Lakihalper.Ourcuba.Com 2018 July Private Tour

LakiHalper.OurCuba.com 1-301-718-8700

2018 July Private Tour In Cuba from Tuesday July 24th to Tuesday July 31st, 2018 Day 1 - Tuesday :: Arrival and Hello Cuba Arrival at Havana’s José Martí International Airport. Collect your bags and go through customs. You’re welcomed at the airport lobby by your Cuba Education Tour guide. Transfer to your hotel located in heart of Havana’s entertainment district. Hotel check-in with assistance from your guide. Time to settle in and rest up at your hotel Welcome dinner at Los Naranjos private restaurant, included AFTER DINNER: Time to explore Havana’s vibrant nightlife, and make new Cuban friends. We’ll keep you posted on evening entertainment options Day 2 - Wednesday :: Exploring Old Havana, our common heritage Breakfast in hotel Get ready for a American vintage cars tour of Havana. You will tour of the most important sites of Modern Havana such as the Capitol building, the Grand Theatre, Central Park, Prado promenade, Revolution Square, Coppelia Ice Cream Park, Plaza José Martí (in front of US Interests Section), Malecón seawall, Monument to the Battleship Maine, Hotel Nacional, University of Havana, Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón, and the Miramar, Central Havana and Vedado neighborhoods. Followed by a walking tour of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll visit four of the five historic plazas that make Havana unique in the western hemisphere. It contains the largest collection of remaining colonial-era architecture. This is a private tour led by your Cuba Education Tours guide. Cathedral Square, the most beautiful and private 18th century colonial plaza on the island. Named after the masterpiece of Cuban baroque architecture: the Catedral de San Cristóbal de la Habana built by the Jesuit order. Square of Arms, an ancient military parade ground for Spanish soldiers, surrounded by impressive buildings such as: Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, former seat of colonial government. Today the building houses the Museum of the City.

Palacio del Segundo Cabo [Palace of the Second Lieutenant] dates from 1770. Today it houses the Centro para la Interpretacion de las relaciones culturales Cuba - Europa [Center for the Interpretation of Cultural Relations Cuba-Europe]. The Castillo de la Real Fuerza Museum, allows the visitor to take an imaginary walk through the history of shipbuilding in Cuba and in particular in Havana since the 16th to 19th century. It contains expositions showing the treasures of the New World, naval modelism, collections salvaged from wrecks and marine navigation instruments. We continue onto San Francisco Square, one of the oldest plazas in the historical quarter. The square is named after magnificent Iglesia y Monasterio de San Francisco de Asís dating from the 16th century. The basilica is a striking example of Cuba baroque architecture. And then on to Plaza Vieja, the only civic square of colonial times. Absent are churches and government buildings, and is in contrast surrounded by opulent aristocratic 17th century residences. We’ll visit an important center for the visual arts. Visit the educational community project of young entrepreneurs hosted by the private restaurant “La Moneda Cubana”. This is a project aimed to educate young boys and girls not only on cooking and serving skills but in Cuban history, foreign languages, etc. Lunch at La Moneda Cubana, a small private rooftop eatery located in the heart of Old Havana overlooking the Cathedral Square. It’s named after the original owner’s passion for old coins, moneda national [Cuban coins]. Its authentic cuisine adheres to traditional recipes prepared with seasonal vegetables, meat, fish and seafood. The staff of this restaurant is trained in the community project visited earlier. (Included in tour cost) Visit Clave de Sol community project. This beautiful project groups children between 8 and 15 years old, all amateur artists, motivated by the study of guitar and singing. Return to your hotel to rest and freshen up. Dinner not included in tour cost. An occasion to sample Havana’s stellar private eateries and taste the diversity of the island's distinctive cuisines. We’ll provide suggestions for restaurants most popular with Cubans and our travelers. Day 3 - Thursday :: Havana and Hemingway Breakfast in hotel

We’ll visit to Finca Vigía [Lookout Farm] where North America's literary giant Ernest Hemingway spent twenty-one of his most important and productive years penning building blocks of English literature. Claimed by both the United States an d Cuba as their son, it was Hemingway himself who declared the island his true home. The house has been preserved just as it was when Hemingway lived there. You'll see his personal objects, thousands of books and photographs, as well as some "trophies" bagged on his frequent safaris. Ernest Hemingway: War reporter, activist, man of letters, journalist and literary titan. TOUR HIGHLIGHT: Cooking & mojito making lesson at paladar (private restaurant) El Ajiaco followed by lunch, which we helped prepare, included. Visit Cojimar, small fishing village one of the Hemingway’s favorites places in Cuba. Community Project Muraleando. This beautiful street art project fosters community cohesion through art workshops of local artists Manolo Diaz and Ernesto Quirch in the Lawton neighborhood. A true people’s art gallery! Return to hotel to freshen up Dinner not included in tour cost. An occasion to sample Havana’s stellar private eateries and taste the diversity of the island's distinctive cuisines. We’ll provide suggestions for restaurants most popular with Cubans and our travelers. Evening entertainment suggestion: The fabulous Buena Vista Social Club performance (men must wear shoes and pants), (transportation and cover not included) Day 4 - Friday :: Matanzas and Varadero Breakfast at hotel. Departure to Varadero. We’ll stop at the Bacunayagua bridge lookout spanning the deep canyon over the beautiful Yumurí Valley. It’s the highest bridge in Cuba and divides the provinces of Mayabeque and Matanzas. This popular stopover hosts a bar that serves delicious Piña Coladas in fresh coconut shells

En route we’ll visit the provincial capital city of Matanzas. It is known as the City of Bridges for the 17 spanning three rivers that meander through the city. Matanzas was founded in 1693. Matanzas means massacre and many legends surround its macabre name. Matanzas had vast sugar plantations during the colonial era huge numbers of African slaves were imported to support the industry. Due to the high number of both slaves and free Afrocubans many African traditions are especially strong in the city. In 1898, Matanzas was location of the first action in the Spanish American War: it was bombarded by American Navy vessels on 25 April 1898. It is the birth place of the Cuban national dance "Danzon" and the "Danzonete." Continue to Varadero. Check-in to your all-inclusive resort with assistance from your guide Dinner at the hotel (included). Day 5 – Saturday :: Varadero, organic farm and Cardenas Breakfast at your hotel This morning we’ll visit Finca la Coincidencia, a model organic farm in a hamlet called Guasimal del Toro. Initiated in the 1990s by the Correa family of artisans and agriculturalists, Coincidencia has become an important social and cultural project for members of the community. In addition to cultivating many species of tropical fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants, it is home to a ceramic school and gallery, and small cheese workshop. Since 2002 Finca la Coincidencia hosts a global Arte del Fuego ceramics event We’ll feast on a delicious lunch prepared entirely from produce raised on Finca la Coincidencia and neighboring. This idyllic plantation’s meals beautifully blurs the lines between art and agriculture. Their service exudes joy and compassion. Many describe this meal as their favorite meal in Cuba We’ll drive through Cárdenas, a small, quiet town close to Varadero with beautiful colonial-era architecture and a timeless quality. Horse-drawn carriages and bicycles far outnumber cars on its straight and narrow streets. Cárdenas is known as Ciudad Bandera [Flag City], as it was here, on 19 May 1850, that Cuba’s flag was first raised. It was also the first city in Cuba to have electric street lighting in the year 1889. The diminutive Parque Colón features the first statue of Christopher Columbus in the Americas dating from 1826. It was in Cárdenas the rum label Havana Club was born and where present-day Varadero and Bucanero rums are made. Cárdenas is the birthplace and home of Elián González Return to hotel.

Dinner at your resort Fabulous fun evening entertainment at your all-inclusive resort, or perhaps explore happenings in the city of Varadero. Day 6 – Sunday :: Varadero and Dance lessons Breakfast at your hotel resort Cuban dance lessons! All great dance is globally inspired. Movements from other countries going back millenniums, refined and stylized, turned into something absolutely ethereal for our time. If any nation has contributed most to US dance, we think it is Cuba with its rich sensuous African, European, Asian and indigenous mixes. We’ll spend the afternoon with ABC Academia Baile en Varadero [ABC Dance Academy of Varadero]. Dance masters and choreographers of the funtastic Cuban floor shows will help you move with the grace of angels – very wild angels! You’ll learn all the best steps this afternoon with one-on-one tutors who’ll expertly and patiently turn you into a salsa, mambo, rumba, danzon, and cha cha chá whiz Return to your all-inclusive resort for giant tropical buffet lunch spread. You’ll be dieting for a month when you return home, or you can go down to the beach and swim it off Time to explore marine life and Varadero’s shorelines with tourmates or Cubans Dinner at your all-inclusive resort Fabulous fun evening entertainment at your hotel, or perhaps explore happenings in the city of Varadero. Day 7 – Monday :: Return to Havana Breakfast in hotel. Time to explore marine life and Varadero’s shorelines with tourmates or Cubans Check-out of your Varadero hotel Buffet lunch at your resort, included. Departure to Havana Check in in the hotel Dinner at Mediterraneo Havana private restaurant (included)

Evening highlight Suggestion: Enjoy at performance by Tropicana show, also known as Tropicana Club, is a world-known cabaret and club in Havana, Cuba. It was launched in 1939 at Villa Mina, a six-acre (24,000 m²) suburban estate with lush tropical gardens in Havana's Marianao neighborhood, transfer and cover not included. Day 8 – Tuesday :: Havana and Home Breakfast in hotel. Check-out of hotel. Transfer to José Martí International Airport for flights home.

Cuba travel is a challenge. Our staff and Cuban partners work super hard to make your tour unfold seamlessly despite Third World conditions on the island. Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Flexible travelers understand this is part of their Cuban adventure.