Centro Cultural Enguayabera

Habana del Este


In an old shirt factory abandoned in the 1990s, when it became a rubbish dump and public urinal, this new state-sponsored community arts project was inspired by the Fábrica de Arte Cubano in Vedado. Numerous funky venues are bivouacked under its cultural umbrella, including three small cinemas, a literary cafe, a theater and a crafts outlet.

The place is a shot in the arm for oft-forgotten Alamar, the ugly collection of '70s apartment blocks that gave birth to Cuban hip-hop and can now concentrate on fostering plenty more urban creativity. The center offers free entry and a wi-fi zone.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Habana del Este attractions

1. Alamar

0.7 MILES

East across the river from Cojímar is a large housing estate of prefabricated apartment blocks built from 1971 by micro brigadas (small armies of workers…

2. Torreón de Cojímar

1.43 MILES

Overlooking Cojímar's harbor is an old Spanish fort dating from 1649, a twin of the Torreón de la Chorrera in Vedado. It was the first fortification taken…

3. Convento de Santo Domingo

2.51 MILES

Convento de Santo Domingo is a sadly ruined convent with a handsome but mildewed baroque facade that's usually closed (there are no official hours, but…

4. Estadio Panamericano

2.56 MILES

Built for the 1991 Pan American Games, this shabby stadium was fitted with a new athletics track in 2008, though it still looks neglected and unloved. It…

5. Iglesia de Guanabacoa

2.71 MILES

This church, in Parque Martí in the center of Guanabacoa, is also known as the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. It was designed by Lorenzo…

6. Museo Municipal de Guanabacoa

2.8 MILES

Guanabacoa's main museum, like Regla's, is an important shrine to Santería, though you'll need to see past the run-down facilities and impassive 'guides'…

7. Museo de Mártires

2.99 MILES

Effectively an arm of Guanabacoa’s municipal museum, this tiny place on the road to Regla displays a scruffy selection of material relevant to the…

8. Ermita de Potosí

3.33 MILES

Inexplicably, barely anyone visits this, the oldest church in Cuba, still standing in its original perch. The structure dates from around 1675 and is a…