Pearls of the Caribbean

DAY 1

You’ll be met at the Jose Marti Airport and transferred to the historic Sevilla Hotel in Havana for your first night in Cuba. You also have the option of upgrading your accommodation to the luxurious Parque Central Hotel. Both hotels are excellently positioned, just minutes away from Old Havana by foot. Overnight in Havana

DAY 2

After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be met by your guide and start your full-day tour of Havana, which takes you through the city’s most historic and beautiful sites including the breath-taking Plaza de la Catedral and the captivating Malencon. You’ll be enchanted by the authentically Cuban atmosphere that fills the narrow cobblestone streets, lined with immense ornate buildings from its colonial past. The tour takes you to the fascinating Museum of the Revolution, housed in the impressive former Presidential Palace before visiting the Havana Club Rum Museum. Discover the rich history of the world’s favourite Cuban rum and, time-permitting, enjoy a rum tasting before we head to our next destination. From the museum, you’ll be taken on a panoramic tour of the El Morro Fortress, a famous symbol of the old Havana. The castle’s fort offers stunning vistas of Havana Bay from its bleached white walls which jut high above the mouth of the harbour. After the fortress tour, we’ll stop to enjoy a leisurely lunch at the famous El Patio restaurant, overlooking Cathedral Square in the centre of Old Havana. After lunch, we continue to the historic Revolution Square, where a giant metal façade of Che Guevara dominates the square and its memorials. The tour comes to an end with a scenic drive along Havana’s famous Malecon promenade. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure by the hotel pool, or continue exploring the beautiful city. You’ll later enjoy dinner at the grand Casa Espanola restaurant, set in a castle-style mansion with vast stained glass windows depicting Cuba’s various regions. Overnight in Havana

DAY 3

Your tour begins after breakfast when you set off through the expanse of sugar plantations to the east of Havana, to the city of Santa Clara, famous as the final resting place of Che Guevara. Our first stop in ‘the city of Che’ is the Che Guevara Mausoleum, a memorial which houses the remains of Che Guevara and 29 of his fellow fighters beneath an 80-foot tall bronze statue of the beloved revolutionary. We’ll also visit the museum dedicated to his extraordinary life before embarking on a guided tour of the city, which includes a visit to the ‘Tren Blindado’ train, famously attacked in the 1958 Battle for Santa Clara during the revolution. You’ll then enjoy lunch at a local hotel before we continue the day’s journey through the Escambray Mountains to the graceful city of Trinidad, one of the world’s best-preserved colonial cities, which has earned itself UNESCO World Heritage status. You’ll enjoy dinner and spend the night in style at the luxurious Iberostar Grand Hotel in the centre of Trinidad. Overnight in Trinidad

DAY 4

After enjoying a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, your tour of Trinidad begins. We’ll visit either the beautiful Neo-Classical Palacio Cantero museum or the fascinating History Museum. We’ll then move on to La Canchanchara, the 18th century birthplace of the Canchanchara cocktail, a unique rum, lime and sugar cane cocktail, which you can sample before lunch. Lunch will be served at the Grand Hotel Trinidad, after which the afternoon is yours to explore the city at your own pace. Dinner will also be taken at the hotel restaurant. Overnight in Trinidad

DAY 5

After breakfast at the hotel, your journey continues to the city of Cienfuegos, affectionately known as Perla Del Sur, ‘Pearl of the South’. The city earned this name for its stunning boulevards, architecture and magnificent views of the crystal blue ocean in its bay and the mountains beyond. Your tour of La Canchanchara includes a host of spectacular Neo-Classical architecture dating back 200 years, as well as the colonial Tomas Terry Theatre, a national monument. You’ll then enjoy lunch at the beautiful Nautical Club restaurant, where you can take in the stunning views of the bay. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy relaxing at the hotel pool or further exploring the charming city. Dinner will be held at the marvellous Moorish-sytle Palacio Del Valle. Overnight in Cienfuegos

DAY 6

We depart from Cienfuegos for the province of Pinar Del Rio, a region which is famous as Cuba’s main tobacco-growing hub. En route to the beautiful valleys and steep ‘Mogote’ mountains of Pinar Del Rio, we’ll stop at stunning Guama on the coast of the Caribbean Sea. Here, you’ll be taken on a tour by boat through the mangrove swamps to the shores of Treasure Lake, where you can explore a replica of a traditional stilted Taino Indian Village. You’ll then enjoy lunch at one of the charming local countryside restaurants. After lunch, the tour continues on to Vinales where you’ll be able to spend the night in a casa particular, a private Cuban home. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to experience genuine Cuban hospitality and get to know some of the captivating locals. The group will be split across different casa particulars, which vary in size and style. Dinner will be enjoyed at a local restaurant.  Overnight in Vinales

DAY 7

Today’s journey takes you to the famous Vinales Valley where we’ll stop to enjoy the views of the traditional tobacco fields below the stunning karst limestone cliffs. Down in Vinales, you’ll be able to visit one of the Pinar Del Rio cigar factories and see the process of Cuba’s world-famous cigars being handmade by local experts. Before lunch, you’ll be treated to a boat ride through the magnificent El Indio limestone cave system. Lunch will be enjoyed at the picturesque countryside Ranchon San Vicente restaurant before we continue our journey back to Vinales where you can enjoy the day relaxing at your private casa before enjoying dinner with your host family. You also have the option of upgrading to the Vinales Hotel, in which case dinner will not be included.

Overnight in Vinales

DAY 8

After breakfast the last day of your tour takes you to the eco-village of Las Terrazas in the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll be able to enjoy the natural beauty of the pristinely preserved site and be treated to a delicious lunch at one of the unique restaurants in the village. After lunch, you’ll be transferred back to Varadero where the tour comes to an end, or alternatively, to Havana, for your return flight or to the Havana Hotel.

• Transfers included.
• Rep service included
• Two night’s accommodation at the Sevilla hotel (Havana)
• Two night’s accommodation at the Grand Hotel Iberostar (Trinidad)
• One night’s accommodation at Jagua Hotel (Cienfuegos)
• Two night’s accommodation at private house (Vinales)

Included meals

• Day 2, Breakfast at hotel, Havana
• Day 2, Lunch at El Patio Restaurant, Havana 
• Day 2, Dinner at Casa Espanola restaurant, Havana
• Day 3, Breakfast at hotel, Havana
• Day 3, Lunch at Hotel Los Caneyes restaurant, Santa Clara
• Day 3, Dinner at hotel, Trinidad
• Day 4, Breakfast at hotel, Trinidad
• Day 4, Lunch at hotel, Trinidad
• Day 4, Dinner at hotel, Trinidad
• Day 5, Breakfast at hotel, Trinidad
• Day 5, Lunch at Club Nautico restaurant, Cienfuegos
• Day 5, Dinner at Palacio del Valle, Cienfuegos
• Day 6, Breakfast at hotel, Cienfuegos
• Day 6, Lunch at La Boca restaurant, Guama
• Day 6, Dinner at Don Tomas restaurant, Vinales
• Day 7, Breakfast at private house, Vinales
• Day 7, Lunch at Ranchon San Vicente restaurant, Vinales
• Day 7, Dinner will be provided at your local casa
• (Pre paid dinner is not applicable if upgrading to Hotel)
• Day 8, Breakfast at private house, Vinales
• Day 8, Lunch at Moka

**We reserve the right to change the order of the tour activities at any time due to local circumstances**

**Please note that if your departure flight is before 7pm then your are required to book a private return transfer from Vinales to Havana Airport at an additional fee which will ensure on time arrival for their onward flight**