The Little Havana Neighbourhood in Miami

The Little Havana Neighbourhood in Miami

Maybe you are asking yourself why we are writing for Miami in a blog for Cuba… The reason is that there is one city in the USA, where Cuba is present like nowhere else and it is Miami, Florida. There are more than 2 million Cubans living here, who created for themselves an American Cuba 140 km away from their motherland. The climate in Miami further contributes to this fact, since the temperatures here are quite similar to those in Cuba, and the Cuban person is not a fan of the cold. 🙂

The biggest Cuban diaspora in the world is formed in Miami after the Cuban Revolution in 1960. Thousands of Cubans, who were against Fidel Castro – industrialists and manufacturers, bankers and landowners, ran away in Miami to wait for the collapse of the new Regime and go back to their country. However, this never happened.

The second wave of Cuban emigrants settles in Miami after the Mariel Boatlift in 1980, when the Cuban government announces that everyone willing to leave the country is free to do it. Over 150 000 Cubans, including prisoners, travel the distance of 150 km on boats. The famous movie “Scarface” with Al Pachino describes the fate of a Cuban criminal who uses the lucky course of events to start his new life in Miami.

The third wave of Cuban settlers came to Miami during the special period in Cuba due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1989. The severity of the situation back then was further worsened by the trade and economic embargo, imposed on Cuba by the USA in 1962. All of this triggered off a process of mass migration of Cubans to Miami on handmade ships and boats.

If you want to feel the Cuban spirit in America, you can visit the Little Havana neighbourhood in Mami, take a walk along the 8th Avenue, watch Cubans playing their favourite Domino, pay respect to Maximo Gomez Monument, take a bite at one of the many Cuban restaurants there and even smoke a Cuban cigar, hand-rolled by the local Cuban emigrants.

 

The Little Havana has its typical American Alley of Glory on the 8th Avenue, where you will see the stars of the Cuban musicians and actors, who have become famous in Miami.

 

Here, of course, you can sunbathe on a real Caribbean coastline – the world-famous Miami Beach. There you can enjoy the warm ocean and the fine white sand almost all year round. This is the most expensive spot for accommodation in this part of America. And naturally, it is the Cuban emigrants’ favourite place, reminding them of their motherland.

Read more about Miami and the Cuban’s life there.