Havana Nightlife: Places and Districts to Go Out in Havana

  Havana Nights over the Bay

No other city in the world seems to constantly rattle, hum and shake to the sound of music like Havana. Wherever you are, and whatever the time of day, the sound of music comes pouring out of houses, bars… everywhere, in fact.

One of the best things you can do to get a feel for the city after dark is to just wander the narrow, cobbled streets of the Old Town. In the park around the statue of Cristo de la Habana, people gather on steamy summer evenings, order rums in plastic glasses from the street vendors and dance salsa.

The trick to Cuba is to go for the scruffier looking options. Pretty much everything smart and elegant is set up by the government to part tourists from their money. Cubans are excluded from the majority of the tourist bars and restaurants by the high prices.

Rustic old bars and a vibrant street culture, on the other hand, can be found everywhere. In a city where music and dance play such a central role in day-to-day life, there’s no need to pay a small fortune to watch an overly elaborate salsa extravaganza at the Tropicana.

In addition to the salsa, Cuba has a fantastic history of jazz music and there are a number of excellent little places scattered across town. Over in Vedado, Calle 23 – known as ‘La Rampa’ – is a major Havana nightlife hub, while the area around Calle Obispo also has a concentration of jumping bars and clubs.

Cocktails are part of the life and soul of Havana and all visitors to the city are strongly advised to follow the advice of Ernest Hemingway who took: “My mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquiri in El Floridita.” Both bars are still there; with a few more tourists, maybe, but otherwise more or less the same. Ultimately, though, it’s more the sentiments that should be stuck to!

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