Best Places for Shopping in Havana

Even though prices do get inflated in Havana to gain most tourism income, the cost of things is still very cheap for most visitors.

There are many products you might want to consider buying and these include colorful Cuban art (by talented local artists), cigars, clothing, or some souvenirs of your trip.

Whatever you are looking to buy, the following 10 shops are perhaps the best in the Cuban capital.

Casa Verano

Casa Verano, on Calle 18, is one of the best shops in Havana for buying Cuban-designed clothes and accessories.

The store includes its own trademark which goes by the name ‘Verano’ and the store also are known for selling straw hats.

One of my favorite stores in the city and will probably be one of yours also if you like shopping for clothes.

Habana 1791

Located on Calle Mercaderes, Habana 1791 is a cross between a store that sells perfumes and a kind of working museum, where the perfumes are made and sold.

This shop is one of the best in Cuba for buying perfume and it tends to be a very popular store for visiting tourists. You have to visit this store because, even if you do not buy anything, it is a sight to see because the store is so unique.

The perfumes they make in the store make for great gifts and are quite unique because they use many source materials from the local Caribbean region.

They offer a wide range of scents and these include Capablanca, Ambar Fresca, Chipre, and my favorite, the very Cuban-inspired aroma, tobacco (this one is a very masculine but well rounded positive smell).

The Street of Obispo

If you plan to visit Habana, the chances are that you will stumble across Calle Obispo because it is one of the main and most popular streets for shopping, with everything from glassware, art, both tacky and classy souvenirs, t-shirts.

You can find many other things you will want (and won’t want) to buy.

If you are visiting the capital for only a few hours, then this perhaps is your best bet for shopping.

Longina Música

Even though it is on Calle Obispo, which is discussed above, a special mention is perhaps needed to mention what I consider to the best music store in the city (and perhaps in the whole of Cuba).

If you are interested in Cuban music, Longina Música has all of the latest Cuban sounds and has a good range of all the different Cuban instruments.

Calle Tacón

In addition to Calle Obispo, Calle Tacón is a must-visit location if you are short of time, but also is a place where you can easily spend several hours shopping.

This is a lively location, which is home to the biggest market in the city and is a colorful setting where you can experience, see and shop for everything from local foods, clothing, sculptures, and artwork, through to trying one of the local food stores and standing people watching as you enjoy a local beer.