Explore Cuba

Flighty to Havana via Toronto

Depart Dublin for your flight to Havana, Cuba, via Toronto. On arrival, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your “Casa Particular” (homestay) accommodation. A stay in a Casa Particular, in a typical Havana neighbourhood, is the ideal way to immerse yourself in the local way of life.

Accommodation

Overnight

Casa Particular accommodation, located in the Miramar/Playa district of Havana (4 nights)

Panoramic horse crriage tour of Old Havana

Morning

Experience a panoramic horse carriage tour passing by the imposing Capitol, past the Gran Teatro and Bacardí house over the Prado to Cathedral Square. Afterwards, embark on a walking tour of the historic city centre, which was declared a world cultural heritage site in 1982, exploring the alleys and the squares of Old-Havana. You will also observe the process of cigar rolling during a cigar factory tour. (This factory tour is subject to change).

Panoramic bus tour

Afternoon

Experience a panoramic bus tour passing by the Malecón, Hotel Nacional, Avenida de los Presidentes, Plaza de la Revolución, Quinta Avenida to name a few. You will have the evening at leisure to spend as you wish. Your local guide will be happy to suggest activities to suit your taste. There will be a return transfer from your casa particular to Havana Old Town. Why not soak up the authentic Cuban atmosphere in the historic centre as you sip on a rum cocktail? Or maybe try out salsa dancing to really get a feel for Cuban life? The choice is yours.

American convertible classic car sightseeing tour

Morning

Explore Havana further in unique style during an American convertible classic car sightseeing tour. This is an absolute must for any visitor to Cuba! Havana is like stepping out of a time-machine and finding yourself back in the 50’s, so this is an unsurpassed way of seeing all the architecture and historic sites of this nostalgic city.

Havana at leisure

Afternoon

You will have the remainder of the day at leisure for further independent exploration. Your local guide will be happy to suggest activities to suit your taste.

Las Terrazas

Morning

Take the “tobacco route” to Las Terrazas, a UNESCO biosphere reserve located in the Sierra del Rosario Mountains, before continuing to Pinar del Rio, a province in western Cuba which is the centre of the country’s cigar industry. You will enjoy a guided tour of the local community at Las Terrazas, with insights to socio-cultural structures. Further along the route you will make a stop at Los Jazmines look out point, before continuing to lunch at a locally owned restaurant, where you will sample some authentic Cuban cuisine.

Viñales Valley

Afternoon

To the north lies the fertile Viñales Valley, with its striking rounded limestone hills, where you will enjoy a panoramic tour. Afterwards, visit “Cas del Veguero”, the house of a tobacco farmer for a tour of the tobacco fields and drying houses. En route back to Havana you will make a stop at the Mural de la Prehistoria, a mural that depicts the history of evolution.

Excursion to Bay of Pigs

Morning

Enjoy an excursion to the legendary Bay of Pigs, the scene of the failed US Invasion in 1961, with a stop en route at "Fiesta Campesina", near Guamá. You will also Experience a train ride by steam locomotive during a visit to the ruins of an old Sugar Mill that dates back to the early 20th Century. Lunch is included at a restaurant situated near the Carribbean Sea, with the possibility to swim and go snorkelling (weather dependent).

Cienfuegos

Afternoon

Afterwards you will continue to Cienfuegos, a port city characterized by its French colonial architecture. Stroll over the Plaza Mayor to visit the nostalgic Terry Theater, which was built in 1887 and features a four-tiered stage hall. You will end your day with a visit to Palacio del Valle, an early 20th century building that features Gothic, Venetian and Moorish elements. Dinner is included in the evening at your hotel.

Accommodation

Overnight

3 star hotel in Cienfuegos (1 night)

Cienfuegos to Trinidad

Morning

Depart Cienfuegos in the early morning and drive along the panoramic coastal road to Trinidad. Trinidad is a town in central Cuba that is a UNESCO world cultural heritage site, with one of a kind architecture. It was built on the back of the 19th-century sugar and slave trade.

Trinidad at leisure

Afternoon

You will have the remainder of the day at leisure in Trinidad where you can undertake some independent exploration. Walk over the main square, surrounded by the magnificent manors of the sugar barons, to get a feel for local life.

Accommodation

Overnight

Casa particular in Trinidad (3 nights)

Trinidad at leisure

Full day

Enjoy a full day at leisure to experience Trinidad at your own pace. Trinidad is a town in central Cuba, known for its colonial old town and cobblestone streets. Its neo-baroque main square, Plaza Mayor, is surrounded by grand colonial buildings. Explore the downtown area, take a trip to the beach or chat to your local guide the day before about optional activities to suit your taste.

Optional salsa dance class

Evening

There is no better way to experience Cuban culture than joining a salsa dance lesson in Trinidad! Mingle with locals and tourists alike as you learn the moves and rhythms of the Cuban salsa. This is sure to be a fun and entertaining evening. Transfers to and from the dance class are not included (From €12 per person for a 1 hour class. From €19 per person for a 2 hour class. There are no minimum numbers required for this excursion)

Cruise to Cayo Blanco

Full day

Experience a catamaran (or similar) cruise to islet Cayo Blanco. An open bar for soft drinks, beer and rum will be included on board. The rich seabed of Cuba´s waters reveals itself at the coral reef, Las Mulatas, where you can snorkel and explore the underwater treasures. Upon arrival in Cayo Blanco you will have some free time to explore what this small cay has to offer. Enjoy a seafood lunch before sailing back to the marina. You will arrive back at your hotel in the late afternoon, where the rest of the evening will be at leisure. Please note you should bring a photocopy of your passport to board the cruise.

Trinidad to Sancti Spíritus

Morning

Depart Trinidad as you drive through the offshoots of the Escambray Mountains to Sancti Spíritus, a colonial town not yet discovered by the touristic mainstream. En route you will enjoy a visit to Torre Manaca Iznaga, a slave tower that gives wonderful panoramic view over the Valley of the Sugar Cane Mills. Once in Sancti Spíritus, embark on a stroll through the city to visit the Yayabo Bridge before enjoying a typical Cuban lunch at a local restaurant.

Visit Santa Clara

Afternoon

Continue from Sancti Spíritus to the historic Santa Clara, where Ché Guevara celebrated his biggest victory and found his last rest. The impressive monument of Che Guevara, one of the most famous guerrillas worldwide, was erected en 1988 and finished in 1997 with the transfer of Che Guevaras remains from Bolivia to Santa Clara. You can visit the main monument with the statue of Che, the mausoleum and a small museum which collects details of Che´s life and death before continuing on towards Havana, arriving in the evening.

Accommodation

Overnight

Casa particular in Havana (1 night)

Fly home via Toronto

Morning

Say goodbye to Cuba as you depart in the early morning for your return flight to Dublin (via Toronto). On arrival in Toronto, you will be met by our guide who will accompany you on a tour by coach, giving an overview of some of the city's most famous landmarks. Time permitting, there will also be free time for independent sightseeing and shopping in the city before transferring back to the airport for your overnight flight to Dublin.

Morning

Arrive home in Dublin following your once in a lifetime trip to Cuba.