First laid out in 1519 as a parade ground, Havana’s oldest plaza became the centre of city life and the seat of government throughout 383 years of Spanish tenure. A small park lies at its heart, framed by tall palms that cast cooling shadows over a statue of the nineteenth century revolutionary leader Carlos Manuel de Cespedes.

Important eighteenth century buildings of coral limestone edge the plaza. Most notable is the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, on the west side, from where the governors enforced Spanish rule. Fronted by a wide loggia, the three-storey structure wraps around a central courtyard.

The plaza opens northeast to a pocket-size castle, Castillo de la Real Fuerza. The second oldest fortress in the Americas, it was completed in 1577. gleaming suits of armour in the foyer beckon you to the Museo de la Ceramica, which displays pottery through the ages.