Cuba - Shopping

What would Cuba be without its passionate music ranging from son, mambo and rumba to cha-cha-cha and... salsa! Casa de la Música next to the Iglesia de la Santísima Trinidad offers a considerable variety of quality CDs. Almost daily at noon and in the evenings, bands perform on the large outside staircase – authentic Cuban music live and for free! more

A great variety of lithographic works of Cuban artists can be found in the Taller Experimental.

Right behind the cathedral there is a large private market offering Cuban handicraft. The Palacio Pedroso,... a manor house in the Moorish style dating back to 1780, offers a great survey of the country’s various art genres. more

Besides cigars and music, rum is the biggest export hit of the sugar island. On a guided tour through... the museum of the well-known Havana Club, the individual steps of the rum production are explained to the visitor, who, of course, may taste and buy some of the noble spirit in the end – the longer stored in wooden barrels, the better the quality. more

A large variety of good cigars is available in Cesar Escalante’s cigar factory. Anyone who wants to... see how the world-famous rolls of tobacco are being made may join a guided tour here. more

This tobacco store is one of the best in Cuba, because the son of the recently deceased cigar legend... Carlos Robaina offers in-store advice to customers here. The shop offers a truly magnificent selection of Cohibas, Lusitanias, Montecristos, Vegueros, and Romeo y Julietas; as such, the range is considerably more extensive than in the tobacco factories themselves. more

This exceptionally good rum store is located within the building of the Bar El Floridita. Customers can... find real rarities here too, including the 15 year-old Matusalem Anejo, which has been matured in oak barrels, and the Havana Club Gran Reserva, which is just as good. more

This is a lovely store in the old district of the city which is a treasure trove of nautical material.... Customers can find beautiful old nautical maps, books, flags, compasses and other artifacts for seafarers. more

This is a charming little perfume shop, in which fragrances dating back to colonial times can be mixed... together. more

Cuba’s most elegant jewelry store offers exclusive jewelry creations. However, anything embellished... with black coral should not be purchased, as this falls under the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Nevertheless, there are also many beautiful old 19th century treasures, authentic Art Nouveau jewelry and silverware on offer. Sometimes one may even find Swiss watches dating back to the pre-revolutionary period. Anything bought from this store has an official export license. more

This store is the best starting place for anyone wishing to purchase artworks and handicrafts in the... Oriente region. It is located right next to the Hotel Casagranda. Items on offer include beautiful masks, as worn by the crowds during Carnival in Santiago de Cuba. more

This is a wonderful Art Nouveau store in the city’s old district, with a rather extensive selection... of music and percussion instruments. The store also sells CDs with Cuban music and DVDs and older format VHS cassettes with Cuban films. more