8 days in Cuba: passing through Havana, Santa Clara and Trinidad

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 3

  From Cienfuegos to Santa Clara, via Trinidad.

  

  Today, we will leave Cienfuegos to set out to discover the city of Santa Clara, located in the center of Cuba and known for its Cuban cultural revolution, which still emerges in many places and streets. To the west of the city, we will visit the Che Guevara mausoleum, where the remains of Che as well as other fighters rest. It is crowned by a huge bronze statue of the revolutionary leader. We will also visit the Historical Museum of the Revolution, which has objects and personal effects retracing Che's life. We will continue our journey by car to arrive in Trinidad, a charming place that has become an open-air museum where the Spanish colonial atmosphere can be felt everywhere. Trinidad is a municipality in central Cuba, known for its old town with colonial style and its cobbled streets. Trinidad has places of luxurious beauty, such as the neo-baroque Plaza Mayor, surrounded by large colonial buildings, a romantic museum in the Brunet Palace, or even a museum of colonial architecture where you can see antiques from the era and sugar production. To finish, we will pass by the Church of the Holy Trinity, which is a 19th-century cathedral. We will end this day with a warm atmosphere to the sound of rumba, the famous Cuban dance, at the Casa de la Música in Trinidad. You will spend the night in a private apartment in Trinidad.

• day 1

  Arrival in Havana

  Upon your arrival at José Martí International Airport in Havana, our driver will be waiting to welcome you and accompany you to your hotel. At the hotel, you will then be greeted by your guide, who will present you with the program for the next day. You will have dinner and spend the night in a Cuban apartment in Habana Vieja. The houses are tastefully decorated and include everything you need to enjoy a few days of luxury in Havana.

• day 2

  Departure from Havana to Cienfuegos.

  

  We will leave Havana for Cienfuegos. After a two-hour drive, we will arrive at the Bay of Pigs, where you can take the opportunity to explore and admire a multitude of fish as well as the beautiful coral reef. After enjoying the underwater world, we will arrive in Cienfuegos. This city, known as the Paris of Cuba and also called the Pearl of the South, was founded in 1819 by a French merchant who wanted to increase the presence of Whites on the island, despite the damage caused by a hurricane. It was indeed the arrival of the railway that encouraged local merchants to rebuild a luxurious city in the neoclassical style. In 2005, Cienfuegos was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its architectural style, grace, and location in a natural bay make it a must-see place. We will then take you to visit the most important attractions of Cienfuegos and finish with a walk in the city with a cocktail at the Palacio de Valle. You will spend the night in a private apartment in Cienfuegos.

• day 4

  Visit of the surroundings of Trinidad: the Valle de los Ingenios and Playa Ancón

  

  In the Valle de los Ingenios, also called Valle San Luis, you can still see the marks of a corner of Cuba that grew with sugar production. Although sugarcane cultivation continues today, the golden age is nevertheless over and El Valle is now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. We will accompany you to visit the following sites: the Mirador de la Loma del Puerto, the Manaca Iznaga farm, passing by the former San Isidro de los Destiladeros sugar mill and the Casa Guachinango. To finish, you can enjoy a moment of relaxation at Ancón beach, less touristy than Varadero, so you can enjoy its beautiful paradisiacal beach of fine white sand and its crystal-clear waters.

• day 5

  Topes de Collantes Park

  About 30 km from Trinidad, you will find the large Topes de Collantes National Park, home to a place for walking, a swimming pool, and waterfalls. We will continue the day along the Caburní trail, about 2.5 kilometers long, where we will pass small houses in the middle of the forest, as well as vast coffee plantations, preserving abundant vegetation and wildlife all the way to the Caburní River. With a waterfall of about 60 meters as a backdrop, you will have the opportunity to swim in the pools created for this purpose.

• day 6

  Back to Havana

  At the agreed time, you will return to Havana after a 4 and a half hour journey. You will spend the night in a private apartment in Old Havana.

• day 7

  Discovery of La Habana Vieja

  

  After a good breakfast, you will visit the city of Habana Vieja, famous for its American cars and its must-see places: Plaza de Armas, Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza San Francisco de Asís, and Plaza Vieja, with a tour of the main streets and squares. If you wish, you can also visit the Ernest Hemingway Museum of Cuba, named after the famous American writer Ernest Hemingway, who was very fond of this island. After lunch, you will embark on a one-hour tour in a classic convertible car, while admiring the modern neighborhoods of Havana such as Plaza de la Revolución, Vedado, Miramar, and the Malecón. We will end this visit with a cocktail at the Hotel Nacional.

• day 8

  International flight

  After this 8-day trip to Cuba, filled with memories and discoveries, we will accompany you to the airport to take your international return flight. The price includes: - Visa to enter Cuba. We will process the visa provided you send us the necessary information. The processing time for the Cuban visa is at least 10 working days before the arrival date. - Private guide in Havana, Cienfuegos, and Trinidad - French-speaking guide subject to availability - All excursions mentioned - Entry fees for the places you will visit with the guide - Meals mentioned in the program - Transfers to and from the airports - Transfers for excursions and visits The price does not include: - International travel insurance - Meals not mentioned in this program