Cuba – Old Havana Walking Tour

The tour starts at 9:30 am. If you plan to stay in Old Havana guide will pick you up at your hotel or private residence; then, go to Central Park, where the tour will start with a short introduction.

The historic centre of Havana, which was declared part of the “cultural heritage of humanity” by UNESCO in 1982, is the most important colonial centre in Latin America. After two centuries of neglect, restoration work under the direction of Spencer Eusebio Leal, Historian of the City (Superintendent of Cultural Heritage), is to revive the ancient splendour of this district. The restoration program is not limited to monuments and significant buildings but also includes antique shops and ordinary houses. The aim is to ensure the revival of the beauty of Old Havana and its original vitality and daily activities.

This tour will take you down the street to meet the top four squares of Old Havana: Square, Plaza de Armas, Plaza de San Francisco de Asis and Old Cathedral Square.

• Plaza de la Catedral: Dominated by the elegant profile of its church, the Plaza is one of the symbols of Old Havana. In 1952, the Zanja Real, the city’s first aqueduct, reached the square. Water is channelled from the Almendares River, 11 km away. The Zanja Real was built to supply water to ships docking in the port as well as to residents.
• Plaza de Armas: This Square was established in the 1600s to replace the old Plaza Mayor, the core of Havana religious, administrative and military life, and up to the mid-1700s, used for military exercises. After its transformation in 1771-1838, it became a favourite with wealthy Havana citizens and was famous as an area for carriages rides. The careful restoration took place over recent years, and the square now attracts crowds of visitors and locals, many of whom only gather here to sit and relax.
• Plaza de San Francisco de Asis: this picturesque square has an Andalusian feel. It evokes a distant age when ships loaded with gold and other cargo set sail for Spain. For many years it supplied the ships docked here with drinking water. In the middle of the square is the Fuente de Los Leones, modelled on the famous fountain in Alhambra in Granada. This work by the Italian sculptor Giuseppe Gaggini donated was in 1836 by the fiscal superintendent, Don Claudio Martinez de Pinillos, the Count of Villanueva.
• Plaza Vieja: This square was laid out in 1559 and was originally called Plaza Nueva (New Square). In the 19th century, after the widening of Plaza de Armas and the creation of other urban areas, it lost its role as the city’s main public square and was renamed Plaza Vieja. It was a car park from the 1950s to the 90s, but it has restored its original appearance.

It includes:

• A guided walking tour will take around one and a half hours around the area’s most famous squares and fortresses.
• Back to the hotel