Little Havana Miami
Visiting Little Havana is like stepping into Cuba for the afternoon. This Cuban community is packed with fun cafes and shops, and is perfect for an afternoon outing, letting you get away from Miami without every leaving the city. Little Havana was originally the area of Miami that Cuban refugees made their home and has now become a thriving Cuban community, with over half a million inhabitants.

This is the best place in Florida to practice your Spanish skills, as well as drink strong Cuban coffee, buy cigars, or shop for authentic Cuban goods. For the best shopping try Calle Ocho (8th St.). The community boasts some fantastic restaurants, notably Versailles, with its bright decor and great food. El Esquito is another excellent authentic restaurant that should not be missed.

If you will be in Miami on the last Friday of the month, be sure to visit Little Havana then. This is the night of "Viernes Culturales", where the art community of Little Havana throws opens its doors and shows off to the world. This is a fun-filled experience with three open art studios, live music, delicious and a great atmosphere. To better able visitors to see it all, shuttle buses run on this night between venues.

Surreal Saturday is another eventful night in Little Havana. On the first Saturday night of every month there are four performances of music, dance, theatre and poetry at Space 742, one of the community's performance venues. This is a must-see for fans of contemporary and cutting-edge art and performance.