Plaza de la Catedral

Plaza de la Catedral is the place many people choose to visit first in Havana. The plaza, along with its crowning glory, the elegant Catedral de San Cristóbal, have become a symbol of La Habana Vieja.

Most of the buildings surrounding the square, including the Cathedral, date back to the 18th century. The blue accents and arched, stained glass windows breathe life into the weathered, stone buildings.

Going back even further to 1592, the plaza was where Havana’s first aqueduct (and the first Spanish aqueduct in the New World), the Zanja Real, was located. It was built to channel water from the Alemendares river, providing water to local residents and ships docking in the harbour.

Just a few steps away from Catedral de San Cristóbal, on Calle Empedrado, is the legendary bar, La Bodeguita del Medio. This small place is packed with tourists following in the footsteps of writer Ernest Hemingway, who came here to drink mojitos. I couldn’t get a decent picture of it, because it was swarmed with people, but you’ll see its image in many paintings for sale around the city.