FULL TRIP NOTES TO COME

Tour length: 15 days

Maximum group size: 12 people, plus your tour leader

Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrival day
Day 2: Cienfuegos (via Bay of Pigs)
Day 3, 4 and 5: Trinidad (via the Che Guevara memorial, Santa Clara)
Day 6 and 7: Camagüey
Day 8 and 9: Santiago
Day 10, 11 and 12: Baracoa
Day 13 and 14: Havana
Day 15: Departure day

Inclusions:
Accommodation: 14 nights in hotels and casas particulares (home stays)
Meals: All breakfasts; a barbeque dinner in Baracoa (vegetarian options available)
Transport: Local buses or private coach between cities; your domestic flight from Baracoa to Havana is also included

Local tour leader throughout.

Not included:
International flights
Visa and passport fees, travel insurance
Meals not listed above; drinks
Optional activities/excursions and associated transport
Tips
Departure taxes (25 Cuban Convertible Pesos – CUC)

Day 1 – Havana

Today is your arrival day, so there are no activities planned. In the evening, there will be a welcome meeting for your group; your tour leader will leave a note at the hotel reception desk with details of when to meet – usually some time around 7:30pm. This is your chance to receive important information about your trip, meet your leader and the rest of your group, and to go for dinner together or maybe explore the city at night.

Day 2 – Cienfuegos via Bay of Pigs

We leave the hotel early and drive to the Bay of Pigs. Here, we visit the Museo Playa Giron to find out about the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion, a key event in Cuban revolutionary history. Choose from optional activities, such as swimming, snorkelling or diving, before we journey on to Cienfuegos, our stop for the night.

 About Cienfuegos: This often-overlooked little gem of a port sits on the southern coast of Cuba. Cienfuegos is an incredibly well-preserved example of neoclassical architecture, and her wide, beautiful esplanades conjure a sense of Mediterranean Europe. Central Cienfuegos’ grid of streets and blissfully shady colonnaded walkways were recognised by UNESCO as an excellent example of early Spanish colonial urban planning, and were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Take an early evening walk down the Malecon and continue along the ‘point’ to see some of the grand architecture that the city is known for (including the palacios, which will make your jaw drop), and then reward yourself with harbour views and a sunset drink on the terrace at the yacht club.

Travel time:
Havana – Bay of Pigs: approximately 2.5 hours.
Bay of Pigs – Cienfuegos: approximately 1.5 hours.

Day 3, 4 and 5 – Trinidad (via Santa Clara)

We leave Cienfuegos on the morning of day three, making a stop in Santa Clara before we continue to Trinidad.

In December 1958 in Santa Clara, Che Guevara essentially ensured the triumph of the revolution; he spectacularly derailed a train that was carrying a shipment of Batista’s weapons and soldiers to Santiago de Cuba to defeat Fidel Castro. Such was the significance of this act that when Che’s remains were finally returned to Cuba from Bolivia, Fidel chose to erect Che’s mausoleum and memorial here. Check out the 22-foot bronze statue of Che atop his pedestal, explore the small but comprehensive museum, take a walk around the sculptures and murals, and visit the final resting place of Cuba’s most famous hero.

Upon leaving Santa Clara, we drive to Trinidad, where you have three nights and ample time to fully explore this amazing city.

 About Trinidad: Trinidad has something for everyone; the lively combination of its beaches, restaurants, national parks, thumping nightlife, art galleries, handicrafts markets, Santeria temples, cobblestoned streets and effervescent locals is enough to keep anyone occupied for days or even weeks. Spend an evening at the Palenque de los Congos Reales, soaking up the sounds of son and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Find yourself a quiet corner in a bar of an afternoon and indulge in some people-watching. Join in a game of chess or dominoes, or climb the tower at the Museo de Lucha Contra Bandidos for a bird’s eye view of this historical town. Nearby, the Valley of the Sugar Mills offers insight into the opulent history of Trinidad, where sugar made millionaires of plantation owners before the industry bottomed out in the late 1800s. Many of these plantations still exist today, and though some of them have fallen into ruin they are a fascinating relic of the era, complete with bell towers, slave quarters and, at the Marques de Güaimaro hacienda, original frescoes on the walls.

Travel time:
Cienfuegos – Santa Clara: approximately 1.25 hours.
Santa Clara – Trinidad: approximately 2.5 hours.

Day 6 and 7 – Camagüey

On the morning of day 6, we bid farewell to Trinidad and drive through the hinterland to Camagüey, where you have two nights and full days to explore this very Cuban city.

About Camagüey: Situated in the geographical heart of Cuba, Camagüey is a university town packed to the brim with hip youngsters, cafes and art-filled squares, where people go to see and be seen. It is also, conversely, the spiritual home of the Catholic church in Cuba, graced with no less than 11 colonial churches. Legend has it that the streets were deliberately designed to confuse the newcomer, in an effort to scare off pirates who were thinking of raiding Camagüey’s valuables. Thankfully the pirates are no longer a threat, but there are still many treasures to be found here. Locals say that Camagüey is a city with the atmosphere of a small village; people greet each other on the streets at all turns, and everyone seems to know everyone else. It is definitely a ‘lived-in’ city, and one where you will find your own favourite hotspot.

Travel time:
Trinidad – Camaguey: approximately 4.5 hours.

Day 8 and 9 – Santiago de Cuba

We leave Camagüey early and head east, towards the coast; it’s a long day of driving, but the reward at the end – being greeted by Santiago’s rolling streets and lanes and inimitable music scene – is definitely worth it. We spend two nights in Santiago.

About Santiago: A large city pulsating with music, heat and humidity, Santiago de Cuba was the home of the Revolution. Fidel Castro gave his first speech as leader of the Cuban people in 1959 from a balcony in Parque Cespedes, ending a long journey that had started with the thwarted attempt to storm the Moncada Barracks in 1953. Opposite this balcony, the imposing Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asuncíon sits like a grand old dame, overlooking the city. During the day, Santiago is full of people constantly on the move, hustling and bustling at breakneck pace, and every night the streets are awash with music of all kinds, pouring from the windows of bars, cafes and the trova houses, home to traditional Cuban music. The narrow roads are lined with stunning examples of time-worn colonial architecture, and the casas particulares of Santiago shine with individuality. Take time to visit the Santa Ifigenia Cemetary, where Cuban national hero José Martí lies, at his request, facing the sun, watched over by his own military honour guard.

Travel time:
Camagüey – Santiago: approximately 7–8 hours.

Day 10, 11 and 12 – Baracoa

Leaving Santiago, we drive up into the mountains, into the far east of Cuba. The views on the way to Baracoa are just spectacular; wide vistas across the mountain ranges over to the sea. You may even catch a glimpse of the (sadly infamous) Guantanamo Bay military installation, which many Cubans see as an illegal occupation of their territory.

We have three nights to relax and settle into the rhythm of life in this very different part of Cuba. One evening, we can all share a barbeque dinner by the river, which is included in the cost of your trip (vegetarian options will be available).

 About Baracoa: Isolated from the rest of Cuba until the 1960s, when a road was finally built over the mountains, Baracoa was one of the earliest colonial settlements in Cuba. A small town with a big personality, this region was the site of a native rebellion against the Spanish in the 1500s, led by a warrior named Hatuey. Hatuey was eventually caught by the Spanish and burned alive, but not before being given the opportunity to convert to Catholicism and thus go to heaven. Hatuey responded by asking if there were Spaniards in heaven, and the answer was, of course, yes. He then famously announced that he would rather go to hell than spend eternity with the Spanish. His bust now sits opposite the church, glowering across the square at his oppressors. Taking their cue from the feisty Hatuey, Baracoans approach everything from dancing to eating with enthusiastic vigour. Surrounded by plantations, groves and rich farmland, and somewhat thanks to their geographical isolation, Baracoa has developed its own distinctive style of cuisine. Here, you can find seafood in abundance, flavoured with spices and sauces you rarely find elsewhere in Cuba, and locally-grown chocolate and coffee is a favourite.

Travel time:
Santiago – Baracoa: approximately 5 hours.

Day 13 and 14 – Havana

In the early afternoon we catch a flight from Baracoa to Havana (the cost of this is included in your trip). The flight takes only a couple of hours, and then we’re back in the bustling city of Havana – not only on the other side of Cuba, but a different world from rural Baracoa! Spend your two nights in Havana enjoying all that the city is famed for. On your last night, enjoy a farewell meal with your fellow travellers, and maybe indulge in some of Havana’s legendary nightlife!

 About Havana: “Havana.” The word alone conjures images of cigars, rum, salsa, men in dapper suits, and buildings with grand archways crumbling in the sun. Havana is all this and more; a wondrous mix of the old and the new. Ride a classic Chevrolet convertible along the seaside walk, the Malecon, to the Plaza de San Francisco de Assisi, and from there delve into the narrow streets of Old Havana, where the clatter of carts and cars mixes with the shouts of vendors and the ever-present rumble of a nearby stereo or live band pumping out hip-swinging music. Old Havana is in the midst of transformation; many of the older buildings have been selected for renovation and reconstruction, saving some of these priceless architectural gems from almost certain collapse. These brightly-painted ‘reborn’ homes and shops stand shoulder to shoulder with the older, untouched buildings, providing stark contrast and a photographer’s dream.

Returning to the modern world in Vedado, bars, restaurants and nightclubs stand alongside the packed Coppelia ice cream outlets, where locals queue for hours to get a scoop of the icy good stuff. On the terrace of the grand Hotel Nacional, sip a mojito overlooking the Malecon as the sun sets, enjoying the sea breezes which ease the tropical heat in the evenings, serenaded by a live band. Whatever your Cuban dream, you’re bound to find it in some corner of Havana – all you have to do is look for it.

Travel time:
Baracoa – Havana flight: approximately 2 hours, plus transfer times to and from the airport.

Day 15 – Departure day

You are free to leave at any time today. Bon voyage!

We can assist you with finding accommodation if you wish to add extra days in Havana at the end of your trip; please let us know at the time of booking. Please see your trip notes for a list of optional activities in each city.