Travel

Little Havana: Experience Cuba In This Miami Neighborhood

Rich history, exceptional art, vibrant graffiti, live music that excites people, and real Cuban food galore in Miami's Little Havana district. Vibrant paintings, memorials to past and offer warriors, elderly men enjoying dominoes while discussing politics, and smoking rollers working hard among the ever-present fragrance of Cuban coffee pervade everything in Little Havana. This vibrant area, full of history and flair, is really a must-see on any trip to Miami and carries much of a Cafecito-fueled wallop revisit over and over again.

Little Havana is really a neighborhood with something for all, whether readers are searching for a fun evening out from the hordes of Miami Beach or wish to jazz up their Miami trip with some cultural events. One thing is certain there will not be a monotonous moment here and visitors will fall in love with Cuba here in Miami.

Let's Explore Some Cultural Landmarks

Little Havana has a large number of cultural events and landmarks that provides the opportunity to find out about a brand new culture on a trip.

Miami-Dade College's Tower Theater

Built in 1926 and changed into a skill Deco treasure in 1931 for the Wometco Cinema network, this historic theatre would be a famous neighborhood theatre with Saturday morning special screenings. When Cuban refugees first found its way to Little Havana in 1959, they were delighted using the theater's gleaming steel spire. Tower Theatre was the very first theatre in Miami to offer Spanish subtitles in early 1960s. The theatre is now owned by the town of Miami and operated as an art-house by Miami Dade College, specializing in language movies having English subtitles and English-language movies with Spanish subtitles.

Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center

Visitors to Little Havana should pay a visit to the Cubaocho Museum & Performing Arts Center, an acclaimed museum and bustling gathering area where art, live musical performances, and dancing coexist. From the 1800s to 1956, the museum houses an uncommon and remarkable collection of Cuban art. The Cubaocho Museum and Performing Arts Center exemplify the authenticity that visitors to Little Havana seek to find.

Calle Ocho

Calle Ocho, a bustling strip dotted with eateries, bakeries, fruit vendors, clubs, cigar shops, and music and art facilities influenced by the Latin culture, is the epicenter from the Cuban community in Miami. Frescoes along with other pieces of art adorn the road, the majority of which reflect Cuban icons. Thousands of Cubans found its way to Miami soon after Fidel Castro seized office in Cuba in January 1959 and first lived within this neighborhood, which was a kind of "Plymouth Rock" for that newcomers. A lot more than 28 enterprises along with Southwestern 5th and 15th streets had changed hands between Anglo to Cuban control by 1962.

The Walk Of Fame

The Calle Ocho Walk of Fame also known as the Latino Walk of Fame and Hispanic Broadway stretches from 12th to 17th avenues featuring pink marble stars focused on the sidewalk. It was sanctioned through the town in 1988 like a distinct walk of fame particularly commemorating Latinx superstars. Calle Ocho's Walk of Fame, like the Hollywood Walk of Fame in LA, honors solely Latinx musicians and entertainers with connections to South Florida. Visitors can cause for photos with celebrities who've shaped the community, like Celia Cruz star was the first to be added in 1987, as she was the diva of Cuban salsa music and dancing.

Viernes Culturales

Viernes Culturales, or Cultural Fridays, is a once-a-month celebration of local art, music, and heritage that sweeps across Little Havana on the third Friday of every month. Calle Ocho transforms into a massive Pachanga, or street celebration, from 13th to 17th streets, with local businesses transforming into galleries showcasing domestic and global artists. Meanwhile, food vendors, craft merchants, and music stages expand to finish the night using the finest of Little Havana across the avenue. If tourists have been in the vicinity on the third Friday associated with a month, Viernes Culturales is the best spot to be not just in Little Havana but across Miami.

Maximo Gomez Park

Participating in or watching a backyard game of domino is among the most Miami activities visitors can perform. Maximo Gomez Park, typically referred to as Domino Park, is situated around the road from the Walk of Fame. It has been a conference place for neighborhood Cubans and today all local residents for more than 35 years, and everyone is welcome. Anybody who wants to sit there and watch for some time can do so on the park's domino-decorated tiled pathways and chairs.

Let's Eat Up

The authentic Cuban cuisine is one kind of Little Havana's main draws. Warm croquetas, savory pastries, and also the Cuban espresso that drives Miami are available at one of the numerous "ventanitas," or walk-up storefronts. Versailles Restaurant, that has been providing Cuban food and coffee since 1971, is considered the most famous. It's an excellent place to satisfy locals who congregate outside in the walk-up booths and taste Cuban dishes which are worth finding.

Chef-driven establishments for example Café La Trova, owned by Miami's famed Chef Michelle Bernstein, and also the newly redesigned Sala'o, which serves inventive meals and has a great cocktail menu, can also be found in Little Havana. Casa Tiki, an exotic cabana pub with a Latino spin on Polynesian culture, is really a newbie in the neighborhood. During happy hour, sit at the thatched-roof lounge and sip exotic cocktails from interesting cups; check the program for upcoming events such as comedy acts. Finish the night time with Azucar Frozen treats Shop, a small artisanal business focusing on Cuban flavors.

Little Havana is really a Miami neighborhood that is so much more. This vibrant neighborhood comes complete with music, art, color, and cuisine and is a must-see for people to Miami.

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