CUBA

HAVANA
Bars & Nightclubs
●El Cocinero – Calle 26 (Vedado, between Calles 11 & 13); 011-53-7-832-2355; elcocinerocuba.com or lahabana.com/guide/el-cocinero; underneath imposing brick chimney (used to be vegetable oil factory); bar/restaurant reached by 3 flights of circular stairs, which go up vertiginously lighthouse style; worth effort to reach sunken roof, which has ample space for drinks & food; renovated industrial space look, good music, nice décor & mixed crowd of affluent young Cubans, expatriates as well as families for dinner (also served on roof terrace); can have full meal at El Cocinero, but better for tapas & drinks.
●El Floridita – 557 Calle Obispo (Habana Vieja, at Monserrate); 011-53-7-867-1300; floridita-cuba.com; famous for daiquiris.
●Hotel Ambos Mundos – 153 Calle Obispo (Habana Vieja, at Mercaderes); 011-53-7-860-9530; hotelambosmundos-cuba.com; Hemingway wrote parts of For Whom the Bell Tolls in room 551; rooftop bar.
●Madrigal – 809 Calle 17 (Vedado); 011-53-7-831-2433; madrigalbarcafe.wordpress.com; for drinks & forgettable tapas; artists & movie types (owned by filmmaker Rafael Rosales, who lives on premises).
●El Mesón de la Flota – 257 Mercaderes (Havana Vieja, between Amargura & Brasil); 011-53-7-863-3838; habaguanexhotels.com/en/hotels/elmesondelaflota.asp; quintessential tavern; relatively dark inside with great flamenco band, which is basically headquartered here; flamenco group, while extremely good, is also very loud so forget about talking; service is typically very good & some of best sangria in Havana; load up on tapas & miss main dishes.

Hotels
●Hostal Valencia – 53 Calle Oficio (Habana Vieja, at Obrapia, 200 meters from Plaza de Armas); 011-53-7-204-3449; hostal-valencia.havanacityhotels.com/en or habaguanexhotels.com/en/hotels/hostalvalencia.asp; 1^st Old Havana mansion to be converted by Office of City Historian into hotel; originally constructed for Alderman Sotolongo, member of Havana’s Town Council; like Spanish posada (inn), with hanging vines, doorways big enough to ride horse through & popular on-site paella restaurant; simple, yet charming rooms set around central courtyard garden with lush tropical plants; upstairs is definitely to be preferred; big rooms have marble floors & soaring, exposed beam ceilings & historic details like brass bathroom fixtures or antique phones; beds are little hit-or-miss.
●Hotel Ambos Mundos – 153 Calle Obispo (Habana Vieja, at Mercaderes); 011-53-7-860-9530; hotelambosmundos-cuba.com; Hemingway wrote parts of For Whom the Bell Tolls in room 551; shared bathrooms.
●Hotel Saratoga – 603 Prado (Havana Vieja, Paseo de Martí, at Dragones); 011-53-7-868-1000; hotel-saratoga.com; 1^st choice; rooftop pool.
●Hotel Terral – Avenida Malecón (Havana Vieja, at Lealtad); 011-53-7-860-2100; habaguanexhotels.com/en/hotels/hotelterral.asp; modern & boutique-y; ask for ocean view room.

Restaurants
●El Aljibe – Calle 7 (Miramar, between Calles 24 & 26); 011-7-53-204-1583 or 011-53-204-1584; lahabana.com/guide/el-aljibe; among better state-run restaurants; stick with roast chicken dinner.
●El Atelier – 511 Calle 5 (Vedado, between Paseo & 2^nd); 011-53-7-836-2025; lahabana.com/guide/el-atelier; in 19^th.
●BellaHabana – 512 Calle 6 y 7ma (Miramar); 011-53-7-203-8364; in chic mansion with in Cuban history elegantly decorating ceiling & walls; Cuban cuisine with modern, international twist with focus on fish; try Tres Lindas Cubanas (3 Cuban Beauties, or rather, 3 types of fish cooked differently for your culinary pleasure); octopus ceviche & smoked salmon, squid & red snapper with different aromas (cream, mushroom, vodka) in generous portions give visitor deluxe local experience that does not have break bank; French wine & top-notch mojitos.
●Bollywood – 1361 Calle 35 (Nuevo Vedado); 011-53-7-883-1216; alamesacuba.com/en/la-habana/restaurant/bollywood; Indian food.
●Cafe Laurent – 257 Calle M (Vedado, in penthouse); 011-53-7-831-2090; havanaair.com/cafe_laurent_paladar; Cuban-continental on terrace; gaze across housetops to sea; hidden gem; unsigned; sophisticated fine-dining restaurant encased, incongruously, in glaringly ugly 1950s apartment block next to Focsa building; starched white tablecloths, polished glasses & fancy drapes furnish bright modernist interior, while sautéed pork with dry fruit & red wine & seafood risotto headline menu.
●La Carboncita – 3804 Avenida 3 (Miramar); 011-53-7-203-0261; havanainsider.com/la-carboncita; Italian food, including pizza, on patio.
●Casa Miglis – 120 Lealtad (Centro, between Animas & Lagunas); 011-53-7-864-1486; casamiglis.com; embodies Swedish chic (Swedish-Cuban owner Michel Miglis); meeting point for creative people from Havana & around world; Nordic menu replete with seafood casserole & Cubano items.
●Le Chansonnier – 257 Calle J (Vedado); 011-53-7-832-1576; lechansonnierhabana.com; French food in converted mansion with chandeliers & wrought iron windows, banquettes & white table-cloths; work by local artists on display; great place to dine if you can find it (no sign); hidden in faded mansion-turned-private-restaurant whose revamped interior is dramatically more modern than front facade; French wine & French flavors shine in house specialties such as rabbit in red-wine sauce, eggplant caviar & octopus with garlic & onions; opening times vary & often busy so phone ahead.
●El Cocinero – Calle 26 (Vedado, between Calles 11 & 13); 011-53-7-832-2355; elcocinerocuba.com or lahabana.com/guide/el-cocinero; underneath imposing brick chimney (used to be vegetable oil factory); bar/restaurant reached by 3 flights of circular stairs, which go up vertiginously lighthouse style; worth effort to reach sunken roof, which has ample space for drinks & food; renovated industrial space look, good music, nice décor & mixed crowd of affluent young Cubans, expatriates as well as families for dinner (also served on roof terrace); can have full meal at El Cocinero, but better for tapas & drinks.
●Doña Eutemia – 60 Callejón del Chorro (Havana Vieja, on Plaza de la Catedral); 011-53-7-861-1332; authentic Cuban food; try ropa vieja; tucked in alley away from main tourist path, but busy enough to give you feel of Cuban street life; homely paladar (independently-run restaurant) is old Creole staple; classics include malanga fritters; popular haunt.
●La Galeria – Calle 19 (Vedado, at Calle 12); 011-53-7-836-3603; havanaair.com/la-galeria-paladar; gallery-meets-restaurant; displays Cuban contemporary art; Creole fusion dishes; try staple ropa vieja & rabbit with sauce & Arabic coconut tart; outdoor terrace, during day, or romantic meal in dim-lit (& air-conditioned) dining room by night.
●La Guarida – 418 Calle Concordia (Centro between Gervasio & Escobar); 011-53-7-866-9047; perhaps city's best food, Cuban-continental, in romantic garret atop decaying early 20^th Century mansion; originally setting for Strawberry & Chocolate; climb dramatic marble staircase to 3^rd floor to dine among old film paraphernalia in 3 small rooms; or, try to get place on balcony for panoramic view over central Havana.
●Nao Paladar – 1 Obispo (Havana Vieja, between San Pedro & Baratillo; 011-53-7-5295-8209; facebook.com/NaoBarPaladar; near waterfront; Nao (from latin navis, which means ship) decor imitates 18^th Century galleon, complete with ship memorabilia, under building’s original wooden beams & Arabic arches; try house specialty Lechón Asado (grilled pork), selection of wines, piña coladas & powerful mojitos; reasonably priced.
●San Cristobal Paladar – 469 Calle San Rafael (Centro, between Lealtad y Campanario); 011-53-7-860-1705; taste of colonial Cuba, from surrounding decor to yucca, malanga & shrimp dishes; eccentric, friendly paladar that exudes retro charm; try mixed entrée platter, before moving onto main house specialties: lobster or lamb, served on 19^th Century china, surrounded by stacks of books & antiques; try pudding San Cristóbal before liquor on the house & for smokers, excellent local cigar.
●El Templete – 12-14 Avenida Carlos Manuel Céspedes (Havana Viega, at Narciso Lopez); 011-53-7-204-8164; lahabana.com/guide/el-templete; among better state-run restaurants; over-priced Basque food on breezy terrace; nautical themed restaurant close to Plaza de Armas; some consider best fish & seafood dishes in Havana.
●Vistamar – 2206 Avenida 1 (Miramar); 011-53-7-203-8328; lahabana.com/guide/vista-del-mar; family-run restaurant – or paladar – with swimming pool that dives into sea & offers outstanding palette of blue hues; Cuban & continental food overlooking ocean; make sure to book outdoor table with water view; famous for lemon meringue pie.

Sights & Sites
●Finca La Vigia – Carretera Central km 12.5 (San Francisco de Paula); 011-53-7-691-0809; hemingwaycuba.com or preservationnation.org; Hemingway farm.
●Fusterlandia – corner of Calles 226 & 3A (Jaimanitas); havana-cultura.com/en/visual-arts/jose-fuster; neighborhood is vibrant arts complex named after its originator & chief creative force, Jose Fuster; self-effacing, middle-aged painter & sculptor, Fuster is recognized as among Cuba’s most iconic artists; many call him “Picasso of Caribbean”; neighborhood transformed into magical kingdom of mosaic creations for block after block, embedded onto fences, facades, roofing, doors, even street poles; main gates are immediate invitation to fantasy world; treasure of bold colors, combined with rough & smooth surfaces; maze-like walkways & multi-level presentations — all handmade mosaics — inhabited by creatures & entities that slither & creep up along pathways & stairs.



TRINIDAD
Sights & Sites
●Salto del Caburní – Topes de Collantes (pay entrance fee here at Villa Caburní); 011-53-4-254-0231; absolutviajes.com/el-salto-de-caburni-el-mas-alto-del-caribe; among Trinidad’s more popular outdoor excursions; 7 km round-trip hike that puts incredible scenery of Cuba’s Parque Natural Topes de Collantes on full display; trail head starts near Kurhotel Escambray, winding downhill for 3.5 km through lush forest, unique rock outcroppings & progressively more canyon-esque cliff faces until arriving at what’s purported to be highest waterfall in Cuba; meandering course more resembles natural waterslide than awe-inspiring deluge; that said, still fantastic sight, made even more rewarding by natural swimming pool below, which is trek’s true highlight; enjoy swimming & cool-down time before uphill hike out; keep in mind in order to help make experience significantly more rewarding that you should come prepared with proper boots & plenty of water; though hike is not particularly arduous or long, steep/rocky sections combined with Cuba’s notorious heat can make for exhausting multiple-hour trip when all is said & done; also, start your trek early; narrow trail can occasionally fill up with travelers, so getting in 1^st means you’ll have hike & natural swimming pool all to yourself; finally, if you want to pair Salto del Caburni up with visit to less-frequented Salto de Vegas Grande, you’re much better off using guide unless you happen to know area uncommonly well.