Watched by Fidel, Che and Cienfuegos in Havana

A few hours after landing in Cuba, I had already been "kidnapped" into the home of a Cuban family. Not to the house I'd paid to stay in, but to the home of a Cuban man I'd met a few minutes earlier on the streets of Havana, who invited me to meet his family, wife and children, while offering me a strong Cuban coffee.

The conversation centred, of course, on the opening up of the regime and the death of Fidel Castro.

"Fidel is unique, there will never be another like him. He was a very intelligent man," Carlos, a Cuban with a strong athletic build, told me. When I first met him, I was talking about the same subject with a friend on the steps of an old house in the street next door.

I arrived in Cuba at a significant moment for the country: less than a month after the death of the former Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, and just a few months after the opening of regular commercial flights between the USA and the Caribbean island. This was seen as the beginning of the end of the economic embargo — el bloqueo, as they call it in Cuba. In other words: the beginning of freedom.

In Havana, and throughout the country, a huge billboard expresses the government's sentiment about the restrictions imposed by the U.S. administration: “Blockade, the longest genocide in history.” There is talk of the invasion of hotel chains and fast-food outlets, and all of this stirs hope in the bright eyes of this people. A people tired of bitter decades that not even sweet rum can ease.

With Fidel's disappearance, there is no doubt that the streets feel a loss for many Cubans and a relief for others.

The winds are shifting and I meet Americans everywhere. I make friends with a couple from Hawaii and talk to others from Ohio, Texas and Illinois. A clear sign that Cuba is now more open to the world, especially the American world.

Goodbye Fidel, hello freedom

In Revolution Square, one of the symbols of Havana, huge caricatures of Cuban heroes - Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos - are on display. And it's in this square that preparations are being finalised for the big speech on 1 January, the anniversary of the revolution that ended in 1959.

At the top of one of the buildings, two men, without any kind of security - with a can of paint in one hand and a roller in the other - are painting the façade dark green. Everything has to be, or at least look, immaculate before the celebration. On the opposite side of Revolution Square, an army platoon marches in step towards the military installations.

The square is huge and fills up with people every anniversary of the revolution. However, on the day I visited, in the morning, there were only a couple of tourists and two American-style cars from the 50s or 60s - one bumper-pink and the other dark blue. Apart from these, there are only those workers at the top of the bright green façade, and the army platoon marching at speed.

In contrast to all this colour, on another building, a huge black and white cloth displays the image of an imposing Fidel Castro, in military uniform, gazing at the horizon, backpack on his back. Presumably a photo taken in the Sierra Maestra - where Fidel Castro orchestrated the movement to liberate Cuba from the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. It's as if time has stood still here in Cuba's capital. And the truth is that, in many respects, it has indeed stopped.

I feel like I'm being watched by those giant faces that dot various parts of the city. Plaza de la Revolucion. I climb the stairs to the iconic and giant memorial in honour of José Martí - made entirely of polished marble.

José Martí was a journalist and writer, but he entered the gallery of heroes due to his tireless fight against Spain for Cuba's independence. His persistence cost him his life on the battlefield, but his name will forever be associated with Cuba's liberation from the colony, as well as encouraging other Latin American nations to follow in his footsteps.

The change in Havana

You drink coffee (even if it's midnight) and also rum. You drink to forget the death of The CommanderYou drink it to celebrate Christmas Eve with your family, you drink it because you like it, you drink it because you like it. Rum livens up the conversation.

The change is evident in the façades, with countless buildings being restored, including the Capitol, one of Havana's most emblematic buildings - home to the Cuban Congress for several years and now home to the Cuban Academy of Sciences and, since 2010, declared a national monument.

All along the streets, buildings are growing in height - some with major interventions, others with rudimentary works - to add another floor, another space, another room, for the family that has grown in size in the meantime.

In "streets"In Cuba, there are queues for bread, but there are two separate queues, one for Cubans and one for foreigners. And foreigners aren't allowed in the "national" queue, although I managed to break this rule with the help of a friendly Cuban.

The wait isn't long. In some places, bread is sold in the same place where Cubans collect their rationed food. A few metres ahead, another queue for the butcher - something that in Cuba is characterised as follows: meat hanging in the open air from window openings in the façade of a building.

If, as a foreigner, it's important to carry your passport with you whenever you travel, in Cuba it's vital for nationals to have the small book of passwords that allows them to pick up groceries from the tiendas. However, little more is sold there than beans, rice and some tinned food.

Havana is undergoing renovation, but there's a lot to finish and a lot more to start. Havana isn't just about pure beauty, colonial architecture, salsa, rum and cigars. The streets are often filled with piles of rubbish, but not everyone sees this part of Havana, as they limit themselves to the polished areas for tourists.

Many places need daily cleaning, which doesn't exist. The level of atmospheric pollution is atrocious, due to the fumes from cars that, incredibly, have survived for decades with repairs on top of repairs.

Venezuela and (Cristiano Ronaldo's) pants

The nights are hot in Havana, the days scorching. Almost all the windows have iron bars, but not because Havana or Cuba are unsafe - or need extra protection. Havana always has its doors and windows open, so that the air can circulate - even if it's hot - and because that's the way the city is.

It reminds me of the nights in the Alentejo in the past, when it was common to see people sitting outside their houses to let the fresh air in. This still happens in the Alentejo, but on a much smaller scale. Many habanerosInside, they sit on old sofas and chairs that lull them to the Latin rhythms emitted by a powerful sound system.

When night falls, every house looks like a discotheque or dance club, where people compete to be the "king of the décibel". Others follow the plot of some soap opera imported from their friend and ally - Venezuela.

The old televisions are on almost 24 hours a day and it doesn't matter what's on: a soap opera, or - for the few weeks I've been in Cuba - the memory of long speeches by Fidel Castro.

Havana, like any capital, is usually the engine of the economy, and even more so at a time when the American market is opening up. You can find everything in Cuba and, without hesitation or surprise, Ronaldo's name jumps out of the mouths of people. Habaneros  when I tell them I'm Portuguese.

One of them, however, goes beyond anything I've ever seen around the world when it comes to Portugal's best player: a wallet, a key ring, a T-shirt and... pants. These, I confess, I didn't see or even think to ask to see! And fortunately, he didn't offer to show them to me like he did with everything else...

I walk 15 or 20 kilometres a day, all over Havana, without ever getting tired. Pausing, without rushing, I discover small alleys, sit and chat, am offered rum, debate politics, smell the cigars. I just don't talk about baseball, one of the Cubans' favourite sports.

This is the essence of Havana, a city that many people waste on a rushed day trip from the horrible hotels and beautiful beaches of Varadero.

The warm welcome I received in Havana is no exception, as it is repeated throughout the country. I have no doubt that other people are just as warm, but the fact that you can communicate in their language helps to make the conversation fluent and barrier-free.

I'm more fond of rural or wild landscapes, mountains, lakes, deserts, natural areas than urban areas, but Havana is one of those places that welcomes me without superiority complexes, that inspires, that absorbs and that asks me: when are you coming back?

Soon, I hope.

Extra information

Two currencies in Cuba. Which one to use?

Cuba has two official currencies, the value of which is completely different: the Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) and the Cuban Peso (CUP). As a tourist you'll have access to both, although the one most used by foreigners is the CUC, whose value is equal to the US dollar.

As a rule, Cuban citizens use the CUP, which is worth four times less than the CUC, in other words: 1 CUC = 25 CUP. You may need the CUP for some basic necessities. I used it, for example, to buy bread.

See also this article on things to see in Cuba in a fortnight.

Save time (and money)

If you want to immerse yourself even more in the local culture, optimise your trip and even save money, take part in experiences and guided tours in Havana. Book the best tours and activities in advance. Skip the queues and get your entrances to monumentsYou'll have more time to enjoy your trip.

Visas for Cuba

A visa for Cuba is compulsory. You can obtain it from the Cuban Embassy. When you leave the country, you must pay local taxes (25 CUC).

Passports must be valid until at least the end of your stay. No additional period of validity is required. A Tourist Card is only valid for one entry and a 30-day stay in Cuba, extendable for a further 30 days.

How to get to Havana

Many companies, including Air Europa and Iberia fly to Havana. Use Skyscanner to compare flight prices for the time of your choice. It's one of the platforms I use and recommend. Also check out latest travel promotions that I shared, there are good prices for Cuba.

Restaurants in Havana

There are plenty of restaurants to choose from in Havana, but I recommend two: Los Locos por Cuba. It's a small, modest family restaurant where the food is simple and the prices cheap.

If you want something more "fashionable" - or if you want to impress your travelling companion - opt for the restaurant El Biky. The food is tasty, with particular emphasis on the octopus. The interior is nicely decorated and the service is good, although the prices are higher. In any case, it's best to go early, as both are popular and queues form at the door.

Hotel in Havana

The options in Havana are so numerous that it’s almost impossible to recommend a single place to stay. I chose to stay at casa particular Viky, away from the historic center, but still in Old Havana. I picked this location so I could walk to the center through alleys and areas less frequented by tourists, interacting with locals along the way.

Search for a hotel in Havana

Travel Insurance

Never travel without travel insurance. I recommend IATI Seguros or Heymondo (if you use either of these links you get a 5% discount). They are the best travel insurance (and the cheapest) and have Covid-19 protection.

How much does travel insurance cost in Havana?

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