Cuba and Miami
September 23, 2016Cuba and Miami have an abiding connection. Although they may seem eons apart, Miami is a key destination for Cuban migrants. As you consider real estate in Miami, one of the perks you’ll have to look forward to is the district known as Little Havana.
Little Havana is a district of Miami that is primarily populated with Cuban restaurants, colorful murals, and traditional cigar shops. Little Havana has its own authentic Cuban coffee shops, and a little outdoor area where old men enjoy playing dominoes and having a good smoke. For an accessible trip inside of Cuban culture, you can stroll down these streets and feel yourself immersed in a whole new world.
- Calle Ocho is a major Lille Havana landmark. It’s a shopping district where fruit stands, art galleries, and restaurants all collide. It has a Walkway of Stars that stretches along its sidewalk. The Walkway includes stars made of pink marble built into the sidewalk with the names of important Latin American celebrities on them, including Gloria Estefan and Celia Cruz. As it sounds, the Walk of Stars is reminiscent of the sidewalk stars of Hollywood Boulevard.
- Domino Park is a congregational point for the more serious dominoes players, a game and tradition practiced religiously by locals. Once you wandered Domino Park, you’re free to make a stop at Tower Theater—a restored Art Deco theater where films and cultural events are hosted. It’s Miami’s only theater that exclusively hosts foreign language films for its audiences.
- Viernes Culturales, also known as Cultural Fridays, are hosted on the last Friday of every month in Little Havana. These festivals allow local artists to showcase their work, and visitors to partake of the special flavor of nightlife.
- Versailles is probably the neighborhood’s most famous restaurant. This has remained true, if not for the food quality than perhaps for the nostalgia and atmosphere. When folks are enjoying an evening meal here, it’s common for older Cuban men to sit around drinking coffee and discussing politics.
Little Havana is just one of many cultural hubs in Miami that lend to it an authentic connection to the international community. Instead of taking a plane, you can take the family car and find yourself walking down the neighborhood streets of another world—one where Cuban arts, politics, and culture are all living and thriving vibrantly. It’s just one more reason to consider the perks of real estate in Miami for all the adventures and experiences that the city has to offer.
