This 3-hour tour will take you to some of the oldest fortresses in Havana’s oldest neighborhood — Havana Vieja, or “Old Havana.” For many centuries the Spanish struggled to protect their city from pirate attacks, and built fortresses along the canal to prevent unwanted visitors from getting too close to the shore.

Built in the mid-16th century, Castillo de la Real Fuerza is the oldest fortress that you will see on the tour, and one of the oldest fortresses anywhere in the Americas. It is located on the west side of the canal.

Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro guards the entrance to the canal. This fortress was built between 1589 and 1630. Here you’ll learn about a pivotal confrontation between the Spanish and the British in 1762, when the British laid siege to the fortress and eventually captured it.

La Fortaleza of San Carlos de la Cabaña is on the east side of the canal. It was built in 1763, in response to the attack on Castillo de los Tres Reyes el Morro, to prevent a similar loss in the future. This is the largest colonial fortress in the Americas, and it covers 25 acres (10 ha).

Besides fortresses, you will also see the remains of Havana’s old city wall that were built to protect the city in the 17th century. The last remaining pieces of the wall border the Havana canal.