We passed through Havana three times on our journey around Cuba and spent six days there in total. Before that trip I used to say that New York and Buenos Aires were the two cities I loved most. Havana somehow brought both together: the faded glamour of one and the South American warmth of the other.
Life in Havana happens on the street, so you do not need to enter anyone’s home to feel part of it. This is how we divided our days, what we would do again with a small child, and what we would skip.
This journal brings together our Havana posts from February and March 2016, when we travelled with our first daughter, Zosia, who was about a year and a half old. Practical details have been checked again, but the memories belong to that trip.
Day 1: Centro Habana, Parque Central and the Malecón
If you have just landed from Europe, you will probably wake up long before dawn and be exhausted by six in the evening. Our own alarm clocks were the roosters and Zosia, so we started early and kept the first day close to our casa in Centro Habana.
A daytime walk took us from El Capitolio to the Hotel Inglaterra and Parque Central, with its statue of José Martí, old cars, bicitaxis and people sitting in the shade. Behind the hotel, the pedestrian Boulevard de San Rafael felt much more like everyday Havana, with old department stores, street food and people catching the wifi in a small park.
In the evening, when the heat finally eased, we walked up Avenida de Italia (Galiano) to the Malecón, then along to the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta and back down the Paseo del Prado. The Prado was full of families, children skating and couples on benches. Zosia fell asleep in the carrier, and that walk became one of our favourite Havana rituals.
Day 2: Old Havana and its four squares
Old Havana is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the city’s most visited district. 1 We walked along Calle Obispo and Calle Mercaderes to the four colonial squares: Plaza Vieja, Plaza de San Francisco de Asís by the harbour, Plaza de Armas with its second-hand book stalls, and Plaza de la Catedral, where we sat on the steps and simply watched.
Our favourite moment was not a monument. In Plaza Vieja a whole school class was having its PE lesson in the middle of the square, and Zosia was thrilled to watch the children run and throw a ball. Some people on the squares pose in traditional costume for photographs and expect a tip, so agree it before you raise the camera.
Our honest advice is to treat the famous streets as a starting point. The most memorable things happened to us the moment we turned into a side street.
Day 3: Colón Cemetery and Callejón de Hamel
Our third day took us to the marble memorials of the Colón Cemetery and the music of Callejón de Hamel. We describe that day in its own journal: Colón Cemetery and Callejón de Hamel.
Day 4: following Hemingway through Old Havana
My mother is a literature teacher and a devoted Hemingway fan, so a Hemingway day was never in question. Our trail ran through three places in Old Havana.
- El Floridita, at the corner of Obispo and Monserrate, calls itself the cradle of the daiquiri. It was crowded and musical in the middle of the day, with a statue of the writer at the bar.
- Hotel Ambos Mundos on Obispo, where Hemingway kept a room in the 1930s. We skipped the paid visit to his preserved room, but the old cage lift to the rooftop gave us a wide view over the city and the harbour.
- La Bodeguita del Medio, with walls covered in visitors’ signatures. It was full of tourists and felt less special than its legend.
Day 5: Vedado, Plaza de la Revolución and Hotel Nacional
Vedado was the part of Havana we liked least. After the colour of Centro Habana, its concrete, traffic and busy streets felt like another planet, and half a day was enough for us.
We took a taxi to Plaza de la Revolución, with the famous steel portrait of Che Guevara and the image of Camilo Cienfuegos on neighbouring buildings. From there we passed Hotel Habana Libre and Hotel Capri and finished at the Hotel Nacional, where the terrace has a beautiful view over the Malecón and the sea, especially towards sunset.
Day 6: put the guidebook away
On our last day we followed no plan at all. A trolley of bananas, baskets lowered on ropes from balconies, street painters who stopped to show Zosia their work, a fountain she would not leave: these are the things we remember from Havana.
With a small child, a day like this is not wasted time. It is often the best day.
Where to stay in Havana with children
We stayed in casas particulares, private homes that rent rooms to visitors, three times in Havana. Our favourite area was Centro Habana: less touristic than Old Havana and within walking distance of the Capitolio, the Prado and the Malecón. Vedado is convenient for the Viazul bus station but felt much less charming to us.
In 2016 we especially appreciated a casa with a wide, safe patio where Zosia could run, and hosts who arranged taxis and cooked simple food for her. We cannot confirm whether the casas we used still operate, so ask any new host about stairs, balconies, sleeping arrangements and what is included before you book.
Planning a Havana visit now
Prices, currencies and opening hours from our trip are out of date. When checked in October 2026, the UK Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel to Cuba, with serious shortages of fuel, electricity and water affecting daily life. 2 Read the current advice and our notes on money in Cuba before making plans.
For the rest of the route, see our Cuba with kids guide and our first night in Havana.
This journal is part of our Cuba with Kids guide, with a suggested route and more stories from the same journey.
Good to know
A couple of useful questions
How many days do you need in Havana with kids?
Three or four days are enough for Centro Habana, Old Havana and one other area at a relaxed pace. We spent six days in total over three visits.
Which area of Havana is best for families?
We preferred Centro Habana: lively, less touristic than Old Havana and within walking distance of the main sights. Vedado is more convenient for the bus station but less charming.
What can children enjoy in Havana?
The Malecón and Paseo del Prado in the evening, the squares of Old Havana, old cars and bicitaxis, and simply the life on the streets.
Sources and useful links
References for the practical information in this article:
Information checked on 22 October 2026.
