Galiano (officially Avenida de Italia) is Centro Habana's main commercial street — wide, lined with covered arcades, and full of the informal commercial activity that defines Cuban urban life. State shops, private stands, street vendors, and mechanics occupy the full width of the street at all hours. The pace and density here is intense even by Havana standards.
The street runs from the Malecón south through the heart of Centro Habana, connecting the seafront to the Parque Central and the border with Old Havana. Walking its full length gives a compressed overview of how commerce, transport, and daily life operate in Cuba's informal economy.