Photo Essay: Little Havana, Miami

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Calle 8, Little Havana - Miami

Besides for the beaches, the art deco buildings and the huge shopping malls, Miami is known for its multicultural essence. When I visited Miami back in December 2009, I knew I wanted to take a walk through Little Havana, which has been home for many cubans (and other hispanic cultures) that escaped Castro's regime. 


Little Havana is geographically and culturally close to Cuba. It's architecture is nothing to be compared to La Habana's colonial buildings, but the essence of the country is still latent among the locals - men playing domino and chess in one of the neighborhoods parks, paintings representing Cuba's starts, and a constant smell of cuban cigars coming out of every corner. It all transported me to another time, another place. 

Cuban Cigars

Man smoking cigar and, in the background, men playing domino and chess

Colorful Wall paintings with Cuba's most international artists (including Celia Cruz and Tito Puente)

Although we stayed for a short time, it gave me many thoughts on the history of Cuba - US relations. But don't worry, I won't get all political on this. Instead, I've prepared 5 things you may not know about Miami's Little Havana:

1. In recent years, Little Havana has received many Nicaraguan immigrants and now has an area called Little Managua, in a tribute to the Nicaraguan capital.
2. The US biggest street party (and one of the biggest Worldwide) takes place in Calle Ocho. The Festival de la Calle Ocho is 15 blocks long and takes places this sunday 13th of March. 
3. In 1998, The Festival de la Calle Ocho set history in the Guinness World Records for the longest conga line, which contained almost 120,000 people. 
4. Little Havana has stands with Cuban Coffee, which looks like espresso but has a sweeter taste. This should not be mistaken with Cuba's arabica production, which is, by many, considered one of the best coffees Worldwide. Unfortunately, this coffee is exported to other countries and cuban import a cheaper one for their own consumption.
5. Last Friday of each month, Little Havana celebrates "Viernes Cultural", which is an artistic, cultural and social arts fair that offers visitors diverse flavors of the Latin community. 

Have you visited Little Havana in Miami? Which were your impressions?