Posted on 10 Comments

Iconic Seaside Esplanade: The Malecón of Havana (Cuba)

people on the Malecon, sidewalk, new and old sewall, fishing, building, Habana Libre

The Malecón is the famous Havana seawall, sidewalk, and road known for the fresh breeze from the sea, views of stars at night, and cruising in classic cars.

Running along the north-side of Havana’s central historic districts (Vedado, Centro Habana, La Habana Vieja), the Malecón is where locals and tourists flock for a stroll or a drive, eat lunch or catch fish for dinner, take a break from the heat of the day, or make out at night.

To protect Havana from the sea, construction of the seawall, sidewalk and roadway Malecón (English: seawall, jetty) began in 1901. It was built and expanded in three stages, finishing in 1952.

The street itself is officially called Avenida de Maceo, in honor of José Antonio de la Caridad Maceo y Grajales, second-in-command of the Cuban Army of Independence in the late 1800s.

The Malecón is a prime example that an outdoor Happier Place doesn’t have to be in the “Great Outdoors” but can be found in an urban setting – and really anywhere people can step outside, get some fresh air, and have a fun break before getting back to whatever needs doing.

The Lighthouse of the Castillo del Morro and the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta guard the mouth of the Havana Harbor
The Lighthouse of the Castillo del Morro and the Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta guard the mouth of the Havana Harbor, where the Malecón begins
girls walking on seawall, people walking on sidewalk, classic car convertible, blue sea
See and be seen while cruising along the seaside Malecón in Havana
Red and blue traffic sign, man fishing and the sky - Maleón wall, Havana
Red and blue – fishing, relaxing and enjoying nature on the Maleón wall
Looking east along the Malecón towards Faro del Castillo del Morro
Looking east along the Malecón towards Faro del Castillo del Morro
fishing and eating on the old seawall, Malecon, Havana, skyline, Habana Libre, Hotel Nacional
Eating lunch and catching dinner on the old seawall with the classic Havana skyline featuring the Habana Libre and Hotel Nacional
Not just fishing, but also catching - Cuban fisherman and his haul and simple wooden stick used as a fishing pole
Not just fishing, but also catching – Cuban fisherman and his haul
The Malecón roadway, esplanade and seawall as it bends along the old center of Havana
The Malecón roadway, esplanade and seawall as it bends along the old center of Havana
The extraordinary patina of Havana buildings facing the sea can not be replicated. How much longer will it last?
The extraordinary patina of Havana buildings facing the sea can not be replicated. How much longer will it last?
open space restaurant, pink classic car, Malecon, Havana, Cuba
Creative open spaces and restaurants are popping up along the Malecon
The Castropol Restaurant and its neighbors on the Malecón
The Castropol Restaurant and its neighbors on the Malecón
Ornate people pillars on a balcony overlooking the sea along the Malecon, Havana, Cuba
Ornate people pillars on a balcony overlooking the sea
Horse-drawn carriage cruising for tourists in front of the old facades along the Malecón road
Horse-drawn carriage cruising for tourists in front of the old facades along the Malecón road
Colorful windows and shutters on the classic buildings, Havana, Cuba
Colorful windows and shutters on the classic buildings facing the sea
Fishing from the Malecón Seawall, Malecon, Havana, Cuba
Fishing and relaxing along the Malecón Seawall
View of the Cuban flag, bunker entrance, the Malecón, and Bay of Havana from the famous Hotel Nacional
Cuban flag, bunker entrance, the Malecón, and Bay of Havana – seen from the back lawn of the famous Hotel Nacional
The Antonio Maceo Grajales statue is one of several grand memorials along the Malecón
The Antonio Maceo Grajales statue is one of several grand memorials along the Malecón
Large-scale female bust sculpture, called Primavera (Spring), created by Rafael San Juan on the corner of Galiano Street and the Malecon, Havana
Primavera (Spring) sculpture created by Rafael San Juan on the corner of Galiano Street and the Malecon
Clouds and open sea during Blue Hour, right after sunset at the Morro Castle Lighthouse
Blue Hour after sunset at the Morro Castle Lighthouse
Evening at Parque Martires del 71 (Martyrs of '71 Park) and Maximo Gomez monument and entrance to the Havana Harbor, Cuba.
Parque Martires del 71 (Martyrs of ’71 Park) and Maximo Gomez monument and entrance to the Havana Harbor, Cuba
Late-night rendezvous on the famous Malecón seawall along the northside of Havana, Cuba
Late-night rendezvous on the famous Malecón seawall along the northside of Havana, Cuba
The Lighthouse Faro del Castillo del Morro at night, Cuba
The Lighthouse Faro del Castillo del Morro at night
One more look at the Faro del Castillo del Morro, Cuba
One more look at the Faro del Castillo del Morro

Share this post on Pinterest…

Day and night along the Malecón, iconic seaside esplanade, Havana, Cuba, Happier Place
The Malecón, Havana's Outdoor Lounge, Primavera sculpture, woman's head
Cruising Along The Malecón, Havana, Cuba, girls walking on seawall, yellow classic car, colorful facades

10 thoughts on “Iconic Seaside Esplanade: The Malecón of Havana (Cuba)

  1. What I would not give to be by the sea just now. So relaxing and very nice to just chill land watch the waves for sure

  2. Wow looks like a great place to visit. I love all the photos you shared. The sculpture is amazing!

  3. looks fantastic! I love it! I really want to visit Cuba one day. Each city has a lot of angles

  4. Cuba is a lovely place to go visit. When I went we just stayed at the hotel and the beach there. For those more adventurous there is loads to see.

  5. The place looks lovely, I would love to vsit their someday.

  6. The pictures are stunning. I bet that it would be quite an unforgettable experience to stroll along The Malecón.

  7. It would be so nice to visit this place. The sea wall would be a perfect spot to watch the sunset and feel the nice breeze. Havana is a beautiful place, a mix of modern and old town charm.

  8. Malecón is really lovely and it’s cool to know that such a place can exist in an Urban setting. It’s truly beautiful and those are amazing pictures.

  9. I would just sit on the sea wall and listen to the water and take time to relax. Of course not too long as I would have to check out Havana.

    1. I think you have your priorities straight. There is so much else to see in Havana – but this is a wonderful place to take a break.

Leave a reply...

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.