Teniente Rey St. between Oficios St. and Mercaderes St., Old Havana ,
Havana, Cuba
(+53) 78629383
yes
About
Los Frailes
The Hotel los Frailes (Friars’ Hotel) owes its name to its proximity to the Basilica and Monastery of St Francis of Assisi in the nearby Plaza de San Francisco. It is a very pleasant little hotel despite a few idiosyncrasies, principal of which is that all the staff members are required to dress as Franciscan friars. It feels faintly sacrilegious to drink a mojito mixed by a monk, but no odder than seeing that same monk later, still in his habit, lurking outside the hotel entrance with a huge cigar between his teeth.
Another little peculiarity of the place is that the majority of the rooms have been laid out in the style of monastic cells. This actually sounds far worse than it is, for the rooms are air conditioned and so comfortable that one hardly notices the lack of a window. The first floor suites are definitely the best option, though, as they do have windows which overlook Teniente Rey Street; these rooms are thus very light and airy.
The ground floor bar with its tall windows is cool and has lots of comfortable sofas, and the woodwind quartet that regularly plays there has a very soothing effect on the nerves after a day spent in the noise and heat of Old Havana. An interesting design feature of the hotel is that the original aljibe, the central limestone cistern of the type located under the courtyard of every colonial mansion in Old Havana, has been glassed over so that one can see the deliciously clear water below.
Teniente Rey y Villegas, Habana Vieja, La Habana
Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje Church
The Santo Cristo del Buen Viaje Church is a simple yet charming church. It is located in Plaza del Cristo Square, on the western side of Old Havana, away from the city center and tourist areas. The structure of the church is intriguing because of the simplicity of its towers and of its lateral façades, in complete harmony with the character of the works of the 17th century. The church was built in 1732 in the same place where previously there was a Franciscan shrine. Nowadays it has only partially been restored, with its beautiful stained glass windows and brightly colored ceiling being very noteworthy qualities. Inside the church, the image of Jesus on the Cross among travelers and sailors became very popular because it was thought to keep people from harm. On Good Fridays the processions left from the Convento de San Francisco de Asís and ended at the Iglesia del Cristo. The dimensions of the plaza were planned according to the processions that were to take place in it, marking the end of the fourteen crosses or Stations of the Cross. The Plaza del Cristo Square is an ideal place if you want to get far from touristy areas and to witness what real Cuban life is like.
Oficios, e/ Amargura y Churruca, Habana Vieja
San Francisco de Asís Church and Convent
The San Francisco de Asís Church and Convent is the current scenario of the richest cultural traditions. This is one of the most extraordinary convent and church complex of the colonial time. The construction of the current set dates from 1738, and it replaced a more modest one completed in 1591. After a restoration in the nineties, the architectural group has harbored, also, a concert hall and the Holy, Sacred and Religious Art museums. The most significant element of the Church is the Tower 42 meters of height, second in altitude at the colonial time.
Calle Mercaderes No. 114, Habana Vieja, La Habana
Maqueta Museum of Old Havana (Scale Model Museum)
The Museo Maqueta de La Habana Vieja (Maqueta Museum of Old Havana) (Scale Model Museum) hosts a 1:500 scale model of Old Havana, one of the most important of these models in all of Cuba, and is considered as a place of great interest, knowledge and entertainment by its inhabitants. It is continuously updated and is rather impressive due to the incredible attention to detail in its works in regards to some of the most important buildings of Old Havana. This is one of Old Havana’s must-visit museums, as it allows you to imagine what the historical center of Havana is like as a whole, and therefore being able to get a better look at it when walking its streets.
San Pedro No. 262e / sol y Santa Clara, Habana Vieja, La Habana
Rum Museum
Discover part of the Cuban culture throught the history of Havana Club, the Cuban Rum, and its elaboration stages. It is not necessary to drink alcohol to enjoy this wonderful museum, because by visiting it you’ll still be able to delve into Cuban culture. This museum offers an interesting guided tour exhibiting the complex rum-making process in old machines. This tour is available in Spanish, English, French, German and Italian. It explains the entire process, from the manufacturing white oak barrels to the rum’s fermentation and ageing process, as well as a scale-model copy of a sugar mill. Ticket price includes a tasting to finish the tour in an attractive bar, where you will be able to taste also a wide variety of typical cuban cocktails, with traditional Cuban music from the 30’s in a cozy early 20th century atmosphere. The museum also contains a shop store.
English 
