Best Time to Visit Havana

Winter: the sweet spot

From November to March, Havana is at its easiest. Afternoons are warm but not heavy, and evenings feel soft enough for a long walk along the Malecón, the seafront promenade. Rain is light, and you'll mostly get dry days for wandering Old Havana's squares and the Vedado neighbourhood.

This is also high season, especially December to February. Expect busier flights, fuller casas particulares (private homes that rent rooms), and more people in the paladares (private restaurants). If you hate crowds, aim for early November or March. Both months still rate Excellent.

Winter has its own events. The Havana Jazz Festival usually lands in January, and the Havana Film Festival, which shows Latin American cinema, runs in December. Check the exact dates before you book.

Spring: hotter, still good

April is a good middle ground. It's hotter, with 32°C highs, but it stays fairly dry and sunny. It suits beach days at Playas del Este, about 20 minutes east of the centre. Easter week brings Cuban families to the coast, so those beaches fill up.

May is where the weather turns. Showers come on about 11 days, and the air gets sticky. You'll still get sunny hours, but plan your sightseeing around the downpours.

Summer and autumn: hot and wet

June to September is rainy and humid. June is the wettest month, with 160 mm, and August is close behind. Downpours can flood low streets near the Malecón, and warm nights hover around 26°C. Rain usually comes in short, heavy bursts, so museums such as the Museo de la Revolución make a handy fallback.

It's also hurricane season, which runs through November. Storms are most likely in September and October, so buy flexible tickets and travel insurance.

The upside is quiet streets and lower demand. If you can handle the heat, this is when you'll have Old Havana more to yourself. Late July brings a lively mood around the Santiago de Cuba carnival, though that's far to the east. In Havana, the summer nights are mostly about music on the street and cold drinks.

October is a fair shoulder month. It's still damp, but the crowds haven't returned, and by November the weather settles again.