When to go
January – March and October – November
Price
From £2,495 pp (including flights) | Private: £2,995pp (including flights)
Flight time
9hrs 50mins
Introduction
With Cuba currently going through a significant period of change, now is the perfect time to visit while its unique style and exotic sensibilities still remain. On your journey, you will discover faded colonial sites like Havana and Trinidad, beautiful sweeping plains, coffee and tobacco plantations, the origin sites of the social revolution, and the infectious rhythms of traditional mambo music.
Good For
At a Glance
Duration
11 days & 9 nights
Guide price
Group: £2,495pp (including flights) | Private: £2,995pp (including flights)
Cities/Destinations (in order)
Havana | Las Terrazas | Viñales | Peninsula de Zapata | Cienfuegos | Trinidad | Santa Clara | Havana (Oriente departures: Trinidad | Camagüey | Holguin | Santiago de Cuba | Sancti Spíritus | Santa Clara | Havana)
Tour Type
Experienced local tour manager and guided sightseeing
Tour Theme
Group Tour
Activity Level
Age Range
N/A
Star Rating of Tour
Discover
Accommodation
SO Paseo del Prado La Habana | Pinar del Rio (Oriente departures: Camagüey | Sancti Spíritus | SO Paseo del Prado La Habana)
Board Basis
Varied - please see the sample itinerary for details
Min|Max Group Size
Average 12 people with a maximum of 18
Start/Finish
Havana | Havana
Extensions
Tour + Cayo Santa Maria (7 days & 5 nights) from £395
Highlights
Ride in a Classic American Car in Havana
Cuba is home to many classic American cars. During your visit, you will get the opportunity to ride in one of these revered vehicles, enabling you to explore the sights and sounds of Havana from a unique perspective.
Dine at a Privately Run Paladar in Trinidad
A paladar is also known as a small restaurant, which is run by a family and hosted in their own home. You will get the chance to dine in a family-owned paladar and enjoy authentic Cuban cuisine, treating your tastebuds to unique flavors, spices, and treats that are lovingly hand-crafted and presented to you with pride.
Discover Rural Life at a Las Terrazas Community
A Las Terrazas Community is a small tourist community run by the locals that focus on sustainable development. Here, you will connect with nature, and get to learn about the region’s local tobacco and coffee plantations. You can also view the local artwork produced by community artists.
Gain Insight into the Revolution at the Che Guevara Museum
Located in eastern Havana, the Che Guevara Museum is an engaging and informative exhibition site, one that educates visitors about Che Guevara and his influence on life in Cuba. Inside the site is full of artefacts and photos, detailing the life and times of the man behind the myth.
Sample Itinerary
Wonders of Cuba
In this sample itinerary you will get a feel for what you can expect during your visit to Cuba. Along the way, you will get the chance to ride in a classic American car in Havana, learn about the revolution and Che Guevara, explore the historic tobacco and coffee plantations, and dine at a private, family-owned restaurant in the comfort of their own home.
Day 1: Fly to Havana
Fly from London to Havana via Madrid or Paris. Regional connections available. Transfer to the SO Paseo del Prado Le Habana for 2 nights. This 5-star plus hotel has 250 rooms, 36 suites, elegant contemporary furniture, a cigar bar, and a shop.
(N)
Day 2: Havana
Enjoy a morning walking tour through Old Havana, where you will stop at El Floridita, the most famous bar in Cuba and origin of the Daiquiri. In the afternoon, ride in a classic American car and roam the streets of Havana, visiting Revolution Square (Plaza de la Revolución) and the Museo Del Ron Havana Club.
(B, L)
Day 3: Las Terrazas
Drive to Las Terrazas in the morning. Head to the western province of Pinar del Rio, stay for 2 nights. The Las Terrazas is a community-run eco village, established in 1968, as part of a reforestation project. It provides the perfect introduction to the Cuban countryside, including the local way of life and rich landscapes. Then visit the partially restored 10th century coffee estate.
(B, L, D)
Day 4: Viñales
Full-day tour of Viñales Valley, home to rich, lush greenery and sweeping, rolling plains. Also contains tobacco plantations and limestone hills. Visit a cigar factory and ride through the Indian Cave by boat, where you will get up-close-and-personal with stunning rock formations.
(B, L)
Day 5: Peninsula de Zapata • Cienfuegos
Travel to Cienfuegos via the Peninsula de Zapata. Visit the mangroves via boat and drive past Playa Girón, a beach and village, located on the east bank of the Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs). Head to Cienfuegos, a small colonial town founded in 1819. Stay for 1 night.
(B, L, D)
Day 6: Cienfuegos • Trinidad
Morning tour of Cienfuegos. Visit the botanical gardens, which contains 97 hectares of some of the oldest botanic gardens on the island. In the afternoon, head to Trinidad for a 2-night stay in a casa particular. This is a popular style of accommodation, where you get to live in the house of a local, one who has agreed to rent out a room or a full house to tourists.
Dine in a privately run paladar, a small family-run restaurant, in a private residence.
(B, D)
Day 7: Trinidad
Morning walking tour of Trinidad. Visit the Romantic Museum or Cantero Palace. The latter officially opened as a museum in 1980, which provides a history of Trinidad, from the slave trade to the booming sugar industry. Then visit Casa de la Musica, home to the National Orchestra of Porto. Much of Trinidad retains its colonial-era buildings, thanks to its strong dedication to historical preservation.
In the afternoon, drive to the Valley of the Sugar Mills. The Mills has a dark, complicated history. It was home to a brutal slave labor force, who contributed to the successful sugar boom in the 19th century. Then visit the Manaca Iznaga watchtower, another timely reminder of Cuba’s colonial and slave labor history.
(B, L)
Day 8: Santa Clara • Havana
Drive to Santa Clara in the morning. The site was a crucial turning point in the Cuban revolution, and home to the Che Guevara Museum and mausoleum. After lunch, transfer to Havana for a 2-night stay at SO Paseo del Prado La Habana. Optional evening music performance
(B, L)
Day 9: Havana
Enjoy a day of leisure. Casually stroll the cobbled streets of Old Havana. Take an optional visit to the Bellas Artes Museum, the Hemingway Museum, or the Revolution Museum. Each museum provides deep, rich, historical insight into where Cuba has come from, and where it is today.
(B)
Day 10 & 11: Fly to London
Overnight flight to London via Madrid or Paris. Arrive the next day.
(B) (N)
Oriente departures (for selected dates)
16 days & 14 nights from £2,895
On select dates, the tour proceeds further into Santiago de Cuba. It also provides a rich history into eastern Cuba’s culture, history, and glorious mountain scenery.
Day 8: Trinidad
Enjoy a day of leisure in Trinidad. Optional excursions available.
Day 9: Camagüey
Drive to Camagüey in the morning for 5-6 hours. Take a short tour of the winding streets and stay overnight.
(B)
Day 10 & 11: Holguin • Santiago de Cuba
Full-day journey to Santiago de Cuba for a 2-night stay. Visit Holguin, well known for its mountainous areas, rough terrain, and lush green spaces. Then visit Castro’s birthplace at Biran.
Explore the island’s first capital and birthplace of Afro-Cuban culture, including the El Morro fortress (an iconic fortification built by the Spanish), the historical center, and the Gran Piedra and the Sierra Maestra mountains.
(B, L)
Day 12: Sancti Spíritus
Full-day journey to Sancti Spíritus, an attractive colonial city founded in 1514. On the way, visit the El Cobre church, the most important shrine in Cuba, and Bayamo, a little capital of Granma.
(B)
Day 13 & 14: Santa Clara • Havana
Take a short city tour. Proceed to the historic city of Santa Clara, founded in 1689 by families fleeing pirate threats. Then head to Havana for 2 nights at the SO Paseo del Prado La Habana hotel.
(B)
Day 15 & 17: Fly to London
Enjoy morning leisure. Fly to London overnight via Madrid or Paris.
(B) (N)
