Cuba
Cuba Today: Havana and Viñales
Program No. 22879RJ
Discover the history and culture of Havana as you meet with dancers, fishermen, entrepreneurs and more. Explore the Viñales Valley to uncover the natural beauty of this region.
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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
8 days
7 nights
What's Included
17 meals (
7B, 5L, 5D
)
2 expert-led lectures
11 expert-led field trips
2 hands-on experiences
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
7 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
In Transit, Arrive Havana, Check-in, Welcome Dinner
Location:
Havana
Meals:
D
Stay:
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana
Activity Note
This daily schedule is a representative guide. Program elements in Cuba are controlled by the Cuban government and are subject to change on short notice, as are flight times. Hotel check-in available from 4:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
After checking in at the hotel, take some time to freshen up.
Dinner:
At a paladar (private restaurant).
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
2
Orientation, Urban Architecture, Craft Ice Cream Maker
Location:
Havana
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 15 miles total, approximately 1 hour riding time. Walking and standing for approximately 3 hours, pedestrian streets, cobblestones, high curbs.
Breakfast:
In the hotel restaurant.
Morning:
Orientation: 8:30 a.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Our accommodations in Cuba feature clean, comfortable rooms with private baths and standard amenities. Cuban hotel standards may not equal their American or European counterparts. Improvements are ongoing, and we hope that any potential glitch in service or amenities is a minor trade-off for the authentic connections and enrichment we will experience. This program is staffed with a Study Leader, who will provide educational content, and a Group Leader who will deal primarily with logistics. We also will learn from a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead discussions. Program-related travel and transfers will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. Meals will be in paladars, privately owned and operated family restaurants. Periods in the schedule designated as “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Next, we’ll hear a presentation by an urban architect and city planner in a lecture room at the hotel. The lecturer explains every phase of Havana’s architectural development from pure examples of the Colonial Period, masterpieces of the Art Deco style and the startling examples of the Russian period. After the presentation, we will transfer by motorcoach to Old Havana where we will participate in a recycled paper workshop at the community project “Cyclopapel.”
Lunch:
At a paladar.
Afternoon:
We’ll set out with our Cuban host on a walking field trip into two of Old Havana’s four plazas: Plaza de la Catedral that originated in 1592, with its main feature the ornate Catedral de San Cristóbal; and Plaza Vieja, laid out in 1559 when it was the “new” square, now surrounded by elegant, historic buildings. After lunch, we will have a unique opportunity to visit with a craft ice cream maker. We will have a discussion with the owner to learn about entrepreneurship in Cuba and the process of making the craft ice cream and the distribution channels. After the discussion, we will get to enjoy this delicious ice cream!
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. You might like to try one of the many paladares in Havana. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
3
Cuban Music Lecture, Master Chef Project, Dance Performance
Location:
Havana
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 20 miles, approximately 1 hour riding time. Walking up to 1 mile and standing, approximately 3 hours throughout the day; mainly pedestrian-only streets, cobblestones, high curbs, sunny conditions, limited shade.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will enjoy an expert presentation at the hotel on Cuban music. We’ll be introduced through words and song to the diverse African, European, and American traditions that merge harmoniously together to create Cuban music. This session will conclude with a look at current Cuban music including reggaeton, now a mainstream genre popular across Latin America and in the USA. After, we’ll participate in a lively “Cuban Master Chef” workshop where we will shop for ingredients at a local market, and learn how to prepare a typical Cuban meal and Cuban cocktails.
Lunch:
We’ll enjoy the fruits of our labor during lunch at a nearby paladar.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we’ll attend a performance by a contemporary dance company and learn about their training and daily lives at their rehearsal space.
Dinner:
In a paladar.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Day
4
Transfer to Viñales, Cojimar, Finca Vigia, Vinales Valley
Location:
Viñales
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Casa Particular Vinales
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving 115 miles, approximately 2.5 hours riding time with stop en route. Walking up to 1 mile and standing indoors and out up to 2 hours. Cobblestones, high curbs, sunny conditions, limited shade.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will begin our journey by motorcoach to Viñales, a beautiful valley in the Pinar del Rio province of Cuba in the Sierra de Los Organos. This area is rich with lush landscapes, tobacco farms, and karsts. On the way, we will stop in the fishing village of Cojimar and meet with local fishermen to hear their tales.
Lunch:
At a paladar.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will also visit one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite refuges, Finca Vigia. Hemingway wrote “The Old Man and the Sea” at Finca Vigia. There, you may visit Hemingway’s own fishing boat, Pilar, which served as the basis for many of the scenes depicted in the novel. Then, we’ll continue our drive through the picturesque Viñales Valley. After checking in to the casa particular, we’ll explore Viñales on foot with our Cuban host before returning in the early evening.
Dinner:
At a paladar.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
5
Tobacco Farm Visit, Farm-to-Table Lunch, Cueva del Indio
Location:
Viñales
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Casa Particular Vinales
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 25 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 2 miles indoors and outdoors, uneven terrain, limited shade.
Breakfast:
In the casa particular.
Morning:
We’ll travel by motorcoach to the Valle del Silencio where we will visit a tobacco plantation. At the plantation, we will travel by horse-drawn carriage and ox carts and learn about their natural farming practices. There will be an opportunity to talk with the farmers and learn about life as a farmer in Cuba.
Lunch:
After learning about the tobacco growing and drying process, we'll enjoy a farm-to-table lunch at the farm’s on-site restaurant.
Afternoon:
Following lunch, we’ll board the motorcoach to visit the ancient indigenous dwelling Cueva del Indio. We’ll travel through the cave system by small boat and see the cave paintings and archeological remains from pre-Columbian Cuban civilizations. We’ll return to the Casa in the late-afternoon and adjourn for the day.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like. You might like to try one of the many paladares in Viñales. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer tomorrow.
Day
6
Organic Farm, Social Project, To Havana
Location:
Havana
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving 115 miles, approximately 3 hours riding time with a stop en route. Walking up to 1 mile; standing indoors and out up to 2 hours. Cobblestones, high curbs, sunny conditions, limited shade.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will board our motorcoach and travel to the Casa Caridad Botanical garden where we will learn about the garden from the owners. Next we will stop to see the amazing 120 m long Mural de la Prehistoria. We continue to the farm Finca Agroecologica. Here, we will meet with the owners and workers and have a walking exploration of the agroecological farm to learn about what is grown there and organic farming methods.
Lunch:
After learning about the farm, we'll enjoy a delicious meal prepared with their own organic ingredients.
Afternoon:
Following lunch, we will stop to visit a social project as we transfer back to Havana. Late afternoon arrival in Havana.
Dinner:
At the hotel restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
7
Antique Car Project, Havana Vieja,
Location:
Havana
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 20 miles total, approximately 2 hours riding time. Walking and standing for approximately 3 hours, pedestrian streets, cobblestones, high curbs.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
After breakfast we will be met at the hotel by a fleet of antique cars that will drive us to the Santos Suarez neighborhood. Here we will visit a typical Cuban mechanic shop where they will demonstrate how solutions are always found to maintain these antique cars. We will return to city in the antique cars for a walking exploration of Havana Vieja with our Cuban host.
Lunch:
On your own to enjoy local fare.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will continue our exploration of Havana Vieja with our local guide.
Dinner:
At a paladar. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Day
8
Program Concludes, In Transit From Program
Location:
Havana
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
At the hotel depending on flight time.
Morning:
After checking out of the hotel, we’ll transfer to the Havana airport. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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