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38 maltatoday SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER 2017 Travel THE NATIVE Interview by Rachel Zammit Cutajar • Photos by Ines Bahr NEED TO KNOW How to get there There are no direct flights from Malta to Ha- vana, though all the ma- jor airlines offer flights from central Europe. Turkish Airline offer flights to Havana with a short layover in Istanbul. Best time to visit The best time to visit Cuba is from the end of the year, December, to the beginning of the rainy season that tends to start any time from April, May and into June. August, September and October are probably the worst times to go to Cuba due to potential hurricanes, especially close to beach resorts. Currency Major foreign currencies can be exchanged into the local currency – the peso convertible – to make purchases while you're there. Cuban currency is NOT traded internationally, so you can't buy it in advance. You buy it when you ar- rive in Cuba. Visas To be allowed into Cuba you must have a 30 day visa, a valid passport and a return ticket. BEST PLACE TO EAT DONA EUTIMA There are a lot of bad comments about the Cuban cuisine. Believe me, they are not true. Especially in Havana there are so many nice and affordable restaurants that it is hard to decide where to go. If you are on a budget, try a local cafete- ria; you will have the pleasure of eating home-cooked food on a dime and to really feel like a local. For a more elevated but authentic food experience I recommend Doña Eu- tima, close to the Plaza de Catedral in Havana's old town. Doña Eutima is the oldest private owned restaurant in the area and serves authentic Cuban dishes at a high standard. You can have the best black beans in Havana and try all the typical dishes like "Ropa Vieja". The atmosphere is cosy, all the waiters speak English and the mojitos are great too. You will have to make reservations. BEST SPOT FOR SIGHTSEEING HABANA VIEJA All parts of Havana have something to offer, if it is one of the main sites or just local life, it does not matter. Of course there are things you cannot miss out on, like old Havana, the cemetery or places like the Vedado and the streets of Centro Havana and Miramar. It is a city full of contrasts so make sure to visit more than one neighbourhood. However, the old town (Habana Vieja) is a must see, with all the colonial buildings and museums. What an experience it is to cross the bay and visit the Christo de La Habana, the second biggest Christ statue in Latin America. From there you have an amazing view on the city and I highly recommend to go there around sunset for a special experience. You can either take the ferry, a taxi or the bus to get there. Havana, Cuba Ines Bahr, (25), was born in Nuremberg, and lived in Havana for more than two years with her Cuban family. If you're visiting Havana, these are the places she recommends to hang out like a native and get to know the real Havana (not the tacky version of it).