NOVEMBER 9 - HAVANA
L,D
- Arrive in Havana by late morning and be met by tour staff.
- Check in at your 4-star accommodations overlooking the straits of Florida. The hotel boasts a great location along the coast in the center of the Vedado neighborhood. Enjoy a light lunch upon arrival.
- Later attend an orientation meeting with fellow travelers and tour staff.
- Dinner at Grados, a private restaurant defender of the traditional Cuban cuisine and member of the slow food movement. Each dish has a history which is thoughtfully laid out by chef Raulito Bazuk.
NOVEMBER 10 - HAVANA
B,L,D
- Breakfast will be served each morning at your hotel.
- Architecture, urban-planning and family economics. Presentation by urban planner Miguel Coyula, who will provide insight into housing, infrastructure, investment, and restoration programs in the city.
- Lunch at Cha Cha Cha, set in a remodeled old house on high struts.
- Explore Havana’s beautiful old city and interact with families and private vendors, even entering family homes and side streets to get an underground look at socio-economic issues and daily Cuba life. Visit Old Havana’s beautiful plazas and parks.
- Enjoy a dance performance by Datway Dance Group, a troupe of young Cubans which choreographies have a great mix of hip-hop, reggaeton and salsa.
- Dinner at Atelier, equally known for its atmosphere and exquisite cuisine. The lighting and textures of the house, which was home to a pre-revolutionary senator, coupled with walls adorned in modern art, create a cozy but modern setting. Enjoy a music performance by the Ninfas, a female String Quartet of an incredible talent. Their repertoire is characterized by its genre diversity mixing the world's and Cuban classics with today's new trends.
NOVEMBER 11 - HAVANA
B,L
- Discussion about the state of the Cuban economy and private sector with Oscar Fernandez Estrada, economist, former professor at the University of Havana, owner and head of Deshidratados Habana, a private business that focuses on health food produced in an environmentally friendly way.
- Getting Creative: Link up with young Cuban creatives for some hands-on fun at Estudio 50, an industrial space that doubles as the home for contemporary art from a collaborative of Cuban artists.
- Option 1: Printmaking class
- Option 2: Traditional Cuban dance lesson
- Enjoy a light lunch at Estudio 50.
- Private performance by Chicksoul, a female vocal musical group dedicated to "Retro" music of disco, funk, soul, and new wave of the 70's and 80's. The group also mixes Cuban music, defending genres such as bolero, guaracha, and salsa.
- Explore the grounds of the historic Hotel Nacional, the home of many important dignitaries during their visits to Cuba and the site of annual Mafia meetings throughout the 1950s. The beautiful grounds are unbeatable and take you back in time.
- Dinner this evening is on your own.
NOVEMBER 12 - VIÑALES
B,L,D
- Depart for Viñales. Considered by many to be the most beautiful place in Cuba, the Viñales Valley National Monument holds stunning landscapes. The area is also famous for being the premier tobacco growing area in the world.
- Stop at the lookout at Hotel Los Jasmines offering a panoramic view of the beautiful valley and the unique karst landscape that surround it.
- Farm-to-table. Visit to a private farm in the valley owned by the large family of Concha and Paco Hernandez. The descendants of Concha and Paco have farmed the same plot of land for many generations and their land is involved in the production of a multitude of fruits, vegetables, grain and tobacco. Members of the family will give us a tour of this beautiful 40-acre farm before bringing us back to the farmhouse. Enjoy lunch at the farm.
- 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.
- Farm-to-table. Sunset dinner at El Cuajaní. a restaurant set in a rural home in a stunning landscape.
NOVEMBER 13 - VIÑALES
B,L
- Travel by horse and buggy to the tobacco fields where we will take a guided walk and learn about the Valley’s most important crop, and other flora and fauna of the area.
- Enjoy a light lunch (sandwiches and fruit) and choose a creative activity:
- Option 1: Write a song with a local group of musicians
- Option 2: Salsa-dancing lessons.
- Depart for Havana
- Enjoy a musical performance by Primera Linea, a youth band that fuses music from Cuba and New Orleans.
- Check-in a your hotel and enjoy dinner at leisure.
NOVEMBER 14 - HAVANA
B,L
- Discussion and Q & A about US-Cuba relations with Peter Kornbluh and former Cuban diplomat Carlos Alzugaray.
- Visit to the Museum of Cuban Art. We will be accompanied by an art historian, who will provide an overview of Cuban art and artists over the last four centuries.
- Enjoy a lunch at Al Carbon paladar, located just steps from the famous Paseo del Prado and Capitol building, it specializes in traditional Cuban dishes cooked over charcoal.
- Visit the Malpaso Dance Company for a jaw-dropping display of Cuban culture in all its profound and complex glory.
- Dinner this evening is on your own.
NOVEMBER 15 - HAVANA
B,L,D
- Panel Discussion with Cuban Entrepreneurs. Get an overview of the private sector from the leading entrepreneurial minds in Cuba.
- Depart for La Finca Vigía. Formerly the home of Ernest Hemingway, it still houses his expansive collection of books and his boat El Pilar.
- Enjoy an Italian lunch.
- Behind-the-Scenes Art Tour in classic cars from the 1950’s.
- Visit with a family of artists, at AltaMira art loft. A few years ago, Edel Bordón and his family embarked on a journey to establish an art collective in their apartment building. Spearheaded by his wife Yamilé Pardo, the family created the AltaMira art space, which features an exhibition and workspace off of the main lobby and collaborations with neighbors.
- Farewell Dinner at La Bodega, a private restaurant set in the patio of a restored colonial house with an exquisite style and design. This paladar offers delicious plates of Cuban cuisine with special secret family recipes.
NOVEMBER 16 - RETURN HOME
B
- Depart for flights home.
Trip Price
Per person double occupancy: $4,990
Single supplement: $420
Included
- Six nights in 4-star accommodations in Havana and one night in a casa particular in Viñales.
- Daily breakfast. Lunches and dinners as listed on the itinerary
- All local ground transportation
- Admission to all museums and public buildings listed in itinerary
- Coordination of all listed activities and speaker fees
- Pre-trip departure information
- Cuba visa
- Compliance with US Treasury Department regulations
- Tips for meals included with the tour
Not Included
- Round trip airfare to/from Havana, Cuba
- 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
Round-trip airfare to and from Havana is not included. A recommended flight schedule from Miami/Havana/Miami will be provided to registered travelers. Travelers on the recommended flights will be met and transferred upon arrival.