Cuba explorer

Day 1: Arrive Havana

Arrive in Havana at any time. Check into our hotel and enjoy the city.
One of the oldest cities in the western hemisphere, Havana was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. It contains a wealth of colonial architecture, and the old city and streets around the malecon (ocean-side walkway) are best discovered on a walking tour.
The city is home to various museums, and depending on your area of interest, there is practically a museum for everyone. One of the city’s (and the island’s) most prominent attractions though, are its music and clubs. Everywhere you go you will hear and feel the music and see people freely dancing in the streets. The island literally pulses with the beat and blend of Afro-Hispanic rhythms and movement.

Day 2-3: Viñales

A short trip west brings us to "The Garden Province" of Pinar del Rio and to the Valley of Viñales with the town of the same name. Enjoy an included cigar factory tour en route before getting your cameras ready for the lush vistas and pincushion hills around Viñales, called mogotes. Arguably one of the prettiest natural areas in Cuba, we have many options for exploring the area, whether it be horseback riding, hiking, or simply sitting back and enjoying the view.
On Viñales’ main plaza there are both a cultural centre and a municipal museum, however most visitors to the area come for the views and the nearby outdoor activities. The region has extensive cave systems, a result of the slow dissolution of the limestone bedrock by underground rivers; the conditions also created the striking mogotes, reminiscent of the hills of Guilin in southern China. There are plenty of outdoor activities here, including horseback riding or hiking to incredible views of the valley and sprawling tobacco fields. Includes 2 breakfasts

Day 4: Havana

Travel back to Havana in time for lunch and an included half-day city tour. Revel in the bustle, history and rhythms of this fascinating Caribbean capital city Includes breakfast

Day 5: Santa Clara

Head east along the Carretera Central to the city of Santa Clara, a key location in the history of the Revolution. On your way into town visit three key historical sites, including the massive Che monument (Santa Clara is also the final resting place of Che Guevara) before settling in for the night.
Santa Clara was founded in 1689 by Spaniards hoping to evade the pirate raids on the coastal cities. Today it is a modern, industrial centre and holds a special place in the history of the revolution as the first large city to be liberated by the Revolutionary Forces in December 1958.
The Museo Histórico de la Revolución chronicles the Battle of Santa Clara, and it is here that a gargantuan statue of El Ché was erected to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the revolutionary hero’s murder in Bolivia Includes breakfast and dinner

Day 6-7: Trinidad

A trip south brings us through the beautiful Topes de Collantes region to the southern coastal city and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Trinidad. We include a tour of the area to get your general bearings; the rest of the time is free to wander the cobblestone streets, shop and experience the great music scene that has made this city famous.
It is a charming, small town with the green mountains of the Sierra del Escambray in the background, and the turquoise waters and pure white sand beaches of the Caribbean Sea just a short distance away. The area saw a lot of action during and following the triumph of the Revolution, as gangs of counter revolutionaries hid out and struck from the nearby safety of the mountains. The Museo Nacional de la Lucha Contra los Bandidos and the Casa de los Mártires de Trinidad chronicles the struggles of this period in the town’s history.
Trinidad is a musical hub (and in Cuba this is saying a lot), and you are never out of earshot from a group of musicians playing local salsa or son. The town has the requisite Casa de la Trova, a mainstay of Cuban musical culture in every town, and most nights of the week you can find locals and tourists alike dancing and enjoying live music in front of the Casa de la Musica, on the corner of the main plaza.
Those visitors looking for outdoor activities will find Trinidad a haven for horseback or bicycle riding (don’t expect any modern mountain bikes though!). If an unspoiled, white sand beach sounds like what you're looking for, try snorkelling or diving in nearby Playa Ancón, just 12km (7.5 miles) from town.
The nearby Valle de los Ingenios (Valley of Sugarmills), also a World Heritage site, is dotted with remains of the island's vast sugar cane plantations. The sugar boom ended with the two wars of independence, but the wealth generated by the industry remains visible in the town’s once grand mansions, colourful public buildings, wrought iron grill work and cobblestone streets.
Indeed, the last three centuries have both changed the landscape and left over 70 architectural and archaeological sites to be explored: the boiler house, dregs house, manor house, slave quarters, warehouses, stables, distilleries, tile factories, bell towers, as well as other masonry works to dam and conduct the water of brooks and cisterns used in the collection of rain water, among others. Includes 2 breakfasts

Day 8: Havana

Travel back to the north coast and to Havana for one final night on the town. Includes breakfast

Day 9: Depart Havana

You are free to depart at any time on Day 9, though remember check out from the hotel is approx. 12am midday. Includes breakfast