Bars in Havana - Complete guide including reviews
As long as you accept that there are no Irish pubs, trendy Manhattan cocktail bars and that Hemingway's old haunts are past their sell-by date you will not be disappointed. What Cuban bars do have in spades is a house band which is generally excellent and, as long as you don't want a quiet drink, offer great entertainment. For a bar crawl the only real option is around Old Havana, starting at Obispo.
See Bars in Havana - Complete guide including reviews
Jazz and Tango Clubs - Complete guide including reviews
Cuban jazz is well known for the biannual jazz festival in December and for a number of prominent musicians (Chucho Valdés at the top of the list) who tour extensively internationally. In Havana there are two jazz clubs (La Zorra y el Cuervo and Jazz Café) which regularly feature great musicians. The lack of a real commercial impetus means that in Cuba many musicians play to each other resulting in experimental and improvised routines which you may hate or just may be the most interesting jazz you have heard in a long while.
See Jazz and Tango Clubs - Complete guide including reviews
Cultural Centres - Complete guide including reviews
Cultural centres cover a range of places all of which have in common really top class performances from musicians and dancers and generally much more of a mixed crowd including local Cubans who appreciate the music and who prefer a less expensive drink orientated setting. Highly recommended.
See Cultural Centres - Complete guide including reviews
Havana Cabarets
Cabaret in Havana has a long and illustrious history, most especially with the Tropicana nightclub which stills hosts a fabulous (but touristy) cabaret every night very much in the 1950's style. Other cabarets are on a less grand scale, some of which are more contemporary interpretations. We provide full reviews of the most important Havana cabarets on offer today.
See Havana Cabarets
Havana offers up such an exotic image that the reality may, in fact, disappoint. The city is not a tropical Las Vegas which never sleeps and you may struggle to find much life after midnight in many parts of the city. There is also very little of the English bar culture and very few Spring breakers dancing in fountains after 52 shots of tequila.
This does not mean that there is no fun to be had in Havana, simply that you should appreciate what the city does well - great salsa and jazz clubs, outstanding dance and other cultural performances and impromptu gatherings - and not bemoan what it does less well - service, quality beer, pub atmosphere - if thats what your'e into.
For a bar crawl, head down Obispo in Old Havana
Salsa Clubs - Complete guide including reviews
In order to leave Cuba you must have a stamp in your passport from one of the major salsa clubs. An exaggeration perhaps but even if your idea of a club is a club soda you really should try and make it to one of Cuba’s best salsa clubs (look no further than one of the Casa de la Música venues). The quality of musicians is outstanding and the energy and life really brings out the best that Cuba has to offer.
See Salsa Clubs - Complete guide including reviews
starting at the top (Bar Monserratte) or the bottom (Café París on). If you want to meet the trendy Cuban ‘jet set’, look out for the Friday night party (venues change). Cabaret shows are worth seeing once as long as you accept that they are made- for- tourists, ditto La Floridita and El Bodeguita del Medio.
Nightclubs are where the action is, and are a must. Cuban bands play with full-on energy and the quality of dancing is pretty unique. We especially like La Casa de la Música (Galiano) for salsa, La Zorra y el Cuervo for jazz and El Rio Club for people-watching. The other big draw is to find a cultural centre/ venue where good musicians are playing (El Bosque de La Habana, Lenin Park, Casa de la Cultura in Habana Vieja, UNEAC) on a Sunday afternoon.
