Shopping in Cuba

[QueenCREB]

What is shopping like in Cuba? I like to pick up a few things when I'm in ports that I can't find at home. Mostly house chotckes, maybe some wall art.  Do I need to get my money exchanged before hand? Will I get a better rate if I do?

 

 

[victory2020]

4 hours ago, QueenCREB said:

What is shopping like in Cuba? I like to pick up a few things when I'm in ports that I can't find at home. Mostly house chotckes, maybe some wall art.  Do I need to get my money exchanged before hand? Will I get a better rate if I do?

 

 

There is a huge flea market a few blocks form the terminal - turn left or take a coco taxi or car. You will need to exchange money at the exchange in the terminal after you go through customs, they RARELY take American dollars. 

[vakamalua]

Also, no US-bank credit cards.

[Castaway84]

You can find small shops selling souvenirs, shirt, paintings at almost amy corner in Old Havana area but as Victory said there is a very big craft market 15 minutes walking from the terminal exit. You can find almost everything in there and there is a area just for wall art.

You should get there with local currency otherwise you'll have a very bad exchange rate if you pay in USD directly.

Also try to negotiate the price a bit even if they won't cut more than 20/25% from the asking price.

[Cary Cruiser]

Don't know how many Cuban ports your cruise is doing, but we found better chotckes in Cinefuegos than Havana - actually some very interesting and creative things there.

[Cienfuegos]

Yes, the street market a few blocks from the Cienfuegos cruise ship landing had an abundance of hand carved wood objects,  bowls, musical instruments, hats, T-shirts,  etc.

[pbenjamin]

6 minutes ago, Cary Cruiser said:

Don't know how many Cuban ports your cruise is doing, but we found better chotckes in Cinefuegos than Havana - actually some very interesting and creative things there.

 

That was our experience as well.  Walk south from Parque José Martí on Santa Isabel.  Several artists have booths in building fronts and there are vendors up the middle of the street.

[mac1_131]

Not true no problem taking US but if not there is a cadeca right there in the vendors mall. Sometimes they want 10% more for US, but you pay 13% to change it at a cadeca so no issue there.

There is also a cadeca right as you get off ship. Takes seconds to change money.