When you think and hear about Cuba, what first comes into your mind is pictures of classic mid-century cars and colonial-styled colorful houses. Am I right? However, there is blowing a changing wind over Cuba, and as the capital, Havana is the front-runner for change. The neighborhood of Vedado seems to be a melting pot for the changes visible in Cuba. When I studied Spanish at the linguistic faculty at the University of Havana nearly three years ago, I spent a lot of time in Vedado, and now coming back last year, I could for sure see the changes. Here are just some of the new modernized initiatives blowing in…

Havana is often compared to stepping inside a time bobble. The 50s cars on the streets, the old colonial houses, and people sitting in their doorway chatting to their neighbors.  Life has another speed here. There are many things we don’t know about how life is in Cuba. And when visiting Havana for the first time (or maybe even the second), it can also be a bit difficult to figure out how to get an authentic experience of Cuban everyday life.  With this guide, I want to try to give you some ideas on how to experience Havana in a more authentic way.  Despite the fact that I can hardly call…

Cuba’s properly most well-known and popular asset is the old mid-century colorful cars scrolling the streets throughout the island. A classic tourist activity in Havana is to rent one of those iconic cars, and go for a drive on the seaside drive, el Malecón. However, cars are not only for tourists. The old 50s cars are used all around the island like a local Cuban taxi or taxis colectivos, or las máquinas as the Cubans call them. And you can easily jump on for a ride too! In this post, I explain how to use las máquinas de la Habana. Ready? Let’s go for a drive! Basics about the local taxis in Havana The…