Journey Cuba

13 days - from € 3,587 per person

off the beaten track - nature - history

Day 3: Viñales  - Santa Clara

After breakfast you will be picked up and brought to your accommodation in Santa Clara. The city is the capital of the province of Villa Clara and is located on the west side of the country at the foot of the Sierra del Escambray Mountains. Santa Clara was founded in 1689 and is mainly known for the decisive battle of Che Guevara and his followers at the end of 1958 against General Batista, during which they conquered a train with ammunition. On the way you will stop in Havana for lunch at the El Cocinero restaurant, which used to be an oil refinery. The restaurant has an atmospheric, industrial style with a beautiful roof terrace, enjoy the beautiful view over the city. After lunch you will drive on to your Hostal Florencia in Santa Clara, where you will arrive in the late afternoon. Your small accommodation is located in the heart of Santa Clara and has a charming colonial atmosphere. 
Overnight stay: Private house Hostal Florencia | bed & breakfast

Day 4: Santa Clara

Today you will make a city walk through Santa Clara, which has a rich history. First you will go to the Guevara Mausoleum, the monument of the Cuban hero of Argentinian origin: Che Guevara. You will walk inside with your guide where you will get the feeling as if you are stepping into the life of Che Guevara. There are many personal belongings of Che Guevara on display, including many photos, clothes, guns and letters. After this visit you will go to the Tren Blindado monument. This monument was made by a Cuban sculptor José Delarra, who recreated the situation in which Che Guevara derailed the armored train carrying the 408 soldiers of Batista. Here you will visit the two carriages that have been set up as a museum. Afterwards you will be brought back to your accommodation. 
Overnight stay: Private house Hostal Florencia | bed & breakfast

Day 5: Santa Clara – Trinidad 

Today you will leave Santa Clara and drive with your guide to Trinidad. On the way you will make a stop at the Manaca Iznaga plantation, where you will visit the Manaca Iznaga tower. The tower served as a watchtower, from where they supervised the sugar plantations, where slaves worked. At the foot of the tower the clock is located, which used to be rung at the beginning and end of working days. When you reach the top, you can look far out over the sugar plantations. After visiting this historic place, you will be offered a cocktail and drive on to Trinidad. The city of Trinidad has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988 and was founded in 1514 by Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, a crew member of Christopher Columbus. Trinidad is one of the most colonial cities in Cuba, the brightly colored houses and many car-free streets give you the feeling of being back in time. You will stay these days in Finca Kenya. This finca is located on the edge of the center and has a lovely garden. 
Overnight stay: Finca Kenya | bed & breakfast

Day 6: Trinidad

This day you will be taken through the historic center of Trinidad. During the walk you will visit the city museum Museo Histórico Multicipal. Just the interior of this former city palace is worth a visit. When you step inside you will be taken through the history of the area. You will find pre-Columbian utensils, attention is paid to the plantation culture and slavery, to the fight for independence and there are images of the development of Trinidad. After your visit to the museum, make a stop at the popular Canchanchara bar, where you will be offered a cocktail. The bar is a crowded place for lunch or a cocktail and owes its name to the favorite drink of hijackers and smugglers from the 16th century: a mix of rum, honey and lime, diluted with water. You will then head to Esquina 373, a restaurant where you will learn the history of the world-famous Cuban cigars and rum. After you have become acquainted with the different products, it is time for a tasting. 
Overnight stay: Finca Kenya | bed & breakfast

Day 7: Trinidad

You will be taken to a mountainous nature reserve just outside the city. It is a natural paradise, where you can make beautiful walks. During the way you will stop at a viewpoint where you look out over the Caribbean Sea and the city of Trinidad. Together with your guide you will make a short walk of about 3 kilometers along the path El Cubano - Huellas de la Historia. This area is overgrown with about 100 different species of ferns and orchids. Many birds fly around and with a little luck you will spot Cuba's national bird, the Tocororo (the Cuban Trogon). You can take a refreshing swim in the crystal clear water pools with small waterfalls, which you will pass along the way. After a delicious lunch you will be brought back to your hotel in Trinidad.
Overnight stay: Finca Kenya | bed & breakfast

Day 8: Trinidad – Cienfuegos – Havana 

After breakfast you will be taken back to Havana. On the way you will make a stop in the city of Cienfuegos, with 200 years one of the youngest cities in Cuba. The city had a very prosperous time and this can be seen in the historic center and the huge mansions on the Malecon. You will visit the Terry Theatre which has recently been restored. Then you will visit Palacio Valle, a city palace located at the end of the promenade, which is considered to be the most elegant building in the city. During the tour you will be offered a cocktail on the terrace of the palace. Afterwards you will be brought to Restaurant Rancho Cristal, where you will have lunch. After lunch you will be brought to your hotel in Havana.
Overnight stay: La Reserva Vedado | bed & breakfast

Day 9: Havana

Together with a guide you will discover Havana in an original way, in a classic American car! You will be driven to the old center of Havana, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1982. Havana was one of the largest ports in the world and the 'key to the new world', a gateway for exploration of Central and South America. You will walk through the colonial part of the city, through streets and across the squares of Old Havana. The palace that you will also visit dates back to 1798 and before it was destroyed by a hurricane, it was the seat of the cabildo (the city council). After restoration, the Museo de la Ciudad was placed in the palace. The museum has more than 40 exhibition rooms, and gives you a better idea of the history of the fight for independence from the beginning until the revolutionary victory in 1959. Be sure to visit the patio as well. In this lushly overgrown courtyard garden you will find a beautiful statue of Christopher Columbus. After the visit to the museum you will go to Bar Bohemia where you will participate in a cocktail workshop. While sipping your own cocktail you can enjoy pleasant live music. After this it is time for lunch so you will be brought to restaurant Doña Eutimia. The restaurant is one of the best places to have lunch in town.
Overnight stay: La Reserva Vedado | bed & breakfast

Day 10: Havana

Today you will be introduced to the lively art scene of the Cuban capital. You will be picked up in a classic American car, which will take you to the Bellas Artes Museum. The museum has 24 rooms with Cuban art from various periods. Together with the curator of the museum, Sussette Martinez, you will walk through the museum and got told about Cuban history through the works of art. Afterwards the guide will take you to a number of galleries where many promising young artists and more artists exhibit their works. Lunch will be served in restaurant 5 Sentidos. After lunch you will be brought back to your accommodation and you can enjoy a free afternoon. 
Overnight stay: La Reserva Vedado | bed & breakfast

Day 11: Havana

Havana has a rich history and today you will learn more about it. After breakfast you will be picked up for a visit to the former estate of the American writer and Nobel Prize winner Ernest Hemmingway. You will visit his former house Finca Vigia and his two favorite pubs La Bodeguite del Medio and El Floridita, where he loved to come and drink his favorite mojitos. At El Floridita you will be offered a cocktail during a short break. When you enter, you will see the former fixed spot of the writer in the darkest corner. Finally you will visit the hotel Ambos Mundos, where Hemingway stayed, before he had Finca Vigia built. In this hotel, where he lived for about 10 years, he wrote the book ''For Whom the Bell Tolls''. The tour ends with a lunch in the Santy Pescador restaurant. The restaurant is known for its recipes prepared with soy sauce, mussels, vegetables and fish, which combine well with a good glass of wine. 
Overnight stay: La Reserva Vedado | bed & breakfast

Day 12: Havana – Amsterdam

Unfortunately, your unique journey through Cuba comes to an end today. You will end your journey in style and be taken in a classic American car to Havana airport, where you will board your intercontinental flight to Amsterdam.

Day 13: Amsterdam 

You will arrive in Amsterdam today.