Easy Havana Tour Guide: 8 Best Havana Tours By A Local (2024)
Are you on your way to a spectacular Cuba holiday and wondering what tours in Havana you should do when you find yourself in the infamous capital of Cuba?
As I have been traveling to Cuba for five years and have been based in Old Havana on a tourist visa for two years, I can assure you that if you have limited time to get to know Havana, booking a tour or two is a really good idea.
There are a myriad of really great tours in Havana that are tailor-made to give you the best possible experience. Habaneros love their city and want to show it off.
Below, I have collected the 8 top tours in Havana that will show you the best of the city, too.
The Best Havana Tours
You can find all kinds of tours in Havana, from short tours in the city of an hour or two to tours that will keep you engaged for a whole day.
Or tours that take you out of the city for the day or even a couple of days.
Let’s dive into all your options!
1. Havana Must-do: Unique Classic Car Tour
Whether you normally like to be “touristy” or not, taking a Classic American Car tour of Havana is simply the first must-do thing when visiting.
I always recommend this tour, as it will take you across all of Havana in a couple of hours to get you a nice overview of the city.
Classic cars have roamed the streets of Havana since the first half of the last century and are still going strong.
Classic car tours in Havana will take you from your hotel or Parque Central to all the interesting spots to see in Havana. Fly down the Prado, the Malecon, up in the Vedado, the Havana Forest!
Stop for a photo shoot on the Plaza de la Revolucion, where the Cuban heroes are still watching you, passing the University of Havana, and maybe stop for ice cream.
A classic car tour is a great way to get a feel for Havana, not just the old city, and is a truly unique experience.
2. Havana Photo Tour 10/10
This guided photo shoot tour of Havana gets absolutely top scores from a lot of travelers.
When you visit a new place for the first time, it can be hard to find the best spots for great photos and even harder to create great photos of yourself.
Havana is full of brilliant photo op details and places, whether for your holiday album or viral Insta stories!
What is included in this Havana tour is:
- Professional English speaking–photographer
- Selection of 25 high-resolution images
- Classic car ride
- Cocktail
On this two-and-a-half-hour tour, you will visit the most spectacular places in Havana.
You will be closely followed by a professional photographer who will make sure your holiday photos from Havana are unsurpassed and that you are the shining star of the photos!
3. Havana Art & Culture Tour
This half-day guided tour of cultural Havana will take you to the colorful and weird Callejon de Hamel, a small alley renowned for its Afro-Cuban art, music, and religion.
Spanning just a short distance of two blocks on the edge of Central Havana, this alley has become an ode to the Afro-Cuban religions through Salvador Gonzalez’s remarkable artwork over time.
On Sundays, this place comes to life with music, tambores, colorful costumes, and dance for hours!
You can also opt for a stop at Fusterlandia, a whole neighborhood of mosaics created by artist José RodrÃguez Fuster.
This whole barrio in Jaimanitas is a project renowned artist Fuster worked on for over 30 years, and it is truly a unique and impressive place with huge mosaics and sculptures covering the whole neighborhood!
What is included:
- Pickup and drop off at Hotel Inglaterra
- Transport by classic car (if you choose to visit Fusterlandia)
- English–speaking guide
- Typical Cuban drink
- Visit to Fusterlandia (optional)
EpicNomadLife Tip: Get yourself a water bottle with a filter before your Cuba holiday, and you can drink water from anywhere!
4. Havana Complete Tour
On this top-rated 5-hour Havana tour, you will see all the spectacular highlights of Havana in one day, guided by knowledgeable local guides who will make your experience exceptional.
What is included:
- Hotel pickup and return transfer
- English, French, and Spanish-speaking guide
- Transportation by bus or minibus
- Lunch at a typical Cuban restaurant
- Entrance to the Colon Cemetery
You will see the University of Havana, the cultural and religious key point Callejon de Hamel, with the eclectic work of sculptor and muralist Salvador Gonzalez.
Head on to the important Christopher Columbus cemetery and the Partagas tobacco factory before a typical Cuban lunch.
After lunch, head over to Old Havana to see the famous Capitolio, the Bacardi building, and the colonial-style architecture that was started back in the 16th century.
😎 Brand new tour from Havana to Vinales!
From September 2023, Civitatis is launching a brand new two day tour from Havana to Vinales!
With this tour, you will have more time to explore this amazing part of Cuba, including horseback riding, cave boat tour, and zip lining!
5. Snorkeling Tour To Varadero
If Varadero is not on your Cuba itinerary, you still have the chance to do a one-day getaway snorkeling tour to Varadero and get the best of the crystal clear waters and Caribbean island feel!
What’s included:
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Transportation by minibus
- English–speaking guide
- Catamaran ride
- Snorkel equipment
- Lunch
- 1 cocktail
For this top-rated snorkeling tour from Havana to Varadero, you will be picked up at your hotel and set straight for Varadero, which is around a couple of hours’ drive.
You will board a catamaran for an unforgettable paradisiacal journey through the stunning coral reefs of Coral Beach.
This is one of Latin America’s largest reefs, surrounded by beautiful turquoise waters teeming with vibrant fish and sponges. If you’re lucky, you might even run into a few dolphins playing beside the boat.
Afterward, you’ll head back to shore for a seafood lunch along with some classic Cuban cocktails, which are the perfect end to a day on the water before heading back to Havana.
6. Top-Rated Yoruba Religion Tours In Havana
Begin your Yoruba Religion Tour in Central Park, separating Old and Central Havana, and head over to the Orishas museum, taking in the iconic Capitolio along the way.
On this excursion, you will gain insight into Yoruba religion as well as uncover secrets about its motley history within the exhibition halls of this remarkable museum.
Yoruba is better known as Santeria in Cuba, a religious practice originating from West Africa that was brought to the Caribbean and to Cuba via African slaves during the colonial period.
The saints worshipped by the Catholic church and in Santeria are actually the same – only with different names and histories, and you can learn all about this fascinating mixed practice on this tour.
Today, Santeria is immersed in everyday modern life in Cuba; you see signs of it everywhere, in religious relic shops and in the hair, jewelry, and clothes of the people you see on the streets.
7. Private Classic Car Beach Day Trip
For this private beach trip with a Classic American Car, you will drive out to the Playas del Este outside Havana, like the Boca Ciega, Santa Maria del Mar, or Guanabo Beach.
Only 25 minutes outside of Havana is this stunning string of white sandy beaches for you to enjoy.
These beaches are also very popular with the Cuban locals, so you will embrace the Cuban beach experience here!
You can also opt for a few hours extra of driving time and go to Varadero and Bahia de Cochinos (or the Bay of Pigs) for a beach day. Spend the day away from the city buzz, lounging at the beach; either of these sandy heavens will give you a stunning Caribbean experience.
Just remember sunscreen, a hat, and lots of water!
8. Private Tour Of Havana
To really get some insight into the history of the start of Havana, the historic city, I strongly recommend you take a top-rated private guided Old City walking tour.
Not only will you be able to admire the old classic colonial architecture securing the old city, an area on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.
You will also pair it with the history of the foundation and development of Havana and its importance throughout history.
You start at the venerable Hotel Inglaterra in Parque Central, and from there, you will see the famous Capitolio, the Parque de la Fraternidad Americana, Partagas tobacco factory, Bar Floridita, and walk the narrow colonial streets down to the Plaza Vieja.
A local guide will follow you around and tell you all there is to know about the key points, plazas, and buildings in Old Havana, including important events and historical happenings.
Other Things To Do!
Outside the organized tours, there is a myriad of fun places to go by yourself, and here is a list of 42 incredible things to do in Havana, traveling solo or with friends, and any time of year.
Make sure you get lost in the old city streets, watch the sunset at the Malecon, have a mojito on a rooftop terrace, and take a dance class – for example, the magic and beautiful Kizomba dance!
Wrap-Up Tours In Havana
The great thing about choosing a tour to get to know a new place is you don’t risk missing out on any of the best experiences!
The best local guides make sure you get it all, or at least as much as possible, for the limited time of your visit.
After traveling in Cuba and Havana for five years, I still find weird new places every now and then, so for only a couple of days, getting a little guidance is probably the smartest thing you can do.
Related blog posts:
43 Best Things To Do In Havana Solo By A Local
7 Bars Havana: Ultimate Rooftop Bar Guide Havana By A Local
Where To Stay In Havana From A Local (Hotels, Neighborhoods & Areas)
