Havana Uncovered: Art, Revolution & the Soul of Cuba
Provided by:
GuideToGo AS
Discover the layers of Havana through a route that blends art, politics, music, religion, architecture, and everyday Cuban life. This guide takes you far beyond the postcard images and into the stories that shaped the city—and continue to shape it today. Your journey begins with the colourful dreamscape of Fusterlandia, where artist José Fuster transformed an entire neighbourhood into a mosaic kingdom. From there, you move to the symbolic heart of modern Cuba: Revolution Square, once the stage for Fidel Castro’s historic speeches and still the location of the country’s political power. Stroll through the leafy avenues of El Vedado, a district that mixes elegance, culture, and vibrant street life, before entering the spiritual rhythms of Callejón de Hamel, an alley overflowing with Afro-Cuban art and weekend rumba performances. Walk along Havana’s iconic seaside boulevard, the Malecón, known as “the great sofa” where locals gather to talk, sing, fish, dream, and watch the waves crash over the wall. Continue to the Port of Havana, once a vital hub of the Spanish Empire and still a place where Cuba’s global history becomes visible. Visit the prestigious University of Havana, a cradle of intellectual life and a backdrop to decades of political change. Explore dramatic Cold War history at the U.S. Embassy and the Anti-imperialist Tribune, where protests, concerts and political theatre have played out just meters apart. Relax in Lennon Park, where a bronze John Lennon recalls Cuba’s complicated relationship with western pop culture, then travel back in time at El Morro Castle, guarding Havana Bay since the 1500s. Finally, end your journey in Central Park, the perfect gateway into the restored heart of Old Havana—with elegant plazas, museums, historic architecture, and buzzing local life. This route offers the essential Havana experience: a city where Caribbean warmth meets world-changing history, where art and ideology coexist, and where every street corner has a story to tell. ✏️ About the Author: Even Sandvik Underlid is a Norwegian scholar and writer with a PhD in Latin American studies from the University of Bergen. As the Cuba expert for Store norske leksikon and the author of Det nye Cuba and Cuba Was Different, he brings a rare mix of academic depth and personal experience. His writing reflects decades of engagement with Cuban history, culture and everyday life.
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