48 Havana Cuba Facts To Know For Planning Your Next Vacation

Havana has a total population of over two million.There are around 60,000 vintage cars in Havana and people once needed permission from the government to legally buy cars made earlier than 1959. Most of these cars are from the United States.The El Capitolio used to be the National Capital Building until after the Cuban Revolution and it was built like the Capitol Building in Washington DC. Fidel Castro, the former President of Cuba, even banned the music of The Beatles in this country because they were considered selfish and their thoughts were not be spread here. In order to make foreign exchange easy for tourists, Cuba has created a different currency, which has an exchange rate the same as USD. There is a Cuban academy that teaches students ballet at a young age because it is a matter of pride and joy for people in this country. Havana also has a very rich history and its influence is still found in its culture, architecture, and within Cuban society.Facts About Havana, CubaWe all know that Havana is a good place to visit, but do you know these facts about Havana?La Habana Vieja is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, city center and contains the core of the original Havana city.Havana has a tropical climate, and its temperature is controlled by trade winds and warm, offshore sea currents.The lowest temperature recorded so far in this country was 32 F(0C).There is a famous opera house called The Great Theatre Of Havana and it is particularly well known for the National Ballet of Cuba.Havana Club, Cuba’s famous rum, has its own museum located in Old Town, inside an 18th-century colonial townhouse.The former presidential palace, which was built between 1913 and 1920, is now the Museum of the Revolution.Every night, exactly at 9 p.m., soldiers fire a gunshot to signal the closing of La Cabana’s doors that surround the wall.De la Habana is the former name of la Habana and is a Havana province that includes the territory of Havana city.In the 19th century, thousands of Chinese workers were brought to Havana to replace the African slaves and they decided to stay in Havana and throughout the country after their work had been finished.Due to being ruled by Spain for so long, Old Havana looks similar to Cadiz and Tenerife, which are places located in Spain.Old Havana’s Capitol (El Capitolio) looks like the United State’s National Capitol.The Catedral de San Cristóbal, one of the most popular sites in the Old Town, had its classical interior and baroque exterior designed by Italian Francesco Borromini and was originally built by Jesuits between 1748 to 1777.In 1964, The Beatles’ music was banned in Cuba by Fidel Castro because The Beatles were not seen as revolutionary singers and rather seen as selfish and only interested in consumption.The towering hotel is proud of the guests that have visited here and that’s why it even has Salon de la Historia, which translates to English as ‘history hall’ where they have put photos of their most famous guests which include pictures of Walt Disney, Mickey Mantle, Mohammed Ali and many more.The Havana harbor is situated in Havana city and is the main port, not only in Havana but in Cuba.The country has tried very hard to restore and preserve Old Havana.As of now, around two million people live in Old Havana.Cuba is known for its top-notch healthcare because, in this country, healthcare is the government’s pride and joy.The healthcare in this country is so developed that students come here from Latin America to study and many patients come here for ‘medical tourism’.There are two currencies in Cuba, one is used by locals and the other is for tourists.CUP, or peso, is the local currency that is used among Cubans.However, there are no restrictions stating that tourists can not use this currency and when they use it, they might find CUP accepting places are way cheaper.CUC is the formal tourist currency and its exchange rate is usually equal to that of the dollar.Although Havana has many facilities for tourists, the internet is not as good as in other countries.There is a place called the Museo del Chocolate, and unlike its name, which reads as ‘Museum of Chocolate’, it is actually a cafe and almost everything on the menu contains some sweet stuff.The internet could be an issue for a tourist because you’ll either get an internet connection in your hotel or you’ll have to buy a Wi-Fi card on the street and these can sometimes be quite expensive and the connection itself is not worth the money spent on it.Havana’s HistoryOne of the most diverse things related to Cuba is its history. There have been many cultural and governance changes in Havana ever since it was founded. Some of the important events in its history are mentioned below:Old Havana, one of the 15 municipalities in Havana, was founded by the Spanish in 1519.Today, it is the largest city, the capital city, and the leading commercial center in this country.Havana was named by a Spanish conquistador by the name Panfilo de Narvaez.Havana originally started as a trading port and increased Havana’s commerce but it was prone to looting and could not work as planned.Havana was burned down by French corsair (a term synonym to pirate) in 1555 which resulted in the Spanish crown spending more money to build a fortress to fight off them.The trade and agriculture sector in Havana thrived in the 16th century.Spanish King Philip II gave Havana the title of a city.After 1592, Havana was called the ‘Key to the New World and Rampart of the West Indies’.New buildings were constructed from materials from islands, such as wood, and Havana expanded vastly in the 17th century.Religious construction and civic monuments were also built during this period.Initially, Havana was found on the south coast of Cuba near where Batabanó is now.Although a few years later it was moved to its present spot on the north coast with a built-in bay, which is now called Havana Bay. This Havana Bay located on the north coast is widely visited by cargos even today.Havana’s Culture And FoodAs the history of Havana is so diverse, it has caused a massive impact on the culture and food cuisines of this country. Some mind-blowing facts about its culture and food are discussed in this section.The architecture throughout Havana reflects the different historical periods and their influence on Cuba’s culture.The traditional food is influenced by the diverse inhabitants and tropical climate of this country.The traditional food here has some similarities with cuisines from neighboring countries such as Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the Caribbean.Due to Spanish colonialism, there is Spanish influence seen in Cuban cuisines, as well as influence from French colonists who came from Haiti to work in sugar plantations. Sugar is also an important industry for this island.One of the most famous Cuban foods is ‘Moros y Cristianos’ which is rice and black beans.They can either be cooked separately or together but traditionally, Moros y Cristianos is prepared by cooking rice and beans separately with the white rice representing Christians and black beans the African Muslim governance in the 8th century, and both are mixed together when they are ready to eat.Another famous dish here is Ropa Vieja which translates to ‘old clothes’ and is named as such because it is made of shredded meat that resembles old clothes.This dish is made from shredded beef, which is simmered in a spiced tomato-based criollo sauce until it starts to fall apart.Bolliche Mechado, commonly known as Boliche, is made from a piece of round beef, a pretty lean roast from the bottom round of the animal.The culture of Havana reflects its historical past and is basically influenced by the cultures of its citizens with ancestral ties to Africa and Spain.Cuban government focuses on the ballet skills of students at an early age and it is the reason why many top ballet dancers are from Cuba.Cuban music is also a rich combination of European, Latin American, and African influences.The central form of Cuban music is son, and its emergence significantly increased the interaction of African and Hispanic-derived cultures and has also led to the creation of some other musical types such as salsa, cha-cha-cha, and mambo.Facts For TouristsIf you are thinking of a travel destination, then these facts might help you make up your mind and consider Havana as an appealing destination.Old Havana is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with a baroque buildings border, elegant neoclassical and narrow streets, and other places carefully restored to their former beauty.Some other highlights of Old Havana include the amazing Catedral de San Cristobal, and Castillo de la Real Fuerza, an amazing military fortress.You can also take a walk along the Calle Obispo to feel the lively vibe of Havana city and see what Cuban life feels like.There are many shops and art galleries that you can visit during the day in Old Havana to check out Cuban art.You can walk through the streets and observe that they are framed with colorful houses and baroque facades.You can enjoy the tropical climate and warm weather all year round. Playas del Este and Playa del Chivo are perfect spots if you love beaches.The island is known for its cuisines, ballet dancers, cigar production, and traditional music.

Havana has a total population of over two million.