February

Gains

• ↑Only 71mm of rain spread across the month — outdoor sightseeing in Old Havana, the Malecón, and Plaza de la Revolución is reliably feasible.
• ↑Comfortable 26°C highs with cool 18°C evenings — the most pleasant temperatures of the year for walking the cobblestone streets of La Habana Vieja.
• ↑Classic car tours and paladares are fully operational; January is the heart of the tourist season and infrastructure is at its most attentive.

Sacrifices

• ↓High season demand means accommodation (casas particulares and hotels) books up fast — prices are 20–30% above the wet-season floor.
• ↓Popular plazas such as Plaza de la Catedral and Plaza Vieja are at their most crowded, especially on cruise-ship days.
• ↓No major festivals this month; cultural programming is quieter than December or July.

Gains

• ↑February is statistically Havana's driest month — only 46mm — making it the most reliable for outdoor photography and all-day sightseeing.
• ↑8 hours of sunshine per day and 27°C highs with low humidity (75%) — the single best weather month in the calendar.
• ↑The Havana International Jazz Festival (typically February) draws world-class musicians to venues across the city, including the Jazz Café and Teatro Mella.

Sacrifices

• ↓High season crowds persist from January — popular casas particulares and boutique hotels in Old Havana require advance booking.
• ↓Prices remain at moderate-season levels; the budget window of the wet season is still months away.
• ↓Internet access is limited to Nauta Wi-Fi hotspots and hotel lobbies; connectivity frustrations are a constant regardless of month.

Gains

• ↑28°C highs, 8.5 sunshine hours, 74% humidity, and only 46mm of rain — the best weather scores of any month combined with moderate crowds.
• ↑International tourists thin out after February half-term, meaning Old Havana's palaces, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, and El Floridita bar are all manageable.
• ↑Prices drop to affordable from the high-season peak — casas particulares in Vedado and Centro offer genuinely good value at this time of year.

Sacrifices

• ↓No headline festivals; March sits between the Jazz Festival and Carnaval, so cultural programming is relatively low-key.
• ↓Temperatures are climbing — 28°C is pleasant now, but by midday sightseeing in full sun requires pacing.
• ↓Power outages (apagones) remain a reality in Havana year-round; March is no exception — carry a power bank.

Gains

• ↑29°C and 8.5 sunshine hours with only 57mm of rain — still firmly in the dry season and reliably suitable for all outdoor activities.
• ↑Moderate crowd levels mean popular sites like the Capitolio Nacional and Castillo de la Real Fuerza are accessible without the January crush.
• ↑Affordable prices across casas particulares and paladares as the peak tourist season eases off.

Sacrifices

• ↓Humidity is beginning to climb (76%) and temperatures are ticking toward the summer heat — midday is starting to feel sticky.
• ↓The rainy season is approaching; May's 119mm is only a month away, and late April can see the first significant showers.
• ↓Few major events this month; atmosphere is pleasant but culturally quieter than July or December.

Gains

• ↑Prices drop sharply as the wet season begins — casas particulares and mid-range hotels available at their lowest rates of the year.
• ↑Low tourist volumes mean Havana's streets, bars, and music venues feel far more local; the contrast with January is striking.
• ↑119mm of rain sounds significant, but showers are typically short and sharp — mornings and evenings are often completely clear.

Sacrifices

• ↓Humidity jumps to 82% and the heat rises to 30°C — the combination makes outdoor activity exhausting without shade and water.
• ↓Afternoon downpours can disrupt classic-car tours, walking itineraries, and outdoor dining.
• ↓No major events; May is one of Havana's quieter cultural months.

Gains

• ↑Carnaval de La Habana (late July–early August) is Cuba's most spectacular street festival: elaborate costumes, live conga bands, and the entire Malecón transformed into a parade route for weeks.
• ↑July has the most sunshine hours of any month (9.0) despite being in the middle of the wet season — mornings and evenings are often brilliant.
• ↑Affordable prices versus the dry season and a city buzzing with Carnaval energy is a combination that few other destinations in the Caribbean can match.

Sacrifices

• ↓125mm of rain and 83% humidity means rain gear and flexible scheduling are non-negotiable.
• ↓Carnaval crowds are Cuban-heavy and genuine — but accommodation in central Havana books up earlier than you'd expect for July.
• ↓32°C highs with high humidity make midday sightseeing genuinely uncomfortable; plan the temples and museums for early morning.

Gains

• ↑A dramatic improvement on September and October: 79mm vs 173mm, and the hurricane season winds down — the city re-opens and tourist services normalise.
• ↑27°C and 21°C evenings make this the most comfortable month for walking Old Havana's cobblestones and sitting on the Malecón at dusk.
• ↑Moderate crowd levels and moderate prices — the sweet spot between the budget chaos of the wet season and the premium rates of December and January.

Sacrifices

• ↓82% humidity and 79mm of rain still means occasional downpours — the dry season is re-establishing, not fully established.
• ↓The Festival Internacional de Jazz de La Habana (usually December–January) hasn't started yet; cultural programming in November is quieter.
• ↓Tourist infrastructure is recovering from the low season — some casas particulares and paladares that closed in October are still reopening.

Gains

• ↑The Festival Internacional de Jazz de La Habana (mid-December) brings Cuba's and Latin America's finest jazz musicians to venues citywide — a genuine world-class event.
• ↑26°C, 79% humidity, and only 58mm of rain — the dry season is in full effect and evening temperatures are the most pleasant of the year.
• ↑Christmas in Havana has a unique character: the city is decorated, paladares put on special menus, and the Malecón fills with families and music on Christmas Eve.

Sacrifices

• ↓Premium high-season pricing: December is the most expensive month in Havana, with casas particulares and hotels commanding their highest rates.
• ↓High tourist volumes returning from January levels — the Old Havana plazas and popular paladares are fully booked without advance planning.
• ↓The combination of the Jazz Festival and Christmas/New Year demand means flights from the US and Europe fill early and cost significantly more.