Captivating Cuba

Passengers who purchase flights will depart the same day as the tour starts and return on the same day as the tour ends.

For flight details, see Before You Depart.

Bienvenidos a Cuba! Late this afternoon, we'll arrive in Havana. After customs and luggage collection, we'll meet our Tour Director and driver who will accompany us throughout our journey through Cuba. On the way to our hotel, we'll stop at the first English-language bookstore in Cuba. After we check into our hotel, we'll have an orientation briefing about the week ahead and enjoy a cocktail reception before our welcome dinner.

*Passengers who did not purchase flights will join the tour in Havana on Day 1.

This morning, we'll take a walking tour of Old Havana and learn about the restoration projects that are integral to preserving this famous neighborhood's history and architecture. We'll meet young artists at the Graphic Artists Workshop, stop at the Rations Store, hear about the roots of Afro-Cuban Culture at Casa de Africa, and learn about the link between private business and serving the community at Artecorte, a special community project. This evening, we'll enjoy a performance by the world-renowned youth development project, La Colmenita. Then, we'll end this exceptional day with a drive in antique cars down Havana's Malecón to our dinner at a top Cuban paladar, or private restaurant.

After breakfast, we'll depart for Viñales Valley, stopping en route in Las Terrazas, a unique sustainable community started in 1968 as a part of the Green Revolution within the UNESCO-designated Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve. We'll visit the reforestation projects, a small community school, a polyclinic to learn more about the healthcare system in Cuba, and the local art studio of Ariel Gato. We'll top off our visit with a Cuban Cafecito (or coffee) at Cafe Maria Cafeteria, and after lunch we'll have a chance to swim in the San Juan River or speak with local residents in this special eco-community. Later, we'll meet our hosts and check into our Casas Particulares, or Cuban bed & breakfasts in Viñales Valley.

Today we'll explore Viñales Valley, known for its mogotes, a series of tall rounded hills that rise abruptly from the valley; its tobacco farms and cultivation; and the rich mix of cultural heritage and traditions! First, we'll visit a tobacco farm where we'll learn from farmers and their families about their unique farming methods. We'll take a boat tour through Cueva del Indio (the Indian Caves), an ancient indigenous dwelling. After a visit with lunch at Mural de la Prehistoria, we'll experience the living museum of Palenque de los Cimarrones and hear the legends and history of the passage of Afro-descendants through western Cuba. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore, hike, or simply relax in the Cuban countryside independently.

Today we'll bid our hosts farewell and return to Havana. This afternoon, we'll visit the captivating Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba and enjoy a specialized tour. Afterward, we'll visit the community of Guanabacoa, which is sometimes referred to as "Pueblo Embrujado" for its strong Santeria traditions. This community has historically been one of the centers of Afro-Cuban culture in Havana. We'll visit the church, museum, and meet with community residents.

This morning, we'll meet with representatives of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the People (ICAP) at the Friendship House to learn about Cuban history and U.S./Cuba relations. Next, we'll visit the art workshop and community project of José Rodríguez Fuster, also known as the Cuban Picasso. Afterward, we'll go to an organic farm and garden where we'll learn about the organoponics movement in Cuba with a chance to taste their farm-to-table delicacies firsthand. We'll have some free time this afternoon. This evening, we'll come together for a rehearsal of the Habana Compas Dance Group with time for a Q&A before we enjoy our farewell dinner at a local Cuban paladar.

Our trip to Cuba wouldn't be complete without a visit to Finca Vigía, the Hemingway Museum. Here we'll learn more about Hemingway's famed relationship to Cuba with a specialized guided tour. It's time to say "adios" as our visit to Finca Vigía comes to an end.