SAMPLE ITINERARY

Cuba is the largest of the Caribbean islands and offers a heady cocktail of faded colonial splendour – with iconic old motor vehicles, salsa music, communism, white sandy beaches lapped by turquoise waters, authentic rum and world famous cigars.

In the capital of Havana, Art Deco architecture mingles with decaying colonial buildings. From vibrant salsa at Havana Cafe, amazing live music in the Plaza Mayor, and atmospheric bars that mingle history and cigar smoke, this city offers a fantastic and artsy mix of nightlife.

You can follow in the footsteps of the author Ernest Hemingway, who loved Cuba and had a house here. As well as sipping ‘daiquiris’ (rum and lime juice cocktail) in some of his favourite bars, you can visit the locations behind his works, including the seaside village of Cojimar which reputedly inspired ‘The Old Man and the Sea’.

The colonial towns scattered across the centre of Cuba offer a fascinating insight into the country’s Spanish colonial past. Trinidad has a preserved Old Town and Santa Clara has monuments to the Marxist revolutionist leader, Che Guevara. You can relive moments from his early memoirs, ‘The Motorcycle Diaries’, and follow part of the route he took as a young medical student that stirred his revolutionary’s passions, finishing at his final resting place in Santa Clara, where he made one of his pivotal insurgencies.

To the west, the stunning mountain scenery of the Viñales Valley is a highlight. Ripe with tobacco, coffee, fruit and vegetable plantations, it offers unique landscapes and many hiking trails, horse riding and climbing opportunities. After having seen expert ‘torcedores’ (highly skilled cigar rollers) creating Cuba’s world-famous cigars, you can take a day trip that follows the tobacco route.

In the east, the country’s second largest city of Santiago de Cuba played an important role in the Cuban revolution. Holguin is another large city with a sprawling Calixto García Park, San Isidoro Cathedral with its two red-domed towers, and some interesting museums. The Provincial Museum of History, located in a colonial barracks, exhibits the ‘Hacha de Holguín’, a 15th century carved axe head. The Natural History Museum has a large collection of plant specimens and stuffed birds and animals. The beautiful beaches of Guardalavaca offer good snorkelling and Baracoa, on the south-eastern tip of the island, offers wildlife, pretty beaches and delicious cuisine.

On the north coast you will find the best beaches, where powder white sands are lapped by the warm, turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea. Some of the country’s most luxurious hotels are found here. From Varadero you can take a day trip to the Bay of Pigs on the southern coast, the site of an ill-fated invasion in 1961 that was planned to overthrow Fidel Castro and the revolution.

Here is a sample itinerary that can be tailor-made to your needs:

Days 1 to 4: Arrive in Havana

Havana, Cuba’s exciting capital, is your first stop. A perfect introduction to Cuba, colourful Havana can’t fail to draw you in with its charms, atmospheric colonial mansions, music that hums through the city and its Caribbean coastal setting. A walking tour is one of the best ways to experience the heart of this unique city, while dancing until the early hours, cocktail in hand, is obligatory.

Stay in the aristocratic Hotel Santa Isabel, a luxurious former palace on the Plaza de Armas in the heart of Old Havana. With the bay nearby, take a stroll along the Malecón promenade that stretches along the waterfront.

Days 5 to 7: Viñales Valley

After taking your fill of the sights and sounds of Havana, head out of the city to the scenic countryside of the Viñales Valley, where the vast, flat fields are punctuated by steep mountains planted with tobacco, coffee, bananas and other fruit and vegetables. Explore the plantations, go climbing or horse riding, or simply relax and take in a slice of Cuba’s traditional rural life. 

La Ermita, with its spectacular setting in landscaped gardens in the Viñales Valley, is a perfect choice. Make the most of the open air bar and the swimming pool, and enjoy the panoramic views over the valley from your private terrace.

Days 8 to 10: Varadero

Finish your Cuban holiday in style on the postcard perfect beaches of Varadero on the Hicacos peninsula, where 20 km of beautiful Atlantic coastline is dotted with inviting white sandy beaches that are some of the best in the Caribbean, fringed by palm trees.

Paradisus Varadero is a luxurious beach resort where you can enjoy some quality downtime at the end of your holiday, from taking a dip in the lagoon-style swimming pool and indulging in the spa, to choosing one of the many restaurants for a memorable evening meal and enjoying the sea views from your stylish suite.

Day 11: Fly home

Varadero is conveniently close to Havana (about an hour and a half away), where you’ll be transferred back for your flight home.

PRICING

Price is based on two adults sharing en-suite accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis. Economy flights from London and local airport transfers are included.

We offer a choice of hotels at different prices, so please discuss your requirements with us. All hotels are subject to availability.

It is essential that you have personal holiday insurance. The FCO should also be consulted.