April 27: Havana
L,D
- Arrive to Havana by late morning and be met by tour staff.
- Check-in to your hotel located in the heart of the Vedado neighborhood and enjoy a light lunch.
- Attend a late afternoon orientation with staff and fellow travelers.
- 21st Century Cuba. Panel discussion with Cuban experts about the political, economic, and social moment Cuba is living.
- Havana welcome dinner at Grados, a private restaurant defender of the traditional Cuban cuisine and member of the slow food movement.
April 28: Havana
B,L,D
- Architecture, urban planning and family economics. Presentation by Miquel Coyula, who will provide insight into housing, infrastructure, investment, and restoration programs in the city.
- Behind-the-scenes walking tour of Old Havana. 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.
- Lunch at Doña Eutimia paladar. Famous for its ropa vieja and frozen mojitos, this cozy paladar made Newsweek Magazine’s top 100 restaurants in the world in 2012. The restaurant’s location in the beautiful cathedral square is unbeatable.
- Private performance by the Youth Symphony Orchestra. This 14-member group will leave you breathless.
- U.S. – Cuba Conflict Driving Tour. Explore key events in the conflict between the U.S. and Cuba. Site visits include Imperialist Plaza, the venue in front of the U.S. embassy that served as rallying point for Elian Gonzalez’s return, several hotels bombed by Cuban American terrorists and the site where Fidel Castro declared the revolution socialist in nature.
- Dinner and Jazz at Atelier. Enjoy a live jazz performance by top Cuban talent and a delicious meal at private restaurant Atelier, equally known for its atmosphere and exquisite cuisine.
April 29: Havana
B,L
- Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) to discuss the Cuban healthcare system.
- Visit a health clinic to take a deeper diver into the health case system. We will receive a tour of a typical neighborhood health clinic and have the chance to ask questions to doctors and nurses.
- Lunch at Arrecife in the beautiful neighborhood of Miramar. Arrecife, which means coral reef in spanish, sits along the water, offering picturesque sunsets and a brillant menu.
- Ministry of Foreign Relations (MINREX) to discuss Cuba's foreign policy and U.S.-Cuba relations.
- Performance & conversation with Le Reyna y Real. Female rap-jazz duo La Reyna y Real defy obstacles and doubters with a sound and a message that empowers and uplifts their fans. Rap itself was turned into a "legal" art form only in 2002, when the Cuban government established the Agencia Cubana de Rap to oversee the genre. Intimate performance and conversation about the unique path they are charting as female artists.
- Dinner this evening is on your own.
April 30: 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.
- 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.
- Enjoy a home-cooked meal prepared by your hosts.
- Discussion 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.
- Walking tour of Trinidad’s center. Along the way, stop at places of interest to learn about this town’s rich history and architecture.
- Dinner at Los Conspiradores paladar, located in a historic house at the foot of the main plaza. Following dinner, walk next door to Casa de la Musica for live music and dancing with locals.
May 1: Trinidad
B,L,D
- Visit to the Temple of Yemaya, which reflects the genuine and authentic values of 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.
- Enjoy an African Drumming class. Experience the Afro-Cuban culture directly thought their most precious instruments: the drums.
- Behind-the-Scenes Art & Entrepreneurship tour. Visit the homes and studios of independent local artists and entrepreneurs for a discussion about private sector reform followed by interactive activity. Choose the workshop that best matches your interest for a private lesson:
- Ceramic
- Woodcut
- Embroidery
- Enjoy lunch at Paladar San José.
- Visit to the archeological site San Isidro de Los Destiladeros, near the city of Trinidad, it was a typical sugar plantation, operated with slave labor in the late 18th and early 19th Remnants of this thriving and historically underappreciated industrial heritage survive.
- Cuban cuisine cooking class: learn how to make some of Cuba’s traditional dishes along with a local family that will organize the cooking demonstration.
- Following dinner, enjoy a private music performance. Learn about “Son Cubano” and other Cuban traditional rhythms.
May 2: Havana
B,L
- 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.
- Arrive back in Havana in the late afternoon and check-in to your hotel.
- Dinner this evening is on your own.
May 3: Havana
B,L,D
- 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.
- In small groups visit the homes and galleries of up-and-coming Cuban artists and/or visit the arts and crafts market and Cuban artisan shops.
- Lunch at Art Gallery & Havana Deep Dive. Enjoy a meal while exploring this beautiful art gallery.
- Choose your afternoon activity:
- Printmaking class with Cuban artist(s).
- AfroCuban percussion class with Cuban musicians.
- Visit with Cuban family to discuss purchasing power and local development issues.
- Visit Habana Compás Dance for a show and discussion with instructors and students. Liliet Rivera, protege of the renowned List Alfonso Dance Company, established Habana Compas in 2004 to reclaim and preserve Cuba's dance heritage from Spain and Africa. Almost 15 years later, Habana Compas has developed into an institution within Cuba, running a free school for youth in the afternoons.
- Farewell Dinner at La Bodega, a private restaurant set in the patio of a restored colonial home.
May 4: 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.