Havana (La Habana), Cuba

Cuba’s capital is one of the largest cities in the Caribbean, both in population and in size. From the Malecón along the northern waterfront, it encompasses a dazzling diversity of architectural styles, periods and cultural influences. Habana Vieja, the oldest section, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, filled with colonial and baroque relics. But the city comprises an eclectic blend of those and other styles including neo-classical, Art Deco and radical Modernism. Along the Malecón, the city’s citizens of all ages gather and socialize, in their own blend of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The overall impression of the colors, music, delicious aromas and the palpable pulse of excitement is at once a heady mix of references from other places, and also uniquely Cuban.