Budget Tips - Havana
Tips, suggestion and information about Havana: Budget Tips
You may be a gap year traveller dreaming to circumnavigate the Globe at 3.50 pounds and that would be bustin'! Or you may be needing a fair good break hunting for freebies, bargaings and more to lay a soft hand on your wallet and have an unforgettable experience in Havana, Cuba.
It makes a pretty good sense in Havana to get a Hop-on Hop-Off Bus tour, as for tourists transportation, it is pricey here. And more, you'll hit the more distant spots like Plaza de la Revolucion, with it's murals of Che and Camilo Cienfuegos and the artisan market. You won't be needing the bus though to wander round the splendour of Havana Vieja's side streets. So far so good then! But overall the nicest and most colourful balconies and much of life happens one floor up, well an open bus it's ideal to take great pics! Just best views in town.
If you fancy a coffee, an excellent cafe sell a very strong espresso for 1 Cuban Peso. It's about 4 pence and Cubans here like to enjoy their coffee so step in Cafe Habana on the corner of Calle Armagura and Mercaderes, in Havana Vieja.
Staying at Casa Antigua will give you the first-hand experience of how Cubans live. It's run by Horatio and Marta, they speak excellent English and this house is a casa particular, privately run, it's the Cuban version of a B&B. They have restored this 1940's villa and it's a fascinating atmosphere for the guests. They are very happy and always keen to talk about the history and politics of Cuba as well as recommending best price friendly bars, restaurants and things to do. To get the best of Cuba stay with a family, it's a wonderful experience and so much cheaper than hotels. This Casa is in the district of Vedado, Havana.
A very good pizza place and very cheap too is Pizza on a rope (less than 1 CUC for 2 pizzas) and is also a funny experience: basically you have to stand in the middle of the road and shout out your order in Spanish to a face hanging out over a balcony on the roof, three stories up. You then wait with all the locals until your pizza is lowered down and delivered to you in a basket. Then just swap pizza for money and game's up! And the pizza is good too! It's in the Vedado area on San Rafael, near the junction with Infanta, or simply look for a big crowd in the middle of the road and look up!