Cuba: New Year Fiesta

After breakfast today, a walking tour of Old Havana awaits, where many significant buildings have been restored, and are reliving their glory days. We’ll stop at an art and clothing store run by a local artist, followed by an optional lunch. We’ve left the afternoon free to either explore Havana on your own or to rest up at the homestay for New Year’s Eve, which kicks off with a festive dinner. Tonight’s countdown will be at one of the local gay bars.

After a big night out, we’ve planned a leisurely afternoon at Mi Cayito, a gay beach in the burbs. We’ll grab lunch (optional) en route, then leave you to soak up the sun and meet some locals. Tonight’s dinner is optional, and we’d recommend getting to bed early as we have an early morning tomorrow.

After breakfast, our Cuban adventure continues in the Spanish Colonial settlement of Trinidad. With a rambling drive of seven hours ahead of us, make yourself comfortable and enjoy the ride. Once in Trinidad, we’ll check in to our homestays, then gather for an included dinner.

Home to many churches and colonial buildings, our day in Trinidad begins with a cultural tour of the town. We’ll visit museums, including the Afro Cuban temple to Yemaya. In the afternoon we’ll visit the local headquarters of a private dance company, and learn about this prominent form of Cuban culture. A salsa class is included, revving up appetites for another included dinner!

Today we move on to Cienfuegos on the Caribbean coast, making a stop in Santa Clara en route to stretch our legs, and visit the Che Guevara Mausoleum & Museum while there. Founded by the French and then heavily developed by Americans, Cienfuegos, aka “the Pearl of the South,” will impress you with its elegance, architecture and style. After we explore the city, we’ll visit a local art cooperative and chat with the artists before savouring sunset from the stunning Palacio del Valle. Our day wraps up with another included dinner.

This morning we hit the road for another lengthy drive to Viñales (about 8 hours). This includes a stop at Bay of Pigs, where CIA-sponsored Brigade 2506 failed to overthrow Fidel Castro’s government in 1961. The museum here offers a solidly Cuban perspective on the events that unfolded, so it’s worth checking out. Once in Viñales, we’ll learn to cook like a Cuban through a lesson with a local chef, then feast upon our creations.

This morning we’ll learn about the Cuban cigar industry from a farmer and expert cigar maker. Peek into how the communist system works, and how people make ends meet. Learn the process, from planting tobacco, to rolling each cigar. Dinner tonight is at a stunning organic farm, followed by cocktails al fresco at a nearby bar.

After checking out of our homestays, it’s back to Havana, with a stop in Jaimanitas. This town was made famous by artist Jose Fuster. His home – Fusterlandia – is definitely a highlight, a living art project entirely covered in eclectic mosaics. Back in Havana we’ll visit interesting areas outside of Old Havana in classic convertible cars, then savour our bittersweet Farewell Dinner in a renovated former factory.

There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at your leisure.