Habana del Este

Shop

Get even more with a Lonely Planet guide.

Cuba

$28.99

Shop Book

Getty Images/Purestock

Plan your trip with Guide, an AI travel planner!

Create a personalized trip itinerary in seconds using artificial intelligence.

Create a trip

Overview

Habana del Este is home to Playas del Este, a multiflavored if slightly unkempt beach strip situated 18km east of Habana Vieja. While the beaches here are sublime, the accompanying resorts aren't exactly luxurious. Rather, Playas del Este has a timeworn and slightly abandoned air, and aspiring beach loungers might find the ugly Soviet-style hotel piles more than a little incongruous. But for those who dislike modern tourist development or are keen to see how Cubans get out and enjoy themselves, Playas del Este is a breath of fresh air.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Torreón de Cojímar

Habana del Este

Overlooking Cojímar's harbor is an old Spanish fort dating from 1649, a twin of the Torreón de la Chorrera in Vedado. It was the first fortification taken…

Alamar

Habana del Este

East across the river from Cojímar is a large housing estate of prefabricated apartment blocks built from 1971 by micro brigadas (small armies of workers…

Estadio Panamericano

Habana del Este

Built for the 1991 Pan American Games, this shabby stadium was fitted with a new athletics track in 2008, though it still looks neglected and unloved. It…

View more attractions