Walk Little Havana With Didi, the Queen of Its Mural Scene
Some people give you directions in Little Havana. Didi gives you the neighborhood itself. She has spent more than a decade painting its walls, curating its mural spaces, and cheering on the artists around her, and now she is sharing all of it in a walking tour that might be the best $30 you can spend in Miami. I have followed her work for a while, finally got to spend time with her in person, and I left convinced that this is the way to experience Calle Ocho.
Meet Didi, the Queen of Little Havana's Art Scene
Didi is a Peruvian-born visual artist who has called Little Havana her canvas for over ten years. Her style is unmistakable: realism woven into street art, big joyful color, and themes of femininity and strength that show up in murals all over the neighborhood (her work has been featured internationally, too). She does not just paint here. She helps curate the mural walls and collaborates constantly with other local artists, which is why one Airbnb guest put it perfectly: "Didi is truly the Queen of Little Havana."
The Tour: An Airbnb Original on Calle Ocho
Her guided walk, Meet Didi: the Queen of Little Havana Art Scene, is an Airbnb Original experience with a perfect 5.0 rating. Here is how it goes:
- Coffee on Calle Ocho. You meet at Futurama, the art building at the heart of the neighborhood, and start with a cafecito like a proper local.
- The Calle 8 Walls. You stroll the murals with the person who helped curate many of them, getting the stories, the styles, and the cultural meaning behind each wall (and all the photo ops you could want).
- Inside her studio. A behind-the-scenes look at where the work actually happens, surrounded by canvases in progress.
- A live painting demo. She picks up the brush and you watch a mural artist work in real time. If you leave without the itch to make something, check your pulse.
This is a light, beginner-friendly walk, so bring your abuela and your teenager. And in true Miami fashion, the tour has a way of turning into a whole day: guests talk about staying on to eat Cuban food, browse galleries, buy art, and listen to live music long after the official walk ends.
The Studio Is the Part You Will Not Stop Talking About
Plenty of mural tours show you walls. This one takes you up a staircase (itself covered in art, naturally) into a working artist's studio. When I visited, every surface was alive: portrait canvases along the walls, a floor painted in giant flowers, prints stacked in every corner. Several guests have gone home with an original piece or a print, which beats every airport souvenir I have ever seen.
The Details
- What: Meet Didi: the Queen of Little Havana Art Scene, an Airbnb Original
- Where: Meets at Futurama on Calle Ocho, Little Havana, Miami
- Cost: From $30 per person
- Good to know: Light walking, beginner friendly, rated 5.0 by guests, and you can cancel up to one day ahead for a full refund
"Didi's tour of Little Havana and the art scene was so much more than we ever expected... we became immersed in a beautiful community of people." (Airbnb guest review)
One More Thing
Didi is also one of the locals featured in a series I have been working on for Instagram, all about things to do in South Florida that are not eating or drinking (yes, they exist, and they are wonderful). Keep an eye on @coralgableslove, because her episode is coming soon and her energy on camera is exactly what you would expect from the photos above.
Until then, do the thing I always tell you to do with visiting friends and family: skip the third restaurant reservation and go walk the walls with Didi instead. Book the tour here →