Enjoy the Essentials of Cuba
Visiting the essence of Cuba with Havana, Viñales, Trinidad and Varadero beach. Great local experiences like driving in a convertible classic american vintage, visiting tobacco farmers, swimming in a waterfall, sleeping in the house of a local, driving in a bike-taxi. Enjoy tourings with nice, surprising meals, lots of life music and time at the beach.
Travel Itinerary
DAY 1
Arrival in Havana
Arrive in the afternoon in Havana, welcomed by your local English-speaking guide. Drive 30 minutes to your hotel and check in the lodging of your choice. Evening at leisure to relax.
DAY 2
Havana Visits in style
Your guide will pick you up at the hotel for your city tour. Experience Havana while riding a classic American vintage car with open roof. Drive through the areas of Miramar with a stop at Mahatma Ghandi Park, drive through the areas of Miramar with a stop at Mahatma Ghandi Park, through Vedado with a stop at the Plaza de la Revolucion and going through the Paseo and Presidents boulevards. You drive along Havana Malecon to the view point over the city from Morro Castle. Enjoy lunch at the Hemingway restaurant Bodeguita del Medio. Try the Cuban creole cuisine of rice and black beans served with pork, fresh vegetables and potatoes. The meal includes a mojito cocktail which was invented in this place. There is band playing life traditional Cuban Music. In the afternoon take a walk with the guide in Old Havana along colonial streets and squares. You stop at the Plaza de la Cathedral, Plaza de Armas, Plaza Vieja and Plaza San Francisco. Evening at leisure.
DAY 3
Viñales and the Tobacco
Drive to the area of Viñales, a very beautiful rural area where the best tobacco in the world grows, then visit a cigar factory in the city of Pinar del Rio. Afterwards, visit the view point over the valley from Jasmines hotel. Proceed to a tobacco farm and learn about the process that is done in the fields to produce to the perfect tobacco. Visit the Mural of the Prehistory. In the afternoon, you will visit the village of Viñales. Return in the afternoon (6 hours’ drive). Dinner tonight is at hotel Nacional de Cuba in the stately gourmet restaurant Comedor de Aguiar. Afterwards, you enjoy the Carribbean show at the Parisien Cabaret in the hotel.
DAY 4
The interior of Cuba with Cienfuegos and Trinidad
You leave Havana today and drive to the city of Cienfuegos. Here you visit the historic centre of this colonial town founded by French colonists. Marvel at the Parque Marti with the cathedral and the Theatre Terry, a traditional 19th century theatre building. Visit the area of Punta Gorda with nice buildings of the turn of the century (19th to 20th Century) like Palacio Valle. In the afternoon you head to Trinidad. On arrival, stroll through the amazing Old Centre passing by colonial squares like Plaza Mayor and the small cobbled stoned streets. Spend the night in the lodging of your choice within the historic city centre. Dinner at the hotel.
DAY 5
The mountain area and beautiful waterfalls
Head off with your guide into the mountains of the Escambray in the back of Trinidad. From Topes de Collantes mirador you have a wonderful view over the mountains and even the lowlands towards the sea. You will be hiking a trail through a lush forest that takes you to a natural waterfall. You can swim in the falls and its natural pools. Visit the local museum about coffee production in the mountains. In the afternoon, drive back to Trinidad and can continue to the beach area where you can see the Carribbean coastline and beach with its beautiful turquoise tranquil waters. You can take another swim but now in the sea. Dinner at a local paladar with a seafood menu. Visit a music venue like Casa de la Musica and Casa de la Trova with live performances of the famous traditional Cuban music known as Buenavista Social Club.
DAY 6
Colonial cities like Sancti spiritus and Camaguey
Depart to the Valley of the Ingenios, a beautiful valley where the sugar industry flourished in the 19th Century. Visit the historic Hacienda Manaca Iznaga. Continue to Sancti Spiritus and enjoy a visit of the historic centre. In the afternoon you drive to Camaguey. On arrival, have a tour of this colonial town by local bici taxis. Overnight is in a colonial boutique hotel in the centre like Santa Maria or Sevillano or similar (Hotel Encanto Camaguey). Dinner is at the hotel.
DAY 7
Che Guevara and relax in Varadero
Drive to Santa Clara, back to the centre of Cuba. Here you visit the mausoleum and museum of Che Guevara, hero of the Cuban Revolution. Your last stretch now is to Varadero, the well-known beach resort of the Caribbean. The guide ends his services here. Overnight in a Varadero hotel right at the Varadero beach with an international brand like Melia and Iberostar. This is an all-inclusive resort (meals and drinks included).
DAY 8-9
Relax at the Varadero all-inclusive beach Resort
Days of enjoying the all-inclusive beach resort.
DAY 11
Departure Havana
Enjoy the all-inclusive services until your departure transfer to Havana airport for your flight out.
What´s included
- 9 nights in the 3 -4 star hotels accommodation
- Transport in air-conditioned vehicle
- Private Touring
- Local English-speaking guide
- Entrance Fees (except camera fees)
- Return airport transfers to accommodation
- Meals as indicated
Excluded
- Any Personal Expenses
- Tips and Gratitudes
- Any other meals than mentioned
- Tourist tax (payment in the hotel)
Additional Information
- All pricing is reflected in EURO unless otherwise specifically denoted and is valid at time of publication but is subject to change.
- All prices are per person sharing a double room. Single and Triple room rates available upon request.
- ‘From’ prices represent land only and low season twin share prices (unless otherwise clearly stated).
- Unless otherwise stated, prices include all government levies and airport taxes as at the date of publication.
- Dates, itineraries and prices are indicative only and subject to change by time booking.
- Private Travel prices are valid for travel during low season and will vary depending on date of travel.
- All Hotel Names stated in the tour itinerary may change to one of a similar Standard without prior notice..
- Some countries charge additional destination tax which are either per Person or per Night. These taxes can vary and must be paid directly at the location or hotel.
- Items listed under Booking Exclusions are NOT included in the price and must be paid directly at the location.
- All Tours are escorted by English-Speaking Guides unless otherwise mentioned.
- All Excursions are based on Join-In Capacity unless “Private Tour” is explicit mentioned. Private Tours are available upon request and with surcharges.
- Self-Drive Tours may not always include a car rental. Please check carefully the included and excluded box. Driver must be in posseion of an valid drivers license and for some countries an international license as well as a valid credit card.
- We will use our reasonable efforts to notify you of changes in prices.
- All our Insider Journeys itineraries as shown on our website and in our brochures will outline the relevant touring schedule and inclusions and will be priced accordingly to reflect this. Prices may vary based on the selected travel season and any individual amendments required.
- Even if the tours are requested as displayed, on occasion Insider Journeys may be required to impose surcharges depending on variables in the destinations outside of its control. Due to hotel availability in some destinations the accommodation stated in the itinerary may change to that of a similar standard. In light of recent worldwide events and due to the ever-changing current situation, there may also need to be more flexibility applied to the touring content and schedule in certain incidences and sometimes at short notice. Please note that we will always endeavour to keep the inclusions as close as possible to those shown and to notify you as best we can should such changes arise, although we appreciate your understanding in that this may not always be possible.
- For more detailed price and other booking information please visit the booking condtions page click here
