In a seafront city like Havana, sunset is the first gift prior to nightfall. Either from its Malecon, that long coastal jetty that holds up the sea on the northern shoreline, or from any building where the skyline seems to be close at hand, the spectacle comes as a blessing for staying up late.

As the moon slowly roams the sky, the Cuban capital opens up to places where you can spend the night away.

Music, shows and dancing are the main courses in a nation that proudly presents an array of quality offers. Nightspots vary and rhythm is what really tells its residents apart. There are places galore to enjoy the good Cuban music, from timba, rumba and feeling to bolero and troubadours. Foreign beats also feature Latin jazz, salsa, rap, hip-hop, rock or classical music.

Yet there're some special sites that time and tradition have turned into must-sees.

Its majesty, Tropicana The king of Cuban cabarets is no other than Tropicana, the world-class nightclub that pays tribute to its name of being A Paradise Under The Stars. With over six decades under its belt since its grand opening in 1939, its stages have been praised by such top acts as Nat King Cole, Josephine Baker, Los Chavales de España, Carmen Miranda and Pedro Vargas. That was a time when Tropicana was world's best-known cabaret. According to researcher Leonardo Acosta, the nightclub also housed Havana's Jazz Center back in the 1950s.

In the same breath, its jam sessions were star-studded with some of the premiere Cuban maestros. From the turf, some of the top performers and entertainers who have climbed onstage through the years include Bola de Nieve, Rita Montaner, Elena Burke, Omara Portuondo, Los Papines, the larger-than-life dancing couple of Ana Gloria and Rolando, Celeste Mendoza, Celina and Reutilio, Rosita Fornes, Celia Cruz and the unforgettable Fire Brown Girls.

But this is all history. Today, Tropicana has even spun off similar cabarets in Matanzas and Santiago de Cuba. The nightclub's dance company has made presentations in other countries around the globe and the show –as good as ever- features some great solo singers and a new concept that keeps the original idea that made it famous up and running. Veronica Castro, Alejandra Guzman, Norma Duval, Moncho and Mocedades have been some of the latest performers.

Under the leadership of art director Santiago Alfonso, Tropicana: You're The Glory, is now coming on every night. Alfonso's show fits harmonically in an architectonical setting that provides a perfect natural backdrop of leafy tropical vegetation. Owned by Cuban hotel group Gran Caribe, the Tropicana Cabaret continues to steal the limelight as the undisputed king of Cuban nights.

Linea del Ferrocarril y 72 e/ 41 y 45, Marianao, Havana. phone: 267 1717.

The tradition goes on Also owned by Gran Caribe, the Parisian Cabaret lodged in the legendary National Hotel is also one of the great nightly offers. Back in the 1950s when the then 20-year-old National Hotel (it had been opened in 1930) seemed to be downplayed by the high-tech skyscrapers of the surroundings, its ballroom was turned into a casino where patrons could gamble the night away and watch a show. That was the beginning of the Parisian Cabaret, no doubt one of the great nightspots for having fun in Havana. Its red-hued hall can seat up to 280 people.

Everyday, guests and visitors alike can revel in the talented presentation of over a hundred professional hoofers. The nightclub is currently presenting a spectacle entitled Cuban Heat, featuring a grand tour around such civilizations as the Mayans, the Aztecs and the Incas, let alone a representation of Cuba's aboriginal lifestyle. The whole thing is sprinkled with Spanish details and a touch of the African tar brush.

Such musical genres as cha-cha-cha, danzon, rumba, salsa and conga round up a show presented by Cuban choreographer Rafael Hernandez. As soon as a big band strikes up, the second part of the show kicks off. Great food and liquors.

National Hotel, Calle O y 21, Vedado, Havana. phone: 873 3564.

Next to the Sea Coupled with the aforesaid cabarets, the Copa Room at the Havana Riviera Hotel completes a trilogy of classical Havana nightspots. Tomas Morales, a top choreographer who worked at the Tropicana for a number of years, presents A Lo Riviera, a recreation of almost all Cuban musical genres. Thumbs up for the addition of a hoedown scene with a little bit of hick music.

A group of talented dancers backs up soloists onstage. The costume design is in the hands of Abraham, an imaginative fashion designer who meets the expectations of this kind of artistic presentation. The show also features skaters and circus artists.

The Copa Room guarantees a fireworks closing with the presentation of top-notch acts. Its half-lit stage has witnessed the performance of Paulo FG y su Elite, Danny Lozada y su Timba Cubana, David Calzado's Charanga Habanera, Issac Delgado y His Orchestra, los Van Van, Adalberto y Su Son, and many other stars that make the ballroom shiver and guests shake a leg… or two. Great food and a varied assortment of drinks and cocktails will be waiting just for you.

Havana Riviera Hotel. Calles Paseo y Malecon, Vedado, Havana. phone: 33 4051.

Almost Touching the Sky The Turquino Cabaret at the Havana Libre Tryp Hotel, despite not having a traditional show, does have live music with top-rated bands onstage and a small-size dance company in tow. This is a place to find other charms. Unlike the Tropicana that rests under the stars, at the Turquino you can almost reach out and touch the sky. The nightspot features a spectacular bird's-eye view of Havana at night, undoubtedly one of the most breathtaking glimpses of the Cuban capital. From a height of 25 stories and through its huge glass windows, guests can look out at either the Vedado area or Old Havana. The sea, the bay, the streets, the life that goes on way below like a soundless movie. There's a ritual that takes place every night: the roof slides open and the stars shine down on the dance floor.

Different orchestras and bands play here every night. There's plenty of dancing room for everyone. Patrons can also listen to playback music, especially Cuban and Latin rhythms. Food and drinks are varied and good-tasting. Cigar smokers have a delightful humidor close at hand teeming with top-brand stogies from Montecristo, Partagas, H. Upmann, Vegas Robainas and Cuaba. All this will be waiting just for you at Havana's tallest and more downtown cabaret.

Havana Libre Tryp Hotel. Calle L e/ 23 y 25, Vedado, Havana. phone: 55 4011.

A place with an Elf The Havana Café is a nightspot with an off-the-wall decoration. Lodged on one of the corners of majestic and state-of-the-art Meliá Cohiba Hotel, the place provides a perfect atmosphere to stay up there until the wee hours of the morning.

A Yak-37 plane tethered to the ceiling in the middle of the ballroom, a couple of '50-vintage cars –a '57 Chevrolet and a '56 Buick- a Harley Davidson hog bike, historic pictures on the walls alongside record labels, a gas pump and a Hemingway cutout figure fixing his lovely Daiquiri are some of the attractions waiting for those determined to spend the night here. The whole room is a warehouse of objects, a tour around time from the 1950s all the way to date.

The show is excellent, backed up by live Cuban music, circus performers and entertainers. The dance company takes advantage of the space and decoration with great artistic sense and imagination.

Cuban bands make often presentations there and the main course is no doubt Isaac Delgado's performance. Whenever he's in Cuba, this Cuban musician known as El Chevere de la Salsa always shows up at the Havana Café for a nightly concert.

The restaurant is another stronghold. The Havana Café pork chops, the Milanese beef scallops, the seafood and shellfish, the desserts and the cocktails make you feel like a sinner –in the good sense of the word- who's really sitting on top of the world.

If you're the kind of person who likes taking keepsakes and souvenirs back home, a small store offers CDs, fancy jewelry and other gifts. Besides, we suggest you to take a look around the walls and see pictures of the rich and famous. The place has been visited by such stars as Naomi Campbell, Leonardo Di Caprio, Bibi Anderson, and major political and sport personalities. The place is run by the prestigious Spanish hotel chain Sol Meliá and Cuba-based Cubanacan Group.

However, the great thing about this place is its location in the heart of Havana, unlike other nightspots around the globe that has been named after it.

Havana Café. Paseo e/ 1ra y 3ra, Vedado. phone: 33 3636

Top of the Line Among the recently opened sites to make Havana's nightlife even better, the Macumba Havana is one worth mentioning. Located in La Giraldilla, an old-timed mansion in the outskirts of the city, this restaurant and recreational center has everything it takes to meet your preference. Equipped with cutting-edge light and sound technology, the ballroom presents a dance floor, karaoke contests and lively animation.

There was a time when the Macumba Havana staged shows directed by late Roberto Blanco, a well-known Cuban man of the performing arts who shone brighter than anyone else. Good taste is really the name of the game in this nightclub, let alone a top-of-the-line service.

There you'll watch great concerts by top orchestras and bands, and a chance to catch up with the latest CD releases.

Macumba Havana. Calle 22 e/ 222 y 37, La Lisa. phone: 33 0568.

There's More There are other places around Havana to have a ball. Maybe their shows and presentations are not as glamorous as the top choices above, but they truly give you the very best of national and international music. The Jazz Café, La Zorra y El Cuervo, Delirio Habanero Café Cantante Mi Habana, Humor Club Cocodrilo, El Gato Tuerto, El Pico Blanco... and a whole lot more waiting for the traveling bohemians.