Discover Little Havana
Destinations 14/11/2023
In the heart of Miami is what is today one
of the most famous neighborhoods of the city in South Florida.
We are talking about Little Havana, also called in
Spanish "Little Havana".
In this neighborhood full of rhythm and color, many Latin people and, above all, people of Cuban nationality or descent live together, who find in this American neighborhood a little piece of their land in which the lifestyle of their native country is recreated.
If you are lucky enough to be staying at Park Royal Miami Beach
We invite you to visit one of the city's obligatory stops, Little Havana, where you will find a neighborhood full of life that will welcome you without a thought.
Around 1930, Little Havana was more of a lower-middle class Jewish neighborhood and a place that went unnoticed. Finally, towards the year 1960, due to the harsh situation in Cuba due to the Revolution and the internal war that existed in the country, many Cuban citizens emigrated to the United States, and more specifically to the city of Miami where they could escape the merciless violence that was in the Latin country.
After this massive escape of Cuban refugees, little by little the neighborhood was transformed and named as it is known today, Little Havana, becoming the cultural and political capital of Cuban Americans, and also the center of the community of Cuban exiles.
The vast majority of life in Little Havana occurs around Miami's renowned Calle Ocho. On this street you can see cigar artisans, dozens of Cuban restaurants, shops and venues where you can listen to vibrant music... Without a doubt, it will transport you to Cuba itself in this place where 98% of its population (which exceeds 50,000 people) is of Latin origin or descent.
As it could not be otherwise, when you walk through this neighborhood the aroma of traditional coffee is intense and you can see many elderly people playing dominoes and trying to fix the world while they talk about the past and future of Cuba.
If you walk along Calle Ocho it is essential that you enjoy a good Cuban coffee or the famous Guarapo, a type of juice based on sugar cane juice.
Along this famous street in Little Havana there is a very curious attraction for visitors, nothing more and nothing less than the Latin Walk of Fame in which the most prolific artists of this country are remembered:
• Andy Garcia
• Gloria Estefan
• Celia Cruz
• Julio Iglesias
• Sammy Sosa
This place is a mandatory stop in Little Havana and there we will basically find a large number of elderly Latinos and Cubans playing dominoes and chess, which is why it is also known colloquially as Domino Park.
As a curiosity, we have learned that players follow very strict rules and can be expelled if they shout or speak badly to other players.
To the south of Calle Ocho begins Avenida 13, a very quiet place in the Cuban neighborhood where we can find the Cuban Memorial Boulevard and it is the patriotic heart of the neighborhood.
On the walls of this avenue we can see graffiti and sculptures in honor of great figures in Cuban history such as the revolutionary poet José Martí or the war hero Antonio Maceo.
It is a perfect place to take a break after touring the lively Calle Ocho, because it is a very quiet, pleasant and cozy place.
This is one of the oldest monuments in the city and was built in 1926. This historic theater has an Art Deco style and today shows films and shorts in Spanish or English. It is also common to see projects by filmmakers from Miami who are growing.
During the period when the Little Havana neighborhood was at its peak, this theater was the only movie theater in all of Miami where you could watch movies with Spanish subtitles.
To this day it continues to be one of the biggest tourist and leisure attractions of this city in southern Florida and is just 20 minutes by car from Park Royal Miami Beach, so we invite you to visit this unique neighborhood that, without a doubt, will not leave anyone indifferent.
In this neighborhood full of rhythm and color, many Latin people and, above all, people of Cuban nationality or descent live together, who find in this American neighborhood a little piece of their land in which the lifestyle of their native country is recreated.
If you are lucky enough to be staying at Park Royal Miami Beach
We invite you to visit one of the city's obligatory stops, Little Havana, where you will find a neighborhood full of life that will welcome you without a thought.
History of the neighborhood
Around 1930, Little Havana was more of a lower-middle class Jewish neighborhood and a place that went unnoticed. Finally, towards the year 1960, due to the harsh situation in Cuba due to the Revolution and the internal war that existed in the country, many Cuban citizens emigrated to the United States, and more specifically to the city of Miami where they could escape the merciless violence that was in the Latin country.
After this massive escape of Cuban refugees, little by little the neighborhood was transformed and named as it is known today, Little Havana, becoming the cultural and political capital of Cuban Americans, and also the center of the community of Cuban exiles.
Calle Ocho
The vast majority of life in Little Havana occurs around Miami's renowned Calle Ocho. On this street you can see cigar artisans, dozens of Cuban restaurants, shops and venues where you can listen to vibrant music... Without a doubt, it will transport you to Cuba itself in this place where 98% of its population (which exceeds 50,000 people) is of Latin origin or descent.
As it could not be otherwise, when you walk through this neighborhood the aroma of traditional coffee is intense and you can see many elderly people playing dominoes and trying to fix the world while they talk about the past and future of Cuba.
If you walk along Calle Ocho it is essential that you enjoy a good Cuban coffee or the famous Guarapo, a type of juice based on sugar cane juice.
Along this famous street in Little Havana there is a very curious attraction for visitors, nothing more and nothing less than the Latin Walk of Fame in which the most prolific artists of this country are remembered:
• Andy Garcia
• Gloria Estefan
• Celia Cruz
• Julio Iglesias
• Sammy Sosa
Other places of interest
Máximo Gómez Park
This place is a mandatory stop in Little Havana and there we will basically find a large number of elderly Latinos and Cubans playing dominoes and chess, which is why it is also known colloquially as Domino Park.
As a curiosity, we have learned that players follow very strict rules and can be expelled if they shout or speak badly to other players.
13th Avenue
To the south of Calle Ocho begins Avenida 13, a very quiet place in the Cuban neighborhood where we can find the Cuban Memorial Boulevard and it is the patriotic heart of the neighborhood.
On the walls of this avenue we can see graffiti and sculptures in honor of great figures in Cuban history such as the revolutionary poet José Martí or the war hero Antonio Maceo.
It is a perfect place to take a break after touring the lively Calle Ocho, because it is a very quiet, pleasant and cozy place.
Little Havana's Tower Theater
This is one of the oldest monuments in the city and was built in 1926. This historic theater has an Art Deco style and today shows films and shorts in Spanish or English. It is also common to see projects by filmmakers from Miami who are growing.
During the period when the Little Havana neighborhood was at its peak, this theater was the only movie theater in all of Miami where you could watch movies with Spanish subtitles.
To this day it continues to be one of the biggest tourist and leisure attractions of this city in southern Florida and is just 20 minutes by car from Park Royal Miami Beach, so we invite you to visit this unique neighborhood that, without a doubt, will not leave anyone indifferent.
