Miramar

To the east west of Havana's historic city center is the area known as Miramar. This section of Havana has traditionally been one of the more upscale areas of Havana, even since the beginning of the 20th Century. Today is maintains this reputation with the addition of upper end hotels and restaurants. Miramar is known for its stately mansions and wide tree lined avenues and is also where many of the embassies are located.

The main street in Miramar is Avenida 5. This wide avenue is graced with old homes, including Art Deco style mansions. Many of these have been turned into government offices, having been abandoned by their original owners during the Revolution. The Avenues are numbered, with Avenida Primera (First Avenue) being closest to the ocean. Some of the highlights of Miramar, other than its general atmosphere of grandeur, are the Maqueta de La Havana, which contains a scale model of the city showing the progression of the development, and the Acuario Nacional (Aquarium). Also of interest is the Museo del Ministerio del Interior, which details the history of the police force in Cuba, although most displays are only in Spanish.