103 Amargura St. on the corner of San Ignacio St., Old Havana ,
Havana, Cuba
(+53) 78608280
yes
About
Raquel
Located in a wonderfully idiosyncratic building with a neo-Churrigueresque façade and tendrils of Art Nouveau wrought iron decoration, the Hotel Raquel contains further delightful design eccentricities including a vast stained glass canopy roof and a watchtower from which one can look out over the streets and squares of Old Havana. Many of the rooms have biblical names and besides the hotel being called The Rachel there are decorative references to the Bible and to the Jewish faith throughout the building, which was restored.
It 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.
It stands very near Plaza Vieja and the Plaza de San Francisco, and is only a few minutes’ walk from all the other main attractions in Old Havana.
Ave Carlos Manuel Céspedes y Santa Clara, Habana Vieja, La Habana
Nuestra Señora de Kazán Orthodox Cathedral
The Catedral Ortodoxa de Nuestra Señora de Kazán (Nuestra Señora de Kazán Orthodox Cathedral), declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is one of the newest constructions in Havana, being built in 2000. This Russian Orthodox church is Byzantine in style. It has six beautiful domes, two of which (the biggest and smallest) are gold-sheeted, and the rest are made of bronze. Its staircase entrance calls our attention and is considered the second largest staircase of all outside Russia. From the interior, its golden altar stands out, built in Trinidad and the San Sergio Monastery, Russia; and the murals adorning its walls.
Oficios No.13, La Habana
Automobile Museum
The Museo del Automóvil (Automobile Museum) is located in an 1892 Neoclassical construction in Old Havana. This museum is divided in two exposition rooms, which share the entire collection composed by 30 promenade cars, two rigid trucks, a funeral carriage, a special vehicle, seven motorcycles, a semaphore, three fuel pumps and two didactic imitations. This museum has a very well preserved and interesting collection of old automobiles, among which are the noteworthy Thunderbird, Pontiac, and Ford T, among others. The oldest vehicle in the collection dates from 1905, and the latest one comes from 1989. Most of them are North American, although some cars were made in Italy, Spain, Germany and Great Britain. It houses automobiles related to specific people and others antiquated vehicles. An example of this is the Cadillac used by Ernesto Che Guevara when living in Havana, the 1930 Fiat from Flor Loynaz, or the 1959 Oldsmobile used by Commander Camilo Cienfuegos.
Teniente Rey y Villegas, Habana Vieja, La Habana
Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje Church
The Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje Church is a simple yet charming church. It is located in Plaza del Cristo Square, on the western side of Old Havana, away from the city center and tourist areas. The structure of the church is intriguing because of the simplicity of its towers and of its lateral façades, in complete harmony with the character of the works of the 17th century. The church was built in 1732 in the same place where previously there was a Franciscan shrine. Nowadays it has only partially been restored, with its beautiful stained glass windows and brightly colored ceiling being very noteworthy qualities. Inside the church, the image of Jesus on the Cross among travelers and sailors became very popular because it was thought to keep people from harm. On Good Fridays the processions left from the Convento de San Francisco de Asís and ended at the Iglesia del Cristo. The dimensions of the plaza were planned according to the processions that were to take place in it, marking the end of the fourteen crosses or Stations of the Cross. The Plaza del Cristo Square is an ideal place if you want to get far from touristy areas and to witness what real Cuban life is like.
Calle Cuba No. 610 e / Sol y Luz, Habana Vieja, La Habana
Santa Clara Convent
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.