CUBA REVEALED
AN IMMERSIVE JOURNEY THROUGH WESTERN CUBA
NOVEMBER 10–17, 2025
CUBA REVEALED
AN IMMERSIVE JOURNEY THROUGH WESTERN CUBA
Immerse yourself in the vibrant rhythms, colors and tastes of Havana, Varadero, Cienfuegos, Vinales and Trinidad. Engage in meaningful exchanges with individual Cubans as you explore all that Cuba’s most famous cities have to offer.
ITINERARY SUMMARY
• Optional 1 or 2-night Havana pre-trip extension
• Varadero, Sol Caribe by Melia Hotel; 2 Nights
• Trinidad, Hotel Melia Trinidad Peninsula; 2 Nights
• Havana, Grand Aston La Habana; 3 Nights
HIGHLIGHTS
• Stroll the cobblestone streets while meeting artists and artisans in Colonial Trinidad de Cuba
• Walk through the main square of Cienfuegos and enjoy a special private performance of the Guitar Orchestra Ensemble
• Discover the best of Havana and the countryside while meeting Cuban people from all walks of life
• In Vinales, a tobacco farmer takes you through the process of growing tobacco and turning it into Cuba’s famous cigars.
• Enjoy an exclusive pairing experience highlighting the unique characteristics of Cuba’s finest cigars.
• Cruise along the Havana Malecon in a classic convertible
OPTIONAL PRE-TOUR 2 NIGHTS EXTENSION: HAVANA
PRE-TOUR DAY 1: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8 HAVANA
Arrive in Havana by 4:30pm. Hotel check-in available from 5:00pm. After settling in, join fellow guests for dinner at a local paladar where you’ll enjoy authentic Cuban cuisine accompanied by your choice of two beverages. Grand Aston Havana (D)
PRE-TOUR DAY 1: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9 HAVANA
After breakfast at your hotel, embark on a day exploring Havana’s artistic heritage. Visit Jose Fuster’s home and neighborhood “Fusterlandia,” where this visionary artist, often called the “Picasso of the Caribbean,” has transformed an entire community with his vibrant mosaic art installations over thirty years of continuous work—a testament to persistence that mirrors your own sales success. Experience this inspiring example of Cuban community spirit, and engage with local entrepreneurs who have established businesses in front of their colorfully adorned homes.
Continue to Callejon de Hamel, a vibrant alleyway where on Sundays, Afro-Cuban culture comes alive through art, music, and dance. Meet a Santeria practitioner who will explain the fascinating rituals and traditions of this syncretic religion.
Enjoy lunch at a paladar (cost excluded) before visiting the Museum of Fine Arts, where you’ll meet with an art historian for an insightful discussion on how Cuban art interprets the country’s history, culture, and society.
OPTION FOR 1 NIGHT ONLY PRE TRIP: Arrivals today by 4:30 p.m. Meet & Greet and transfer to hotel for check in. Join dinner with other early arrivals.
We’ve made a reservation for dinner in a paladar, but left it at your own expense so that you can choose what you like.
This evening, visit the historic Hotel Nacional with our Cuban guide. A key landmark in Havana, the hotel reflects America’s ties with Cuba in the 1940s and 50s, when Havana was a playground for America’s elite. Built in 1930 by American firms, the Nacional has hosted world leaders, royalty, and movie stars for nearly a century. Explore the Hall of History, imagining Havana in December 1946 during the ‘Havana Conference,’ where the Mafia, led by Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano, sought refuge in Cuba from U.S. crackdowns. Discover Havana’s glamorous past, still evident today, and gain a deeper understanding of its history. Walk through the grounds overlooking the Malecon, a lush setting with views of the city and former site of anti-aircraft guns during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Grand Aston Havana (B)
PRE-TOUR DAY 3/MAIN TOUR DAY 1:
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10 HAVANA TO VARADERO
For those on the pre-tour: Enjoy breakfast then check out of the hotel.
This morning, we visit private enterprise workshop, Humidores Havana, that creates humidors for the international cigar market. You’ll be amazed by the artistry and craftsmanship of this artform, while conversing with the artisans on what inspires them and how they work—craftsmen devoted to excellence. Then enjoy lunch at a paladar, where you’ll meet the main group.
FOR MAIN TOUR GUESTS: Arrive at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport by 12:30pm. After clearing immigration and customs, meet your expert Cuban guide and transfer to lunch at a paladar.
Havana
ARRIVE / DEPART
Gulf of Mexico
Caribbean Sea
Havana
Miami
Cienfuegos
Playa Giron
Varadero
Trinidad
Topes de Collantes
Viñales
After lunch, our main trip is officially underway. Our Cuban Guide provides insightful commentary as we depart Havana to Matanzas, where we’ll stop in on Gallery row, to visit the FANJ gallery (Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation for Nature and Humanity, our host organization) and the art studios of some of Cuba’s most renowned artists.
Continue to Varadero and check into your accommodations. Gather in the evening for a welcome dinner at a local paladar, and get to know fellow travelers. Sol Caribe Varadero (B for pre-tour guests, L,D)
DAY 2: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 VAR ADERO
This morning we’ll visit La Coincidencia, a family-owned organic farm and artist community. Here, you’ll meet the family that operates an inspiring ceramics studio and the farm—a unique example of creativity and entrepreneurship. Enjoy lunch prepared with fresh, organic produce from the farm itself.
Return to Varadero for some leisure time to explore the beautiful coastal setting. Later, participate in a lively salsa lesson led by local instructors. We’ve made a reservation for dinner in a nearby paladar, but left it at your own expense so that you can choose what you like. Sol Caribe Varadero (B,L)
DAY 3: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
VAR
ADERO TO TRINIDAD
Depart Varadero after breakfast and travel to Cienfuegos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded by French settlers who
arrived after the Haitian Revolution. Explore the main square and visit the independent artists’ guild. Here, you’ll be treated to a private concert by the Guitar Orchestra. After lunch at a local paladar, continue your journey to Trinidad, one of Cuba’s most well-preserved colonial cities. Check into your accommodations and enjoy dinner at a paladar in the center of historic Trinidad. Melia Trinidad Peninsula (B,L,D)
DAY 4: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13 TRINIDAD
Begin your day with a guided walking tour through Trinidad’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site established over 500 years ago. As you stroll the picturesque cobblestone streets, enjoy opportunities to engage with local artists, and artisans.
Venture to Topes Collantes, a nature reserve in Cuba’s Escambray Mountains. Known for its dense tropical forest, scenic hiking trails, and refreshing waterfalls like Salto de Vega Grande, the area offers a tranquil escape into nature. Here, we’ll meet one of Premier Automotive Export’s customers and hear her inspiring story.
While in the area, we’ll take a short hike through the lush vegetation to enjoy scenic views.
Return to Trinidad. Dinner at leisure in the hotel. Melia Trinidad Peninsula (B,L,D)
DAY 5: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14 TRINIDAD TO HAVANA
After breakfast, depart Trinidad for Playa Giron, site of the Bay of Pigs invasion. Visit the museum where you’ll learn about the Cuban perspective on this pivotal historical event. Continue to a private garden that is a favorite feeding area for the Bee Hummingbird, the world’s smallest bird and endemic to Cuba. Enjoy lunch then continue to Havana, arriving by early evening. Check into your accommodations. Dinner at leisure. There are several paladars within walking distance of the hotel Grand Aston Havana (B,L)
DAY 6: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 HAVANA
Begin your exploration of Old Havana with a walking tour through the winding quarters and tiny streets of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the four main plazas—Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza de Armas, Plaza Vieja, and Plaza de San Francisco—while meeting local entrepreneurs and learning about Cuba’s dual-sector economy. Support “cuentapropistas” who sell handmade crafts, books, and art. Stop in at the Museo del Automóvil “El Garage,” housing remarkable vintage automobiles chronicling pivotal moments in Cuban history, including papal vehicles and the 1958 Maserati 450S intended for Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio.
After lunch, visit Finca La Vigia, Ernest Hemingway’s former home, where a local interpreter will provide insights into the memorabilia and stories of the famed writer’s life in Cuba.
We have a special invitation to join Vivian Melendez in her Central Havana home. As the former manager of the largest cigar store in Cuba, her expertise was honed over more than twenty years in the business. We’re introduced to a master cigar roller, who explains and demonstrates the art of rolling a fine cigar. Stogie in hand, Viviana leads us through an exclusive cigar experience, pairing your cigar with a fine, aged Cuban rum.
Ride along the Malecon in classic American convertible cars from the 1950s to dinner, with drivers sharing their stories of acquiring and maintaining these marvelously preserved automobiles.
For dinner this evening, we have a reservation at the iconic La Guarida Paladar, located in a former sugar barons’ home. This paladar is one of the oldest and most known to the outside
world and where the Oscar-nominated Cuban movie Strawberry and Chocolate was filmed. The chefs here are considered the fathers of “nouvelle Cuban cuisine,” preparing local ingredients with creative flare. This dinner is left on your own expense, so that you may choose what you like from the menu.
Grand Aston Havana. (B,L)
DAY 7: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16 HAVANA
Embark on a full-day excursion to Viñales Valley, known for its striking limestone hills (mogotes) and tobacco production. Visit a tobacco farm where a local family will guide you through the entire process of planting, growing, and drying tobacco leaf. Learn about the fruits and vegetables they grow alongside tobacco and enjoy a farm-to-table lunch prepared with organic produce.
Meet with the people who prepare tobacco for cigar production and visit with self-employed local business owners—entrepreneurs who understand the importance of product quality and customer relationships as well as you do.
In the evening, return to Havana. We’ll cap off our stay with a special Farewell Dinner, and a farewell toast with fine aged Cuban rum, paired with a cigar. Grand Aston Havana (B,L,D)
DAY 8: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17 DEPARTURE
After breakfast, check out of your accommodations by 11:00am. Transfer to Jose Marti International Airport for your departure flight. Your guide will confirm transfer times, ensuring you arrive approximately three hours before your scheduled flight. (B) Return home with fresh perspectives and renewed energy to drive your sales success to even greater heights.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON A CUBA JOURNEY
This itinerary has stays in multiple locations, with fully scheduled days. It is an active journey, involving walking and standing for up to 2 hours at a time and covering up to 2 miles unassisted during half-day tours. Expect 4-6 hours of physical activities daily, embarking and disembarking the motorcoach multiple times. Tours require walking on uneven cobblestone streets in historic areas, often with extended sun exposure in a tropical climate. Some activities and meals will be in historic buildings without elevators, requiring climbing 2-4 flights of stairs. While bedrooms and private vehicles are air-conditioned, most public places are not. Transportation is by private motorcoach, without a toilet, and involves drives of 2-6 hours between cities, at times on poorly maintained roads. Rest stops occur every 1.5-2 hours on longer drives. Accommodations in Cuba are in the best available hotels, selected based on legal use according to US Department of Treasury OFAC restrictions. In Cuba, flexibility is essential, as itineraries may change based on the day’s conditions. Your expert Cuban guide will manage any adjustments needed.
We trust that the beauty of the country, and the warmth and hospitality of the Cuban people will make up for any shortfalls in service. Cuba is unlike any other country in the world. We know that you will return home transformed by your journey.
INCLUSIONS:
✓ Expert private Cuban guide and private vehicle throughout the program
✓ Accommodations as specified in the itinerary
✓ Meals as indicated (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
✓ Two beverages per included meal (local beer, bottled water, soft drinks, or house wine when available)
✓ Bottled water while touring
✓ All activities, entrance fees, and special events as detailed in the itinerary
✓ Gratuities for included meals, luggage handling, and local specialty guides
✓ Certification of participation in a pre-planned program of support for Cuban People travel under U.S. Department of the Treasury general license
EXCLUSIONS :
International airfare; Meals not specified in the itinerary; Alcoholic beverages beyond the included two per meal; Gratuities for your Cuban Guide ($20 per day, per guest recommended); Gratuities for your Cuban Driver ($10 per day, per guest recommended); Cuban tourist e-visa (required for entry and departure) $130, processed by Conservancy Travel; Personal expenses and optional activities; Tips for hotel housekeeping and musicians during meals; Travel insurance
