FIVE DAYS IN CUBA Supremely vibrant Havana, scenic Viñales. Soak in Cuba s fascinating culture, it s incredible people, and the impactful interactions that are unique to this enigmatic island nation. Your authenticity inspired trip includes can t-miss iconic sights plus insider tips and special experiences you won t be able to find on your own.
WHY TRAVEL WITH CUBA CANDELA 1 Gain New Perspectives. Through the immersive experiences and extensive contact with locals that we facilitate, you just may leave Cuba with a refined worldview, a renewed sense of gratitude and a bit of inspiration for all humanity. 2 Support the Cuban People. All of our vendors are Cuban entrepreneurs, meaning every dollar spent in country goesdirectly to the Cuban people. 3 Peace of Mind. Enjoy peace of mind (before you depart and in Cuba) knowing that all legal, logistical and safety concerns are handled seamlessly during your trip to a communist country which is extremelydifficult to navigate. Don t leave your experience to chance. Trust us. 4 Bond with your group. Our logistical team designs and coordinates the schedule to facilitate bonding with your group during the tour. In Cuba, this requires our entire team s full-time attention, and it would be virtually impossible to do this coordination (without working phones or internet) on your own. 5 Insider s View of Cuba! Your authenticity inspired trip includes both can t-miss iconic sights plus insider tips and special experiences we ve designed to provide you with maximum impact / experience during your stay in Cuba. 4
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SERVICES PROVIDED INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE Four (4) nights accommodation at our curated selection of private homes. Dedicated private transportation for 12 hours daily. Stress-free insider itinerary providing a truly authentic Cuban experience. Dedicated full-time local Cuban host offering assistance, guidance and wisdom. Dedicated full-time country manager overseeing schedule and all logistics. Restaurant reservations at Cuba s top restaurants (this is critical). American classic convertible car tour. Transfer to / from Viñales via private taxi (3 hours from Havana). Airport pickup / drop-off upon arrival / departure from Havana airport (includes driver waiting on standby through any flight delays). Concierge service on-demand in Cuba. Daily breakfast provided in your home. Unlimited access to our US team to answer questions about your trip prior to travel. Don t waste time on google, just ask us! Record keeping on your behalf to ensure compliance with US law. Cuba Travel Handbook describing what you need to know before you go (dual currency system, internet access, cash, what to bring, what to look for, etc.). NOT INCLUDED Flight & Cuban Visa. Incidentals such as lunches and dinners ($10-30 per meal). Tip for local host ($20 per person suggested for the entire tour). All beverages in Cuba, apart from breakfast beverages. Baggage or other airline fees. Cancellation or other travel insurance. 6
FLIGHTS, CUBAN VISA AND LEGALITY FLIGHTS Commercial airlines operate nonstop service to Havana, Cuba. Book a flight on your preferred US carrier and input your flight information into our digital travel form. We will track flight delays automatically and be waiting for you at the airport when you land! VISA Most US flight carriers offer same-day purchase of the visa on your date of departure. However, please confirm directly with your airline. Alternatively, you may also purchase the visa in advance from Cuba Visa Services. It is a very simple process that does not require you to send in your passport or visit the Cuban embassy. Please visit their website for more information: https://www.cubavisaservices.com LEGALITY Travel to Cuba is legal but complicated, with tourism still strictly prohibited. Travel must fall into one of twelve (12) categories authorized by the US Treasury Department, and travelers are responsible for maintaining records of compliance for up to five years after travel. We take care of all of this for you by providing a legal people-to-people tour! 7
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Day 1 Old Havana, Live Music, Mojitos & Fabrica de Arte Cubano! Arrival Welcome to Havana! Your taxi will be waiting for you upon arrival at the airport and will be with you for the entire trip. Retrieve your bags and proceed outside to meet your driver. Your driver will be waiting with your name on a sign. Currency exchange: If you didn t exchange money at the airport, ask your taxi driver to take you to a CADECA to exchange currency on the way to your home. 1:00 PM Check-in at your home: Proceed to your private home to check-in. The taxi driver is here to help you. Feel free to ask him for assistance with anything that you need. 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM Walking tour of Old Havana: Find your bearings and step back in time, as you immerse yourself in the iconic, colorful and historic Habana Vieja (Old Havana) with your local host. Highlights include: Plaza de Armas, Plaza de la Catedral, Taller de Grafica and more! 5:00 PM Recharge: Return to your home to rest and recharge (suggested depending on arrival time). 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM Private Terrace Welcome: Welcome to Havana! Kick-off your cultural immersion on a private terrace in Old Havana with live local musicians playing Cuban classics. Mojitos on us! 8:45 PM Drinks on La Guarida Terrace: Feel free to head to La Guarida early for a drink and sweeping 360 degree views from the third floor terrace prior to dinner! 9:30 PM Welcome to Havana Dinner: Dine at La Guarida, one of Havana s most iconic restaurants. 9
Day 2 Convertible Car Tour & Centro Habana Cultural Immersion 8:00 AM Breakfast: Full breakfast (eggs, bread, fruit, juice, coffee) provided in your home. 9:00AM Havana Convertible Car Tour: Simply the best way to experience Havana. Hop into a vintage classic American convertible car and cruise throughout Havana's neighborhoods with the sun on your face and the wind in your hair. Sit in the backseat if exhaust from Havana s streets begins to bother you. Hightlights include: Fusterlandia: Renowned Cuban artist Jose Fuster has decorated more than 80 homes (including his own) in creating Fusterlandia, a must-see visually stunning neighborhood community project. Revolution Square: Paying homage to two of Cuba's historical figures, the Plaza de la Revolución features gigantic murals of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos, inscribed with the everlasting phrases Hasta La Victoria Siempre and Vas Bien Fidel. Vedado: Cruise through Havana's leafy Vedado neighborhood, featuring resplendent mansions (now state-operated institutions), European style boulevards Calle G and Paseo, and a number of private restaurants, bars, and jazz clubs. Old Havana: Old Havana, Cuba's heart and soul, is best witnessed from the backseat of a classic American convertible car. 12:30 PM Lunch: El del Frente, one of our favorite restaurants right now. 3:00 PM Centro Habana: Discover the sights and sounds of this densely vibrant neighborhood through the eyes of a young Cuban artist, Orlando, who will take you to his secret local spots. Few have seen Centro Habana through this lens. DO NOT MISS THIS! 6:00 PM Recharge: Return to your home to rest and recharge (suggested). 8:00 PM Dinner: Dine at one of Havana s newest and hippest restaurants Tierra, located inside the VIP section of the famous Fabrica de Arte Cubano, a must-see Cuban art installation. Evening You will already be inside the VIP section of Fabrica de Arte Cubano! No need to worry about the lines that form here starting at 8PM. 10
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Day 3 Vinales Tobacco Country Located three hours from Havana, Viñales is a beautifully quaint Cuban town nestled among soaring limestone cliffs and tobacco farms. These limestone mogotes, combined with Viñales vibrantly colored casas in shades of orange, green, pink, yellow, blue, red have earned the Valley of Viñales a World Heritage designation. 7:45 AM Breakfast: Full breakfast (eggs, bread, fruit, juice, coffee) provided in your home. 8:30 AM Depart for Viñales: Please be ready to depart by this time. 12:00 PM Lunch: Finca Agroecologica El Paraiso. Lunch at a sustainable 100% organic farm with stunning views of Viñales and even better food. Some have called it their best meal in Cuba. You don t want to miss this place. 2:00 PM Tobacco Country: Tour tobacco country like a Cuban farmer, riding a rustic Oxcart! First stop is at a working tobacco farm run by a lovely multigenerational family. Learn their special technique and secret family recipe for rolling cigars with a twist. Here you can buy your very own authentic Cuban puros, the perfect souvenir or gift for a friend at home. Ask to see the ancient rock they use to purify water. We ll continue into the lush Viñales valley to our special viewing point. 5:00 PM Return to Havana 8:00 PM Dinner: Most people are exhausted by this point and prefer not to have a group dinner. No group dinners planned. 12
Day 4 Old Havana & Salsa Lesson 8:45 AM Breakfast: Full breakfast (eggs, bread, fruit, juice, coffee) provided in your home. 9:45 AM Depart for Old Havana: Please be ready to depart by this time. 10:30 AM La Bodeguita: Notice the contrast between the highly touristic La Bodeguita and the nearby Bodega, a type of convenience store where food rations are distributed, as you learn about the dual currency system and other aspects of real Cuban life. 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Free Afternoon Salsa Lesson: Learn from the best. Meet our resident dance instructor Elio, also known as Cosita Rara. He may be the most talented dancer in all of Cuba. Actually. You ve never seen anyone move like this!!! No trip to Cuba is complete without dancing salsa. Experience Cubaneo: The remainder of the afternoon is yours to explore Havana, engage in meaningful discussions with Cubans and Experience Cubaneo those spontaneous interactions with locals that you never forget. In Cuba, these experiences are all around you. Find them! The taxi is yours, and our staff is here to help. Optional afternoon activities: Plaza de Armas: Don't miss the open book market set up daily amidst the leafy Plaza de Armas. Here you'll find Revolutionary remnants with old photos, posters and books of Che and Fidel, as well as vintage items of Americana. Plaza de la Catedral: Step into this 18th century Cathedral and climb the bell tower for stunning views of Old Havana. Don t miss a quick photo opportunity at the iconic La Bodeguita del Medio on Calle Empedrado, half a block from the Plaza. Plaza Vieja: Havana's most famous square, once the site of military exercises, which has been beautifully restored to picture-perfect glory. Grab a seat at the microbrewery on the corner for live music and great people watching. Plaza de San Francisco: Originally built in the 16th century, Plaza de San Francisco's charming cobblestones remind us of Cuba's history as a vibrant trading port and its Spanish architectural influences. 13
Day 4 (Cont d) Havana & Salsa Lesson Free Afternoon Optional afternoon activities (cont d): Morro Castle stunning views of Havana (1 hour) Hemingway house a must do for some, tourist trap for others (2-3 hours) National Museum of Fine Arts very interesting and unique to Cuba (2-3 hours) Museum of the Revolution propaganda you won t find elsewhere (2 hours) Rafael Trejo Boxing Gym (Calle Cuba #815) great when the champ is in (2 hours) Beach Havana s Playas del Este beaches are located 30 minutes east of the city (2 hrs). Remember that tourism in Cuba is prohibited by the US government and going to the beach is generally considered tourism. If you d like to make a stop at the beach, we can work with you to create an approved people-to-people activity or you can visit during free time / resting time on the schedule. 6:00 PM Recharge: Return to your home to rest and recharge (suggested). 8:30 PM Depart for Dinner: Please be ready to depart by this time. 9:00 PM Havana Farewell Dinner: Rio Mar (Avenida 3ra and Final) Remember, this is your trip. If there is anything you want to do that isn t on the itinerary, please let us know! Above are a some points of interest that we recommend. Let your local host know and he/she will help you find the best time to experience them. 14
Day 5 Farewell from Havana Flexible Activities Departure The schedule is flexible, based on your flight times. Use the morning and / or early afternoon to see any last places on your list! We ll be with you every step of the way. Depart for airport: Please plan to depart three and a half hours prior to your scheduled flight. Tag us to be featured! @CUBACANDELA 15