General Havana Information - Real Havana: Explore Cuba Like a Local and Save Money - page 92

While there are not many clearly defined tourist attractions in Central Havana,
there are still plenty of interesting places to see, especially for the traveler looking
to explore a little bit off the beaten path. Central Havana is a maze of small,
crowded streets. Due to the high population density, it is also a great place to find
hundreds of tiny shops and businesses. The following is a summary of some im-
portant roads in the neighborhood.
Neptuno Street
Neptuno is probably the busiest street in Central Havana. It starts just two streets
north of the Capitolio and winds its way through the neighborhood, passing
through some of the most congested shopping areas in the city. Neptuno it is also
a major taxi route for travelers going to Vedado. This will be discussed in a later
section. Walking along Neptuno can feel hectic but it will also give you a window
into the average daily life in the city. Also, there are many street food stands along
Neptuno and almost all of the delicious, cheap foods which are discussed in this
guide can be found in shops along this street.
Zanja
Starting just south of the Capitolio, Zanja runs through the middle of Central
Havana. It makes its way through some of the poorest areas of the neighborhood,
including the old Barrio Chino (Chinatown) district. In recent years, there has
been a concerted effort to modernize this area and that can be seen in the
clusters of new, higher-end paladares and food stands which are popping up
along Zanja street.
Reina (Simón Bolívar)
Starting just south of the Parque Central, which is located beside the Capitolio, is
Reina Street. It's a mecca for small shops and street vendors, who sell not only
food, but also handmade clothes, shoes and household items. Several bazaars
and flea markets are located near the eastern end of Reina, which are always in-
teresting to browse. Closer to the Vedado neighborhood this street takes on the
name Carlos Tercero . While small shops continue to spill onto the sidewalk in this
area, the major attraction is the huge, spiral shaped Carlos Tercero shopping cen-
ter. More information will be provided in the Shopping section of this guide.
Avenida de Italia (Galiano)
This is one of the most famous streets in Central Havana. It is lined with large
shopping malls as well as a few large discos, clubs, theaters and music halls.
Even if you have no desire to shop at all, it is always fun to walk down this per-
petually bustling street and see the locals going about their business.
Vedado