Deaf
Globetrotters

Havana Visit one of Havana’s oldest and most famous cigar businesses, the Real Fábrica de Tabaco Partagás was founded in 1845 by Spaniard Jaime Partagás. It was built in response to the increase in demand this industry experienced during the second half of the 19th century. Specializing in full-bodied cigars, today some 400 workers toil for up to 12 hours a day in here rolling such famous cigars as Montecristos and Cohibas. In your visit, you’ll learn about the long and refined process of cigar manufacturing.

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Dive into San Jose, this former harborside warehouse was built in 1885 and is considered the oldest depository in Old Havana. Nowadays the largest handicraft market on the island, Havana’s artisans have here an ideal place in which to exhibit and sell their items, mostly functional yet beautiful accessories in the form of handbags, wallets, shoes, sandals, and belts; costume jewelry; toys; masks; and ornamental items made of paper-mâché; paintings, sculptures, and ceramic items; clothes; humidors and Afro-Cuban percussion instruments, among others. Don’t forget to look out for guayaberas, the traditional Cuban men’s loose linen shirt. The Center also has a National Patrimony Office that issues the necessary certifications for exporting certain items, such as artwork. Jump in a convertible car and explore the more modern parts of the city. Drive through different neighborhoods and discover the highlights of Vedado and Center Havana. Have a look at the Revolution Square, where Fidel Castro used to give endless speeches in front of thousands of his supporters. Drive by the Colon Cemetery, one of the biggest and most important in the world. Enjoy the breeze at El Malecon, Havana’s evocative 7km-long sea drive, a favored meeting place for assorted lovers, philosophers, poets, traveling minstrels, fishers, and wistful Florida-gazers. Some of the landmarks we’ll see include the American Embassy, the Hotel Nacional, Havana’s Forest, and many more. Adventure into western Havana and discover Fusterlandia, a huge tilework masterpiece built by local artist Jose Fuster over the last 20 years. If Gaudí reincarnates and decides to go for a tropical spin, this is it. Fuster’s work has covered several suburban blocks with whimsical but highly stylized public art. The centerpiece is the artist’s own house, which you can explore as you check on the different galleries where some of his art is sold, including ceramic tiles and paintings. Visit El Morro, this wave-lashed fort with its emblematic lighthouse was erected between 1589 and 1630 to protect the entrance to Havana harbor from pirates and foreign invaders (French corsair Jacques de Sores had sacked the city in 1555). Perched high on a rocky bluff above the Atlantic, the fort has an irregular polygonal shape, 3mthick walls, and a deep protective moat, and is a classic example of Renaissance military architecture. We’ll make a stop at El Cristo de La Habana, a large marble sculpture representing Jesus of Nazareth on a hilltop overlooking the bay.

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One of the oldest traditions in Cuba is the ceremony of El Cañonazo, a cannon shot that has been happening every day for the last 350 years. Originally meant to be a signal to close the doors of the city wall to defend from pirates and bandits, nowadays a symbolic and impressive performance carried on at 9:00 PM. Go across Havana’s Bay and have dinner at a local restaurant, a unique opportunity to try some of Cuba’s finest local dishes. Next, head to San Carlos de la Cabaña and wander along the streets and buildings of the fortress until the ceremony starts.