 10 hectares, consists of bastions, ravelins, moats, covered walkways, barracks, squares and stores. It is impressively well preserved, and the gardens and ramparts are romantically lit in the evening. This fortress hosts the spectacular nightly ceremony of El Cañonazo de las Nueve (cannon fire at 9), the firing of a cannon that marked the closing of the city gates, one of Havana's longest-held and most attractive traditions.
Tacon e/ Obispo y O'Relly, Habana Vieja
Arms Square
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.
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