Castillo de los Tres Santos Reyes Magnos del Morro
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
This wave-lashed fort with its emblematic lighthouse was erected between 1589 and 1630 to protect the entrance to Havana harbor from pirates and foreign…
©Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
Regla and Guanabacoa are two small towns on the eastern side of Havana harbor that got swallowed up during Havana's urban growth. Slow-paced and little visited by tourists, the municipalities retain an independent-minded and culturally distinct spirit. There are other spirits here too. Guanabacoa is sometimes called el pueblo embrujado ('the bewitched town') for its strong Santería traditions, while Regla – another Santería hotbed – was known as the Sierra Chiquita (Little Sierra, after the Sierra Maestra) in the 1950s for its bolshie revolutionary politics.
Attractions
Must-see attractions
Parque Histórico Militar Morro-Cabaña
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
This unmissable military park, included in the Habana Vieja Unesco World Heritage site, is arguably the most formidable defensive complex in Spain's…
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Regla
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
As important as it is diminutive, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Regla, which sits close to the dock in Regla, has a long and colorful history. Inside on…
Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabaña
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
This 18th-century colossus was built between 1763 and 1774 on a long, exposed ridge on the east side of Havana harbor to fill a weakness in the city's…
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
This impossible-to-miss statue on a rise on the harbor's eastern side was created by Jilma Madera in 1958. It was promised to President Batista by his…
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
Guanabacoa's main museum, like Regla's, is an important shrine to Santería, though you'll need to see past the run-down facilities and impassive 'guides'…
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
If you've come to see Regla's church you should also check out this important museum. Don't be put off by its superficial dinginess – there are some…
Regla, Guanabacoa & the Forts
This church, in Parque Martí in the center of Guanabacoa, is also known as the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. It was designed by Lorenzo…