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Free booking and cancellationFree payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
Old Havana: Walk through its history and customs
Hi, we are Yunet and Jorge, we are experienced and professional tour guides, 100% Cuban, and like all Cubans we are very merry and we love to dance, sing, share our culture, customs, traditions, the everyday's life of Cubans, the history of this wonderful city called Havana and that of Cuba as a whole. Sharing our knowledge and experiences with all the friends who visit us is one of the things that pleases us the most. We are very passionate about what we do and we always try to transmit that passion we feel for our wonderful and World heritage site city.
Tour description
A different free tour in Old Havana!!! Since we are going to combine sections that are not so touristic with others that indeed are, plus a tour through the Cuban history to present time, which will provide you a perfect combination that will allow you to see and understand not only Havana and its people but Cuba and the cubans as a whole!!!
🚨 The meeting point will be at the small park named Alejandro de Humboldt (Alexander von Humboldt), located at the intersection of Oficios and Muralla streets, the street parallel and behind the Havana Club rum museum; and only one block away from Plaza Vieja 🚨
How the Cubans live in general? Why so many people lining up everywhere you go? Why do people will try constantly and desperatly to exchange your money on the streets? ¿Why so many exchange rates, two official through the goverment and another one, way different and higher at the informal market? ¿Why do the Cubans prefer the foreign currency instead of our own local currency, the Cuban Peso? How can the Cubans survive in the middle of one of the worst economic crisis in years with such low salaries and shortages of all kind? Why are there lately so many social protests in Cuba? Why are the Cubans emigrating in waves from Cuba? In order to respond this and other questions and concerns we will be walking through a local private market; we will be also able to see the so-called "Bodegas" where the locals go to buy with their ration cards; dilapidated tenement houses where different Cuban families live together.
We will be also discussing about current topics, the deep and harsh economic crisis the Cubans are enduring, its causes and consequences for the local people, why so many foreign currencies running across the island and why do we have different exchange rates and specially how does the Cuban people live, or rather survive, and much, way much more!!!
And of course we have included the touristic area, something that should also be included in your "Bucket List" when visiting the World Heritage city of Havana, declared as such by UNESCO back in 1982!
Our walking tour also includes the main four Plazas built during the mid-16th century; and the streets that interconnect them all, and we will be able to interact with its wonderful colonial architecture, characters dressed as in yesteryears, cobblestone streets, stained glass windows and everything so colorful and so harmoniously rebuild, always respecting its architectural patterns and original elements and facades, thanks to the amazing job conducted by the former historian of our city: Don Eusebio Leal, one of the best historians around the world.
I invite you to join me on this magic tour that will last around 2 and a half hours, and will leave you, for sure, wanting much more.
🚨 The meeting point will be in the small park named Alejandro de Humboldt (Alexander von Humboldt), located at the intersection of Oficios and Muralla streets, the street parallel and behind the Havana Club rum museum; and only one block away from Plaza Vieja 🚨
⚠️⚠️⚠️ Helpful Tips: Please bring if possible, water, a hat or umbrella, or a combination of all the above; comfortable shoes and clothing, sunscreen and anything else you can think of that can help you protect yourself from the Caribbean sun and high relative humidity.
🚨 Book now!!! There is so much fun and excitement waiting for you. Can't wait to meeting you!!!!
What will we visit on this tour?
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Meeting point:Calle Oficio # 258 entre Sol y Murall...Calle Oficio # 258 entre Sol y Muralla, La Habana, Cuba
In a small park named Alejandro de Humboldt (Alexander von Humboldt), located just a block away from the famous Rum Museum in Havana (see map). The exact address is at the intersection of Officios and Muralla streets. A day before our meeting, I will be in contact with you either via Whatsapp or the website, to provide you further and necessary information about the tour
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1Outside visitFormer House of Representatives in Havana
This will be the best place to talk about Cuban History, specifically the one related with the wars of independence that started in 1868 and ended up with the so called "Spanish- American war". We'll be also referring to the Republic in Cuba 🇨🇺 that was inaugurated in 1902 and the follow up that led to Batista's Coup d'Etat in 1952 and the struggle spearheaded by Fidel and Raul that ended up with the triumph of the Cuban Revolution in 1959. What happened next? Come and join us!!!
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2Outside visitSaint Francis of Asisis Plaza
Plaza selected by the Franciscans to build both, their church and monastery. The place where the former Stock Exchange was built as well as the current cruiseship terminal, symbol of the rapproachment process between both Obama and Raul Castro's governments. The perfect spot to talk about Cuban reality. Causes and consequences of the current economic crisis, cronic scarcety and shortages, and much, much more!!! Very interesting!!! Don't miss it!!!
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3Outside visitOld Plaza
A very beautiful and colorful Plaza. Very eclectic, since different architectural styles were used during the construction of the nice houses and buildings around. Here we'll be able to experience unique attractions in Havana and Cuba, such as, the Camera Obscure, the Planetarium, a Playing Cards Museum, a local brewery, nice cafes and restaurants, and even an elementary school!!!
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4Outside visitSan Ignacio Street
This will be the "not so touristic section" of our tour. We also love showing you the side of the city that not too many people get to see. Along this street we will be able to interact with the local people. We'll be visiting a local private market; the so called "Bodegas", where we the cubans go to get our monthly ration using the ration cards; tenement houses wher we will get to see the real conditions in which a lot of cubans live!!! You're gonna love this!!!
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5Outside visitCathedral Plaza
A very harmonious Plaza, architecturally speaking, since all the constructions around including the Cathedral were built following the same architectural pattern, Barroque or Colonial style. Around this Plaza, Counts and Marquises that once lived in Havana, built their nice villas. A place where we will get to appreciate one of the main churches in Cuba, The Cathedral of Havana. The Plaza where you will fall in love with Havana!!! 😍💖🥰
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6Outside visitArms Plaza
Among other things we will be looking at the founding spot of the city and the tradition that year after year is conducted in order to celebrate the anniversary of Havana. We'll be also glancing at the former Palace of the General Captain, nowadays the Museum of the City; the famous wooden cobblestone street in Havana; two fortresses, the second oldest and the largest built by the Spanish in their colonies in the Americas, and way much more!!! This will be the end of the tour!!!
How much does this tour cost?
Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).