Havana Club: The Top 6 Rum Bars in Cuba

Cubas top brand of rum
Cuba's top brand of rum | © Guillaume Baviere / Flickr
Barbara Maseda

Rum made in Cuba has been a forbidden product in the U.S. for over five decades, and only recently can American travelers buy and import Cuban rum into the country for personal consumption. Havana Club – Cuba’s top brand – therefore remains a novelty for many. Most bars and stores in Cuba will sell Havana Club rum of all types and prices, and most Cuban drinks – including the famous Mojito – are prepared using this brand. Here are a few bars where you’ll find the most exclusive variations – maybe even the Maximo Extra Añejo, a limited edition costing $1,000 per bottle.

1. Havana Club Rum Museum

Museum

Museum of Rum, Havana, Cuba
© Stephen Colebourne/Flickr
A good way to get familiar with Cuba’s rum culture is to visit the Havana Club Rum Museum. Guided tours around a typical distillery museum will take you through the production process, from the very beginning at sugar plantations to production, and consumption (the tour ends at the bar, with rum shots). Tours take some 30 minutes and cost around US$5.

2. Sloppy Joe’s

Bar, Beer, Pub Grub, American

One of the most popular bars in Havana in the 1930s and 1940s, Sloppy Joe’s was completely rebuilt and reopened a few years ago, following a long period of abandonment that started after the 1959 revolution. Located next to the Hotel Parque Central in one of the busiest and fastest growing centers in Old Havana, the bar is extremely popular among tourists, and one of the main stops of Havana’s tours.

3. La Torre (F.O.C.S.A.)

Bar, Restaurant, Cuban

This is a bar-restaurant located on the top floor of Havana’s tallest building, the F.O.C.S.A. building, with large windows that offer a fantastic aerial view of the newest part of the city in every direction. There are probably better bars offering better drinks and food – this is a state-run establishment, and usually privately-owned bars are the ones that will come closer to international standards of service – but at no other will you enjoy these awesome views of Havana.

5. La Flauta Magica

Bar, Nightclub, Caribbean, Cuban

La Flauta Magica (The Magic Flute) is a bar on the top floor of a 10-story building opposite the U.S. Embassy and the Malecon in Vedado. The terrace, which accommodates an inviting swimming pool, offers gorgeous views of the city and the perfect atmosphere to relax after a hot, tropical Cuban day. Live music – including nights especially devoted to jazz performances – make the experience even more enjoyable. In addition to the customary Cuban drinks, the bar takes pride in owning the entire Havana Club portfolio.

6. El Floridita

Bar, Restaurant, Caribbean, Cuban

El Floridita, a famous restaurant and cocktail bar frequented by Hemingway in Havana, Cuba
© Imageplotter Travel / Alamy Stock Photo
One of American author Ernest Hemingway’s favorite spots in Havana, the Floridita bar-restaurant is one of Havana’s most famous bars. Located in the heart of the old quarter, this is a great place for taking pictures next to a real-size bronze statue of the writer. The statue was installed a few years ago in the same spot where he used to sit in the 1950s, and a freshly-made daiquiri is placed in front of the immortalized writer every day. This is also the place to try a “Papa Doble,” a special daiquiri prepared the way Hemingway liked it. A variation that uses the same ingredients as in the original recipe, but adds more rum and no sugar, this mix includes two-and-a-half shots of white rum, lemon juice, half a grapefruit and six drops of maraschino.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

Culture Trip Spring Sale

Save up to $1,100 on our unique small-group trips! Limited spots.

X
close-ad
Edit article