HAVANA - CIENFUEGOS - TRINIDAD - PLAYA GIRON / 8DAYS and 7NIGHTS
Between Cuba's most famous cities are Havana and Trinidad, stir visions of brightly painted Colonial houses, pounding mambo rhythms and barrios that bustle well into the night. You will also have the opportunity to know other cities as Playa Larga, Playa Giron and Cienfuegos.
Day 1: Welcome to Havana! After clearing immigrations and customs, our airport representative lead you to your driver who will transfer you until your hotel or private house in the heart of the country's capital. *Light lunch and meet and greet with your concierge. *Get your feet wet with an afternoon orientation walk. Later that evening, celebrate your arrival with a welcome dinner at a private restaurant. (*For morning arrivals)
Day 2:Meet with with our local expert guide and walk in the footsteps of Havana's colonial past visiting the four key squares of Old Havana. Lunch at a private paladar in the heart of the historic center. Then you will have the opportunity to see masterpieces of the Cuban architecture before and after 1959 with our architecture expert guide. Finish this day having a dinner at a 20th-century mansion where Barack Obama and his family dined in during their March 2016 visit. Night cuban musical show inspired by the Son music of the famous Buena Vista Social Club or enjoy the famous show of Tropicana.
Day 3: Start your day with our art curator guide who will lead you to visit 2 Cuban artists studios and to get a direct and personal interaction wih some of the most prominent and promising artists in Cuba, then you will have a guided tour into the Fine Art Museum where its holds over 30,000 pieces of the very best of cuban art from the 17th centruy up to these days. After lunch in a lovely new restaurant next to the Museum of the Revolution you will be collected by an open top classic vintage car with our expert guide who will share with you along interesting 4hrs insights into the life and places related with Ernest Hemingway. On the way back you'll have an opportunity to see some of the most spectacular sunset views of the city from El Morro fort across the harbour from Havana.
Day 4: This morning we depart to Cienfuegos. Lunch at a local restaurant in Punta Gorda with spectacular views of Cienfuegos harbour. Our local guide will meet you in the old part of town and from there on you receive a full explanation about the culture, history, architecture and french influence of this neat town.
Day 5: Our journey continues to Trinidad along 1.5hrs trip. Our expert guide will explain you the history of the town while visiting its architecture highlights, you will have also insight into its fascinating history in the colonial era, and during the years after the Revolution. Check in and home-cooked and locally sourced lunch at your host's home, La Casona. Afternoon tour of the local sugar plantations to understand the slave history in relation to the sugar industry. Dinner at a local restaurant and live music at Casa de La Trova.
Day 6:Today you'll leave from Trinidad onto the Escambray mountains. If you prefer trekking our nature specialist will lead you along some different trails, you will be able to decide the distance and level of difficulty of the hike/walk. However if you are more of horseriding it will be a challenging ride but the horses are bred for mountain trekking. Bird watching and opportunity for swimming at the waterfall make this a must for nature lovers. We make a halt at a local 'casa del campesino' to have cuban typical lunch before returning. Relaxing afternoon at Playa Ancon. Special Dinner at a local restaurant and live music at Casa de La Musica.
Day 7: This morning we will do our last journey, back to Havana. Check-in and relaxing afternoon at Hotel Kempinski's pool and SPA. This night you will have a farewell dinner and to visit some of Havana´s newest and hottest privatly owned bars with our nightlife guide.
Day 8: After breakfast, bid farewell to Cuba and board your departure flight.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Many of the places we visit are not tourist destinations and are thus not always available. Therefore, this program should be considered as a sample only – please keep in mind that your bespoke travel plan is designed with our staff according to the specific interests that you would want to highlight in your trip. Final itineraries and quotes are sent 24hrs after we receive your request to our contact email: enquiries@bespoketriptocuba.com
HAVANA - VIÑALES / 6DAYS and 5NIGHTS
Embellished by soaring pine trees and scattered with bulbous limestone cliffs that teeter like giant haystacks above the peaceful and well-tended tobacco plantations, Viñales is one of Cuba's most magnificent natural settings.
Day 1: Welcome to Havana! After clearing immigrations and customs, our airport representative lead you to your driver who will transfer you until your hotel or private house in the heart of the country's capital. *Light lunch and meet and greet with your concierge. *Get your feet wet with an afternoon orientation walk. Later that evening, celebrate your arrival with a welcome dinner at a private restaurant. (*For morning arrivals)
Day 2: Sightseeing in Old Havana, the historical centre of the city, where we will see wonderful squares, museums and its narrow streets. After to visit some of the most importante squares in the city we will visit the Rum Museum of Havana Club and take a lovely walk to the Plaza Vieja, one of the oldest squares in Latin America. For lunch you may indulge in a meal of delicious local dishes at one of the typical restaurants in the old town. Then you will have the opportunity to see masterpieces of the Cuban architecture before and after 1959 with our architecture expert guide. Finish this day having a dinner at a 20th-century mansion where Barack Obama and his family dined in during their March 2016 visit. Night cuban musical show inspired by the Son music of the famous Buena Vista Social Club or enjoy the famous show of Tropicana.
Day 3: Start your day visiting one of Havana's oldest cigar factories and admire the skill with which the experts (torcedores) hand-roll famous Montecristos and Cohíba cigars. Then our art curator guide will take you through some hidden communities of Havana to discover new art expressions from within the neighborhood. After lunch you will be collected by an open top classic vintage car with our expert guide who will share with you along interesting 4hrs insights into the life and places related with Ernest Hemingway. On the way back you'll have an opportunity to see some of the most spectacular sunset views of the city from El Morro fort across the harbour from Havana. Dine in a high-ceilinged room inside, or al fresco under the canopy beneath the 80ft chimney stack. Our cigar somellier will join you in the restaurant and will teach you paring cigar and rum tasting. Finish your day enjoying live music, dance, film, art and shows under the same roof.
Day 4: Our journey continues to Viñales via Las Terrazas eco-community project. Walk around a nature reserve and self-sufficient community founded with the idea of involving the development of the rural areas with its sorroundings. Have a lunch at a local resutaurant before continue to Viñales. On the way stop on the quietness of a view point located 250 meters ASL in the cradle of the project "Casa Taller Raices" where you'll learn about the genius of a farmer through his art while enjoying a delicious cocktail. Relaxing afternoon and dinne great tapas and cocktails in a local paladar.
Day 5: Today you'll explore the unique geology and nature of the Viñales valley with a trip on an underground river and an exploration of caves and the famous Mogotes. Lunch will be in a traditional wooden house on a hill overlooking the picturesque valley. Cooked on an open fire enjoy a traditional Cuban meal before setting off on the walking tour. Your guide, a native of the valley, will take you into the heart of the lush countryside, explaining the history of tobacco growing as you walk. You'll visit the tobacco plantations where they still plough with Oxen, see the famous drying houses and have a tobacco farmer show you how to roll a cigar. If you fancy you can also smoke one! Comfortable shoes for walking are advised.
Day 6: After breakfast, bid farewell to Cuba and transfer back to Havana airport as you board your flight home.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Many of the places we visit are not tourist destinations and are thus not always available. Therefore, this program should be considered as a sample only – please keep in mind that your bespoke travel plan is designed with our staff according to the specific interests that you would want to highlight in your trip. Final itineraries and quotes are sent 24hrs after we receive your request to our contact email: enquiries@bespoketriptocuba.com