Located in the village of San Francisco de Paula, 15 miles east of Havana, Hemingway’s Cuban home of 21 years (1939-1960) was where much of For Whom The Bell Tolls was written. The charming hilltop house contains the original furnishings, mounted hunting trophies, library and personal items that were left behind following Hemingway’s 1961 death in Idaho. To preserve the contents as they were found, visitors view the dwelling’s interiors through numerous windows and doors. Arrive early to beat the tour buses.

An Ernest Hemingway haunt that prior to the revolution was a bohemian hole-in- the-wall where locals, tourists and celebrities could safely go slumming. The bar started out as a small general store prior to its transformation into the celebrated pub famous for its mojito cocktails. According to legend, the hard-drinking Hemingway remarked, “I take my mojitos at La Bodeguita and my daiquiris at La Floridita.” Typically packed with tourists, so go after 9pm when it’s quieter.

Take a midcentury modern driving tour of Miramar and the Country Club (now Cubanacán) districts. Some of Havana’s most impressive mid-century modern masterpieces are scattered throughout these neighbourhoods. For a detailed listing get The Havana Guide: Modern Architecture 1925-1965 by Eduardo Luis Rodriguez.

Some people go to a newsagent or kiosk for their magazines, but should your requirements be more rarified, this is the place. Presented in a dark-walled space that’s stark and stylish is an array of magazines from all corners of the world, covering fashion, design, art, food, cycling, travel. Alongside familiar titles such as Apartamento, The Gourmand, Flaneur, are plenty of new and unusual titles, enough to tickle the taste buds of any small press fan. This is just one string to Gudberg Nerger’s bow, which is also a creative agency, publisher and has a gallery next door.

1950s dairy carefully repurposed as a café, keeping the immaculate fascia with the name picked out in gold script, and a cheerful red and white striped awning with matching benches. Inside it’s crisp and modern with cool blue tiles and brass pendant lights. Coffee, tea and snacks are all excellent, and a happy respite from the tourist-filled waterfront nearby. Take a left as you exit to see a group of striking modern churches for sailors from Finland, Norway and Denmark.

The bolts and screws that held together Hamburg’s ships were once made here. Now within the old industrial interior are cafés, bars and a comfortable three-screen cinema. Programming ranges from mainstream to arthouse, with some titles in the original language (look for Original Fassung or OF), something that’s surprisingly uncommon in a country with such a good command of English. For those of us who struggle with decisions, on Tuesday nights Zeise shows a surprise film in its original language, a sort of cinematic lucky dip.