If you thought a vacation in Cuba would cost you a fortune, you might want to take a page out of President Obama and the First Lady’s travel guide. Last month, the pair traveled to Havana, and now Travel & Leisure is offering a play by play of how your vacation can mirror their experience.
The first thing to do is give in to the national obsession with baseball and go see a game at Estadio Latinoamericano, as President Obama did with President Raul Castro. The stadium holds 55,000 and it will cost you between $0.75 and $3 for a seat —nothing fancy, but the experience is a treat.
Next, you may want to have dinner at the top-rated, yet reasonably-priced San Cristóbal paladar, known for its Cuban-Creole mix. Reportedly, the Obamas had steak and vegetables. The San Cristóbal is located in Central Havana and is also one of the restaurants where Beyoncé and Jay Z dined during their visit in 2013.
Touring Old Havana on foot is a great way to spend the day. The First Couple walked through the 500-year-old World Heritage Site, which is the original city center. The oldest square, the Plaza de Armas, houses the statue of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a Cuban planter who declared Cuban independence in 1868.
Architecture and history buffs alike might take a peek at Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Cathedral, where it is said that the remains of Christopher Columbus were once held. The cathedral is one of the best examples of baroque architecture in Cuba.
For art lovers: the Gran Teatro not only offers ballet and opera, but the building itself is stunning to behold. It was here that President Obama delivered an historic speech. "I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War in the Americas,” he said. “I have come here to extend the hand of friendship to the Cuban people.”
Finally, when you want to lay your head down and sleep like a president, check into the Melia Habana Hotel. It offers more modern amenities than most Havana accommodations and it costs less than a night in Beverly Hills.
For more on the Obama's visit to Cuba, click here.
