The cocktail barmen or ‘Cantineros' who worked the bars and clubs of 1950's Havana, Cuba, are legends. Their legacy extends to some of the most exciting cities in the world and Nice, capital of the Cote d'Azur, is no exception, with two clubs offering visitors and tourists a genuine taste of Havana. La Havane, which is dedicated to the Cuban capital and La Bodeguita del Havana, which has a more generic Latin feel. To get you in the mood, click on the video below and watch Fabio Delgado, a legend of past Havana, mix a genuine Cuban Manhattan.

Both the La Havane and La Bodeguita tap into the immense popularity of Cuban culture abroad. La Bodeguita is a giant Afro-Latino disco, well established in Nice and popular with locals who come for the dance buzz. It has also has a great restaurant, serving everything from tapas, French cuisine through to Asian dishes. La Bodeguita del Havana is in Rue Chauvin, close to the Old Town and if you want to eat and then dance to a variety of Latin beats, head on down there.

La Havane in Rue du France is all Havana. From the moment you walk in you are swept away by either Cuban music from a huge screen, or a live band, often with salsa dancers. The cocktails do the legendary cantineros proud. Whether it's a mojito or Hemmingway's favourite, the daiquiri, this is the place. There are even ‘off the menu' cocktails, individually mixed by the specialist barman. The food is good traditional Cuban fare, a mixture of fish, grilled meat and Creole specialties.

La Havane has a typical Havana club layout with a second floor balcony overlooking the dance floor. It does everything to make you feel you are in Cuba. William Knight, a producer on a planned feature film about a traditional Havana bar, has visited Cuba many times and thinks that La Havane in Nice has done well to recreate something of the genuine ambience of a Havana bar. "It's very difficult to get a Cuban bar right outside of Cuba - mainly because it's the Cubans and their joy of life that usually make the bars there work. But La Havane comes close, the music is good and you can get proper Mojitos"

There's nothing quite like a Cuban night out and it's good to know that Nice has at least two clubs where it's possible to get eat, drink and dance to a Latin beat. If you feel you need some preparation then both La Havane and La Bodguita offer Salsa lessons and if you need another type of 'preparation' here are the ingredients of a Cuban Manhattan, courtesy of Fabio Delgado and a Mojito, courtesy of fr2day.

Cuban Manhattan
45ml Anejo Havana Club Rum
15 ml Red Vermouth
3 Drops of Angostura
1 Cherry
Ice

Mojito
Three fresh mint sprigs
Two tablespoons of Sugar
1 Whole Lime
Chilled Soda Water
Ice
1 Shot of Anejo Blanco Sliver Dry Havana Club Rum

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