April 26: Havana
L,D
- Arrive to Havana by late morning and be met by tour staff.
- Check-in to the Hotel Gran Aston located in the heart of the Vedado neighborhood. Enjoy a light lunch.
- Visit the Habana Compás Dance studio for a show and discussion with instructors and students. Liliet Rivera, protege of the renowned List Alfonso Dance Company, established Habana Compás in 2004 to reclaim and preserve Cuba's dance heritage from Spain and Africa. In 2009 the masterful drummer Eduardo Córdova Díaz joined Liliet to lead the percussion group, and with this, Habana Compás' signature style was born. Habana Compás has developed into an institution within Cuba, running a free school for youth in the afternoons.
- Attend a late afternoon orientation with staff and fellow travelers.
- Havana welcome dinner at Grados, a private restaurant defender of the traditional Cuban cuisine and member of the slow food movement.
April 27: Havana
B,L,D
- Visit the Fidel Castro Center, dedicated to the Cuban revolutionary leader’s life.
- Architecture, urban planning and family economics. Presentation by Miquel Coyula, who will provide insight into housing, infrastructure, investment, and restoration programs in the city.
- Lunch at Al Carbon paladar, which specializes in traditional Cuban dishes cooked over charcoal.
- Explore the historic center and learn about the history and architectural importance of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. Venture to the side streets to witness Cuban life first-hand stopping at local bodegas, markets and the popular gathering places where Habaneros play dominos and discuss sports, transportation, jobs and other topics of their daily life.
- Dinner and Special Performance by Primera Linea, a youth band that fuses music from Cuba and New Orleans. Enjoy a delicious meal at private restaurant Atelier, equally known for its atmosphere and exquisite cuisine.
April 28: Havana
B,L
- Ministry with Ministry of Foreign Relations to discuss Cuba's foreign policy and U.S. - Cuba relations.
- Private performance by the Havana Lyceum Orchestra. Enjoy a spectacular performance by one of Cuba's top symphonies, in a remarkable 18th century seminary along the Old City's coastal line.
- Lunch at Doña Eutimia paladar. Famous for its ropa vieja and frozen mojitos, this cozy paladar's location in the beautiful cathedral square is unbeatable.
- Afternoon visit with Chiksoul, a female vocal musical group dedicated to "retro" music of disco, funk, soulm and new wave of the 70's and 80's. The group also mixes Cuban music, defending genres such as bolero, guaracha, and salsa. Discussion on race and gender issues in Cuban society followed by a performance. They will share info about their interesting musical journey and insight into the challenges and opportunities young Cubans face.
- Meeting with Liz Oliva Fernandez, a young Cuban journalist and film correspondent, to talk about journalism in Cuba and her efforts to make short films about the U.S. embargo on Cuba.
- Dinner this evening is on your own.
April 29: Trinidad
B,L,D
- Check-out and depart for Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its cobble stoned streets, pastel-colored homes and small-town feel.
- Enjoy lunch at Paladar San José, a private restaurant with a diverse menu.
- Check-in at bed and breakfasts, known as “casas particulares,” or “private homes.” Since the 1990s Cuban families have been permitted to rent rooms out of their family homes to foreigners. Featuring comfortable accommodations and ample privacy, it’s a great way to interact with everyday Cubans. (Rooms include private bathrooms)
- Walking tour of Trinidad with Nancy Benitez, a local architect, historian and restoration specialist. Ms. Benitez will provide an overview of the city’s history from an architectural, economic and infrastructural point of view. Along the way, take a behind-the-scenes art & entrepreneurship tour. Visit the homes and studios of independent local artists and entrepreneurs.
- Enjoy a home-cooked meal prepared by your hosts.
April 30: Trinidad
B,L,D
- Conversation with a local expert guide about Afro-Cuban culture and local identity. Discussion about Santeria and other customs of African origins and their influence on the formation of the Cuban culture and identity and particularly how they are present in the community of Trinidad through arts, architecture, music and dance.
- Depart for the famous Sugar Mill Valley, located in the outskirts of Trinidad, and visit the archeological site of San Isidro, where there was an extraordinary development of the Cuban sugar cane industry in the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Lunch at Finca Barbara, located in the Sugar Mill Valley.
- Enjoy free time in Trinidad this afternoon.
- Dinner and live music performance by a local band at Los Conspiradores paladar, located in a historic house at the foot of the main plaza.
May 1: Havana
B,L
- The Bay of Pigs Invasion: discussion with Peter Kornbluh, co-author of Bay of Pigs Declassified: The Secret CIA Report on the Invasion of Cuba (National Security Archive Documents).
- Check-out of accommodations and depart for Bay of Pigs, the place of the invasion in 1961. Located in the Ciénaga de Zapata, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
- Tour of Playa Giron and the Bay of Pigs Museum, which has an interesting collection of ephemera and memorabilia relating to the failed invasion.
- Enjoy a traditional Cuban lunch at Tiki Bahia de Cochinos.
- Arrive back in Havana in the late afternoon and check-in to the Gran Aston Hotel.
- Dinner this evening is on your own.
May 2: Havana
B,L,D
- Enjoy a perfomance by Datway Dance Group, a troupe of young Cubans which choreographies have a great mix of hip-hop, reggaeton and salsa.
- Spend the late morning and midday at Estudio 50, an industrial space that doubles as the home for contemporary art from a collaborative of Cuban artists.
- Enjoy a private music performance by The Ninfas, a female string quartet. Their repertoire is characterized by mixing Cuban classics with today's new trends.
- Entrepreneurship Panel. Get an overview of the Cuban private sector from the leading entrepreneurial minds in Cuba. Learn about the challenges and opportunities start-ups face.
- Oniel Diaz, economist, Managing Partner of Kreab Cuba and co-founder of AUGE, a private advisory group on business management.
- Liber Puente Baró, an entrepreneur who runs his own IT business "Tostonet," providing repairs and installation on hardware and software devices for everyday Cubans.
- Lauren Fajardo, a fashion designer turned entrepreneur who co-founded Havana's first lifestyle fashion brand called "Dador," which produces Cuban made products start to finish.
- Enjoy lunch catered by Paladar El Café.
- Havana Deep Dive. Choose your afternoon activity:
- Printmaking class with Cuban artist(s).
- AfroCuban percussion class with Cuban musicians.
- Tour of La Finca Vigía. Formerly the home of Ernest Hemingway, it still houses his expansive collection of books and his boat El Pilar.
- Tour of the Museum of Cuban Art accompanied by an art historian, who will provide an overview of Cuban art and artists over the last four centuries.
- Behind-the scenes visit to the studios and galleries of up-and-coming Cuban artists including: Figueroa-Vives studio, a private art gallery run by Cristina Figueroa, an art historian who helps run the family business out of her stylish, art-filled home in Havana. Ama, a trendy store started by two young women offering colorful designs and accessories from various local designers. Meet the owners and learn about their story and experiences as entrepreneurs.
- Enjoy a private performance by Los Mulatos, a popular latin jazz band of young musicians including the renown percussionist Jose Julian Morejon "JJ".
- Farewell Dinner at La Bodega, a private restaurant set in the patio of a restored colonial home. This paladar offers delicious plates of Cuban cuisine with special secret family recipes.
May 3: Havana
B
- Depart on flights home.
Trip Price
Per person double occupancy: $4,900
Single supplement: $420
Included
- Acommodations in Havana in a 4-star hotel and casas particulares in Trinidad.
- Daily breakfast. Lunches and dinners as listed on the itinerary.
- All local ground transportation including airport transportation for designated arrival/departure days.
- Admission to all museums and public buildings listed in itinerary.
- Pre-trip departure information.
- Cuba visa if departing from the US.
- Compliance with US Treasury Department regulations.
- Tips for meals included with the tour
Not Included
- Round-trip airfare to and from Havana is not included. (A recommended flight schedule from Miami/Havana/ Miami will be provided to registered travelers)
- Tips to guides, drivers and others.
- Airline baggage fees.
- Individual house/hotel expenses (mini bar, room service, laundry fees, etc.).
- Meals other than those listed on itinerary.
- Anything not specifically mentioned as included.