Tuesday, Dec 8
Arrival to Havana on various flights. Upon arrival, please take a yellow cab at the exit of the terminal to your hotel.
1 – 5 pm Settle into the historic Hotel Capri, which was one of the first hotel casinos built by the American mafia in Cuba. Owned by mobster Santo Trafficante, and run by George Raft, the hotel was at a time one of the largest casinos in Havana. Located blocks from the University of Havana, Coppelia ice cream, and the Havana seawall, the recent remodeling provides first class amenities, while leaving the history and original charm of “The Capri.”
6:00 pm Orientation meeting and welcome drinks at the Capri. At hotel conference room
6:45 pm Enjoy a traditional Cuban meal overlooking the Straits of Florida at the Hotel Nacional. Tasty Cuban food served family style with a great view of the Havana sea wall and the old Spanish fortress.
Wednesday, Dec 9
10:00 am Private music performance by Ensemble Havana, a very talented music group. Learn about different ranges of Cuban traditional music, as well as jazz and blues. At Calle 17 # 6207 bajos e/ 62 y 64
11:30 am Walking tour of the Old City. Wander through the Plaza de Armas, a scenic tree-lined plaza formerly at the center of influence in Cuba. It is surrounded by many of the most historic structures in Havana as well as important monuments. See the Plaza de San Francisco, a cobbled plaza surrounded by buildings dating from the 18th century, dominated by the baroque Iglesia and Convento de San Francisco dating from 1719. Visit the Plaza Vieja, surrounded by sumptuous houses of the Havana aristocracy from the 18th and 19th centuries. Visit Plaza de la Catedral and the Catedral de San Cristóbal de La Habana.
1:00 pm Lunch at Doña Eutimia paladar. Famous for its ropa vieja and frozen mojitos, this cozy paladar made Newsweek Magazine’s top 100 restaurants in the world in 2012. The restaurant is located in the beautiful Cathedral Square.
2:30 pm Visit to the Taller Experimental de Gráfica. Meet with artists and learn about the 19th century printmaking techniques these craftspeople use to create beautiful works of art.
4:00 pm Head to Paladar La Habanera for live music. This house was built in 1930 and has been rescued and preserved with hydraulic tile floors, French windows, marble staircase and outstanding elements of its elegant architecture.
Private performance by Yassek Manzano and his jazz quartet. Yassek, a Cuban trumpet player and composer recognized throughout the world, was a pupil of the legendary Wynton Marsalis.
7:00 pm Dinner at Paladar San Cristobal. Located in the heart of Central Havana, this celebrated paladar offers delicious local cuisine and libations. The staff is particularly proud of their photos with President Obama, who ate here (and left a very good tip) during his historic visit.
10:00 pm (Optional) Visit the renowned jazz club, La Zorro Y El Quervo, in the Vedado section of Havana
Thursday, Dec 10
10:30 am Experience a performance by Habana Compás Dance, which encompasses the rich rhythm and flow of the island, performing traditional and modern dances born from their Spanish, Cuban and Afro-Cuban heritage.
12:30 pm Lunch at Mediterraneo Havana, a modern, family run paladar in the Vedado neighborhood. This cozy paladar produces much of what it serves at a nearby farm in Guanabacoa Cuba, including the vegetables and dairy products.
2:30 pm Visit with La Reina y La Real, a female hip hop/jazz duo. The group’s music and community activism focus on breaking down gender and racial stereotypes in Cuban society. The duo will open their modest home, share their music, and discuss the challenges young Afro-Cubans currently face. Ask Reina and Yadira about their recent performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington.
6:00 pm Private musical performance by renowned singer and songwriter Frank Delgado at Café Madrigal. Café Madrigal, owned and run by film director Rafael Rosales, is housed in a beautiful colonial mansion. Enjoy tasty tapas and cocktails while discussing the nueva trova movement in Cuba. Evening free
Friday, Dec 11
9:00 am Depart for Cienfuegos, one of the country’s oldest and most beautiful cities, which is located approximately three hours from Havana (we will travel in a very modern, air-conditioned bus). Cienfuegos, referred to as the “Pearl of the South,” is one of Cuba’s only cities to display French and Spanish architecture. Housed on one of the country’s largest Bays, the city offers beautiful ocean front landscapes, and is deeply rich in culture.
12:30 pm Lunch at El Lagarto, a picturesque outdoor restaurant with views and breezes from the bay of Cienfuegos. The menu features fresh local seafood as well as fruits and vegetables from their nearby farm.
2:00 pm Music performance at UNEAC, the National Union of Artists and Writers of Cuba, followed by an interactive discussion with musicians and other locals.
3:00 pm Tour the local art galleries of UNEAC members, which surround Jose Marti Park in downtown Cienfuegos.
4:30 pm Continue to Trinidad, a UNESCO world heritage site, known for its cobblesone streets, pastel colored homes, and small- town feel.
6:00 pm Check-in at bed and breakfasts, known as “casas particulares,” or “private homes.” Since the 1990s, Cuban families have been permitted to rent rooms out of their family homes to foreigners. Featuring modern amenities and ample privacy, it’s a great way to interact with everyday Cubans.
7:30 pm Enjoy a home-cooked meal provided by your host family. Trinidad is known for its shrimp.
Saturday, Dec 12
10 am Discussion with Nancy Benítez, a local architect, historian and restoration specialist. Ms. Benitez will provide an overview of the city’s history from an architectural, economic, and infrastructural point of view.
11:00 am Walking Tour of Trinidad’s Historic Center led by your guide.
1:00 pm Lunch at Paladar San Jose, featuring a diverse menu from lobster to pizza.
Afternoon free – enjoy the market, explore the city center or head to the nearby Playa Ancon.
5:30 pm Discussion with Carlos Mata, Trinidad’s renowned “Painter of the Night,” and his talented daughter, Amaya, about the city’s current art scene. Carlos and Amaya meticulously restored their 18th century home, which now houses a gallery and workspace.
6:15 pm Enjoy local music, appetizers, and libations—try a canchanchara, Trinidad’s storied, local cocktail—at a private party in the courtyard of the beautiful home.
7:45 pm Trinidad farewell dinner at El Secreto Paladar, located in the historic Plaza Mayor.
10:00 pm Enjoy dancing and live salsa music at the popular Casa de la Musica.
Sunday, Dec 13
10 am Check-out of casas and return to Havana.
3:00 pm Enjoy a private jam session and discussion with Ron con Cola, a newly conceived musical group with rhythms from hip-hop to reggae to Afro- Cuban.
5:00 pm Check-in at Hotel Capri.
7:15 pm Dinner at Havana’s 21, a paladar located in Vedado, Havana.
8:30 pm Optional – Enjoy an evening of jazz at Jazz Café.
Monday, Dec 14
10:30 am Private performance and discussion with the classical musicians of the Havana Youth Symphony Orchestra. This 14-member group will leave you breathless. At Seminario San Carlos.
Afternoon free – Explore Central Havana. See the Capitolio, Alicia Alonzo Theatre, Obispo Street, and the grand hotels around Central Park.
4:00 pm Visit to the Lizt Alfonso Academy, a women-led dance company and school for local youth, specializing in ballet, fusion, and flamenco. We will watch a private performance by the adolescent dance group, and sit with the dancers afterward to discuss how they came to join the school and the impact it has had on their lives.
7:30 pm Farewell dinner at El Del Frente, one of the cooler restaurants in the city, located on a spacious rooftop terrace/bar surrounded by Old Havana’s historic architecture.
Tuesday, Dec 15
TBD Free time pending flight departures.