Calle Ocho, Little Havana
Cubans live all over South Florida, but Little Havana has been their surrogate homeland since they first started fleeing Cuba in the 1960s. Don’t expect much in the way of sights in this district – your time here is most profitably spent out in the streets, soaking up the atmosphere. The heart of the area is Southwest 8th Street, better known by its Spanish name, Calle Ocho. Its liveliest stretch, between SW 11th and SW 17th avenues, is best enjoyed on foot, but other points of interest are more easily reached by car.
Authentic cigar factory and store selling the famous La Gloria Cubana brand. The leaves are grown in the Dominican Republic, reputedly from Cuban tobacco seeds.
- 1100 SW 8th St, at SW 11th Ave,
- Tel: 305 858 4162
- open 8am–6pm Mon-Fri, 8am–4pm Sat
An eternal flame honors the Cuban-Americans who died in the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961. Other memorials pay tribute to Cuban heroes Antonio Maceo and José MartÃ, who fought against Spanish colonialism in the 1800s.
For decades, male Cubans have gathered at the corner of SW 15th Ave to match wits over intense games of dominoes. The pavilion and patio were built to accommodate the players in 1976.
At the Plaza is a bronze map of Cuba and a flourish of banners for the headquarters of Alpha 66, Miami’s most hard-line anti-Castro group.
If you’re interested in Cuban memorabilia, this is the store for you. You’ll find cigars, music, clothes, art, and posters for sale. There’s even a replica of a 1958 telephone book, complete with names, numbers, and yellow pages.
A trip to Miami is incomplete without at least a snack at this legendary institution. It’s a Cuban version of a fancy diner, with mirrors everywhere and a constant hubbub.
- 3555 SW 8th St, at SW 35th Ave,
- Tel: 305 444 0240
SanterÃa is a Cuban religion, combining Catholicism, the Yoruba culture of Nigeria, and Native American practices. This botánica is one of several establishments offering paraphernalia and spiritual consultations.
One of the few real sights that Little Havana has to offer the casual tourist. Imitating Hollywood, pink marble stars embedded in the sidewalks recognize not only Cuban celebrities, beginning with salsa singer Celia Cruz in 1987, but also all famous Hispanics with any ties to South Florida.
Here lie the remains of two former Cuban presidents, dictator Gerardo Machado, as well as Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. There’s also the founder of the Cuban American National Foundation.
This small, pretty park, lying partly under I-95, was dedicated in 1985 to commemorate the Cuban struggle for freedom. The site became a Tent City for many of the 125,000 homeless Mariel boatlift refugees in 1980.
