Home › Travel Guides › Caribbean Travel Guide › Cuba › Havana › Havana Nightlife
Image gallery

A pedicab in Havana

© www.123rf.com / Keith Levit

-500
Havana Local time

Weather in Havana
Partly Cloudy Day
2
9
°C
Cuba

Havana Nightlife

Havana nightlife is thriving and the choice of venues - especially for live music - will keep you moving and grooving all vacation long. The social scene starts to liven up by about 2200 and clubs and bars tend to close when the last customer leaves, normally between 0200 and 0300. Generally, Cubans like to look sharp, especially when out on the town, so expect to dress up when going out. To wit: many clubs have a rule of no shorts, T-shirts or jeans.

Cuba's rich cultural mix combined with the government's enthusiastic dedication to the arts makes for a truly amazing variety of artistic genres, particularly in the field of popular music. Standards are extraordinarily high and Cuban artists have achieved international fame. The most user friendly way to find out what's on are in Cuba Absolutely's regularly updated cultural listings: www.cubaabsolutely.com. You can buy tickets for all events directly at the box office.

Bars in Havana

Bar Montserrate

For a more local atmosphere, with a jamming quintet most nights, try the Bar Montserrate.

Between Avenida de Bélgica and Calle Obrapía

El Floridita

This is another one of Hemingway's favourite bars. Again, it’s touristy and overpriced, but it’s located on one of the busiest tourist thoroughfares in Havana so there’s no harm in making a quick pit-stop here.

Calle Obispo 557

La Bodeguita del Medio

The mojitos are weak and more expensive than elsewhere, and the clientele is 100% tourists, but La Bodeguita del Medio in Old Havana remains a popular stop on every bus and walking tour. The walls are plastered with autographs of famous 1950s stars such as Ernest Hemingway and Errol Flynn who frequented the old wooden bar in the 1950s. This place oozes atmosphere and makes for a great photo.

Calle Empedrado 207

Clubs in Havana

El Chévere

One of the most frequented clubs is El Chévere, a giant open-air disco where salsa, hip hop and pop dominate.

Parque Almendares

Piano Bar Maragato

This bar in Hotel Florida is a tourist hot spot and about as close to Havana gets to a lounge.

Calle Obispo y Cuba, Old Havana

Tropicana

For real 1950s retro style, a visit to the world-famous open-air Tropicana will not disappoint, where the nightly extravaganza features scantily dressed dancers in sequins and feathers. Tickets are best booked through a hotel tourist desk.

4504 Calle 72

Live Music in Havana

Casa de la Música de Centro Habana

Cuba's top salsa bands regularly perform here in this scintillating club

Calle Galiano, between Calle Neptuno y Concordia
Tel: (7) 862 4165.

Casa de la Música de Miramar

Cuba's top salsa bands regularly perform here.

Calle 20 corner Calle 15, Miramar
Tel: (7) 202 6147.

Jazz Club La Zorra y el Cuervo

Small and dark, Jazz Club La Zorra y el Cuervo is nevertheless Cuba's top jazz spot.

Calle 23, between Calle N and Calle O, Vedado

La Tropical

Current hot spots for big names such as Kelvis Ochoa, Carlos Varela, and Interactivo include La Tropical.

Avenida 41, corner Avenida 46

Salón 1930

Groups such as Los Van Van and The Buena Vista Social Club have long been established in Cuba, but now their reputation has spread worldwide and both frequently tour internationally. They perform regularly in different venues around the city, including Salón 1930.

Hotel Nacional, Calle O y 21, Vedado
Tel: (7) 873 3564.

Culture in Havana

Gran Teatro de La Habana

Top theatre venues include the Gran Teatro de La Habana. This is the place where the National Ballet of Cuba perform, which regularly cranks out world-class dancers.

Corner of Paseo del Prado and Calle San Rafael, Centro Habana
Tel: (7) 861 3077 or 5873.

Teatro Mella

Cuba's modern dance company, Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, puts on electric performances at the Teatro Mella, that are not to be missed.

Línea between Paseo and Calle A
Tel: (7) 833 8696.

Recommended Sites:

Protect yourself from malaria
Before you travel, find out if your holiday destination is in a malaria zone.
(An educational initiative organised and funded by GlaxoSmithKline Travel Health. UK/MARK/0173/10 September 2010)
Travel insurance
For residents of over 150 countries. High levels of medical, evacuation, emergency & most adventure activities covered.