Havana for The Curious Wanderers: a Friday-to-Monday weekend
Salt on the seawall, rum in the ruins.
No theme, just the city at its best. The sights that earn their reputation, a workshop or a market, one strange place nobody told you about, and dinner where the food is the point.
Friday: Paint and ink
- Callejón de Hamel
Salvador González's Afro-Cuban murals on every wall of an alley, with bathtubs cut into benches and orisha shrines in the doorways.
- Taller Experimental de Gráfica
A lithography workshop since 1962 where you can work a stone with the printers and take home a pull; the workshop is the thing, book it in the morning.
- Doña Eutimia
Ropa vieja and frozen mojitos in a few rooms next door to the print shop; book a table in the afternoon on your way past.
Saturday: Leaf and tile
- Fábrica de Tabacos Partagás
The rolling floor of Partagás, a reader on the platform and the torcedores finishing a Lusitania in four minutes.
- Fusterlandia
José Fuster's mosaic kingdom spread from his own house over the neighbours' walls, benches and bus stops; the strange place on this list.
- Santy Pescador
A fisherman's house on the river where the morning's catch becomes sashimi and grilled snapper on the dock.
Sunday: The black Virgin and the oil factory
- Santuario de la Virgen de Regla
The lanchita from the Muelle de Luz across the bay to the black Virgin who is also Yemayá, with flowers and sunflowers left on the steps.
- Castas y Tal
A family paladar in a Vedado ground floor, pork with mango and the cooks eating at the next table.
- Fábrica de Arte Cubano
X Alfonso's converted cooking-oil factory of galleries, stages and bars, the city's makers in one building.
Monday: La Milagrosa and the design shop
- La Milagrosa, Cementerio de Colón
Amelia Goyri's grave, knock three times on the ring, ask, and never turn your back when you leave.
- Clandestina
Cuba's first independent design label, screenprinting its slogans in the shop on reused cotton; the print bench is at the back and they will show you.
- O'Reilly 304
A tight two-floor paladar of tacos, ceviche and gin cocktails in jam jars, order at the bar.