Shopping in Havana
Havana is difficult to call the perfect place for shopping. Still not liquidated "System of two currencies" and the blockade of the island by the United States led to the fact that the shelves of local shops are not broken from the abundance of goods, if not to say more. However, the situation is not as sad, as it seems – there is a huge number of quite modern outlets in the city, in which the purchases are committed for Pesos – for a foreigner the range will still be limited in most cases only by books and medicines (although there is a lot "Lases"), But the local products you can buy without any problems, and they deserve.
Convertible Peso (CUC) equates to the dollar and therefore it is used for purchases completely free. When sharing US dollars on "Cookies", As it is often called this pseudovature because of its abbreviation, a commission is charged in the amount of 10%, therefore it is more profitable to import euro to the country, which this restriction does not concern. Plastic cards in Cuba also take almost all hotels, hotels, shops and cafes, restrictions concern again only non-cash funds issued by US banks. Accept CUS in Specialized stores Intur Tiendas, the range in which no different from the outlets in any other place of the planet. However, prices for many products by virtue of all the same reasons here are noticeably higher than even in neighboring countries. Prices here also usually indicate as in "Cooks", so in the peso, so the main thing is not to get confused.
Cigars and Rom is best to buy in stores with factories or specialized outlets like Casa del Tabaco, La Casa del Habano or Real Fabrica De Tobacco Partagas. Among the tobacco products most highly appreciated brands "Bolivar", "Koiba", "MONTERISTO", "Partgas", "Punch", "Ramon Alonles", "Sancho Pansa", "NS. Upman", "Romeo and Juliet" and "Trinidad", However, the cigars of manual generation from private traders are also quite good in quality.
Souvenirs, Decorations from corals, Habberry, famous cult dolls Muñequitas, shirts "Guayaber" (Guayabera) and T-shirts with a portrait of Che Gevara, ethnic musical instruments, artwork and lace fabrics better acquire in specialized stores like La Maison, Palacio de Las Artesanias, Centro de Desarrollo Artesanal Quitrin Confecisiones and others that can be found in the old Parts of the city. All this can also be purchased in private bears, but due to manipulations with currencies, the price of them may not be the lowest. It is very good for this purpose and the craft market of Havana, recently moving from its historic location near Plaza de la Catedral area to the Centro Antiguos Almacenes de Depósito San José, where the port warehouses used to be located. Here you can buy products of decorative and applied classes, souvenirs, cigars, even alcoholic beverages. The market works daily from 10:00 to 18:00.
Recently, there has been a considerable number of quite modern universal shopping centers like Plaza Carlos III (the largest in the capital) on the street of the same name, Variadades Galiano on Avenida de Italia or Galerías de Paseo at the intersection of Calle 1 and Paseo. Here you can buy everything, ranging from eating or household appliances and ending with clothes and souvenirs. Malecon, San Rafael (San Rafael) and Galiano are considered the main shopping streets (Avenida de Italia, Galiano).
