Havana Nights: Street Music, Parties, and Mojitos
Start your evening with a gentle walk along the Malécon, Havana’s colourful 8km long esplanade, where the ambience is kept lively by locals playing instruments or even bringing a speaker for more bass. Watch as classic vintage cars and yellow tuk-tuks whizz past the pastel coloured buildings on one side, and then turn to the sea to watch it look aflame in the amber light of the sunset. With our festive orange Java Mules, you'll fit right in with Cuba's colour scheme. Lovers lean against the wall, displaying affection with a drink in hand, swaying to the beat. It was here that we met a genuine, kind soul, who is now a friend for life.
Our new pal Yasel, who is also a DJ, told us about the spot to visit for an authentically cool Cuban night out. Fábrica de Arte Cubano, or simply FAC, is a multi-story venue for dancing, watching live acts, viewing art and eating all at the same time. I’m not too sure how mobile communication in Cuba is now, but when we visited, communication by phone was tricky. Yasel told us to meet him there, and the anxiety of not finding him transported me back to my days as a child when you agreed on a meeting point on the landline phone before you left the house. We did meet him, and he helped us out, as we didnt have CUC to pay for our bill, which is calculated by collecting stamps on a card and presented to you at the end of the night. Now I know to always carry cash in Cuba!
Whilst Old Havana gets quiet as it gets later, much of Havana stays alive in the nighttime, and nothing says hot summer night in Cuba more than the rooftop at the chic Kempinski Hotel Gran Manzana. Dance the night away over the city with a mojito in hand. You may even catch one of Yasel’s sets here - if you do, say hi from me.
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