DETAILS
From vintage cars to culture-soaked streets, infectious music to welcoming smiles, Cuba is a scintillating feast for the senses! Stay for seven nights in a privately owned boutique hotel located in Havana’s vibrant Vedado neighborhood. With your intimately sized group, limited to 12 travelers, experience authentic connections to Cuba’s community and witness firsthand the rapid changes occurring across the island.
- Pricing from
- $5,395
SOLD OUT! 2024 Dates available. Call 800-323-7373 or click here to reserve. Limited to only 12 Guests!
- Trip Type
- Group Travel Tour, International Land & Rail Voyages
- Departure Dates
-
Oct 20, 2023 - Oct 27, 2023
Nov 3, 2023 - Nov 10, 2023
– 7 nights in Havana, Cuba, at the first class ARTe Hotel Calle 2, a privately owned boutique hotel.
– Round-trip flights between Miami and Cuba
CANCELLATION-You will receive a full refund for cancellations made up to 90 days prior to trip departure. Cancellations from 89 to 76 days prior to departure will be subject to a $300 per person administrative fee. The withheld administrative fee may be applied to a future AHI Travel program that will operate in the current calendar year or year following cancellation. The credit will be applied to the final billing and may not be used as part of the initial deposit. It is non-transferable and is not valid toward the purchase of an AHI Cruises independent cruise. Cancellations from 75 days to 60 days prior to departure will result in forfeiture of 25% of the entire cost of the trip per person; 59-30 days, 50% of the trip cost per person; cancellations from 29 days up to the time of departure will result in 100% forfeiture of the entire cost of the trip. TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE IS AVAILABLE. AN APPLICATION WILL BE SENT AFTER YOU RESERVE. All cancellations must be submitted in writing to AHI Travel. CANCELLATION OF TRIP OPTIONS-Purchases of optional excursions, trip extensions and additional hotel nights become fully non-refundable 45 days prior to departure. Air transportation and private transfer purchases are subject only to penalties assessed by the airlines and transfer suppliers.
TOUR MAP
ITINERARY
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day 1
Depart Miami, FL | Havana, Cuba
Depart Miami for Havana. Upon arrival, check in to the ARTe Hotel Calle 2. Tonight, gather for a Welcome Dinner at a local paladar, a privately owned and operated restaurant. Meet and mingle with locals on your first night in Cuba while supporting Cuban entrepreneurialism.
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day 2
Havana
Enrichment: Havana’s Urban Planning and Architectural Challenges. Gather with a local architect who examines contemporary city planning in Havana. Discovery: Enigmatic Old Havana. Enjoy your first look at this UNESCO World Heritage destination and its four main squares: Plaza de Armas, Plaza de San Francisco, Plaza de la Catedral and Plaza Vieja. These vibrant plazas teem with local life, from men playing dominos to colorful flea markets and children playing soccer. Chat with habaneros, local vendors, before continuing to Dador, an independently owned clothing store founded by Cuban women. Talk with the entrepreneurs, learning about their experiences with starting and owning a female-led business in Cuba.
Discovery: La Casa de la Cultura. This community center promotes art, culture and literature within Cuba and offers workshops on music, dancer, theater and other artistic areas. Enjoy engaging with the staff and children. Tonight, gather for a Cuban jazz show at Paseo 206. After, enjoy a delicious Caribbean dinner prepared with artisanal ingredients at the on-site restaurant, Eclectico. -
day 3
Havana
Discovery: In-Depth Havana. Climb aboard a classic convertible for a ride through Havana’s historic quarter. Peek beneath the hood and learn how these well-preserved cars are maintained, including the challenges of getting access to necessities. Continue to the Sephardic Hebrew Center where a member of Havana’s Jewish Community invites us for a tour. Next, explore the charismatic Callejón de Hamel. This paint-splashed, music-filled alley is a central part of Afro-Cuban culture, a fusion of African and European religious practices. After lunch, see the towering Christ of Havana monument made from white marble.
Discovery: La Finca Vigia. See Ernest Hemingway’s home. The famous author wrote “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “The Old Man and the Sea” in this modest house. Enrichment: U.S. and Cuban Relations. Join a university professor to explore the U.S., Cuba and the Cuban economy. -
day 4
Havana
Enrichment: Empowering Cuban Women. A local sociologist gives an insightful talk about gender relations and the role of women in Cuba. Also discuss the challenges that women still need to overcome in order to achieve gender equality on the island.
Discovery: Contemporary Art in Cuba. Wilfredo Benítez of the Ludwig Foundation explores local artists and their work. Continue to the National Museum of Fine Arts in central Havana to see a collection featuring Cuban artists from the 17th century until today.
Discovery: Inside an Art Studio. Cuba’s art scene reflects a menagerie of African, North and South American, and European cultures and influences. Tour Casa Fuster, the studio of Cuban painter and sculptor Jose Fuster, and talk with an artist about his work and the opportunities for local artists.
Enrichment: Cuba’s Justice System. A professor from the University of Havana shares his perspective and experiences with working alongside Cuba’s justice system. -
day 5
Matanzas | Havana
Discovery: Matanzas – The Slaves’ Route. Delve into the cultural riches of Matanzas. Cuba underwent a long period of slavery from 1511 until 1886. Today, Afro-Cuban roots remain profound across the island, especially in Matanzas. Tour the San Severino Museum, a castle built by slave labor to protect the city against attacks. This symbolic museum has many objects and photos illustrating slavery times. Learn about the history of the slave trade and how Afro-Cuban culture is celebrated through art, religion, music, language and other forms of expression.
Enrichment: Race and the Cuban Revolution. Discuss the effect of the Cuban Revolution on racism across the island. -
day 6
Havana
Discovery: Norma Guillard. This Cuban social psychologist and adjunct lecturer at the University of Havana shares stories about her work. Watch “Maestra,” a documentary about female volunteers who taught more than 700,000 Cubans to read and write during the Cuban Literacy Campaign.
Discovery: Cuban Dance. Visit a contemporary dance studio for a look into Cuba’s infectious dance scene, and meet some dancers. During a discussion with these specialists, learn about their experiences and commitments to their art and training. This afternoon, visit the Ludwig Foundation, a non-profit cultural institution that is dedicated to protecting and promoting Cuban artists. Meet independent local artists and learn about their desires to pursue artistic ventures. Relax over dinner at a nearby paladar, an example of Cuba’s gradual shift to a more free-market economy. -
day 7
Caimito | Havana
Discovery: Caimito. Visit an agromercado, a street market selling vegetables, fruits and varieties of meats and beans. Continue through the country to Finca Marta, a farm started by agronomist Fernando Funes. He shares his vision for transforming the Cuban farming model by using resource-efficient artisanal farming methods and his goals for helping farmers make a living from their land. Relax with your fellow travelers over a lunch of locally sourced produce.
Enrichment: Rhythms of Cuban Music. Join a Cuban ethnomusicologist to talk about Cuba’s enthralling music scene, which has its roots in rhythms from Spain and West Africa. Raise a toast to your Cuban adventure during a Farewell Dinner at a family-owned paladar. -
day 8
Havana | Miami, Florida
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for the return flight to Miami, Florida.
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