2 weeks in Havana

Hello. My girlfriend and I are going to Havana. I have interest in Rumba music and Santeria religion.

Is there a section in Havana to see the street music or peformance?

Also, is there a decent hotel maybe centrally located in Havana? Maybe about $120.00 dollars a day?

Any info would be helpful. I am planning to be in Havana in week.

Thanks.

http://www.cuba-junky.com/havana/callejon-de-hamel.htm

Havana Hotels

There is an outdoor club in the vedado district of havana that is very famous for its saturday afternoons rumba shows, but i can not actually remember the name- so this isnt tremendously useful, but ask around, it is well known in vedado- there is also a club close to plaza de la cathedral who also hold saturday afternoon 4-6 ish performances also, again i dont recall the name but you can ask people about it, im sure they will point you in the right direction- bottom line is, just ask people in bars, clubs, whoever, everybody is willing to help, though usually for a tip,lol so be careful-

as youve got a pretty decent budget, i recommend hotel nacional (the most famous hotel in the country), where there are rooms for this price- or the old hilton hotel nearby the habana libre, both are in vedado, in my opinion the best locations in the city- stay in vedado as most clubs, bars, restaurents etc are here, and it is also generally nicer- you can always get to the old town and central havana in a taxi (about 2 or 3 cuc)- but vedado is generally a nicer area, less hustlers etc first thing in the morning- drop me a pm if you any more advice

The link Caney (#1) gave you above is the place to be at Sunday at 12:00 noon. Rumba sessions and a looooot of Cubans.
Be aware of pickpockets!

Jonah , you can check a couple of websites for events like that...
Creart
CubaPlus
They kind of assume you know some things ... e.g. Folklore = african religious and sometimes rumba (the revolution didn't like religion at one time ;-). Also that you know the groups, which of course most people won't Espuela d Gallo is a folkloric group, truly excellent. Same with Ballet Rakatan, though you might not know from the names!

There are 3 places that I think still have rumbas at least once a week: Gran Palenque, Callejon Hamel, Huron Azul.

You can also see a clip of rumba and folkloric from just a few weeks ago in Hanava... it just happens to be up this week at: Muchoswing

#3

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<hr>or the old hilton hotel nearby the habana libre<hr></blockquote>

Cute! Are they not one and the same?

#6

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Cute! Are they not one and the same?

they certainly are, sorry a typo

#6 thanks for the great links. Would you have more info re.: the Gran Palenque?

Thanks

Oggun ... for more info re Gran Palenque, I'd check the Havana guide books (like Lonely Planet should have info!) and talk to your contacts when you are in Havana, they should know all these places.

And when you get there, try to have someone phone and confirm events within a few days, schedules can change.

120 USD for hotel!!!!

take any casa. much better: 20-40USD.

you 'll have hundreds of people around helping you to find one.
select one you like

there is a museum of santeria in havana that you would find intertesting--can't remember where it is--they sometimes have events there--real ones-not for tourists and anyone is welcome--try to talk to musicians at the rumba venues--many of them practice santeria.rumba and folkloric music are strongly linked.if you are really interested in the music side go to the music museum in havana which has lots of info about the african-cuba link and how cuban religious/folkloric music has evolved.

oops i meant rumba and the religious music of santeria