Old Havana and its Fortifications travel guide

• Plaza de San Francisco,
• Castillo el Morro,
• Maqueta de la Habana vieja

• Plaza de San Francisco,
• Museo Fundación Ron Havana Club,
• Cabaret Tropicana

Old Havana and its Fortifications

Havana's central historical district retains much of the charming colonial architecture, which dates back to the Spanish occupation of the island.

Havana was founded in 1519 by the Spanish. By the 17th century, it had become one of the Caribbean's main centres for ship-building. Although it is today a sprawling metropolis of 2 million inhabitants, its old centre retains an interesting mix of Baroque and neoclassical monuments, and a homogeneous ensemble of private houses with arcades, balconies, wrought-iron gates and internal courtyards.