One Week in Havana: An Offbeat Itinerary
This 7 day Havana plan builds on our 6 day itinerary with a full, unhurried departure day rather than cramming a flight around last-minute sightseeing. Bring all your trip cash before you land, since cards and ATMs are effectively dead in Cuba as of 2026. Want fewer days, or a break from the city? See the 5 day version , the Havana hidden gems guide , or Havana as a base for day trips if you have time for Vinales or the beaches after this.
Book these before you go
- Check casas and hotels in Havana on Booking.com : cash-only lodging fills up faster than the reviews suggest
- Reserve a classic car tour at a fixed price agreed before you get in, you will likely want two over a full week
- Book a Havana Club rum tasting tour for Day 5
- Book a Habana Vieja walking tour for context on your first pass through the plazas
Day 1: Habana Vieja and the camera nobody looks for
Morning
Plaza Vieja first, and the camera obscura in the corner building: a darkened room projecting a live, rotating image of the surrounding rooftops onto a concave screen, rooftop access included for a few dollars cash.
Afternoon
Plaza de la Catedral and Plaza de Armas, part of Old Havana’s UNESCO-listed core since 1982, then Calle Obispo. Lunch at a paladar, $10 to 15 per person.
Evening
Walk the Malecon toward sunset, then a rooftop bar with a live trio playing son, minimal or no cover.
Day 2: Vedado, the Cold War bunker, and Fabrica de Arte Cubano
Morning
The free grounds of the Hotel Nacional, including its Missile Crisis-era bunker museum, opened in 1930, host to a 1946 mob summit.
Afternoon
Parque John Lennon and the University of Havana steps for a slower afternoon.
Evening
If this night lands Thursday through Sunday, Fabrica de Arte Cubano, a former cooking-oil factory turned gallery-nightclub hybrid, cover around $2 converting to your first drink. Otherwise, a Vedado paladar dinner and another rooftop son bar.
Day 3: Fusterlandia, Colon Cemetery, and a car loop
Morning
Taxi 20 to 30 minutes to Jaimanitas for Fusterlandia, Jose Fuster’s mosaic-covered street art sprawl.
Afternoon
Colon Cemetery, a 57-hectare necropolis including La Milagrosa. Entry about $5 cash, open 8am to 5pm; a guided tour closer to $20.
Evening
A classic car sunset loop along the Malecon; agree price and route first, since rates swing from $20 to $140 for the same loop, and $35 to 80 an hour is fair.
Day 4: Centro Habana, the relocated cigar tour, and a paladar crawl
Morning
Walk Centro Habana, grittier and less restored, with the city’s highest concentration of budget casas particulares.
Afternoon
Schedule this on a weekday: the original 1845 Partagas building has been closed for renovation for roughly a decade, and working tours now run from the relocated site in Centro Habana, sold only through hotel tour desks for about $10, weekday mornings only.
Evening
A Vedado paladar crawl: a starter at one restaurant, the main course two blocks over, dessert or a nightcap at a rooftop bar.
Day 5: Regla by ferry and a rum museum afternoon
Morning
The harbor ferry from Habana Vieja to Regla, a few cents cash, for the Afro-Cuban santeria church and a view back across the bay.
Afternoon
A guided Havana Club rum museum tour and tasting back in Habana Vieja; confirm the current price on site.
Evening
A slower dinner near your casa.
Day 6: Market morning and a catch-up afternoon
Morning
Almacenes San Jose, one of Havana’s largest artisan markets, for cigars, rum, and crafts bought with cash.
Afternoon
Use this slot for whatever the calendar cost you: Callejon de Hamel’s rumba if you haven’t hit a Sunday yet (free, tip musicians $3 to 5), or a repeat visit to a favorite paladar or plaza at a different time of day.
Evening
A second classic car loop on a different route, or a quiet dinner.
Day 7: A slow morning and a real departure day
Morning
Breakfast with your casa host, a last cash top-up if needed, and a final unhurried walk along the Malecon rather than a rushed last errand.
Afternoon
Last-minute cigar or rum shopping, and confirm your airport transfer: a fixed cash fare of roughly $25 to 35 to Jose Marti International, agreed with the driver or booked through your casa before you leave.
US travelers should confirm their OFAC travel category before booking (most use “Support for the Cuban People”) at ofac.treasury.gov .
Concrete tip: change your cash with your casa host or an established paladar, never a street changer, and count it before you walk away.