The ultimate Havana travel guide

Pack lighter than you think. That's the first sentence and the most important one. Linen, cotton, comfortable shoes, sunscreen, a refillable water bottle, a roll of small bills tucked separately from your main wallet. Leave the high-fashion stuff at home — the city eats it.

The rest of the trip is mostly small adjustments — wifi, money, taxis, what to say at the airport, where to actually walk. Here's the field guide we send first-timers in advance.

— Wifi — manage your expectations

Wifi is improving but still patchy. Buy an ETECSA card from the airport or a hotel and use it sparingly; you came here to be off your phone for a week, take the gift. Most casas now have decent wifi in the common area. Most paladars do not. Plan accordingly — and let the people back home know you'll be quieter than usual.

— Money — the recap

Bring all the cash you'll need, in dollars or euros, in mixed denominations. American cards do not work. (We wrote a longer post on this; the short version is: bring more cash than you think.)

— Getting around

Walking is the city's preferred mode of transportation. After that: yellow taxis (state-run, metered, fine for short hops), private taxis (more common, negotiated, usually cheaper for longer rides), the vintage convertibles (a tourist activity that's also a working taxi service), and the Casablanca ferry across the bay.

Don't rent a car unless you have to. Driving in Havana is a sport for the locals. Driving outside Havana is fine but largely unnecessary — the country is well set up for hired drivers, and a driver doubles as a guide.

“The city eats high-fashion. Pack like you mean it.”

— What to say at the airport

Have your visa, your D'Viajeros QR code, and a one-line answer to the question "what brings you to Cuba." For Americans traveling under the Support category: "I'm here to support the Cuban people — staying at a casa particular, eating at paladars, hiring local guides." That's it. The agent is checking that you have a coherent reason; they're not interrogating you.

— What every first-timer wishes they'd done on day one

Walked the Malecón at sunset. Not on the way somewhere else. Not with a coffee in hand. Just walked. The seawall introduces the city to you in a way no other activity does — the breeze, the light, the fishermen, the music drifting from windows behind you. Everything that comes next makes more sense after that walk.

— Three small tourist mistakes to skip

1. 01Don't book a hotel in Habana Vieja unless you really want one — a casa in Vedado puts you closer to the actual life of the city.
2. 02Don't change money at the airport. The rate is the worst in Cuba, and you only need a few dollars to get into town.
3. 03Don't buy cigars on the street, no matter how convincing the seller. Real cigars are sold in licensed stores, at fixed prices, with a receipt.

— And finally

Show up rested. Eat breakfast on day one even if you're tempted to skip it. Drink water; it's hot, and the city is on your feet. Be patient with the things that take longer than they would at home — the line, the wait at the restaurant, the band that starts forty-five minutes late. The slowness is part of the trip. So is the part where you look up, six days in, and realize you've stopped checking your watch.