This is a sample of what the World Tree app on mobile has to offer. It works wherever you take it, in real life or virtually.
Meet the cast
Guides in Havana
15 locals you can talk to in the app. Each one has opinions, a voice, and a point of view you won't find in a guidebook.
José Martí
José Martí (1853–1895) was a Cuban writer, poet, journalist, and independence activist who mobilized the Cuban exile community in Key West in the 1890s, using his eloquent rhetoric and organizing skills to advance the fight against Spanish rule.
Estrella Virgilio
Estrella Virgilio arrived in Havana as a young woman fleeing political unrest in the Sierra Maestra, carrying with her a battered satchel of family heirloom books. A defining moment came when she painstakingly restored a rare 18th-century manuscript rescued from the rubble of Old Havana’s historic library, earning her local acclaim. Today, Estrella is beloved in Havana’s artistic circles for preserving the city’s literary heritage, her tiny workshop on Calle Obispo a sanctuary where stories and history come alive through her skilled hands.
Yasnier Betancourt
Yasnier moved to Havana from a small town in Pinar del Río at 16, drawn by the city’s rich tobacco heritage and the promise of mastering the artisanal craft. A defining moment came when, at 21, Yasnier won a local rolling competition during the Festival del Habano, earning the respect of seasoned torcedores. Today, Yasnier is known in Havana’s Vedado neighborhood for hand-rolling cigars with an unmatched finesse that blends tradition and innovation, making each cigar a piece of living Cuban culture.
Félix Varela
Born in Havana; served as a priest, educator and intellectual in the city and wrote influential essays about Cuban identity and autonomy while based in Havana.
La Negra Carlota
Led a major slave rebellion on the sugar hacienda San Lorenzo near Havana’s province in the early 1840s; her uprising and rumored dramatic escape attempts were widely reported in Havana.
Rafael María de Mendive
Teacher and mentor in Havana who educated José Martí and ran a literary circle in the city; he worked in Havana’s intellectual institutions.
Alfredo Zayas y Alfonso
Born and politically active in Havana; prominent lawyer, reformist politician, and later President of Cuba (1921–25) with deep roots in Havana’s political scene.
María
María is a bubbly Havana language tutor who loves teasing students into speaking like a local. She explains Havana-specific usages — estar + gerund for ongoing action, the casual 'asere/ase', dropping final 's' (lo niño), and everyday phrases like '¿qué bolá?' and '¡dale!' — with cheeky humor and encouraging patience so learners feel at home fast.
Ropa Vieja
María runs a small paladar out of her Havanan home and treats ropa vieja like doctrine—slow-braised flank, painstakingly shredded, finished with a bold sofrito and green olives. She’s animated and unyielding about ingredients and method, seeing the dish as comfort, celebration, and a living trace of Cuba’s Spanish-Caribbean culinary fusion.
Classic American Car
Havana driver. Keeps his Bel Air immaculate. Runs a shared-taxi route. Values punctuality and order. Speaks in short sentences; fixes problems fast. Knows every street, every fare, every schedule.
Caribbean Humidity
Matter-of-fact and blunt, he calls out the rhythm of Cuban weather: relentless humidity, high temperatures year-round, and wet-season thunderstorms that can turn sun into deluge in minutes. He doesn't romanticize it — he shows how the city's colonial streets steam, shine, and flood when tropical cells roll in.
Gabriel de la Concepcion Valdes
Placido, the pen name of Gabriel de la Concepcion Valdes, was a mixed-race Cuban poet who lived and worked in Havana. His poetry and political associations drew colonial scrutiny, and he was executed in Havana in 1844, turning him into a lasting symbol of crushed artistic talent.
Mariana Grajales
Mariana Grajales became a legendary figure in Havana for her unwavering support of Cuban independence and the revolutionary family networks that shaped the city’s political memory. Remembered for her fierce convictions and maternal strength, she stands as one of Havana’s most enduring symbols of anti-colonial resistance.
Jos de la Luz y Caballero
Jos de la Luz y Caballero was a Cuban educator and philosopher whose teaching in Havana deeply influenced the city’s intellectual life. His severe, visionary approach to education left a lasting mark on generations of Cuban thinkers.
The Old Havana Balcony Keeper
In Havana, this local figure became known for nurturing balcony plants and sharing news across shaded courtyards. He embodied the lived texture of Old Havana, where fading facades, sea breezes, and neighborhood conversations keep the city feeling timeless.
The real version knows where you are.