The Paseo del Prado in La Habana, Cuba is a beautiful alley next to the historic center of the city. It leads from the Malecón to the Capitolio. On the left and right side there are roads and in the center pedestrians are walking under trees, sitting on benches and are communicating. Continue reading “Paseo del Prado”
Cementerio Cristóbal Colón
The Cementerio Cristóbal Colón is a catholic graveyard in La Habana, Cuba – located near the Plaza de la Revolución. With 56 hectars It is one of the biggest and most beautiful graveyards in the Americas and is frequently visited by tourists. It is named after Christopher Columbus and forms a vast and gorgeous city of the dead. Continue reading “Cementerio Cristóbal Colón”
El Floridita
El Floridita is a famous bar and restaurant in the center of La Habana, Cuba. I had dinner there on my 30th birthday and enjoyed the drink invented here: the Daiquiri – a cocktail made from rum, sugar and lime. It is the signature drink of the bar founded in 1871, named La Piña de Plata (“silver pineapple”) then. Continue reading “El Floridita”
Museo del Ron Havana Club
When it comes to rum, I always prefer Havana Club. Authentic Cuban rum, not that Bacardí stuff from the Bahamas, produced by a company supporting el bloqueo. Therefore it was clear that I had to visit the Museo del Ron Havana Club in the historic city center of La Habana, Cuba. Continue reading “Museo del Ron Havana Club”
Coppelia
Coppelia is the state-owned ice cream parlor in Cuba, offering different flavours of ice cream – highly appreciated on hot days. The store in La Habana, Cuba has 400 employees and serves 35.000 customers a day. Coppelia was created by a project led by Fidel Castro who wanted to introduce dairy products into Cubas daily life. Continue reading “Coppelia”
Museo de la Revolución
The Museo de la Revolución is a museum in La Habana, Cuba. It is located in the neo-classic presidential palace, decorated by Tiffany & Co. of New York, United States. The last user of this building was dictator Fulgencio Batista; when the Cuban revolution succeeded it was turned into a museum. Continue reading “Museo de la Revolución”
Hotel Nacional de Cuba
The Hotel Nacional de Cuba located at the Malecón in La Habana, Cuba is a national institution – and was for me the best location for my 30th birthday. It was opened in 1930, closed after the revolution and only used to host diplomats and government officials until 1991 when Cuba reopened for tourists. Continue reading “Hotel Nacional de Cuba”
Hotel Los Jazmines
The Hotel Los Jazmines in Viñales, Cuba offers the best views of the island. All rooms have balconies with rocking chairs directed towards the mogotes – isolated hills that kept standing when the rest of the karstic area was lowered by water floating underneath. Continue reading “Hotel Los Jazmines”
Valle de Viñales
The Valle de Viñales belongs to the Pinar del Rio region of Cuba and is maybe the most beautiful landscape I’ve seen on the island. I reached my hotel – the Los Jazmines on a hill outside of Viñales – without knowing anything about the area. And the view on the green valley with the mogotes was absolutely stunning. Continue reading “Valle de Viñales”
Cafetal Buenavista
The Cafetal Buenavista is a ruin of a coffee plantation located 1.5 kilometers away from the eastern entrance of the nature protection park Las Terrazas on Cuba. It was built by French refugees from Haiti in 1801. Continue reading “Cafetal Buenavista”