Cuba: People, Art and Culture

Arrive and transfer to your hotel in this city that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site lauded for its exceptional architecture. Following a welcome cocktail, set out for a tour of a family-owned working ranch that dates to 1930 and meet the modern cowboys who work it. Then, learn about agrarian reform before indulging in a feast of Cuban food accompanied by live music. Meals: Dinner

Begin your day with a visit to the Camagüey Ballet, where you explore the costume warehouse, meet this world-travelled company’s director and attend a private rehearsal. Hop on a bicitaxi for a tour of the city’s hallmark sights, including Mayor Ignacio Agramonte Park and the historic area near the Plaza de los Trabajadores. Finish at the Plaza del Carmen — a picturesque pedestrian square. Visit the workshop of Martha Jiménez, an internationally acclaimed artist whose nearby sculpture, Chismosa — a bronze depiction of three women gossiping — is a local landmark. Stop for lunch at a paladar (privately run restaurant) and then visit a working stained-glass studio where an independent Cuban artist has spent over 17 years creating and restoring some of the city’s most impressive stained-glass works. Drop into several other artist workshops to round out your experience. After dinner, enjoy a rum-and-cigar pairing with a cigar expert who explains the history of tobacco in Cuba. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart for Trinidad, arriving in time for lunch at a privately owned restaurant. Historic Trinidad features a wealth of Spanish colonial architecture — along with cobblestone streets and graceful palaces and plazas — within its few square blocks. Take in the sights on a walking tour, visiting a rationing bodega and stopping at La Canchanchara to sample a refreshing signature cocktail, while a traditional band plays in the background. Visit a local museum before checking in to your hotel for a welcome drink, followed by dinner at a private restaurant. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Located in the central province of Sancti Spíritus, Trinidad was founded in the early 16th century. Explore the town’s connection to the sugar industry, which flourished in the nearby Valley de los Ingenios (Valley of the Sugar Mills). Visit a former sugar plantation for an in-depth view. Continue to a traditional finca in the forested Escambray Mountains, where you stop at a farm. Meet its owners and workers as they go about their daily routines; as part of a chef-led culinary experience, brew your own farmer-style coffee; and even try your hand at milking a cow before sitting down to a farm-fresh lunch. Soak up the atmosphere in Trinidad, visiting the private art gallery of a Cuban recognized ebanista (cabinetmaker). Finish with a visit to the family-run Santander workshop and gallery to participate in a pottery-making experience with one of its renowned ceramicists. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart Trinidad for Cienfuegos on the southern coast, a French-settled city that grew into an important hub for the sugar cane, tobacco and coffee trades. In 2005, UNESCO recognized the Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos as the best example of early 19th-century Spanish Enlightenment urban planning. Start your visit here with a guided walk through its historic center to view landmarks that include the José Martí Memorial Park, named for a beloved poet and key figure in the drive for Cuba’s independence whose verses serve as lyrics for the classic folk ballad “Guantanamera.” Also visit the cathedral and neo-rococo Palacio Ferrer, and then continue to the Terry Theater, built by a wealthy industrialist in 1889, followed by Museo Provincial to hear a performance by the Cantores de Cienfuegos Choir and interact with the performers. Proceed to the city of Santa Clara, famous as the site where Che Guevara defeated the forces of General Fulgencio Batista, driving the dictator into exile and winning a defining battle to secure victory for the Cuban Revolution. After lunch at a private restaurant, visit the Che Guevara Mausoleum and Museum, last resting place of the guerilla leader and fighters who perished alongside him. Continue to Havana, the capital of Cuba, where you check in to your hotel. Enjoy a welcome cocktail, followed by dinner at La Moneda Cuba. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Meet a veteran Cuban diplomat and educator, who offers deep firsthand insight into Cuba’s economy, the dynamics of U.S.-Cuba relations and the ongoing effect of the U.S. embargo on the country. Learn about the role played by radio stations such Radio Rebelde and Radio Habana Cuba in achieving independence. Afterward, a local architect joins you for a walking tour of pedestrian-only Old Havana, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its Baroque and neoclassic architecture, which dates to its founding as a Spanish colony. Immerse yourself in the rhythms of Cuba when you attend an Afro-Cuban musical performance. Pause for lunch before continuing to the Museum of the Revolution (upon its opening), set within the former Presidential Palace of all Cuban presidents, from Mario García Menocal to Fulgencio Batista. A repository of artifacts and exhibits related to the Cuban Revolution, it houses Granma, a yacht used to transport 82 fighters of the revolution from Mexico to Cuba in 1956. Visit the studio of one of the photographers who covered the first years of the Cuban Revolution. End the day at a little league baseball field, where you watch tomorrow’s superstars engaging in Cuba’s beloved national pastime. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, drive through Pinar del Río Province, taking in the scenic Cuban countryside en route to one of Cuba’s premier tobacco farms for an in-depth look at this country’s most famous cash crop. Eat lunch at the home of a local farmer, meet his family and learn about organic farming practices, sustainability and Cuba's Green revolution. Afterward, return to Havana with time for dinner on your own, with options provided by your guide. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Visit the Fidel Castro Learning Center, meeting with a one of its caretakers, a specialist in Castro’s accomplishments and their legacy. Then head outside the bustling capital to visit Fusterlandia, a colorful mosaic studio in the Jaimanitas neighborhood. Alongside its artist, José Fuster, see how the collaborative project transformed the area into a creative canvas. Continue to a local development project before indulging in a mojito-making class before sitting down to a traditional lunch. At dance-and-percussion company Habana Compas, discover the role music and movement play in Cuban society. See a performance, with a chance to interact with its dancers and instructors after the show. Proceed to Angeles del Futuro, where you see a circus performance by a young, talented troupe. Learn about the program’s challenges and successes from the children involved. After some time to refresh at the hotel, join internationally known artist and painter Kadir López at his private studio/art gallery. Sip a refreshing drink complemented with hors d’oeuvres and live music, as you admire his artwork and learn the history behind it. Reflect on the enriching experiences during an authentic meal at a private restaurant. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Start your day at the National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana, touring its collection with a local specialist. Then visit to Finca La Vigía (lookout house), the former residence of Ernest Hemingway. Now a museum, the building was constructed in 1886. Engage with the museum’s caretakers and learn about the author’s life and work in Cuba before breaking for lunch at a paladar. This afternoon, stop at a body shop, where you meet the president of the vintage car club, A Lo Cubano. Interact with its members and learn about entrepreneurism in Cuba. Meeting with private owners and taxi drivers of classic American cars, and discover how they keep the vehicles running as you cruise the streets of Havana. Later, dance to Cuban rhythms with a professional instructor during a private visit to La Casona del Son. Cap of your day when you meet private owners and taxi drivers of classic American cars, and then stop at Revolution Square, dominated by the José Martí Memorial. This evening, attend a farewell dinner at a private restaurant, accompanied by live music. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for your departing flight. Meals: Breakfast