Through the Windows of Finca Vigía: Hemingway’s World Unveiled

After lunch, we visited the nearby UNESCO-listed Finca Vigía, the estate of Ernest Hemingway. This was the place where he lived for nearly 20 years and wrote many of his masterpieces, including much of The Old Man and the Sea (1951).

Although visitors cannot enter the house, we could peer through the windows to see Hemingway’s world, frozen in time. The rooms remain exactly as he left them, offering an intimate glimpse into his daily life. On the living room table, bottles still stood as though awaiting the next gathering, and in the guest bedroom, newspapers were casually strewn across the bed where he often wrote. It felt almost as if the man himself might walk through the doorway at any moment.

Outside, we explored the grounds, including the swimming pool where friends and legends of the literary world once gathered, and the backyard where Hemingway’s beloved 38-foot fishing boat, The Pilar, still resides.

The visit brought a mix of emotions as we reflected on Hemingway’s turbulent life—marked by literary brilliance, his love of women and adventure, his fondness for mojitos and daiquiris, and the friendships that shaped him. Yet, there was also the shadow of his struggles in later years and the tragedy of his passing.

The experience concluded with a poignant reminder of his famous words:

"My mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquiri in El Floridita."