El Vedado... strange name: Its origin goes back into the time at which the zone of Havana, included between the Tower of San Lázaro and La Chorrera river, today Almendares, was a magnificent full forest with mahoganies, ácanas, oaks and cedars, that blocked the way to offensive of privateers and pirates.
For this reason, related to the defense of “La Villa de La Habana”, the colonial government declared the place like territory forbidden for the constructions. The forest could not be touched, and as the sites began to receive names, it was and still is called El Vedado (Private preserve)
For thousands eight hundred seventy, when the growth of the city demanded those lands, the old constructive prohibition did not have much sense and big wood houses of a clear New Orleans's style were built.
At the beginning of XX century the magnificent houses arose that accentuated the exclusive feature of the distribution with their suggestive name of El Vedado. Many people still think that the name referred the characteristics of a district where were built amazing and rich palaces in the beginnings of the Republic.
The first urbanized streets apparently was Calzada and Seventeen. The way to name the streets with numbers and letters seems to be an American influence.
The Vedado's mansions were covering mainly on the low zone close to the sea and had left without building the highest part full of caverns, where at the present time is located 23 street.

El Vedado is located on one long hill or one small plateau. From the Thirties and during the II World War, the aristocracy began to emigrate more to the west, to the left margin of the Almendares River, and new population nuclei formed thus fashionable. El Vedado came to less, but NOT for a long time because the Fifties it would become the most modern zone of the Cuban capital, where the highest buildings grew and the fabulous hotels were constructed. Then El Vedado already demanded its right of being the heart of Havana.
The cosmopolitan Vedado contrasts with the colonial atmosphere of old Havana, very beaten to the sea it receives from this all his light and magic and in him great villas from early XX century are mixed with the architecture of 50 decade and buildings of the revolutionary period.

The 23 street is the main artery of El Vedado and finishes in a zone that by its conception is denominated La Rampa that constitutes properly the down town of the city finishing exactly in the sea from where a wonderful view is enjoyed span all the Malecón to the Castillo del Morro.
The diversity of cultural centers, restaurants, tourism agencies and Hotels give an special atmosphere that catches to its inhabitants and visitors. Among another one of the attractions that are enjoyed in this part of El Vedado it is the old fashion to make interminable lines in the Heladería Coppelia, point of contact to old and new friends as opposed to the Yara cinema and to Habana Libre Hotel whose facade shows an interesting painting, made by prestigious Cuban painter Amelia Peláez. Another one of the great attractions of El Vedado constitutes the performances which are possible to enjoy in the Theatre Amadeo Roldan, the most important concert hall of Cuba and the almost habitual representations of the National Dance Company in the Mella Theatre, where also appear other companies and spectacles not less interesting and the National Theatre, a complex of rooms for any kind of representations. In addition to these cultural centers there are many other small theatres where will be possible as much to be enjoyed the last creations of the many theatre companies of Havana and other provinces as so as foreign companies that frequently visit the country.
El Vedado district, also has prestigious museums as Decorative Arts Museum, the Dance Museum, the Napoleonic Museum, as well as important galleries and cultural centers like “La Casa de las Américas”, “La Casa de la UNEAC”, the “University of Havana”, “Habana Gallery” and “La Casa de la cultura de Plaza” traditional seat yield every 2 years for the International Festival “Jazz-Plaza”.
there is an old-new interesting place at Vedado which day after day is attracting much more people. This was a park without too much atractive till the moment when John Lennon Sculpture arose near by the corner of 17 street and 6 street for remember this Britain musicians beloved and forbidden for long time in Cuba.
Although it would seem strange, the Colombus's Cemetery constitutes a sample of incalculable aesthetic, cultural and artistic value of Cuba, where through long avenues is possible to be enjoyed sculptures and monuments of great dimensions and mausoleums that demonstrate to the abilities of the local craftsmen and the good taste by the architecture of the city.
For the slightest entertainment many options exist, but it is worth to emphasize by his conception and atmosphere those that offer to the Jazz Café, La Zorra y el Cuervo, El Gato Tuerto, El Cocodrilo, El Café Cantante, El Havana Café, the Turquino Discotheque at Habana Libre Hotel, El Pico Blanco, the Night club Las Vegas, El Salón Rojo at Capri Hotel, La Casa de la Amistad and the pleasant stay in the terrace of the National Hotel, where in addition to a spectacular Malecon sight is possible to be enjoyed in the nights of pleasant interpretations of different alive typical Cuban bands, without speaking about of the night club" Parisien "with a conception in the style of "Tropicana" but something more economic and the concert hall of the " Buenavista Social Club" located in this same hotel.
The Restaurants, usually are also great an attractiveness in El Vedado between which it is worth the trouble to emphasize the "1830" among which outside and within the hotels they scatter by all the streets El Vedado distinguishes in addition by wide streets and Avenues where are located many of local and foreign offices, travel agencies, commercial agencies of aviation, some embassies and few crafts markets. Beside 23 street is Paseo street, at the end of which one is located the Plaza de la Revolución, the Avenue of the Presidents, the Linea street and of course El Malecón that has its beginning or end exactly where the Almendares River separates this interesting area of its neighbors Miramar; here El Malecón, the place more appreciated by the Havaniers for its long walks and strolls is visited daily by trovadors, flowers salesmen, fishermen, children who play and looking jineteros, couples of old or young people or friends who make a date, an appointment to enjoy near the sea how the sun is lost in the water after the horizon and take advantage from the event that happens to him, the progressive light dimming to enjoy moments of privacy and complicity; seated in the wall they give to the Capital the best thing of its hopes, dreams and the most important their friendly smile.