Splendours of Cuba

Itinerary

Day 1: Fly to Havana

Fly from London (regional connections available)
to Havana with Virgin Atlantic. Transfer to the
Iberostar Parque Central or similar for 3 nights.
(N)

Day 2: Havana

Morning walking tour of Old Havana, including
the Camera Obscura and a stop at El Floridita,
home of the daiquiri cocktail. Afternoon
panoramic tour in a classic American car, visiting
Revolution Square and a rum museum. (B, L)

Day 3: Havana

Day at leisure to stroll along Old Havanas cobbled streets or take optional visits to the Bellas Artes Museum, Hemingways Museum or the Revolution Museum. (B)

Day 4: Las Terrazas

In the morning, drive to Las Terrazas in the
western province of Pinar del Rio for a stay
of 2 nights. Established as a sustainable
environmental and development project, Las
Terrazas provides an ideal introduction to
Cubas countryside life and landscapes. Visit
the local community and the partially restored
19th-century coffee estate. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Viales

Full-day tour of the beautiful Viales valley, its tobacco plantations and rounded limestone hills. Visit a cigar factory and take a boat ride through the Indian Cave. (B, L)

Day 6: Peninsula de Zapata Cienfuegos

Travel to Cienfuegos via the Peninsula de Zapata. Take a boat trip through the mangroves and drive past Playa Girn, site of the 1961 invasion. Continue to the small city of Cienfuegos, with its distinct French influence, for an overnight stay. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Cienfuegos Trinidad

Morning tour of Cienfuegos, known as the
Pearl of the South, and visit the Cienfuegos
botanical gardens. Afternoon transfer to
Trinidad for a 3-night stay in a casa particular in
the heart of the old town. Dine this evening at
a privately run paladar. (B, D)

Day 8: Trinidad

Morning walking tour of the town, including the Romantic Museum or Cantero Museum and a visit to Casa de la Musica. Founded in 1514, Trinidad contains well-preserved colonial buildings with hardly a trace of 20th-century architecture. Afternoon at leisure or take optional excursions. (B)

Day 9: Valley of the Sugar Mills

Morning tour of the Valley of the Sugar Mills, dotted with ruins of large former sugar plantations. Visit the watchtower of the Manaca Iznaga plantation, a reminder of Cubas colonisation and slave trade, then have lunch before returning to Trinidad. Afternoon at leisure. (B, L)

Day 10: Santa Clara Havana

Morning drive to Santa Clara, the site of the
turning point in the Cuban revolution, and see
Che Guevaras museum and mausoleum. After
lunch, continue to Havana for a final night.
Optional evening music performance. (B, L)

Days 11-12: Fly to London

Transfer to the airport. Fly to London with Virgin Atlantic and arrive the following day. (B)