Dinner in Cathedral Square in Havana's Old City
An example of a restored building in Old Havana
View from Hotel Moka at Las Terrazas
Dancers at FITCuba gala party in Old Havana
Good things are happening in Havana.
The vibrant city of 2 million is one of those places that many people think is terrific – but could be absolutely spectacular. Judging from a recent visit for the 34th FITCuba Tourism Fair, spectacular is well on the way.
A walking tour of the 4 major squares of the old city – La Habana Vieja – revealed the extraordinary work being done to restore crumbling architecture to its former glory, draw greater attention to the city’s 5 centuries of settled history and offer visitors a richer, more diverse experience.
Before and after photos of restored buildings, many of which appeared beyond repair, reveal a fanatical attention to detail and a great passion for the work.
Habaguanex, the company charged with the task of preserving the priceless treasure of Old Havana, has done an incredible job. It now operates 20 hotels, close to 40 restaurants, 200 retail shops and assorted bars and open-air cafés, all within the confines of the Old City. One of the city squares now even features a thoroughly modern brew pub set in a historic building front.
FITCuba attendees spent an evening in Cathedral Square in the Old City. Tables faced the baroque Cathedral of Havana San Cristobal, which legend has it once housed the remains of Christopher Columbus.
Images were projected on the building that was completed in 1777, while human statues and costumed revellers performed in the square. A stage featured groups of incredibly strong and talented dancers. The resulting ambience under a moonlit sky was an event planner’s dream.
Havana is a centrepiece of Mintur’s strategy to diversify Cuban tourism from its current focus on sun, sand and sea. FITCuba visitors experienced other elements of the Cuban capital during the visit, including a catamaran ride through the well-defended harbour, once a prime target for treasure-hungry pirates.
They toured the excellent El Museo de Ron Havana Club (the rum museum, a bit of a cathedral in itself for this writer) and attended the enduring spectacle that is the Tropicana cabaret show, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. The group also paid a visit to the recently reopened and beautifully restored Teatro Marti, which had been closed to the public for nearly 40 years.
‘Natural’ and rural tourism are also priorities for Cuba tourism, and FITCuba participants spent a day visiting 2 attractive spots not much more than an hour’s drive from Havana in the Pinar del Rio region.
Las Terrazas is a fascinating place, a community of about 1,000, mostly made up of former charcoal farmers who were scratching out a living in the nearby mountains. The area around them was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1984.
Most of the villagers now work for an expanding tourism business that features the eco-friendly Hotel Moka, with trees growing right through the lobby, and activities including bird-watching, cycling, hiking and a canopy tour. It would be a fine place to spend a quiet night or 2 along with a few nights in Havana.
The same goes for nearby Soroa, home of the Villa Horizontes Soroa, an eco-hotel in a glorious setting with lush hills rising on all sides. There’s an orchid and botanical garden nearby, and a short hike takes you to a picturesque waterfall.
Over the past few decades, Cuba has built a very solid beach-based tourism industry despite daunting obstacles. The nation is now looking to other attributes to build on that sandy base, and they’re off to an excellent start.
