Cuba: People, Art & Culture – A Luxury Small Group Journey (2024/25)

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.

Hotel E San Juan De Dios | Meals: D

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, ending at the Plaza del Carmen — a picturesque pedestrian square. Stop for lunch at a paladar (privately run restaurant), and then 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. Later, enjoy a rum-and-cigar pairing with a cigar expert who explains the history of tobacco in Cuba. Dinner is on your own, with restaurant recommendations available from your local guide.

Hotel E San Juan De Dios | Meals: BL

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 the family-run Santander workshop and gallery to participate in a pottery-making experience with one of its renowned ceramicists. Check in to your hotel for a welcome drink, followed by dinner.

Meliá Trinidad Península | Meals: BLD

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 located in the forested Escambray Mountains. Meet its owners and workers as they go about their daily routines; as part of a Chef's Table experience, brew your own farmer-style coffee; and even try your hand at milking a cow before sitting down to a farm-fresh lunch. Then, explore the village, soaking up the atmosphere before returning to your hotel.

Meliá Trinidad Península | Meals: BLD

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 recognised 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 centre 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 Theatre, 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, 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.

INNSiDE Habana Catedral | Meals: BLD

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 and 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 artefacts 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.

INNSiDE Habana Catedral | Meals: BLD

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. Tour the farm and enjoy freshly prepared lunch while interacting with the family and workers. After learning about organic farming practices in Cuba, return to Havana. Tonight, enjoy dinner on your own, with options provided by your guide.

INNSiDE Habana Catedral | Meals: BL

Head outside the bustling capital to visit Fusterlandia, a colourful mosaic studio in the Jaimanitas neighbourhood. Alongside its artist, José Fuster, see how the collaborative project transformed the area into a creative canvas. Continue to La Finca Costera, a coastal farm where you attend 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. Enjoy a Scenic Sundowner, complete 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.

INNSiDE Habana Catedral | Meals: BLD

Pay a 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. At the National Museum of Fine Arts of Havana, tour its collection with a local specialist before pausing for lunch at a paladar. Then, dance to Cuban rhythms with a professional instructor during a private visit to La Casona del Son. Continue to 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, discover how they keep the vehicles running as you cruise the streets of Havana. This evening, attend a farewell dinner at a private restaurant, accompanied by live music.

INNSiDE Habana Catedral | Meals: BLD

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

Meals: B

Internal air included: Miami/Camagüey; Havana/Miami
This journey contains some active elements.
Minimum age is 10 years.
First group event: welcome briefing and dinner at 5:30 p.m. on Day 1.
Last group event: farewell dinner at 7:30 p.m. on Day 9.
Departures are guaranteed to operate with a minimum of 2 guests.

Program Note: All travellers must comply with the requirements of the people-to-people license category and begin and end the program in Miami, Florida regardless of their country of origin. Travelers cannot travel to Cuba separately and join the group on the island.

Included With Every Luxury Small Group Journey

• English-Speaking Resident Tour Director® and Local Guides
• Hand-Selected Accommodations
• Travelling Bell Boy® Luggage Handling
• Full Breakfast Daily; Select Lunches and Dinners
• Traveller’s Valet® Laundry Service
• Internet Access
• Entrance Fees, Taxes and All Gratuities Except Resident Tour Director
• 24/7 A&K On-Call Support
• Guaranteed Departures with Just Two Guests

Talk to one of our expert Journey Designers or your travel agent about booking this tour as a private journey for your own small group with family or friends. Or, if you would prefer to travel privately, find out more about creating the perfect bespoke tailor-made journey based on this itinerary.