Tentative Itinerary
Davis: 2 Travelers
Dates: January 23 - February 3, 2019
Updated: December 3, 2018
Wednesday, January 23 | New York & Havana
GUIDE & DRIVER
At (TBD), depart (TBD) on (TBD) flight to José Martí International Airport in Havana. Upon arrival at (TBD), meet your guide outside the baggage claim area.
En route to your casa particular, stop at the Plaza de la Revolución.
INCLUDED
The Plaza of the Revolution has been the center of many of Cuba’s most famous speeches and public demonstrations, and was most recently the site of the Pope’s public address to the Cuban people. En route to your casa, stop to view the José Martí Memorial (the tallest structure on the island), the National Library, and the seat of many government ministries. In addition, view the large steel memorials for two of Cuba’s national heroes, Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos.
Check in to your casa particular.
Take the opportunity to drop off your bags and settled in to your accommodations.
Enjoy a cocktail on the terrace of the Hotel Nacional, overlooking Havana's famous oceanfront esplanade, The Malecón.
INCLUDED
The Hotel Nacional is perhaps the most famous of Havana’s historic hotels, once the preferred destination for American guests like Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Mickey Mantle, Rocky Marciano, and countless others. Take time to explore the hotel's beautiful lobby and make sure to try their famous mojitos - some of the best in Cuba!
Enjoy a welcome dinner at the nearby paladar Vistamar.
INCLUDED
Thursday, January 24 | Havana
GUIDE ONLY
Enjoy breakfast at your casa particular.
INCLUDED
At 9AM, meet your guide in the lobby of the Parque Central Hotel, where he/she will be waiting for you. Take a walking tour of Old Havana, with stops at the four central squares: Plaza de San Francisco de Asis, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de Armas and Plaza de la Catedral.
INCLUDED
Amble through the heart of Old Havana, and witness the ongoing architectural renovation of Havana's iconic buildings. Your guide will provide background information on the area's history, and will provide many opportunities to explore the neighborhood's restaurants, galleries, and shops.
Enjoy lunch at the nearby paladar Doña Eutima.
INCLUDED
Visit El Taller Experimental de Gráfica (The Experimental Graphics Studio) in the heart of old Havana to view traditional printmaking techniques and purchase art from some of Havana's leading printmakers.
INCLUDED
Tucked in an alley off the Plaza de la Catedral, this print workshop is a great opportunity to see printmakers at work and to purchase unique lithographs, photographs, prints, and other pieces of art. Meet with artists and browse the wide range of available art for sale.
Enjoy a cocktail at the world-famous La Floridita.
INCLUDED
La Floridita is a Havana institution, celebrated as one of Hemingway's favorite haunts and as “la cuña del daiquiri" - the birthplace of the daiquiri. Enjoy a drink and take in some live music at this lively hotspot!
Return to your accommodations for a brief siesta.
Enjoy dinner at the nearby paladar El Cocinero.
INCLUDED
Attend a performance at the Fábrica de Arte Cubano (FAC).
ENTRANCE INCLUDED, DRINKS EXTRA
One of the hottest venues in Havana right now, this new art space is home to a rotating schedule of gallery shows, musical performances, and nightly events for young people. Located in a reclaimed factory in the neighborhood of Playa, FAC is quickly becoming the place to be seen, and a center of cultural life in Havana.
Friday, January 25 | Havana
GUIDE & DRIVER
Enjoy breakfast at your casa particular.
INCLUDED
Visit El Morro for a tour of the fortress and a panoramic view of Havana from across the harbor.
INCLUDED
This iconic fortress guards the Port of Havana, and was conceived as a first line of defense against would-be invaders. Located directly across the mouth of the harbor from Old Havana, the fortress provides incredible views of the city and is a popular destination for visitors hoping to catch sunset view of Havana. A cannon shot can be heard each night at 9PM announcing that the bay has been closed for the night and (luckily) is free of all pirates and buccaneers.
Visit the former home of Ernest Hemingway, Finca Vigia, located in San Francisco de Paula.
INCLUDED
A twenty minute drive from downtown Havana, Finca Vigia has been preserved exactly as it was left by Hemingway. Peer through the windows of the home to see his collection of animal heads, books, and the famous stand-up desk where the author wrote The Old Man and the Sea. Tour the grounds to see his pool, lookout tour, and fishing boat Pilar.
Visit Cojimar, a small fishing village east of Havana and the setting for Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.
INCLUDED
Located a short drive from Finca Vigia, Cojimar today looks much like the town that Hemingway fell in love with during his time in Cuba, and called “home to the best fishermen in the world.” Explore the village and see the monument locals erected to Hemingway’s memory, located on the edge of the Bay of Cojimar.
Enjoy lunch at the nearby paladar Cinco Sentidos.
INCLUDED
Visit the Museum of the Revolution to see exhibitions on the history of Cuba's revolution and selected military artifacts.
INCLUDED
Located in the former Presidential Palace, the Museum of the Revolution provides an account of the early 1960's in Cuba through original documents, photographs, and other artifacts. Directly adjacent to the museum is an outdoor exhibition of military vehicles, including the yacht, Granma, which took Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries from Mexico to Cuba for the Revolution, and a surface-to-air missile of the type that shot down a U.S. spy plane during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Enjoy a private rum tasting at the trendy El Del Frente.
INCLUDED
El Del Frente is a new tapas bar located on O’Reilly Street, across from its companion restaurant O’Reilly 304 - as the name implies, it is “the one across.” Known for their inventive cocktails and fabulous roof terrace, it's a place to be seen for Cubans and in-the-know visitors. Participate in a tasting with the restaurant’s bartender to learn about the different varieties of rum produced in Cuba.
Enjoy dinner at the nearby paladar El Del Frente.
NOT INCLUDED
Saturday, January 26 | Havana
GUIDE & DRIVER
Attend a private cooking class to learn the essentials of Cuban cuisine.
LUNCH INCLUDED
Learn about the island's rich culinary history while creating a quintessential Cuban dish with an experienced instructor inside her personal kitchen. Enjoy the fruits of your labor over lunch.
Visit the studio of well-known painter Roger Toledo.
INCLUDED
A graduate of the Instituto Superior de Arte, Toledo has pursued a new perspective on painting, as evidenced in this new private studio and gallery space. Through abstract canvasses and monumetal landscapes, Toledo recalls formal representation through experimentation, using a wide range of innovative techniques and color palettes. Enjoy the opportunity to view the private workspace of this emerging talent, and learn about these methods directly from the artist.
Visit 331 Art Space, the shared studio and gallery of three emerging Cuban artists.
INCLUDED
Located in a recently remodeled home in the heart of Vedado, 331 Art Space is the creation of three of Havana’s most compelling young artists. Visit the new gallery and work space of Frank Mujica (drawing), Adrian Fernández (photography), and Alex Hernández (painting/sculpture). Pending availability, meet the artists and enjoy an opportunity to purchase their work.
Enjoy dinner at the nearby paladar San Cristobal.
NOT INCLUDED
This evening, attend a performance at Havana's most famous jazz club, La Zorra y El Cuervo.
ENTRANCE INCLUDED, DRINKS EXTRA
Located just a few blocks from the Hotel Nacional, La Zorra y El Cuervo (The Fox and The Crow) is a Havana institution, and home to some of the island’s most famous jazz musicians like Roberto Fonseca and Chucho Valdes. The basement club hosts a well-known Cuban ensemble each night, featuring a wide range of musical styles and instrumentation. A great spot for a post-dinner drink!
Sunday, January 27 | Havana & Viñales
LOCAL GUIDE & DRIVER
Drive to the western province of Pinar del Rio for a day trip to Viñales.
One of Cuba’s ten UNESCO World Heritage sites, Viñales is a rural town located 2.5 hours west of Havana, home to Cuba's famous tobacco plantations and large natural rock outcrops known as mogotes - isolated limestone mounds rising steeply out of the flat alluvial plains. Spend the day exploring this beautiful region and its many offerings!
Visit a local tobacco farm for a guided tour and a demonstration of the cigar-rolling process.
INCLUDED
Meet with a local tobacco producer for an explanation of the techniques in growing, drying, and sorting the leaves that go into Cuba’s most famous cigars. You’ll have the opportunity to purchase the hand-rolled cigars directly from the farm’s owner - a great (and legal) gift for friends at home!
- Enjoy a special lunch at Finca Wilfredo, an organic farm overlooking the lush Viñales Valley.
INCLUDED
One of our favorite restaurants in Cuba, this working organic farm serves a wide variety of local specialties, using ingredients grown on the premises. Take in the spectacular vistas of the valley below while enjoying lunch on the veranda of this small family-owned restaurant.
- Visit La Cueva del Indio, a nearby cave featuring a subterranean river.
INCLUDED
Take an easy hike down into this cavern located in the heart of one of the area's large mogotes, decending until you reach the small river that runs several meters beneath the surface. From there, board a small boat and navigate the underground river with a local guide, emerging finally on the other side.
Visit La Mural de la Prehistoria, a massive mural painted on the side of a mogote depicting the region’s history, from the age of the dinosaurs until today.
INCLUDED
This project was undertaken by the former Director of Mapping at the Cuban Academy of Sciences, Leovigildo González Morillo, and remains an odd and controversial monument to this day. Stop by to see this quirky work of art before heading back to Havana for dinner.
Return to Havana (2.5 hours).
Spend the evening at leisure.
Monday, January 28 | Havana, Cienfuegos & Trinidad
DRIVER ONLY
Enjoy breakfast at your casa particular.
INCLUDED
Drive to south for an overnight visit to Cienfuegos and Trinidad.
INCLUDED
Cienfuegos is a town located 3.5 hours east of Havana on the southern coast of the island, home to some of Cuba's most fabulous colonial architecture and cultural centers. Known as "La Perla del Sur" - Pearl of the South - Cienfuegos benefits from a mix of Spanish influence and a vibrant indigenous culture. Take a walking tour of the city center, enjoy lunch at one of the town's many beautiful restaurants and visit some of the many attractions located downtown - the Arco de Triunfo, Cathedral de la Purisma Concepción, and the Jardín Botanic de Cienfuegos, among others.
Continue on to Trinidad to check in to your casa particular for the night.
Spend the evening at leisure.
Tuesday, January 29 | Trinidad
DRIVER ONLY
Enjoy breakfast at your casa particular.
INCLUDED
Spend the morning exploring Trinidad, the southern coast’s most well-known city.
INCLUDED
Located east of Cienfuegos, Trinidad is a colonial city that has been preserved to reflect its past as a major economic center of the Caribbean sugar trade. Visit Plaza Mayor to see an open-air museum of Spanish Colonial architecture, and check out one of the area’s now-defunct sugar mills.
Enjoy lunch at a nearby paladar.
NOT INCLUDED
Spend the afternoon relaxing at a nearby beach, Playa Ancón.
INCLUDED
A short drive from Trinidad, Playa Ancón is one of Cuba’s most popular beaches and an excellent place to unwind!
Spend the evening at leisure.
Wednesday, January 30 | Trinidad & Varadero
DRIVER ONLY
Enjoy breakfast at your casa particular.
INCLUDED
Drive to Varadero (4 hours).
Check in to your resort an enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Thursday, January 31 | Varadero
NO GUIDE, NO DRIVER
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel.
INCLUDED
Spend the day at leisure.
Friday, February 1 | Varadero
NO GUIDE, NO DRIVER
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel.
INCLUDED
Spend the day at leisure.
Saturday, February 2 | Varadero
NO GUIDE, NO DRIVER
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel.
INCLUDED
Spend the day at leisure.
Sunday, February 3 | Varadero & Havana
AIRPORT TRANSFER
Enjoy breakfast at your casa particular.
INCLUDED
At (TBD), arrive at José Martí International Airport and begin the check-in process for (TBD) flight.
At (TBD), depart Havana from José Martí International airport on (TBD) flight to New York.