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The renovation of Habana Vieja is one of the largest works carried out in Cuba in the last 50 years. A meticulous and surprising restoration work that has returned to the world one of the wonders of the Americas, a kind of ancient Rome of Latin America, in fact walking through Habana Vieja you can relive the emotions and imagine what the city was like in the periods ranging from Spanish colonialism, the era of piracy to the legendary 20s and 50s.

The Old City has over 800 buildings of historical importance, architectural wonders in the most diverse styles ranging from baroque to art déco. Habana Vieja is practically an open-air museum. There are 4 squares not to be missed when you are in Habana Vieja, here they are:

PLAZA DE LA CATEDRAL

The cathedral square in Habana Vieja is an example of Cuban baroque, surrounded by buildings dating back to the eighteenth century. The square is dominated by the Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana built by Jesuit friars in 1748, work continued even after the order's expulsion from Cuba. The completion of the construction in 1787 coincided with the creation of the diocese of Havana; the church was then elevated to the rank of cathedral, one of the oldest in the Americas.

The Cathedral, which is dominated by two bell towers of different heights and framed by a baroque facade, was described as "music transformed into stone"; within its walls the mortal remains of Christopher Columbus were housed for over 100 years before being transferred to Seville, Spain.

LA PLAZA DE ARMAS

It is the oldest square in Havana and dates back to the early 1520s, immediately after the city's founding; the square is dominated by the wonderful Palacio de los Capitanes Generales.

The name Plaza de Armas (Parade Ground) was adopted when the Spanish governor began using it as a place for military exercises. Today the square hosts a typical old book market.

PLAZA SAN FRANCISCO DE ASÍS

This square is located in front of the port of Havana and dates back to the 16th century, when Spanish galleons docked in the city during navigation from the Indies to Spain; it was completely restored in the late 1990s. The large and bright square is particularly known for the Fuente de los Leones (the fountain of the lions), made of white marble by the Italian sculptor Giuseppe Gaggini in 1836, and for the beautiful church dedicated to Saint Francis of Assisi; opposite the church a modern sculpture portrays El Caballero de París, a wanderer from the 1950s known to all citizens because, although a beggar, he roamed the streets of the old city entertaining passersby with philosophical speeches and deep general knowledge.

PLAZA VIEJA

Plaza Vieja dates back to 1559 and is the square where you can observe different architectural styles at the same time: Cuban baroque and art nouveau inspired by Gaudí. Initially it was used for military exercises, later it was home to an open-air market.

You will find many bars, restaurants and cafés there, among which a craft brewery stands out. In the center of the square a splendid fountain dominates. Many of the buildings surrounding it are decorated with large stained glass windows, the famous vitrales (windows with colored and leaded glass typical of Cuba).