Cuba Info
Joined: 15 Nov 2006
Posts: 15
Home Country: cuba
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 Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 5:32 am Post subject: NIGHTLIFE IN CUBA / CUBA NIGHTLIFE GUIDE (HAVANA) |
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NIGHTLIFE IN CUBA (HAVANA)
Havana nightlife is thriving and the choice of venues is endless. Although some bars are open only to locals, you do not need to be indoors to sample great live music. Cubans know how to party and every street can turn into a live concert. The social scene starts to liven up about 2200 and, as there are no official licensing hours, clubs and bars tend to close when the last customer leaves, normally between 0200 and 0300.
The free entertainment paper, Cartelera, which comes out every Thursday, has a list of what’s on around the city, including any gigs for famous bands, such as the Buena Vista Social Club or Los Van Van. The paper can normally be found at hotel reception desks or from their office at Calle 15 602, on the corner of Calle C in the Vedado district. Generally, Cubans expect to dress up when going out and most clubs have a rule of no shorts, T-shirts or jeans. Many clubs charge an entrance fee and this can be anything from US$1 to US$10 and more.
Bars: Two of Havana’s bars are a must on any visit to the city. La Bodeguita del Medio, Calle Empedrado 207, in Old Havana, was popular with many famous personalities in the 1950s, such as Ernest Hemingway and Errol Flynn. The walls are covered with their autographs. Nobody should visit this bar without trying its legendary cocktail, El Mojito (rum and mint). Then, wander up the street to La Floridita, Calle Obispo 557, another one of Hemingway’s favourite bars, for a daiquiri. If you want a cheaper – but just as authentic – version the same cocktail, try the bar Montserrate, between Avenida de Belgica and Calle Obrapia. Cuba’s best bands often play here. Packed, cheap and in heart of Old Havana, Café O’Reilly, Calle O’Reilly 203, between Calle Cuba and Calle San Ignacio, is a two-story bar where live bands usually play nightly on the second floor.
Casinos: These are illegal in Cuba.
Clubs: Young Cubans, in spite of the blockade, are well up on the latest trends in the music scene. La Red, Calle 19, between Calle K and Calle L, in Vedado, is the place to hear the latest beats, but more traditional music is also played here by some of the Cuba’s finest musicians. Below the Teatro Nacional, between Paseo and Calle 39, is Café Cantante Mi Habana, a disco popular with the young trendies of Havana as well as a salsa club. Habana Cafe in the Hotel Melia Cohiba, Paseo, between Calles 1 and 3, has now established itself as the place to be seen in town.
Live music: For real 1950s retro style, a visit to the world-famous open-air Tropicana, between Linea del Ferrocarril and Calle 72, in Marianao, will not disappoint. This nightly extravaganza features scantily dressed dancers in sequins and feathers with outrageous head-dresses. Tickets do not come cheap, on average about US$60, depending on the location of your seat. They are best booked through the hotel tourist desk, which ensures transport from and to your hotel. Caberet Salon Rojo, Hotel Capri, Calle 21, between Calle N and Calle O, in Vedado, is another throwback to the days of the mob but – being less expensive than the Tropicana – you are more likely to mix with the locals. Let your hair down and join them on the stage-cum-dance floor until the early hours. Cuba’s best salsa bands regularly perform at El Palacio de la Salsa in the Riviera Hotel, between Paseo and Malecon, but advance booking is advised for this popular venue. Jazz Club La Zorra y el Cuervo, Calle 23, between Calle N and Calle O, in Vedado, is another good venue to hear nightly jamming sessions by well-known jazz musicians. |
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