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Historic neighborhood · Tampa, Florida
Ybor City
Historic neighborhood founded in 1885 by cigar manufacturers, with brick buildings, iron balconies and the social clubs of Cuban, Spanish and Italian immigrants. 7th Avenue concentrates the activity, and a state museum tells the neighborhood’s story.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Ybor City
Ybor City was founded in 1885 by cigar manufacturer Vicente Martínez Ybor, who moved his factory from Key West to the outskirts of Tampa, and it was incorporated into the city two years later. Around the factories a neighborhood grew of Cuban, Spanish and Italian immigrants, with smaller communities of Germans, Romanian Jews and Chinese. For about 50 years, the factories rolled hundreds of millions of cigars per year, and Tampa earned the nickname Cigar City.
The neighborhood preserves factories, workers’ houses and brick buildings with iron balconies, as well as the social and mutual-aid clubs of each community, some still standing. It is a national historic district, and 7th Avenue, the main street, brings together shops, cafés and nightlife.
Ybor City Museum State Park occupies the former Ferlita bakery, from 1896, with the original ovens, and tells the story of the cigar industry and the Latin communities between the 1880s and 1930s. Next to the museum are the casitas, the workers’ houses, open for guided visits. In some shops cigars are still rolled by hand.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 2 hours to half a day.
Best time
By day, for the museum and the historic streets; at night, 7th Avenue becomes livelier.
How to get there
The historic TECO Line streetcar connects downtown Tampa and Channelside to Ybor City. By car, there are paid parking lots in the neighborhood.
Tip
Start at Ybor City Museum State Park to understand the neighborhood, then walk along 7th Avenue and the side streets.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Ybor City
What is Ybor City?
A historic neighborhood of Tampa founded in 1885 around cigar factories, with the heritage of Cuban, Spanish and Italian immigrants.
How do you get to Ybor City from downtown Tampa?
By the historic TECO Line streetcar, which connects downtown and Channelside to Ybor City.
What is there to see in Ybor City?
7th Avenue, the historic buildings and the immigrants’ clubs, and Ybor City Museum State Park in the former Ferlita bakery.