The Best of Cuba December 16-24, day, 8-night Itinerary

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1 Day 1. December 16. Sunday Upon arrival in Havana Airport you will be met and greeted by the Cuban Quantum Travel Services representative. Transfer to your homestay in Vedado neighborhood, considered Havana s commercial hub and archetypal residential district. A glimpse of Cuba s resplendent past, Vedado offers serenity and a breath of fresh air, as well as several arts spots, restaurants, and nightspots. The streets are numbered and lettered, making it one of the easiest places in Cuba to stay and navigate. The homestays are all located in the same area close by. Check in at homestay. Lunch at a nice paladar (private restaurant). After lunch we will visit the Paseo del Prado, a wonderful street to stroll along, with fantastic old buildings to view on each side of the street. It is full of local people of all ages relaxing and walking. You may also enjoy the many artists who display their artwork and wares. We continue to walk through to Central Park and

2 the hotel zone, where you will see the gleaming Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso. It is located in a building known as El Centro Gallego, constructed to serve as a social center for Galician immigrants to Havana. Finally, visit the National Hotel de Cuba. It stands on Taganana Hill a few meters from the sea, and offers a view of Havana Harbor, the seawall and the city. It is considered a symbol of history, culture, and Cuban identity. Return to your homestay. This evening we will have a welcome dinner at a very fine paladar Meals included: Lunch, Dinner. Day 2. December 17. Monday Driving tour of New Havana with convertible classic cars. This is a memorable and fun experience, with stops in the main places of Havana, including: Fusterlandia visit the home of Jose Fuster known as the Picasso of the Caribbean for his amazing ceramic artistry. He is a ceramist, draftsman, painter and printmaker. He has made illustrations for several publications, participated in a number of international symposiums and events, and received various national and international awards and mentions. Fuster has made a major contribution over 18 years of work in the town of Jaimanitas. He has decorated over 80 houses and parks with murals, paintings, and sculptures. Having involved the neighbors in this work, Fuster s project is a unique display of public art.

3 Revolution Square, the political and administrative center of Cuba. The most important structures in the Square are a 109-meter tall star-shaped tower, and the statue of José Martí, Cuba's national hero and acclaimed poet and journalist, and an iconic sculpture portrait of Che Guevara. Almendares Park, the only urban forest in the city and a recreational area with ancient trees, tropical plants and lush vegetation. It s very beautiful. 5ta Ave, the main avenue in Miramar. This tranquil avenue, with large, imposing mansions built in the early decades of the 20 th century, is lined with many Art Deco and eclectic-style houses, most of which were abandoned by their owners after the revolution and have been turned into embassies. Malecon Ave, Havana's evocative, 7kmlong sea drive, is one of the city's most soulful and quintessentially Cuban thoroughfares, and long a favored meeting place for assorted lovers, philosophers, poets, traveling minstrels and fishermen. We will finish the classic car tour here at the Malecon. Old Havana, Visit the four important plazas of the city, with a brief explanation of the historical, political and architectural importance of the place. We have a few options for good lunch paladars in Old Havana. Return to homestay For dinner we made a reservation at a very nice restaurant with excellent atmosphere per your request. After dinner we highly recommend a visit to the Fabrica de Arte Cubano, one of Havana s finest new art projects and a club for live music, art expositions, fashion shows and invigorating debate over coffee and cocktails. Return to homestay. Meals included: Breakfast

4 Day 3. December 18. Tuesday Full-day excursion to the beautiful mountainous province of Pinar del Rio. Around two hours from Havana, we will visit the town of Viñales, where we will enjoy a slice of real rural Cuba. One of Cuba s most beautiful natural corners, Viñales is a tiny agricultural town with beautiful scenery, famous as the producer of the world s finest tobacco leaves, where the people are very friendly and we will enjoy a very nice day. Visit one of the famous tobacco farms (Finca de Tobaco). With a personalized guided tour we will learn how this mainstay crop of Cuba is planted, harvested and prepared for shipping to tobacco factories. December is a very special period of the harvest. Visit the Valle de Viñales. Famed for its mogotes, large limestone formations which date back to the Jurassic period, this is one of the most beautiful spots in Cuba, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site since Lunch provided at the only Cuban Organic Farm & Restaurant on the island, Restaurante El Paradiso. After lunch, if you are interested, we can take a little tour of the farm on which one of the workers will let us to know about the different techniques they use for the cultivations of the different products they use in the restaurant.

5 Visit to La Cueva del Indio. If time permits. We will visit an underground cave that extends 300 meters that was discovered in the 1920s. It includes paintings and other remnants of Pre-Colombian cultures. At the end of the cave we will take a boat up the underground San Vicente river. Visit to Valle de la Prehistoria. In this place we will see a gigantic painting on one of the faces of the mogotes. This project was made in between 1959 and 1962 by the artist Leovigildo Gonzales, representing the history of evolution. Horseback Riding by the beautiful Valley of Peace. If time permits We will ride horses and visit a friendly farmer s house, where we will see the way of life in rural Cuba and interact with Cuban people. Return to Havana. Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch Day 4. December 19. Wednesday After breakfast, we drive 3 to 4 hours to Cienfuegos, a waterfront city on Cuba s south coast known as the Pearl of the south for its pristine, French-inspired architecture. On the way to Cienfuegos we stop at the town of Playa Giron and the Bay of Pigs Museum. Nearby, we will enjoy lunch at a private paladar. After lunch, we drive to Cienfuegos. Upon arrival we meet our local tour guide to give us a 2-3-hour city tour, including the main commercial center, the main square, the history of Cienfuegos and surrounding buildings. We will visit the Custom House and Custom Park close to Cienfuegos harbor and Cienfuegos bay. We will end our tour at the Punta Gorda residential neighborhood, where there is a scenic park and marina located on a peninsula. A spot enjoyed by locals and tourists alike, this end of the city exudes a peaceful atmosphere.

6 Stroll along the boardwalk to take in the vista of Cienfuegos Bay, the marina, and fascinating architecture. Check in at homestay. This evening, we have reserved a very nice paladar with good service and delicious food for dinner per your request. After dinner, we recommend night entertainment at the Terrace of La Union Hotel with free admission or at the Patio del Terry. Return to homestay Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch. Day 5. December 20. Thursday After breakfast we drive an hour to the amazing El Nicho Waterfalls. It will be a 20- minute hike to the main falls. It is best known for several stunning waterfalls, especially one large one that is attractive and flows throughout the year, even during the dry season. At the bottom of the falls there is a big natural pool where you can swim and splash around. There are several other smaller pools, as well. At 1 pm lunch time, we reserved Las Yaguas Paladar, a few minutes outside the falls area, as a recommended lunch spot. This buffet style lunch offers Cuban delicacies at a great price. After lunch we drive to the very unique town of Trinidad, a beautifully preserved Spanish colonial town and UNESCO World Heritage Site, established in It is famous for its cobblestone streets and well-preserved colonial architecture. Trinidad is very popular for being a lively town, with a great atmosphere and night life.

7 Check in at homestay. After check in, we walk a few minutes to the picturesque, historic center and main square of the town, Plaza Mayor, which is lined with colorful historic buildings. We explore a little bit of the surrounding area before going to dinner. The plaza area is a hub for music, dancing, and nice cozy restaurants with a relaxed atmosphere. Tonight we will have dinner at a nice paladar with great atmosphere, music, and good service Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner Day 6. December 21. Friday After breakfast we will have a walking tour, where we will step back in time on this tour of Trinidad, Cuba s third oldest city. The Cuban government has invested heavily in the conservation of this area. We will recommend a good paladar for lunch. After lunch we will visit Sugar Mill Valley and learn more about the history of Trinidad and the Cuban people. After the tour, we drive to the beautiful Ancon beach, which is a large beach with white sand. Return to homestay. In the evening we will recommend a restaurant and entertainment Meals included: Breakfast

8 Day 7. December 22. Friday After breakfast we will drive back to Havana, which will take about 4 to 5 hours. We stop for lunch at one of the paladars that we recommend. Check in to homestay. Tonight, we have made a reservation for one of the Havana s fine dining spots per your request. Al Carbon has a wide menu specializing in grilled food. Meals included: Breakfast. Day 8. December 23. Saturday After breakfast we will head to the town of San Francisco de Paola to visit the Hemingway House Museum. In 1940, the famous writer bought the Finca Vigìa on a hill 15 km from the center of the city and lived in this place continuously until 1960, when he moved back to the US. The interior remains unchanged since he left. We will have an Englishspeaking specialist guide.

9 Then we drive to Cojimar, a picturesque little village famous for harboring Ernest Hemingway s fishing boat, El Pilar, as well was the inspiration for the novel The Old Man and the Sea, which won him the Nobel Prize for Literature in After the visit to Cojimar fishing village, we will have lunch at a nice Paladar. After lunch we will head back to the center of the city and enjoy a Dance Lesson at Casa del Son. This is a private dance school created in a colonial house from 1715 in Old Havana, that has been recently restored and refurbished, where you will have the opportunity to experience and learn about the most popular Cuban dances, Salsa and Casino Rueda, in an atmosphere of art, music and dance. After dancing, you will have a great opportunity to shop for souvenirs in a visit to the famous Mercado San José. You will have around one hour of shopping among very nice spots full of interesting arts and paintings and even an opportunity to buy or drink a cocktail. Return to your homestay. Tonight, we have made a reservation at 7;00 pm per your request in one of the best and very famous restaurants in Cuba, La Guarida. Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch

10 Day 9. December 24. Monday Check out of your homestay. Transfer to Jose Marti International Airport for your departing flight. Goodbye Cuba! Meals included: Breakfast

11 Our tour program includes 8 nights homestay lodging in specially selected private homes All ground transportation and transfers for the daily itinerary English speaking Cuban professional guide and assistance when needed 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 2 dinners All tours and admissions during your program - at no extra cost - covering all sightseeing events and excursions as listed in the itinerary 24-hour emergency assistance concierge