As a vital link in the Cuban tourism, the capital is celebrating today its 493rd anniversary, increasingly cosmopolitan and wrapped by travelers from around the world, who prefer it and almost adore it. 

With an origin that some historians question, most say this is the definitive date for the creation of this city. 

Journalist and writer Ciro Bianchi, in a recent television program, stated that the origins of the capital city are vague, probably dating from one or two years before the selected date and located southern from the area where it is today.

For others, the usual mass in the shade of a ceiba tree, for the conclusive appearance, is also now in doubt, although all symbolically agree on this date in 1519, as part of the tradition.

Cuba, and Havana as an essence of essences, represents a mixed town, where the main origins are from Spain and Africa, but also converge Chinese, Haitian, German, French, Hebrew and people from many other parts.

The Villa of San Cristobal de La Habana, the real name of Havana, was founded on the shores of Carenas port, after it had an initial settlement in the southern region in 1515 or 1514.

It covers 732 square kilometers, and has 15 municipalities, nine of them are entirely urban. The Old Havana has 4.5 square kilometers, the most interesting and visited area covers 2.5 square kilometers.

The territory's economy includes industry, trade, services and tourism, with 47 percent of all hotels in the country installed in its space. Cuba has about 60,000 rooms in more than 300 hotels.