Havana’s Most Charming Square.
It is not possible to mention the beauties of Havana without including The Cathedral Square. With its cobbled streets and beautiful facades it captivates visitors from all over the world.
Today is known as Cathedral Square and it is full of amazing features but in the past dating back to the 17th Century it was know as The Swamp Square. Looking at today’s scenery it is very difficult to imagine marsh and floods ion this area. The fact is that it was used to supply the vessels anchored in the harbour with water and there was no construction whatsoever other than a huge pond filled with water coming from the only aqueduct in the 17th Century.
This square was named after a large Cathedral that was built in the 18th Century in the lands previously occupied by a Jesuit Order. Many restorations took place until this oratory became what today is one of the most impressive baroque buildings in Havana.
Several significant events and festivities find home in this amazing little landmark of Havana. Festival, music concerts and gala dinners organized by the government for important groups have found the perfect venue in Cathedral Square. An excellent weather all year around is always the perfect allied and escorted by a superb and colourful architecture you will be able to soak up the atmosphere to the beat of salsa band.
Only few steps away La Bodeguita del Medio restaurant can be found. This together with el Floridita restaurant are the most famous and emblematic restaurants in Cuba. It serves the best Cuban cuisine and its walls are decorated with pictures and autographs of many famous personalities such as Ernest Hemingway, Mario Benedetti, Pablo Neruda or Errol Flyn and so many others.
The list of celebrities is very long and it has been like that for decades now. Today holiday makers can enjoy one of the best restaurants not only in terms of the food but also in terms of character. Its bar is very intimate, small and cosy and like in many other bars in Havana music is always played by a small traditional Cuban band.
During day time the square becomes crowded with visitors who come to experience the splendour of its walls. The music, the cocktails and specially the characters that can be found here make it a unique place in Havana. You will find an old lady that reads the cards, the one that poses with a huge cigar and the ones that dance all the time even when there is no music playing.
These places are almost sacred for a demanding tourist who is able to take pictures with his/her camera to take home after a truly amusing holidays. A Cuban feast for the senses. An environment to meditate and live. A perfect place for some leisure and dreaming.
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