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Cuba Insight

Highlights

  • Experience life in rural Cuba up close and personal in Viñales valley 
  • Sample Havana’s nightlife 
  • Meet pioneering small business entrepreneurs in Havana 

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What you'll do

Overview

Visit Havana and Viñales. See local heritage sites and some stunning views of Las Terrazas a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Get the chance to see some local art in Cuba's iconic interactive art space, Fabrica de Arte Cubano.

Arrive in Havana and start things off with a cocktail making lesson at one of Havana’s paladares. Then tuck into some Cuban tapas.

The next day you will see all that Havana has to offer and visit local businesses in the city and see what they have to offer. Next you travel to Viñales via Las Terrazas, see the stunning view and swim in the natural pools. That evening enjoy a sunset dinner at an organic Cuban farm. 

On Day 4 you get to walk through the breathtaking valley of Viñales. That afternoon you travel back to Havana where you get to visit La Fabrica de Arte Cubano, a multi-faceted arts venue. 

Finally, you finish off with a tour around Havana in one Cuba’s iconic vintage cars, followed by some free time in Havana before you set off elsewhere.

This is a completely private experience where you/your group will have the guide to yourself. Prices reflect this with the lead in price being based on a group of 10.

Arrival in Havana

Welcome to Cuba! The largest island in the Caribbean, Hemingway’s much-loved abode and one of the last planned economies in the world. You’re soon to discover that Cuba is all that and much, much more, but first relax and enjoy your first night in Havana. We will kick things off with a cocktail making lesson at one of Havana’s most pioneering paladares (private restaurants). We will hang out with head chef Carlos before tucking into a delicious spread of Cuban/Asian fusion tapas.  

Meals included: Dinner

Accommodation: Sueño Habana, Azul Habana or similar

Havana

After breakfast your guide will take you on a city tour of old Havana, Cuba’s capital and the largest city in the Caribbean, exploring Old Havana by foot. Havana is a bustling capital full of historic monuments, cathedrals and palaces. Preserved by a combination of very little war damage, post Revolution restoration work and the millions of dollars invested since it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, it is the finest surviving Spanish colonial city in the Americas.  

As well as Havana’s four colonial plazas, we will stop into a few local businesses such as nail salons and barbers. We also have the choice of visiting various entrepreneurs in Old Havana such as Zulu, who make handmade leather bags, Dador, who produce beautiful linen clothing or Ciclo Eco Papel, a pioneering paper  recycling initiative. We’ll then visit the Cuban collection at the Museo de Bellas Artes, where we’ll explore the best in contemporary Cuban art with the help of a local expert. We’ll have lunch in Old Havana in a local paladar. This evening loosen your hips in a salsa class with a local teacher.

Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: Sueño Habana, Azul Habana or similar

Viñales

This morning we head west to Viñales via Las Terrazas, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve tucked away in the Sierra del Rosario mountains. Las Terrazas community was created in 1971 so that farmers in the area who had been living in desperate poverty and isolation could participate in reforestation of precious hardwoods. Nowadays Las Terrazas is a self-sufficient community surrounded by spectacular landscapes. 

On arrival we visit this small community with the option of trying out the zip lining course which soars over the village and through the forest. It’s an exhilarating way to see the beauty of this lush landscape. We then head to the San Juan River for a refreshing dip in its natural pools. There is a simple restaurant on the banks of the river where we will enjoy a Cuban creole lunch. After lunch we will continue to Viñales in  Cuba’s western-most province, Pinar del Rio.

The Valley of Viñales forms part of the Los Organos mountain  range, the oldest area in Cuba. The valley is famous for its mogotes, or karsts-rounded mountains that seem to bubble out of the ground. This striking phenomenon dates back to the Jurassic Period when the area was a cave system that collapsed, leaving steep walls that turned into these unique mountains. This epic landscape also happens to be where the best tobacco in the world is lovingly grown. This evening we will visit an organic farm, after a quick tour from one of the workers we will sit down to a sunset dinner with beautiful views across the valley. 

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Accommodation: Sueño Habana, Azul Habana or similar

Explore Viñales and return to Havana

After breakfast we will head out on a walk through the beautiful valley of Viñales. Despite becoming a popular tourist destination over the last decade, Viñales retains its laid-back, small-town feel. You will see labourers working the land to the stunning backdrop of the valley’s unique mogotes, children riding horses  to school, farmers enjoying a cigar under the shade of an avocado tree and oxen slowly towing carts. We will stop at a tobacco farm where we will learn all about the tobacco-growing process, from seedling to cigar. We will have lunch in a paladar in Viñales, enjoying fresh organic produce from the valley’s fertile soil. After lunch we will transfer back to Havana. This evening we will have dinner in a lovely Havana restaurant. We will then head to FAC (Fabrica de Arte Cubano) for a night out at Cuba’s iconic interactive art space. FAC is a multi-faceted arts venue that, on first impression, wouldn’t look out of place in East London or Berlin if it weren’t for the very Cuban influences and clientele-entrance is included for this evening.  

With an ever-rotating curation, no two weekends are the same at La Fabrica; expect to see photography exhibitions, improvised theatre, jazz ensembles, or electronic DJs. There are numerous indoor and outdoor areas to visit within the large venue, so depending on your tastes you are likely to find something to dance to!

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Sueño Habana, Azul Habana or similar

 

Final Day

This morning get ready for the ultimate Cuban experience: a tour around town in one of Cuba’s iconic vintage cars. You will discover new Havana neighborhoods from the backseat of a pristinely-preserved classic American car. Highlights include Plaza de la Revolución, the face of Fidel’s revolution, Parque  Almendares, an unexpectedly lush forest in the middle of Havana and the Malecon, Havana’s romantic seawall. Afterwards enjoy some free time in Havana. 

And so it’s adios from us, or as we prefer to think of it, ‘hasta luego’ – see you later! Have a safe journey and we hope that you had a wonderful experience in Cuba. 

Meals included: Breakfast

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation in particular cases on B&B basis  
  • Local English-speaking Cuban guide throughout
  • Transfer from airport upon arrival  
  • In-destination transfers in private air-conditioned vehicle
Your local host

Lucy & Team

For 20 years, we have been providing exceptional and meaningful holidays to Cuba, sharing the real Cuba in an honest and positive way. Responsible travel is at the heart of what we do; from the local ground staff we employ, to the family-run restaurants and B&B’s we use, we actively support family, local businesses and communities. This is how we reveal the rich culture of Cuba and showcase its uniqueness beyond ‘cigars and old cars’. We aim for excellence in everything we do –  starting with our incredible team of trained guides and covering every aspect of your trip and the service we offer.

If you were to describe our personality, you’d use words like passionate, human, resilient, dedicated and pragmatic. Th... Read All

For 20 years, we have been providing exceptional and meaningful holidays to Cuba, sharing the real Cuba in an honest and positive way. Responsible travel is at the heart of what we do; from the local ground staff we employ, to the family-run restaurants and B&B’s we use, we actively support family, local businesses and communities. This is how we reveal the rich culture of Cuba and showcase its uniqueness beyond ‘cigars and old cars’. We aim for excellence in everything we do –  starting with our incredible team of trained guides and covering every aspect of your trip and the service we offer.

If you were to describe our personality, you’d use words like passionate, human, resilient, dedicated and pragmatic. These are the qualities that get to the heart of what it means to be a successful travel business focused on and committed to Cuba.

Lucy & Team image

Location

This tour starts and ends in Havana.

Getting there:

Please note that prices for the holidays do not include flights. We recommend using www.skyscanner.net to check flights.

Nearest airports:

José Martí International Airport

Airport transfers:

Transfers from the airport to your accommodation are included.

 

FAQs

What's the accommodation like?

You'll spend 4 nights in a Casa Particular in Havana. Cuban casas are run by local families and provide an insight into Cuban life due to the time spent with your local host, from the food they cook to the music they listen to.

Prices are based on two people sharing a twin room. A single supplement is available upon request.

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