Ernest Hemingway donated his former home of two decades to "the people of Cuba" after moving away, and it remains largely undisturbed since the 1960s. Although one cannot technically come into the house, there are plenty of spots to peek in through the windows, as well as explore the premises containing a tiny cemetery of Hemingway's pet dogs and his fabled boat Pilar, docked in what once was a tennis court.

Freedom is woven into every brick of its architectural façade, and history resonates in every room and corridor. As the birthplace of American independence, Independence Hall witnessed the signing of both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Generations of visitors have stepped back in time to explore the Assembly Room, the Courtroom of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Long Gallery, the Governor’s Council Chamber, and the Committee of the Assembly Chamber. Many historical figures, including Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln, have walked these halls, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire.

The National Mall is the central strip of D.C., where most of the major sights are lined up. You can stroll past the Smithsonian museums — like the National Museum of American History — and pop into the National Gallery and its Sculpture Garden. Monuments and memorials are scattered along the way, from Lincoln and Roosevelt to the Vietnam and Korean War memorials.

Havana's waterfront boulevard – Malecón – is its most poetic stretch, a social hang out hub evocative of a welcoming Cuban living room (hence it being known to some as 'the world's longest sofa'). Waves crashing against Malecón's seawall can make quite the splash, at times virtually flooding parts of the boulevard, which hardly deters daily strollers from taking in its sublime sunset charm.