Originally home to the hundreds of thousands of people who fled from Cuba after Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, this lively part of the city, west of downtown Miami, is now where immigrants from all over Central and South America call home. The area's street life, booming Cuban music, lively coffee shops open all hours, great architecture and the masses of street art on show all make this a very rewarding place to stroll around.
There are lots of walking tours to choose from, or it's very easy to navigate your own way around Little Havana. Art fans will enjoy what's on offer with the area's large numbers of galleries as well as some great graffiti and large-scale sculptures that dominate the street. Visitors in March can't miss the famous week-long Latin street festival, Calle Ocho, which attracts more than a million visitors.
Don't forget the neighbourhood's parks where you'll find some premium people-watching. There's always an intensely fought dominoes or chess game going on at the famous Domino Park. At Jose Marti Park, there's often a baseball game happening which is worth watching.
When it comes to food and drink, you are spoilt for choice. Stop at a café and have a coffee and pastry (Cuban coffee is a tiny shot of caffeine and sugar which will get you going like nothing else), and a typical lunch of slow cooked pork, beans and rice is hearty and heart-stoppingly good. There's a fresh-produce market right in the heart of Little Havana, and you won't have to wander far to find a bar or restaurant. There are, of course, authentic Cuban restaurants galore, but there are also Argentinian, Columbian, Dominican, Bolivian, Uruguayan, Venezuelan and Honduran restaurants.
Wherever you go in Little Havana, you'll never be away from music, whether it's a public salsa class in a park, or live music spilling out from a bar. If you are keen to master some moves, there are many dance classes available.
Little Havana is a short walk from downtown Miami. There are several free car parks, and public buses from downtown Miami are also a good way to get there.
