Did you know that the Cuban capital experienced a glamorous era linked to the Mafia and organized crime? On this casino and Mafia tour, we'll discover Havana in the golden years.
Havana Gangster Tour
At the appointed time, we'll meet at Central Park to follow in the footsteps of the Havana Mafia. Ready to begin a tour of the city's golden age in the early 20th century?
We'll start this driving tour of Havana by heading to the Hotel Sevilla, a Mudejar-style lodging inaugurated in 1908. In 1930, it became the property of Amletto Battisti and Santo Trafficante Jr, who built one of the most famous casinos in Havana. Did you know that Al Capone himself was there?
Next, we'll tour Havana's coastline while learning about the Sun City project, a mafia plan to turn the Cuban capital into a city of casinos similar to Las Vegas. We'll also pass by the Deauville Hotel, which has a twin building in Miami. From here, we'll move on to see the Riviera Hotel from the outside, which was chosen by the American gangster Meyer Lansky to establish his command in Havana.
Following the coastline, we'll enter the Miramar neighborhood until we reach the Tropicana Cabaret. Various gangsters, politicians, and Hollywood artists used to go here to play, drink, and close business deals. After delving into its past, we'll go to the heart of the Vedado neighborhood to learn about the history of the Capri Hotel, which was built with mafia money in the 1950s. This hotel was owned by another mafia protagonist, Santo Trafficante.
Finally, we'll conclude this 2-hour tour at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, which was inaugurated in 1930 and in 1946 hosted the great meeting of the mafia. On that date, the hotel closed its doors to celebrate a Frank Sinatra concert and to host the most famous families of the American Mafia. Among those present were Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky and Frank Costello. The casino that housed this hotel, which was one of the most renowned and lucrative in all of Cuba, was converted into the Cabaret Parisien, which was inaugurated by the famous American singer and actress Eartha Kitt.
Finally, we'll enjoy live music at the Hotel's Garden Bar, with a drink included.
