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Tour: Castro's Cuba
This fourteen day group tour offers a fantastic overview of the whole of
Cuba, travelling from West to East, visiting the island's main highlights.
After a couple of days exploring Havana, we travel west to the wonderful Viñales Valley to appreciate the beautiful scenery
of the Sierra del Rosario National Park. Then move on to central Cuba, via Santa Clara where you'll find the Che Guevara
mausoleum, to the colonial city of Trinidad, an UNESCO World Heritage Site where you'll stay in a beautiful former
colonial mansion. Also visit Cienfuegos before returning to Havana.
We then continue into Eastern Cuba, the birthplace of Cuban Independence, to get a feel for the rich history of the region.
We visit the city of Bayamo, the site of the War of Independence from the Spanish and
Santiago de Cuba, a fascinating and diverse city with a great musical heritage. We have a few days to explore the
area around the Sierra Maestra mountains where Fidel's revolutionaries concealed themselves and Baracoa,
a pretty colonial town on the coast and the first Spanish settlement in Cuba (1512).
From Holguin fly back to Havana where the tour ends.
| Itinerary | |
| Day 1: | Welcome at Jose Marti Airport where we will be transferred to Old Havana for overnight accommodation at the historic, colonial-style Hotel Sevilla (4 stars) situated in an excellent position and within a very short walk of Old Havana. |
| Day 2: | Guided tour of Havana, visiting all the major sights of the city. Lunch is at the famous El Patio restaurant, overlooking Cathedral Square in the heart of Old Havana. After lunch, drive outside Havana to Finca Vigia, the former Cuban home of Ernest Hemingway, its contents remains untouched since he left. The remainder of the day at leisure. After dinner at El Aljibe restaurant, specialising in traditional Cuban cuisine, there is an optional visit to the world famous Tropicana Cabaret. Set under the stars, the show depicts the history of Cuban dance and music with over 100 dancers - an amazing spectacle. |
| Day 3: | Visit one of Cuba's world famous cigar factories to experience how cigars are still hand-made in a unique guided visit. Lunch at the restaurant Santo Angel overlooking one of Old Havana's lovely squares. After lunch leave Havana and continue to the Moka hotel, situated deep in the Sierra Del Rosario Nature Reserve, about an hour from Havana. Explore the local village or take a swim in the nearby San Juan river. Evening at leisure to enjoy the tranquility of this country hotel, with dinner in the hotel restaurant. |
| Day 4: | Travel to the Vinales Valley, stopping en route to appreciate the beauty of the area. Take a subterranean boat ride through the El Indio limestone cave system followed by lunch in the Ranchon San Vicente restaurant. Later return to the Moka Hotel. Dinner is at the house of a local farmer for an authentic and typical Cuban experience. |
| Day 5: | Depart for Santa Clara, the final resting place of "Che" Guevara. After lunch visit the mausoleum and museum dedicated to Che's extraordinary life. There will be a short orientation tour of the city including the train "Tren Blindado" that was involved in the Cuban Revolution. A spectacular drive through the beautiful Escambray mountains brings us to Trinidad, a UNESCO heritage site and one of the best-preserved colonial cities in the world. Dinner and overnight at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Trinidad, a beautifully restored colonial mansion in the heart of the city. |
| Day 6: | Spend today exploring Trinidad by foot and our guided tour will include visits to The Romantic Museum, which gives an overview of Trinidad's colonial past and history. Enjoy traditional Cuban music at the Casa de la Trova followed by a visit to La Canchanchara, an old house dating back to the 18th Century, where we can try the unique Trinidad rum cocktail, made with sugar cane juice. Lunch at a restaurant housed in a former mansion house and afterwards you can enjoy the city at your leisure, or relax at the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Trinidad. |
| Day 7: | After an early breakfast, we will leave for Cienfuegos known as the "Pearl of the South", characterised by palaces and mansions overlooking a deep bay. A city tour is included. We will continue to Guama for a boat trip through the mangrove swamps to a replica stilted Taino Indian village on the shores of Treasure Lake. After lunch we leave for Havana for an evening at leisure and an overnight at the Hotel Sevilla or similar. |
| Day 8: | Early morning airport transfer for flight from Havana to Holguin, to start your exploration of the Eastern part of Cuba. Transfer from Holguin airport to the Hotel Occidental Grand Playa Turquesa in Guardalavaca, famous for its beaches. The rest of the day is free to relax and enjoy the beach or local area. |
| Day 9: | Enjoy a short tour of the provincial capital, Holguin, before proceeding to Bayamo, a city of
crucial historical importance where the seed of independence from the Spanish was first sewn. After lunch
a tour of the city will include the beautiful church of San Salvador, declared a national monument.
The tour will continue through the foothills of the Sierra Maestra mountains to Santiago de Cuba stopping en route at the picturesque church of El Cobre, a very important pilgrimage site in Cuba. |
| Day 10: |
Today's city tour will include visits to the Moncada Barracks, the resting place of Jose Marti, Cuba's
national hero, the central square Parque Cespedes, Calle Heredia, one of the city's liveliest streets and
and Padre Pico street, famous for the intense games of draughts played by the locals.
Enjoy a visit to the Castillo del Morro, a fortress offering fantastic views across the sea and mountains. |
| Day 11: |
Morning departure for Guantanamo, a typical Cuban town living in the shadow of the American naval base. Next a visit to the
Malones observation point offering a fascinating panorama of the base. Lunch.
On leaving a spectacular drive, one of the best in Cuba, will take the tour past palm fringed bays, sleepy towns and mountain scenery to Baracoa. In the afternoon enjoy a tour of Baracoa. |
| Day 12: |
After breakfast we travel to Finca Duaba, a traditional Cuban farm surrounded by unspoilt tropical scenery and
giving an excellent insight into the rural way of life in Cuba. In the afternoon visit Rio Toa, Cuba's wildest river which runs through a UNESCO protected reserve amidst spectacular scenery. |
| Day 13: |
Morning departure leaving Baracoa, continuing along the coast road to Holguin, stopping en route at
Maguana beach, one of the best unspoilt beaches in the Caribbean. After a walk or a swim continue on to
Cayo Saetia. On arrival at this picturesque former private game reserve there will be time for a swim on a white sand beach, a jeep safari to spot zebra, antelope and deer, and a local Cuban style lunch. After lunch you will be transfered to Holguin airport for a connecting flight to Havana. Upon arrival in Havana, transfer to hotel for overnight. |
| Day 14: | Your tour ends today, you are at leisure to continue your stay in Cuba or catch your international flight home. |
| Price Guideline | |
| Per person: | From £1539 |
| Departs from Havana certain Saturdays throughout the year, please contact us for exact dates. You can also do the tour in a different order if the departure dates don't suit you. | |
| Tour code: | BCUB04 |
| Notes: | Prices are per person based on double occupancy, in the low season unless otherwise stated. |
| The price shown is a guideline and may change due to variations in the exchange rate or season. |
| Transatlantic flights are not included. All other transport as mentioned is included, using air-conditioned coaches
or interal flight. All excursions, accommodation and most meals are
included. The restaurants are chosen where possible for their local character, views and traditional Cuban
cuisine. The itinerary can vary on certain departure dates, we will confirm the exact itinerary upon request. |
Last Updated: Tuesday May 13 2008