HAVANA VEDADO CITY TRIPCITY TRIP 3 HAVANA VEDADOThe Vedado district has a different character and style than the Old and Central Havana areas. Vedado is a district with wide and elegant avenues and large streets with 19th century mansions. The backbone of Vedado is the 23th street or LA RAMPA as most of the Cubans say. La Rampa is crossed by two other main roads : Avenida de los Presidentes and Paseo . La Rampa starts at the Malecon ( the sea side boulevard) near the famous Hotel Internacional , where the Movie stars and politicians stayed. During the fifties the Casino in the hotel was ran by the US gangster Meyer Lansky. Furter on 500m at your right hand side you see the famous Ice Parlour COPPELIA with the always long queues. Sometimes Cubans stand more than two hours waiting in line in front of the Coppelia to eat their favourite ice cream.Opposite the Coppelia another famous hotel , the HAVANA LIBRE HOTEL . At the end of La Rampa you run into the CEMENTERIO COLON ( +/- 2 km from the Coppelia ) It’s said that this is the second largest Cementary in the world. (after Pere Lachaise in Paris). The Cementary is divided in many numbered streets with grandiose tombstones and Mausoleums. Impressive and a must to see for the first time visitor. At the end of the Cementary take the Avenida de Colon straight to the PLAZA DE LA REVOLUCION . This immense square , where FIDEL CASTRO each year holds his 1st of May speech. The Plaza de la Revolucion has two big monuments consecrated to the heroes of the revolucion and the Republic of Cuba : The JOSE MARTI statue and the Memorial CHE GUEVARA .
Other places of interest in Vedado. Universidad de la Habana at the end of Neptuno street. 17th street near the Malecon, one of the highest buildings in Havana. The rooftop restaurant La Torre shows a fantastic view over Havana. 17th street between 6th and 8th street.
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