Havana is the capital of Cuba and, with a population of 2.2 million, the largest city of Cuba. It is located just over a 100 miles (160 km) south-southwest of Key West, Florida.
Havana was originally a trading port, and became the capital of the Spanish colony of Cuba in 1607, and the main port of the Spanish colonies in the New World.
In the 1920s during Prohibition in the United States, Havana, along with Montreal, became a popular vacation destination for U.S. citizens; the nightclubs and gambling survived Repeal of prohibition, but most were closed in 1959 after the Cuban Revolution.
Jacomino is a stretch along the San Miguel road (west-east), between Virgen del Camino and Ciudad Mar, and between Guardiola and La Fernanda (north-south). Its three major streets are Santa Emilia, Calzada and Beltran. Havana's international airport is Jose Marti International Airport. It lies about 10 km south of the city center.
There is nowhere in the world like Havana. From the resplendent Spanish colonial architecture of the Old Town, to the spectacular dilapidation of Havana Centro, a city of stalwart survivors and masterful musicians rocks indefatigably to the syncopated beat of the rumba.
Bereft of the consumer-driven trappings of other less colourful metropolises, Havana remains characterful, safe, and packed with a plethora of interesting museums. For history buffs there's the living breathing essence of UNESCO-sponsered Havana Vieja; for beach bums there's the sun-splashed tranquility of Playas del Este.
There really isn't a bad time to visit Havana. The hot, rainy season runs from May to October but winter (December to April) is the island's peak tourist season, when planeloads of Canadians and Europeans arrive in pursuit of the southern sun. Cubans take their holidays in July and August, crowding local beaches. Christmas, Easter and the period around 26 July, when Cubans celebrate the anniversary of the revolution, are also very busy. New Year's Eve coincides with the anniversary of Castro's troops marching into the city, so make hotel reservations early and plan to dance all night.