Cuba - Lonely Planet [66]
Fundación Alejo Carpentier (Map; Empedrado No 215, Habana Vieja; 8am-4pm Mon-Fri) Near the Plaza de la Catedral. Check for cultural events at this baroque former palace of the Condesa de la Reunión (1820s) where Carpentier set his famous novel El Siglo de las Luces.
Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos (ICAP; Map; 830-3114; Paseo No 416 btwn Calles 17 & 19, Vedado; 11am-11pm) Rocking cultural and musical events in elegant mansion (1926); restaurant, bar and cigar shop also here.
Union Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (Uneac; Map; 832-4551; cnr Calles 17 & H, Vedado) The pulse of the Cuban arts scene, this place is the first point of call for anyone with more than a passing interest in poetry, literature, art and music.
Emergency
Asistur (Map; 886-8339, 866-8920; asisten@asistur.cu; www.asistur.cu; Paseo de Martí No 208, Centro Habana; 8:30am-5:30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-2pm Sat) Someone on staff should speak English; the alarm center here is open 24 hours.
Fire Service ( 105)
Police ( 106)
Internet Access
Havana doesn’t have any private internet cafes. Your best bet outside the Etecsa Telepuntos is in the posher hotels. Most Habaguanex hotels in Habana Vieja have internet terminals and sell scratch cards (CUC$6 per hour) that work throughout the chain. You don’t have to be a guest to use them.
Cibercafé Capitolio (Map; 862-0485; cnr Paseo de Martí & Brasil, Centro Habana; per hr CUC$5; 8am-8pm) Inside main entrance.
Etecsa Telepuntos Centro Habana (Map; Aguilar No 565; 8am-9:30pm) The long-promised internet terminals still hadn’t arrived at time of writing; check ahead; Habana Vieja (Map; Habana 406) Six terminals in a back room.
Hotel Business Centers Hotel Habana Libre (Map; Calle L btwn Calles 23 & 25, Vedado); Hotel Inglaterra (Map; Paseo de Martí No 416, Centro Habana); Hotel Nacional (Map; cnr Calles O & 21, Vedado); Hotel NH Parque Central (Map; btwn Agramonte & Paseo de Martí, Centro Habana) Costs vary at these places.
Libraries
Foreign students with a carnet (or letter from their academic institution) can get library cards. Each library requires its own card; show up with two passport photos.
Biblioteca José A Echeverría (Map; 838-2705; Casa de las Américas, Calle G No 210, Vedado) Best art, architecture and general-culture collection; books can’t leave library.
Biblioteca Nacional José Martí (Map; 881-7657; cnr Paseo & Av de la Independencia, Plaza de la Revolución, Vedado; 8:30am-6pm Mon-Sat) Havana’s biggest library. Book and magazine launches are often held here.
Biblioteca Rubén M Villena (Map; 862-9035; Obispo No 59 cnr Baratillo, Habana Vieja; 8am-9pm Mon-Sat, 9am-4pm Sat) Nice reading rooms and garden.
Media
Cuba has a fantastic radio culture, where you’ll hear everything from salsa to Supertramp, plus live sports broadcasts and soap operas. Radio is also the best source for listings on concerts, plays, movies and dances.
HABANA VIEJA
VEDADO (p102-3)
CENTRO HABANA Click here
Radio Ciudad de la Habana (820AM & 94.9FM) Cuban tunes by day, foreign pop at night; great ‘70s flashback at 8pm on Thursday and Friday.
Radio Metropolitana (910AM & 98.3FM) Jazz and traditional boleros (music in 3/4 time); excellent Sunday afternoon rock show.
Radio Musical Nacional (590AM & 99.1FM) Classical.
Radio Progreso (640AM & 90.3 FM) Soap operas and humor.
Radio Rebelde (640AM, 710AM & 96.7FM) News, interviews, good mixed music, plus baseball games.
Radio Reloj (950AM & 101.5FM) News, plus the time every minute of every day.
Radio Taíno (1290AM & 93.3FM) National tourism station with music, listings and interviews in Spanish and English. Nightly broadcasts (5pm to 7pm) list what’s happening around town.
Medical Services
Most of Cuba’s specialist hospitals offering services to foreigners are based in Havana; see www.cubanacan.cu for details. Consult the Playa & Marianao section of this chapter Click here for other international clinics and pharmacies.
Centro Oftalmológico Camilo Cienfuegos