Hotels near Little Havana and Calle Ocho

Little Havana is the cultural centre of Miami's Cuban community, and a walk down its main artery, Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street), is the closest you can get to Havana without leaving the United States. The air smells of cigars and Cuban coffee, dominoes clack in Maximo Gomez Park, and salsa drifts from open-fronted cafes.

Highlights include the Ball and Chain music venue, the walk-up windows selling cortaditos and guava pastries, the hand-rolled cigars of the family-run shops, and the Calle Ocho Walk of Fame. On the last Friday of each month, Viernes Culturales fills the street with art and live music.

Pro Tip: Order a cortadito at a walk-up ventanita and watch the domino players at Maximo Gomez Park, but stay respectful - it is a working community, not a theme park. Time a visit for the last Friday of the month to catch the Viernes Culturales street party.