SNAPSHOTS OF THE REAL HAVANA

Last Updated on 28th February 2026 by Bejal

During my trip to Havana, I was keen to capture the real city and the real people as well as visiting the obligatory tourist haunts. Havana is beautifully diverse, featuring contrasts in architecture, neighbourhoods and social standing. But, one thing that I will always stand by is that the only way to get to know the real essence of a city is by meeting the people and trying to experience life through their eyes in the city they are truly proud to call home. It is this pride that seeps through their veins in abundance when you talk to the people of Havana, whilst sharing a glass of local Cuban rum. They love being Cuban and celebrate their heritage in a country that has experienced a troubled past.

We’ve all seen those colourful photos of Havana and personally, I’ve always thought Havana is a photographers dream and I can most definitely vouch that it is following my visit. Infact it’s one of those places where there is just so much going on, you will not want to put your camera away in fear of missing out on a unique shot or a different perspective of that unique shot.

I am a huge fan of street photography and therefore wanted to capture snapshots of the real Havana just from walking the streets and being guided by the knowledge and stories of the locals. There is just something magical about capturing expressions of everyday local life and seeing the bustling city at dawn and dusk and all that happens inbetween.

I always felt no two days were the same in Havana, whether it was the playfulness of the children on their way back home from school, the chattering of mothers waiting to collect their groceries, the Paladares  getting ready to open, the men playing dominoes after lunch to the waves crashing against the tiled Malecon waterfront, or even the classic car chauffeurs polishing their motors till they gleamed. Havana provides a rare understanding of life. A life that evokes an infectious happiness of simple pleasures and close knit family ties coupled with a generosity and sociability I have seen nowhere else.

This post is a personal account of photographs I have taken describing the real Havana which I fell in love with. A Havana that has touched me in such a way that enforces that travel is an experience that can truly enrich one’s life. It is magnificently innocent yet authentic.

Disclaimer: Please note these images are a copyright of be-lavie. If you would like to use them, please kindly ask and await for permission prior to use

I do hope you enjoyed my snapshot of what represents the real Havana to me and I’d love it if you could let me know by commenting below.

                 

 À Bientôt…

 

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