Havana – Not Quite Falling Apart, Not Quite Standing Still

Part of: Cuba – A Country That Doesn’t Quite Move Like the Rest of the World

First Impressions

Havana is not a city that tries to make things easy for you.

It doesn’t try particularly hard to be beautiful, and it certainly doesn’t try to be efficient. Instead, you are met with a place that is worn, impressive, frustrating, and fascinating—often all on the same street corner.

I passed through Havana several times during my three weeks in Cuba, partly on my own and partly with a group. The result was an unintended experiment in accommodation: five different places, ranging from simple casa particulares to the more legendary Hotel Nacional de Cuba, where I spent Christmas Eve. A hotel with a grand past, a fine view, and just enough wear to remind you where you are.

Architecture: Beauty and Decay

What makes the strongest impression is the architecture. Not only the well-known landmarks, but entire rows of buildings that must once have been magnificent, now balancing somewhere between decay and survival.

For anyone with a weakness for both art deco and art nouveau, Havana feels like an unstructured treasure trove—where a good part of the treasure is hidden behind scaffolding or slowly dissolving.

What makes the strongest impression is the architecture. Not only the well-known landmarks, but entire rows of buildings that must once have been magnificent, now balancing somewhere between decay and survival. For anyone with a weakness for both art deco and art nouveau, Havana feels like an unstructured treasure trove—where a good part of the treasure is hidden behind scaffolding or slowly dissolving.

A City of Icons

Havana is also a city of symbols. Some are architectural, others political, and some are still driving around in the form of American cars from another era.

A Personal Note

I did make one exception to my usual travel habits and checked into the historic Hotel Nacional de Cuba for Christmas Eve. It comes with a certain reputation—and just enough wear and tear to make sure it doesn’t feel too comfortable.

I had also hoped to attend a performance at Gran Teatro de La Habana, but that turned out to be overly optimistic. The building is under restoration, and progress does not seem to be driven by urgency alone.

A guided tour had to do. Perhaps just as well—I could focus on the details without having to follow the plot.

Closing Thought

It is tempting to try to include everything Havana has to offer, but that is not really possible.

What remains is a city that feels both fragile and resilient at the same time—where beauty and decay are not opposites, but part of the same story.

And perhaps that is exactly why it stays with you.