Hostal Conde de Villanueva

CA4
General sightseeing
Architectural style: Spanish colonial
CA Ranking: 4
Admission: n-a
Mercaderes #202, e/ Lamparilla y Amargura, Habana Vieja
  • The former 18th-century mansion of Claudio Martínez de Pinillos, Count of Villanueva, leader of Cuban Creole society in the 19th century, was restored in the 1990s to create a charming and comfortable nine-bedroom boutique hotel run by Habaguanex. The hotel also boasts one of Old Havana’s best cigar shops with private humidors to boot.

    The exterior is painted in sienna red and bulges outward from the base, giving the impression of impending collapse. It has an attractive and soothing inner courtyard while the upstairs suites contain stained-glass windows, chandeliers and arty sculptures.

    
  • Coppelia

    Coppelia  LH 4

    Also known as La Catedral del Helado (the Cathedral of Ice Cream), this is the setting where the award winning Cuban film Fresa y Chocolate (Strawberry and Chocolate) begins. Coppelia, named after the …

    Acuario Nacional de Cuba

    Acuario Nacional de Cuba  LH 4

    This aquarium is a scientific center that specializes in research and environmental protection awareness and promotion, especially sea plant and animal life. The Acuario Nacional de Cuba opened on Jan …

    Barrio Chino

    Barrio Chino  LH 4

    Located just a few meters away from El Capitolio, this is the largest and most important Chinatown in the New Continent. According to historian Julio Le Riverend, between 1847 and 1874, around 150,000 …

    Basílica Menor de San Francisco de Asís

    Basílica Menor de San Francisco de Asís  LH 4

    This imposing and beautiful basilica with fine acoustics hosts some of the most important classical music concerts in Havana. Set in the square of the same name, the church is the home of the Grammy-n …

    Planetario

    Planetario  LH 4

    Adjoining Fototeca on the square’s east side, the Planetarium is an interactive cultural center inaugurated on December 21, 2009. It provides a fascinating look into the origins and structure of the u …

    Museo del Automóvil

    Museo del Automóvil  LH 4

    One block east of the plaza, the State-run Museum of Automobiles, previously known as the Depósito del Automóvil, showcases a collection of almost 50 vehicles from 1905 to 1989, includes cars, trucks, …

    Parque Central

    Parque Central  LH 4

    Completed in 1877 after the city walls were knocked down, the park is bordered by El Prado, Zulueta, San José and Neptuno Streets. It is surrounded by significant buildings, such as the Gran Teatro de …

    Cinemateca de Cuba (Cine Chaplin)

    Cinemateca de Cuba (Cine Chaplin)  LH 4

    The Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematográficos (ICAIC) was the first cultural institution created by the Revolutionary Government on March 24, 1959. Its objective was to organize, establis …

    Agromercado de 19 y B

    Agromercado de 19 y B  LH 4

    With fresh organic products that include fruits, vegetables and meat, this agromercado is best known among locals for being one of the best stocked open-air vegetable markets in the city.

    Gran Teatro de La Habana

    Gran Teatro de La Habana  LH 4

    Across from Parque Central, the Tacón Theater was inaugurated in April, 1838. At the time, this was Havana’s most important theater and arguably one of the best in the continent for its elegance, comf …

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