Bars

2 of Havana’s bars are a must on any visit to the city. La Bodeguita del Medio, Calle Empedrado 207, in Old Havana, was popular with many famous personalities in the 1950s, such as Ernest Hemingway and Errol Flynn. The walls are covered with their autographs. Nobody should visit this bar without trying its legendary cocktail, El Mojito (rum and mint). Then, wander up the street to La Floridita, Calle Obispo 557, another one of Hemingway’s favorite bars, for a daiquiri.

Daiquiris were originated in Daiquiri, Cuba, as a part of an attempt to combat malaria. The rum was used to ward off fever, and American engineers, no doubt long-time fans of Mary Poppins, added a spoonful of sugar to their medicine, topped it with lime juice, shook it up with ice, and drank to their health.

Nowadays it is common for Daiquiris to be blended, although the resultant ice-cold drink may prove hard on the stomach. For best results when making frozen daiquiris, we recommend first blending the crushed ice and any fruit that will be blended into the drink for about twenty seconds, alternating between low and high speeds, and then adding the other ingredients.

If you want a cheaper, but just as authentic version of the same cocktail, try the bar Montserrate, between Avenida de Belgica and Calle Obrapia. Cuba’s best bands often play here. Packed, cheap and in heart of Old Havana, Café O’Reilly, Calle O’Reilly 203, between Calle Cuba and Calle San Ignacio, is a 2-storey bar where live bands usually play nightly on the second floor.