Havana

With its history dating back to the 16th century, Havana and its old centre are rightfully declared as a UNESCO world heritage site. The economic crisis in the 90’s caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuban’s main economical partner, led to the deterioration of diverse architectural styles and many building within Old Havana have fallen to ruins....

With its history dating back to the 16th century, Havana and its old centre are rightfully declared as a UNESCO world heritage site. The economic crisis in the 90’s caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuban’s main economical partner, led to the deterioration of diverse architectural styles and many building within Old Havana have fallen to ruins. Nevertheless, Havana is one of the most interesting places to visit.

With a toddler it is ideal for a day trip from any of the nearby leisure resorts (e.g. Varadero). Although not baby friendly in definition, there are many places to see and visit, e.g. the Plaza Vieja, the El Capitolio Nacional, the Christ of Havana statue, the Necropolis Cristobal Colon cemetery or the Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaňa fort. Bring a baby carrier with you as strolling around Havana with a buggy will very quickly become a nightmare for both you and your baby.

Old Havana is being heavily restored, and the government currently supports cultural activities which are mostly free or with a minimal charge. In Havana you will find an amusement park (Isla del Coco) and an Aquarium (Acuario National) as well as a few nice playgrounds in Parque Maestranza or Parque Lenin.

If you are brave enough to use the local public transport with a baby, prepare for having to come up with tons of patience. The bus fleet is being somewhat modernised, but it is still quite difficult to travel with a pram. Two divisions operate within Havana, the Omnibus Metropolitanos (connecting suburbs and the city centre) and the MetroBus (inner city bus network). The Railways of Cuba (Ferrocariles de Cuba) connects Havana with other Cuban cities. Again, the network and the trains have been modernised in the past few years, but do not expect baby friendly facilities at the train stations or on board of the trains.

Baby car seats are mandatory in Cuba. Bring your own baby seat, because the local car or rental companies don´t usually offer them. Havana´s main, and Cuban’s largest, airport, José Martí International Airport is located approximately 7 km south of Havana´s city centre and we would recommend pre-booking a shuttle to your place of stay.