Day 1: Arrival in Havana, Airport Pick-up
Welcome to join our 14 days all-inclusive Cuba vacation package. At Havana Jose Marti International Airport, your English-speaking guide and driver will pick you up and send you to the hotel. For the rest of the day, explore around or have a rest if need be. Be ready to meet real Cuba! It is underdeveloped, yes, but underneath the appearance there is a wild soul that sings ode to passion and freedom, and you are sure to be moved as well. Whether you are a history buff, an enthusiast in Latin music and dance, an explorer of exotic cultures and hidden treasures, or a nature lover, this in-depth adventure with us gets you covered! Since you select this tour, which is the longest we offer, you must be driven by the interest to gain a profound learning of Cuba - we will try our best to make your wish come true. One of our trump cards are our cultural insights - you get to learn what a life Cuban people are really living now. Take the rationing system they are relying on, for example. Implemented six decades ago, the system is still there to offer low-priced basic stuffs via like food ingredients to locals. It’s hard to imagine that more than 70% of the population here are still fighting to reach beyond the poverty line - even an apple here, 1 USD for each, would be a luxury for common Cuban people. Moreover, water in bacteria-loving tropical climate also poses a big problem to public health, too, for the decaying water and sanitary infrastructure. Of course this is not saying that life here is as hopeless, as Ukrainians were during their great famine in 1932; with private businesses on the rise, Cuba has already been on its way to grow out of its current self. ● Join Our Guided Tours to Navigate Cuba without EffortsCuba’s transportation system is still on its way to reach modern efficiency - if oil prices are the same everywhere in the world, Cubans, who earn an average of 20 USD each month, would find it really difficult to support or even use it. As such, it poses a challenge for travelers to this country. You don’t want to count on public transport: you need to book tickets in advance online and get your paper tickets out from booths at bus stations; the situation gets worse if paper tickets are sold out. Rules are complicated, not to mention potential delays and cancels. How about taxies, then? Get prepared to jump in one without meter and improvise with your bargaining skills to prevent your driver from overcharging. All these would be overwhelming for first-timers visiting Cuba, and this is why the majority usually consider joining guided tours. All is to say that, you can rest assured with us! Your veteran driver and guide will ensure you an escorted worry-free journey! Accommodation: Hotel NH Capri La Habana (4 stars)
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Day 2: Havana City Tour: Old Havana & Vintage Car Experience
A Glimpse of Havana's Cityscape In the morning, you will be driven to UNESCO-listed Old Havana to have a walking tour. Take out a map and you will find Old Havana is right by the Havana Port, which made it the busy shipping center during the time of the Spanish rule. Along with the economic takeoff came the peak of architectural art, and to find the evidence we just need to check out the area’s four plazas, all dotted with or surrounded by colonial beautiful edifices, of Baroque, neoclassical, Art Nouveau or Art Deco style. At Plaza de Armas, the oldest square and also once the center of Old Havana, we will pass by the El Templete - a unique chapel for Doric columns seen in ancient Greek temples - and Palacio del Segundo Cabo, and enter Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (City Museum) to see what the former residence of Spanish governors looks like. Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, the nearest to the bay and thus functioning as the bridge to the inland, will offer us charming views of San Francisco de Asis Convent, the trading building of Lonja del Comercio, etc. Plaza Vieja (Old Square) is particularly famous for a feast of colonial buildings that surround it. Not far away sits Museo del Ron Havana Club, which sheds light on how Cuban rum has evolved and offers a tasting session. As we stroll Plaza de la Catedral, we get to admire the beauty of Havana Cathedral. Of course Old Havana is not all about buildings - the other essence is vigor: you will be greeted by buskers’ guitar picking and singing, as well as an energy oozed from bustling local life. For lunch, your guide might recommend you eat at Restaurante 5 Sentidos, which indeed should be your No.1 choice. This lovely small restaurant will surprise you start-to-finish, from amuse-bouche and mains to desserts. Don’t think twice about dining here, just as other visitors would say. A short walk through the ambient Empedrado alley will take us to the restaurant La Bodeguita del Medio (a glass of mojito is included), the haunt of Ernest Hemingway where he used to drink mojito. Out of it, we will pass through Obispo Boulevard and Central Park for exterior visits of Grand Theater of Havana & National Capitol of Cuba. Then a tour in Partagás Cigar Factory will tell you how the first-rate Cuban cigars are manufactured (available on weekdays). In the afternoon the guide will take you to tour around modern Havana via classic American vintage car. Actually, to name it “American car” is not that precise; it is just a reference to the fact that most of these cars were imported from the US before the trade embargo. Surprisingly, the first car in Cuba was produced by French, which dates back to 1898 and caused a national sensation. Fasting forward to the time of the revolution, there has been more than 143,000 cars on the streets, of which 70,000 have survived to this day. Now, jump on one of these time machines and travel back in time! Your car will run along Malecón to take you to see Morro Castle, visit the outside of University of Havana, and have a short photo stop outside Colón Cemetery and at Revolution Square. As you are now in an antique vehicle without safety belts - same for most vintage cars running in Cuba - and car roof, it’s your choice to let the driver keep the speed at a range you feel safe and comfortable. After the visit, go back to the hotel. Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: Hotel NH Capri La Habana (4 stars)
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Day 3: Drive to Viñales with a Visit to Fusterlandia
A full day’s fun awaits! After breakfast, we will first go to visit Fusterlandia neighborhood – a wonderland decorated with mosaic tiles in every color - in the fishing village of Jaimanitas. Then drive about 2.5 hours (107 mi) to Viñales Valley. While in Havana, you’ve learnt how cigars are hand-rolled in the factory, but today, in Viñales, you get to learn at a local tobacco farm about how tobacco leaves are cultivated, hand-picked, and cured before they’re ready to be rolled. This Caribbean area, offering optimum temperature, humidity and soil conditions, is just the perfect place to grow those plants; made with techniques that have matured to something of an art through centuries of practice, they are unrivalled! If you’d like to try a cigar, try it here; you should be aware that there might be street peddlers selling low-priced cigars that they claim are authentic, which is unexceptionally a scam, since the cigar industry is entirely controlled by the state. Later, we will have a farm-to-table Cuban-style lunch in the organic farm Finca Agro-ecological El Paraiso. After lunch, let’s find our way into Indian Cave and go on a boat trip through its underground karst landscape. We will then arrive before and appreciate Mural de la Prehistoria, which stretches over a hundred meters on a cliff. After the tour, transfer to the hotel for check-in. For dinner, we recommend you try lobsters - only half the price in Cuba’s capital - or other fresh seafood at Restaurante Bar Razones. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch Accommodation: Hotel E Central Vinales (3 stars)
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Day 4: Drive Back to Havana; Stop by Soroa and Las Terrazas
Today we will drive back to Havana. En route, stop by Soroa and Las Terrazas, two UNESCO-honored eco-communities several miles from each other. While in Soroa, the guide will accompany you to visit Soroa Orchid Botanical Garden where you can find orchid species from all over the world. Then head to Castillo de las Nubes, which is perched on a hilltop, to enjoy the beautiful mountainscape. In Las Terrazas, you will first listen to the introduction of the environmental project at Interpretation Center, and then follow the guide to visit the La Moka Hotel, San Juan Lake and the abandoned French coffee plantation Cafetal Buenavista. Partly restored, it was the first plantation in Cuba built in 1801 by French immigrants from Haití. Highlights include a grindstone “tajona” and living quarters of African slaves. To top it off, we will lounge at Café de Maria for some time for a cup of Cuban coffee. Continue on to Havana and check into the hotel. Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: Hotel NH Capri La Habana (4 stars)
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Day 5: Fly from Havana to Santiago de Cuba
In the morning, you will be escorted to the airport for a flight to Santiago de Cuba. Upon arrival at the airport, the local guide will greet you and send you to the hotel. You are free for the rest of the day.
● Recommended Activity:
If you are into antique furniture, spend two hours checking out Diego Velázquez Museum less a hundred meters from your hotel. Dating back five centuries, the house is one of the oldest in the Caribbean and exhibiting furniture from the 1600s in a chronological order.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Casagranda (4 stars) or Hotel Iberostar Imperial (4 stars)
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Day 6: Visit Santiago de Cuba
Today, we will take you to see some of the most monumental sites in Cuba’s history. San Juan Hill is where a major battle - the one joined by the famous Rough Riders - of the Spanish-American War happened, while Moncada Barracks is the building once attacked by Fidel Castro-led revolutionary force. The former preceded Cuban’s independence and the latter the Revolution. Plaza de la Revolución will impress you with a giant mounted statue in memory of the general Antonio Maceo, and Santa Ifigenia Cemetery is where the great José Martí is buried. We will then drive to the seaside, to climb the observatory of San Pedro de la Roca Castle to overlook the city. Afterwards, go to Casa Del Habano and then El Caney village to taste rum. The global fame of Cuban rum is not something mysterious, since the Caribbean produces the most sugarcane in the world and rum is made from none other than the crop. Another key contributor is the Spanish royal family, who ordered Cuban people to move heaven and earth to make finest rum that is brisker and more delicate. Caney, a top rum producer, of course must be included in our itinerary. We will also not miss Céspedes Park in the city center. Carlos Manuel de Céspedes was the advocator of gradual emancipation of slaves and it’s he who sparked Cuba’s Ten Years’ War against Spain for independence. At the park, you will find Céspedes’s statue at the very center, while taking in a life as spirited as the great’s soul itself. Finally, visit Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, which faces the park. Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: Hotel Casagranda (4 stars) or Hotel Iberostar Imperial (4 stars) Statue of José Martí The Cuban People
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Day 7: Transfer to Baracoa; Visit Guantánamo City on the Way
This morning, your guide and driver will pick you up at the hotel and drive for 4 hours to Baracoa. On the way, stop at Guantánamo City to visit its historical center, spot a mix of Spanish and French influences, and pass by St. Catherine of Ricci Cathedral at José Martí Park, one of the smallest cathedral in the world. Upon arrival in Baracoa, check into the hotel.
What drives us to see a city at the eastern tip on this Caribbean island? Well, you will see why on arrival. Baracoa was the first Cuban city Christopher Columbus set foot on, who was swept off feet by it at the first sight. Official built in 1511, it was eight years older even than Havana; as such, nearly isolated by mountains, it enjoys a historic vibe distinctive from other big cities. But what makes its most attractive is its place as the music center of east Cuba, as well as a spellbinding nature which makes for an unrivalled biodiversity. This afternoon, we will stroll Independencia Park and reach Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion, in which a wooden cross left by Columbus after he found this land is on display. The rest of the time will see us seeking knowledge at Fuerte Matachin Museum, the Municipal Museum housed in a fortress.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Rio Miel (3 stars) or similar boutique type hotel
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Day 8: Private Transfer to Bayamo and Camaguey
This morning, we will drive 5 hours to Bayamo. On the way, visit Basílica del Cobre, where the iconic statue of the Virgin of Charity - Patroness of Cuba - is niched. After arrival in Bayamo, visit Céspedes Park and House of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes.
In the afternoon, continue to Camagüey by car. The 209 km (139 mi) long drive will take 3 hours. Upon arrival, check into the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel E Central Santa Maria (3 stars)
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Day 9: Visit Camagüey; Drive to Trinidad with Short Tours En Route
In the morning, your guide will take you for a 1-hour tour around Camagüey’s historical center by bicycle taxi. Camagüey is interesting because of its colonial cultures set in a labyrinthine city layout, which is rare on such plains as this place. This bicycle-taxi tour will take you to grasp its panorama in a short time; you will weave through streets, lanes, and markets to see colonial-era buildings, museums, and other cultural heritage. Landmarks like Ignacio Agramonte Park, Museum of Ignacio Agramonte, and Cathedral de Senora de la Candelaria are all your destinations. In the afternoon, drive for about 4 hours to Trinidad 260 km (162 mi) away. We will have a driving tour through Sancti Spiritu City and stop by Valley of the Sugar Mills. In the valley, you will be encouraged to climb Manaca Iznaga Tower to overlook the beautiful surrounds and drink guarapo sugarcane juice to boost energy. Upon arrival in Trinidad, check into the hotel and enjoy a buffet dinner. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner Accommodation: Memories Trinidad Del Mar (4 stars)
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Day 10: One Day Trinidad Tour
Cobbled Trinidad and Street Buskers After breakfast, we will drive out of the downtown to Topes de Collantes Nature Reserve. Upon arrival, your local guide will take you to trek on La Batata Trail until you reach a small waterfall. You can have a rest and swim here. After the trek, go back to the hotel. After lunch at the hotel, walk the Plaza de Santa Ana to see the ruined Iglesia de Santa Ana church. After a welcoming drink at Taberna La Canchánchara Bar, we will go to Plaza Mayor, which is near to Cantero Palace (Municipal Museum) and Brunet Palace (Romance Museum), with the latter famous for its beautiful Andalucian courtyard. To top it off, we will visit the locally famous La Casa del Alfarero Potter House to marvel at Cuban ceramic craftsmanship. This shop is family-run and dates from 1892. On the shelves you will find ceramic wares some with meticulous cut-out designs and others on which Trinidad’s landscape is painted, all breathtaking. You can even observe how potteries are made via potter's wheel. Return to the hotel before dinner time. ● Optional Activity: Having spent so many days in Cuba, you must’ve encountered salsa dancing on the streets. If you want to experience the rhythms yourself, we can also arrange an informal salsa lesson for you. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Memories Trinidad Del Mar (4 stars)
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Day 11: Free Morning on Beach; Drive to Cienfuegos
You are free in the morning. Enjoy facilities of the hotel we offer and the nearby Playa Ancon beach, reasons why we leave half a day’s free time for you. You can simply pick up a Cuban fruity drink from one of the many bars near at hand and wind down on the sands, with seabirds and waves chorusing in the background. In the afternoon, we will drive for about 1.5 hours to Cienfuegos 83 km (52 mi) away. There, we will visit Plaza Libertador José Martí and admire the exteriors of Tomás Terry Theater, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, and Ferrer Palace. Later, hit the beach road of Paseo El Prado for Palacio Del Valle, a restaurant of French elegance where you will have a drink. Finally, go to Malecón to enjoy the seascape. Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: Hotel Melia San Carlos (4 stars)
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Day 12: Day Trip to Peninsula de Zapata National Park & Bay of Pigs
In the morning, your guide and driver will escort you to Peninsula de Zapata National Park. First, go to the Interpretation Center to learn about the flora and fauna that inhabit here, next visit a crocodile farm for some breeding history of Rhombifer, a Cuban Crocodile Species. Your visit here will be rounded off with some free time at Playa Larga beach - why not go for some snorkeling in the Caribbean Sea? Lunch is arranged in a local seafood restaurant.
After lunch, head to Bay of Pigs and visit the local museum Museo de la Intervención to learn about important histories that happened here. Then stroll Playa coco beach to immerse in its tranquil beauty for a while. Return to Cienfuegos by car.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel Melia San Carlos (4 stars)
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Day 13: Drive Back to Havana; Visit Santa Clara En Route
Today we will drive back to Havana. The 234 km (145 mi) long drive takes 3.5 hours. On the way, stop at Santa Clara to visit Che Guevara Mausoleum where is placed the remains of Che Guevara and his comrades in arms. Che Guevara is a central figure of Cuban Revolution so impactful that he’s synonymous with the revolutionary spirit. His body - to confirm his death his hands were chopped off - was moved here from an unmarked grave in Bolivia, where he staged guerrilla attacks against the government but failed and later was executed. Let’s approach this history today. We will then head towards Taking of the Armored Train Museum to relive scenes of Cuban Revolution. Upon arrival in Havana, check into the hotel. ● Note These Things before Exploring Old Havana’s Backstreets As you can see from today’s itinerary, you will have a good amount of free time in Havana. For guests who are taking a stroll in Old Havana, you are likely to traverse through back alleys and meet - imagine a building has only a wall left, propped up by a single wooden stick - that seems to crumble down next minute. It’s truly a window to look into Havana’s history but please promise you won’t stay close for too long for your own safety. There are also disagreeable scenes such as sewage released on the streets and water drips from high floors, which you will want to avoid. Perhaps it’s time we should try to put ourselves in the shoes of Cuban people and think: Así es la vida - that’s life! ● Recommended Activity for Tonight’s Free Time If today falls between Wednesday and Sunday, how about topping your Cuba trip off with watching a wonderful cabaret show at Tropicana Club, five miles from your hotel, set up under the stars? Cuban salsa and other passionately-paced Latin dances to upbeat music will keep you enlivened for straight two hours. Ticket can be bought at Centro Prague Hotel, from which you can take a bus or taxi to the club. Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: Hotel NH Capri La Habana (4 stars)
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Day 14: Havana Departure, Airport See-off
Today is the last day of your vacation. We will send you to the airport according to your flight's schedule and see you off. A pleasant trip home!
● Important Note
To make sure you won’t miss your flight at Havana’s airport, you will want to arrive there at least three hours prior to departure. You need to take into consideration the time-demanding check-in procedure that might get you hung up (if you are asked oddly unexpected questions by the working personnel, they are asking for tips), not to mention you still have a ticket to be printed out from the crash-able antiquated ticketing system.
● Recommended Activity for Today’s Free Time
A fan of Earnest Hemingway? If your flight takes off at a late time today, why not plan a visit to the house-turned museum Finca Vigía, the novelist’s residence back in the days when he’s writing The Old Man and The Sea in Havana? You might be interested in Cojimar fishermen town as well, the model of the village background in the novel.
For history buffs, you might want to check out Museum of Revolution. As the name suggests, it has thirty exhibition halls chronicling the histories involved in Cuban Revolution. A glimpse into Gue Guevara’s life is also featured.
Meals: Breakfast
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