This square dates back to the first half of the 17th century. Its location, just a few metres from the bay, led to it becoming an important trading square over the years. It is said that around the year 1600 the first fountain of the city could be seen at this square. In 1836 it was replaced by a beautiful fountain made of white Carrara marble by Giuseppe Gaggini, under the good auspices of the Villanueva Count. This fountain is called Fuente de los Leones (Lions Fountain). On its paved area stand two noteworthy buildings: the Monastery and Basilica of San Francisco de Asís, which today houses the Museum of Religious Art and a concert hall. It is also where the Lonja del Comercio (Chamber of Commerce) is located, inspired by Spanish Renaissance architecture and topped by a dome on which a sculpture of the god Mercury stands. Among the houses built around the plaza, the house of the Arostegui family, residence of the Captain Generals until the completion of the City Hall at the end of the 18th century, was erected.

The Museo del Tabaco (Tobacco Museum) is located within an 18th century building that belonged to the Bartolomé Luque family, in Calle Mercaderes Street, Old Havana. This museum is dedicated to the preservation and display of collections related to the plantations, production and commercialization of Cuban tobacco. It exhibits a large collection of pipes, leaves and other related items, as well as a collection of lithographic stones and machines of important cigar companies. The museum has a small shop where you’ll be able to get different Havana cigars and items for smokers.

The Simón Bolívar Museum is situated within an old Neoclassical palace dating back to between 1806 and 1817., right in front of the bronze statue of Latin America’s liberator, in Old Havana. This museum in honor of Simón Bolívar was opened July 24th 1993, coinciding with the anniversary of his birth. It has permanent exhibitions dealing with the history of the Bolivarian nation and its main figures of independence. The museum also houses a great library with important book collections and Latin-American documents.

La Bodeguita del Medio is a must-visit, typical restaurant of Havana, and one of the most attractive tourist spots. Old Havana has been frequented by countless visitors, from well-known writers like Ernest Hemingway to important politicians. Its interior offers a typical Cuban atmosphere, as well as excellent music, Creole cuisine (slow-roasted pork, ropa vieja, black beans, yucca with mojo, tostones, arroz morro, etc) and a fantastic typical drink like the mojito. Following the initiative of Leandro García, a journalist who signed the restaurant’s wall, all famous people who visit the place do the same. They leave a memento there in the form of a print, a picture, an object, or some graffiti; it is even possible to find the signatures of some historical figures, like Salvador Allende, Ernest Hemingway, or Pablo Neruda. You can’t miss your chance to visit this place on your way through Habana Vieja. If you don’t book a table in advance you won’t probably have another chance to get one, but you will for sure enjoy an incredible atmosphere surrounded by Cuban history.