Quinta de los Molinos is a botanical garden and former presidential palace at the edge of El Cerro, built in the 1830s as a summer residence for the Spanish Captain-Generals. The grounds include a small museum dedicated to independence hero Máximo Gómez (who lived here) and gardens that are more pleasant than formally curated — a quiet green space within easy reach of the centre.
The Almendares River runs just to the west, and the whole area around Quinta de los Molinos has a slightly calmer, greener atmosphere than the dense urban blocks of El Cerro proper. Good for a morning walk if you are staying in Vedado or Centro Habana.