Havana walking route: Castillo de la Real Fuerza to Colon

Explore Havana, Cuba's preserved capital city, located just 93 miles from Florida. This route covers the historic Old Town squares, colonial architecture, and the iconic Malecón waterfront that stretches miles along the northern shore.

Mode
Places
Start
Castillo de la Real Fuerza
End
Laguna Guanaroca & Rancho Luna Beach
Stops
16
Video author
travmap
Updated

Stops on this route

  1. Castillo de la Real Fuerza — Havana's original fort housing La Giraldilla statue, a 400-year-old symbol dedicated to the city's first female governor watching for her husband's return from the sea.
  2. Museum of the City of Havana — Former palace housing exhibits on Havana's colonial history, architecture, and cultural development from its founding through the modern era.
  3. Plaza de la Catedral — Historic Old Havana square where fortunes are told and salsa music spills from beneath arches, surrounding the Cathedral of Saint Christopher.
  4. Camagüey, Cuba — Neoclassical theater and adjacent art museum showcasing Cuban and international masterworks, central to Havana's cultural and performing arts scene.
  5. The University of Havana — Historic institution founded in 1728, featuring neoclassical buildings and a grand staircase, symbolizing Cuban intellectual and academic tradition.
  6. Museum of the Revolution — Housed in former dictator Batista's presidential palace near the Malecón, dedicated to those who fought in Cuba's long march to independence.
  7. Plaza de la Revolucion — Large civic square dominated by a monument to revolutionary leader Che Guevara, serving as the center of government and national gatherings.
  8. Colon Cemetery — Elaborate 19th-century necropolis featuring ornate marble mausoleums and monuments, reflecting Cuba's artistic and mortuary traditions.
  9. Finca Vigia — Ernest Hemingway's former Cuban residence on a shady hilltop, where the Nobel laureate wrote classics like The Old Man and the Sea for 20 years.
  10. Matanzas & Cardenas — Historic port cities west of Havana known for colonial architecture, sugar trade heritage, and proximity to natural attractions and beaches.
  11. Varahicacos Ecological Reserve — Protected natural reserve near Varadero featuring limestone formations, caves, and diverse flora and fauna of the Varadero peninsula.
  12. Cueva Saturno — Natural underground pool and cave near Varadero filled with pure crystal-clear waters, perfect for swimming and cooling off.
  13. Manaca Iznaga Tower — Historic tower near Trinidad offering panoramic views across Valle de los Ingenios, where thousands of workers once cut sugar cane for 50+ mills.
  14. Playa Ancon
  15. Sierra del Escambray — Mountain range near Trinidad offering cool heights, rural back roads, and trekking opportunities away from the coastal plains.
  16. Laguna Guanaroca & Rancho Luna Beach — Scenic beach and lagoon area near Cienfuegos featuring calm waters, mangrove ecosystems, and opportunities for water activities and wildlife observation.

Useful for your trip

Transport
Getting around Havana is easy: walk, catch a bus, or cruise in classic autos. Thousands of classic cars from a golden age are available for touring the city.
Food
Add your name to thousands of others adorning every surface at La Bodeguita del Medio while enjoying a mojito at this iconic bar.
Food
Order a daiquiri at El Floridita, where Ernest Hemingway drank after working at his typewriter.
Food
Join locals at Coppelia, Havana's futuristic temple to ice cream with multi-scoop options.
Tip
Explore Fusterlandia, where artist Jóse Fuster's imaginative work covers neighborhood streets, walls and rooftops in the Jaimanitas area.
Tip
Visit Finca Vigia, the former Cuban residence of Ernest Hemingway on a shady hilltop. The home remains as it was when he left in 1960 and was gifted to the people of Cuba.
Tip
Walk through Colon Cemetery's 57 hectares containing over 500 mausoleums to experience Cuban history from generals to chess champions.
Tip
Experience subterranean world at Cueva de Ambrosio and cool off in crystal waters at Cueva Saturno near Varadero.
Tip
Climb Manaca Iznaga Tower for views across Valle de los Ingenios, where thousands once cut sugar cane and over fifty mills operated.
Tip
In Cienfuegos, experience French-influenced elegance: the only Cuban city founded by the French with spacious avenues around Jose Marti Park and Palacio de Valle.
Timing
Cuba is 93 miles from Florida and 13 miles from the Bahamas, making it easily accessible for a short-distance Caribbean trip.

Video on this route

Cuba Vacation Travel Guide | Expedia

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