Cuba Cultural Discovery

Arrive in Miami

Arrive in Miami, the gateway to Cuba, and meet your MT Sobek representative and fellow travelers in the lobby of the Crowne Plaza Miami International Airport Hotel. The evening is free to enjoy a meal of your choice at a nearby Cuban restaurant in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood.

Fly to Cuba & Sightsee in Havana

Board a short flight to Havana. Meet your English-speaking Cuban guide at José Martí International Airport, and begin your introduction to Cuba with a visit to Revolution Square. Enjoy your first meal at a popular paladar, a privately-owned restaurant. In the afternoon, take a walking tour of Habana Vieja (Old Havana). Stroll along the cobblestone streets of this 500-year-old city and visit important sites and squares, including the Plaza de Armas and Plaza de la Catedral. Shop at the outdoor book market, a cross-cultural treasure trove of books, posters, and antiques. Enjoy a welcome dinner tonight at a popular Havana paladar.

Head to the Alamar District & Finca Vigía

Visit a cigar factory and learn about the history of Cuban cigars. Drive to the Alamar district, a barrio on the outskirts of Havana, and meet one of the founders of the community gardens. Later, stroll the quiet streets of Cojímar, a quaint fishing village that served as the setting for the novel The Old Man and the Sea, and enjoy lunch at an open-air paladar. Visit Ernest Hemingway's Cuban retreat, Finca Vigía — now a national museum. Return to Havana in the late afternoon. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Enjoy the Havana’s Arts and History

After breakfast, visit Colón Cemetery, where many of Havana's notables have been buried since 1872. Visit the beautiful home workshop and private studio of a famed Cuban sculpture artist. After lunch, visit La Lavanderia, a gallery dedicated to visual artists using the techniques of famed Cuban artist Rafael Perez. End the day with a visit to a community music project dedicated to training youngsters in the traditions of Cuban music. At each visit, engage in informal question and answer discussions with the artists and musicians. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Learn about Cuban Fine Arts and the Revolution

After breakfast, tour the National Museum of Fine Arts, with its fascinating Cuban collection and discuss Cuban fine arts with the museum's docent. Walk to the nearby Museum of the Revolution and see many artifacts including the ship Granma on which Fidel Castro sailed with his cohorts from Mexico to stage their revolution. After lunch, take an optional visit to the artisan's market located on Havana's Malecón or return to your hotel for an afternoon at leisure. Gather for dinner at a popular paladar and before saying farewell to Havana.

Visit Las Terrazas & Charming Viñales

Explore the community of Las Terrazas, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve world-renowned for its culture of cooperative living and sustainability. Visit a clinic to learn how medical services are handled in rural Cuba, and stop at Café María to discuss coffee culture in Cuba. For lunch, enjoy an authentic Cuban meal prepared and served outdoors at a local farmhouse. Afterward, take an optional swim in the San Juan River, a locals' watering-hole. End the afternoon in the charming town of Viñales and enjoy dinner at a local paladar.

Go Deep into the Valley of Viñales

See how tobacco, cassava, and taro are grown in the Valley of Viñales. This lush, serene area is known for its old-world tobacco fields and fascinating boulder-like hills that surround the valley floor. Learn how local live and work during an informal question-and-answer session with a farming family. Visit a state-run ration store to learn about the supply and distribution of goods in Cuba, and enjoy a delicious farm-to-table lunch at a farmhouse. Explore the valley's remarkable terrain during an afternoon walk. Gather for a farewell dinner at a paladar in Viñales.

Return to Miami

After breakfast at your Viñales hotel, transfer to Havana's José Martí International Airport for your flight back to Miami.