Plaza Vieja is the most beautifully restored square in Old Havana and a showcase for the remarkable architectural preservation work that has been gradually reclaiming the city’s crumbling colonial core. Originally laid out in 1559 as a residential square (as opposed to the military, religious, and administrative functions of Havana’s other plazas), it became a center of domestic life for the city’s wealthiest families, and the buildings surrounding it span four centuries of Cuban architectural evolution — from early Baroque mansions with stained-glass mediopuntos and carved balconies to art nouveau and art deco additions from the early 20th century. After decades of neglect, a meticulous restoration has returned the plaza to its former glory, with brightly painted facades in shades of cobalt blue, dusty rose, and golden ochre framing a central marble fountain.

Today, Plaza Vieja buzzes with a lively mix of culture and leisure. The Camera Oscura, housed in a tower on the square’s eastern side, uses a giant periscope to project a live, 360-degree moving image of Havana onto a concave screen — a fascinating low-tech spectacle. At street level, the Cerveceria La Factoria pours the only locally brewed draft beer in Havana from copper tanks visible through the window, while the Fototeca de Cuba exhibits work by leading Cuban photographers. Children splash in the fountain, elderly neighbors play dominoes on shaded benches, and the warm glow of the afternoon sun on the polychrome facades creates one of the most photogenic scenes in all of the Caribbean.

Pro tip: Grab a cold draft beer at the Factoria bar on the south side of the plaza and settle into a seat facing north — the late-afternoon light illuminating the colorful facades is spectacular. Then walk one block north to Plaza de la Catedral for sunset, when the golden stone of the Baroque cathedral glows against the deepening sky.