For information on formal galleries, contact the Fondo Cubano de Bienes Culturales (Av. 47 #4702, esq. 38, Rpto. Kohly, tel. 07/204-8005, fcbc [at] cubarte [dot] cult [dot] cu).

Marisel González Milian (tel. 07/832-9032) is a knowledgeable source for meeting local artists and purchasing their works.

Habana Vieja

The largest market is the Centro Cultural Almacenes de San José (Avenida Desamparados at San Ignacio, tel. 07/864-7793, daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m.), a.k.a. as Feria de la Artesanía, selling everything from little ceramic figurines, miniature bongo drums, and papier-mâché 1950s autos to banana-leaf hats, crocheted bikinis, straw hats, and paintings. In late 2009 it moved from Calle Tacón to a restored waterfront warehouse in southern Habana Vieja.It has an Agencia San Cristóbal

Getting There

(tel. 07/864-7784) travel agency, Etecsa office with Internet, plus cafés and restaurants.

On the waterfront side of the Alameda, just south of the church, is the Feria de la Artesanía, the city’s main artisans’ market, formerly located in Calle Tacón.

Habana Vieja contains dozens of galleries, many selling naive works by the artists themselves; these galleries, called expo-ventas (commercial galleries representing freelance artists), concentrate along Calle Obispo. The Asociación Cubana de Artesana Artistas (Obispo #411, tel. 07/860-8577, Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.) represents various artists.

The Fondo Cubano de Bienes Culturales (Muralla #107, Habana Vieja, tel. 07/862-2633, galeriahab [at] cubarte [dot] cult [dot] cu, Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–2 p.m.), in Plaza Vieja, sells quality work in its Génesis Galerías. The best works are upstairs.

Nearby, experimental art is for sale at the Centro de Desarrollo de las Artes Visuales (Casa de las Hermanas Cárdenas, Plaza Vieja, tel. 07/862-2611, Tues.–Sat. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.).

One of the best galleries is Galería La Acacia (San José #114, e/ Industria y Consulado, tel. 07/863-9364, Mon.–Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m.), selling artwork of international standard by many of Cuba’s leading artists.

Similar pieces can be found at Galería Victor Manuel (San Ignacio #46, e/ Callejón del Chorro y Empedrado, tel. 07/861-2955, daily 10 a.m.–9 p.m.), on the west side of Plaza de la Catedral.

Around the corner is the Taller Experimental de la Gráfica (Callejón del Chorro, tel. 07/867-7622, tgrafica [at] cubarte [dot] cult [dot] cu, Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m.–4 p.m.), which has exclusive lithographic prints for sale.

You can buy handmade Spanish fans (abanicos) for CUC2–150 at the Casa del Abanicos (Obrapía #107, e/ Mercaderes y Oficios, tel. 07/863-4452, Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–7 p.m. and Sun. 10 a.m.–1 p.m.).

The Tienda El Soldadito de Plano (Muralla #164, tel. 07/866-0232, Mon.–Fri. 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat. 9 a.m.–1:30 p.m.) sells miniature lead (!) soldiers, including a 22-piece Wars of Independence collection, for CUC5.45 apiece.

The Tienda Muñecos de Leyendas (Mercaderes, e/ O’Reilly y Empedrado, Tues.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.–1 p.m.) sells dolls of duendes (goblins).

Vedado and Plaza de la Revolución

Vedado has an artisans’ market on La Rampa (e/ M y N, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.).

The Casa de las Américas (Av. de los Presidentes, esq. 3ra, tel. 07/55-2706, www.casa.cult.cu, Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–4:45 p.m.) hosts exhibitions with works for sale.

The small gallery in the lobby of the Hotel Nacional (Calle O y 21) and the Hotel Meliá Cohiba’s Galería Cohiba (Paseo, e/ 1ra y 3ra) also sell quality artwork.