Cuba

Colors of Cuba: Experience the Lively Local Life With Your Family

Family Programs

Small Group

Ages 12-18

Wishlist Start

Hang out with the locals as they show you and your family their fun traditions through art, music, dance and games while you learn about the awesome history and culture of Cuba.

Rating (5)

Activity Level

Program No. 20591RJ

Length

8 days

Starts at

3,199 / ADULT

2,699 / CHILD

8 days

7 nights

17 meals

7B 5L 5D

Miami

Matanzas

Havana

Depart Havana

At a Glance

Experience Cuban culture alongside your family as you celebrate their vibrant way of life through music, dance, dominoes with the locals and so much more! Visit the members of independent small town community projects as well as meet and support amazing dancers from a private dance company during a rehearsal just for you and your family. On this awesome adventure, experience the vistoso (colorful) side of Cuba filled with art, dance, history and Cuban charm. Viva la Cuba!

Activity Level

Keep the Pace

Walking up to two miles a day. Navigating cobblestone streets, high curbs, uneven sidewalks, and stairs without railings. Participants must be able to walk unassisted.

Small Group

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 10 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you'll ...

Discover the art of ceramics and taste honey straight from the hive as you meet farmers at a family-owned farm.
Become a dominoes pro as you play this fun game alongside the locals.
Play catch with a Cuban baseball player at the oldest continually operating baseball stadium in the world.

General Notes

Road Scholar offers opportunities to travel legally to Cuba under the new OFAC Regulations published June 5, 2019. Following the General License category â€œSupport for the Cuban People,â€ Road Scholar programs include activities intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba. Each day's program promotes independence for the Cuban people and results in meaningful interactions with the Cuban people. This is a Family program for participants, their adult children and grandchildren ages 12 and up.

Featured Expert

All Experts

Alberto Faya

Alberto Faya is a singer and music composer for radio, films, and television. Alberto has been both Music Director at the Cuban Radio and Television Organization and Director of the Music Department at Casa de las Américas in Havana. He has written and published articles in Cuba and other nations’ magazines and wrote a cook and music book entitled El Libro del Sabor (The Book of Taste). He has taught courses at various cultural centers and universities across Europe, Latin America and North America.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Beverley Citron

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Carlos Alzugaray Treto

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Alberto Faya

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Rosalen Gonzalez-Martinez

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Recommended Adventures

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8 days

7 nights

17 meals

7 B 5 L 5 D

DAY

Check-In, Orientation, Welcome Dinner

Miami

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport & Convention Center

Activity note: This daily schedule is a representative guide. Program elements in Cuba are controlled by the Cuban government and are subject to change on short notice, as are flight times. Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.

Afternoon: After you check in to the hotel, take your bags to your room. We will gather in the hotel lobby at 4:45 p.m. when the Group Leader will accompany everyone to our meeting room. Orientation: 5:00 p.m. This meeting is essential for all participants. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the regulations that govern our program set by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Program elements in Cuba are controlled by the Cuban government and are subject to change on short notice; therefore, the daily schedule is a representative guide. In Cuba, we will have a bilingual Cuban Host who will be with us for the entire program. We will also review the up-to-date program schedule, roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will announce flight times to/from Cuba (subject to schedule changes by the airline). Our accommodations in Cuba feature clean, comfortable rooms with private baths and standard amenities. Cuban hotel standards may not equal their American or European counterparts. Improvements are ongoing, and we hope that any potential glitch in service or amenities is a minor trade-off for the authentic connections and enrichment we will experience. Periods in the schedule designated as “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: In the hotel restaurant, we’ll have a plated meal with beverage choices of coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead. Prepare for check-out and our flight to Cuba in the morning.

DAY

Fly to Varadero, Organic Farm, Transfer to Matanzas

Matanzas

B,L,D

Hotel Velasco

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 50 miles, approximately 1.5 hours. Walking up to 2 mile and standing up to 2 hours; uneven sidewalks/pavement, dirt/gravel/grass paths at farm. Most staircases in Cuba do not have railings.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we will assemble in the lobby with our luggage for transfer to the airport terminal accompanied by our Group Leader. Be sure to have everything with you and ready to depart 15 minutes before the scheduled transfer. We will then check in for our flight to Varadero. Upon arrival in Varadero, we will be met by an experienced, bilingual Cuban Host who will be with us for the entire program. We will board a private motorcoach and ride to a local organic farm en route to our first destination, Matanzas.

Lunch: At the farm, we will have a homemade meal featuring fresh, organic ingredients.

Afternoon: We will take a walk around the farm with the owner to learn about what is grown and produced there and to see unique artwork throughout the property. Next, we’ll reboard our motorcoach and ride to Matanzas. There, we will visit an art studio and have an opportunity to interact with an artist and learn about what it’s like to have a studio in Cuba. We’ll then continue to the hotel for check-in.

Dinner: We’ll ride to a paladar (privately owned restaurant) for dinner with beverage choices of coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.

DAY

Explore Matanzas, Community Projects

Matanzas

B,L

Hotel Velasco

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 70 miles, approximately 2.5 hours. Walking up to 1 mile; uneven, paved, and cobblestone streets/sidewalks, unpaved ground.

Breakfast: In the hotel restaurant, have your choice of eggs, omelet, or toasted sandwich plus fresh seasonal fruit, juices, coffee, tea, water.

Morning: Matanzas, founded in 1693, has been called a hidden gem and even the “Athens” of Cuba for its architectural, historical, and cultural heritage. With our Cuban Host and Group Leader, we will set out on a walking field trip through city plazas. We’ll also visit a local community project to learn about the services they provide to the people of Matanzas. Boarding our private motorcoach, we’ll then explore the area surrounding Matanzas and on out to the coast.

Lunch: At a nearby hotel, our meal will include water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: From the hotel, we will ride to a nearby community project where we will interact with and support local weavers at the Seminario Evangelico de Matanzas. We then will pay a visit to Proyecto Maravillas, an initiative that supports local children through sports and the arts.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like at any of the privately owned paladares in Matanzas. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer to Havana tomorrow.

DAY

Cuban Baseball, Transfer to Havana, Check-in

Havana

B,L,D

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 80 miles, approximately 3 hours. Walking up to 1 mile, standing approximately 2 hours; pavement and field trip sites.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we’ll board our private motorcoach and ride to a nearby baseball stadium where well learn about the history of the stadium and the roots of baseball in Cuba. We’ll then continue on our journey to Havana.

Lunch: We will stop at a paladar in Cojimar, a fishing village outside Havana. Cojimar was frequented by Ernest Hemingway when he lived and wrote in Cuba. Our meal will include water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: We’ll then ride into Havana for a motorcoach overview of key sites — with commentary by our Cuban Host — including Plaza de la Revolución; El Capitolio; the Malecón, Havana’s seafront promenade; the new U.S. Embassy; La Rampa; and Havana University. We’ll step off the motorcoach and walk to a nearby farmers market where our Cuban Host will show us what is grown and sold locally. We’ll arrive at the hotel late afternoon and check in with some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Dinner: In the hotel restaurant with beverage choices of coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase

Evening: At leisure.

DAY

Old Havana, Fusterlandia, Dance Performance

Havana

B,L

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 30 miles, approximately 1.5 hours. Walking about 2 miles and standing indoors and out up to 2 hours; pedestrian streets, cobblestones, high curbs; sunny conditions, limited shade.

Breakfast: In the hotel restaurant, have what you like from the extensive buffet with a variety of hot and cold choices and beverages.

Morning: With a local Cuban expert and our Group Leader, we’ll set out on a walking field trip in Old Havana, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site. From the UNESCO inscription: “Havana was founded in 1519 by the Spanish. By the 17th century, it had become one of the Caribbean's main centres for ship-building. Although it is today a sprawling metropolis of 2 million inhabitants, its old centre retains an interesting mix of Baroque and neoclassical monuments, and a homogeneous ensemble of private houses with arcades, balconies, wrought-iron gates and internal courtyards.” We will also learn about the city’s restoration project with fascinating before and after images around the squares. Next, we'll board our private motorcoach and visit Fusterlandia, the unique creation of José Fuster, one of Cuba’s iconic artists, whose handmade mosaics cover an entire neighborhood. He was inspired by the public works of Gaudí in Barcelona and his work has been compared to Picasso with a more “naïve” sensibility. Beginning with his own studio, Fuster expanded to the homes and businesses of his neighbors then on to benches, bus stops, fountains, gateways, and more.

Lunch: In a paladar, our meal will include water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Our next stop will be a performance by one of Cuba's preeminent dance companies, then engage in one-on-one discussions with members of the company about their lives and profession.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY

History of Cuban Music, Farm Visit, Dominoes

Havana

B,L,D

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 15 miles, approximately 1 hour. Walking up to 1 mile and standing indoors and out; mostly pavement.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will be joined at the hotel by a musicologist who will tell us about the rich history and different styles of Cuban music. We’ll then visit a farm and be walked through farming techniques and crops that are local to the area. After, we will ride into Havana and stop at the Holocaust Museum that sits within the beautiful Sephardic Synagogue. Here we will walk through the museum and interact with artisans who utilize the services set up by the Synagogue.

Lunch: We’ll ride to a paladar for a buffet lunch with water included; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Next, we’ll ride to a local club for playing dominoes, the most popular pastime in Cuba. We’ll meet members of the club and learn about the Cuban version of the game while getting to know one another. Then, we’ll play in two-person teams consisting of a Cuban and an American. We’ll ride back to the hotel with some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Dinner: In a paladar.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY

Youth in Cuba, Old Havana, Community Arts Center

Havana

B,D

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

Activity note: Walking about 2 miles and standing up to 2 hours indoors and out; mainly pedestrian streets with high curbs, cobblestones; sunny conditions, limited shade.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: At the hotel, we will be joined by a local expert who will give us a presentation on the influence of Cuban youth throughout the country’s history. We’ll then set out on a walking field trip to explore the second two plazas of Old Havana.

Lunch: On your own in Old Havana.

Afternoon: We will regroup at a designated time and place, then ride to a local community arts program. During this visit we will be able to interact with the artists and artisans.

Dinner: We’ll enjoy homemade cooking prepared by the members of a neighborhood arts center and learn the story of the center’s unique construction. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: We’ll interact with locals at the neighborhood community arts center and enjoy their music and dance party. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

DAY

Return Flight to Miami, Program Concludes

Depart Havana

Activity note: The Group Leader will announce check-out time. Getting on/off a motorcoach. The walk from the arrival gate in Miami International Airport to the U.S. Immigration and Customs area is approximately 10-15 minutes. Assistance can be requested at check-in.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet or bagged breakfast depending on flight time.

Morning: We’ll check out of the hotel, board a motorcoach, and transfer to Aeropuerto José Martí — José Martí International Airport (HAV) for the return flight to Miami; flight times subject to change by the airlines. Please allow at least 3-4 hours after arrival before making onward flight connections to allow for possible flight delays and time to pass through U.S. Customs and Immigration. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Meals

17 Meals

7 Breakfasts

5 Lunches

5 Dinners

The following choices may be available when requested in advance: Vegetarian

Lodging

Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.

Display

Jun 07, 2020 - Jun 14, 2020 (Miami to Depart Havana)

Jun 07, 2020 - Jun 14, 2020 (Miami to Depart Havana)

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport & Convention Center

1 night

Miami

Situated one mile from Miami International Airport (MIA), this modern Miami, Florida hotel adjoins the Miami Airport Convention Center and the Miami International Merchandise Mart, which is also open to the public.

TripAdvisor Reviews

Hotel Velasco

2 nights

Matanzas

Hotel Velasco faces Plaza de la Libertad (Liberty Square) in downtown Matanzas. It is an architectural jewel of the early XX century. The hotel features refined decor and elegant furniture. Hotel Velasco has 13 standard rooms and 4 more spacious junior suites with view to the square. Both have cable TV, air conditioning, safe box. Private bathrooms with cold and hot water, hair dryer and amenities. Mini bar and telephone. You will enjoy wifi connection and a cybercafe.

TripAdvisor Reviews

Hotel Nacional de Cuba

4 nights

Havana

Located in the center of Havana, The Nacional Hotel is situated on a vantage point overlooking the Malecon – Havana’s seafront promenade. The Hotel Nacional de Cuba has hosted numerous illustrious guests: actors, artists and many other famous people. The hotel is a National Monument and is inscribed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

TripAdvisor Reviews

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5 Average

Jessica

Class of 2018

Wauwatosa, WI

(5) a year ago

Authentic Cuba was a fantastic program. Our family loved the inter-generational aspect of it. My 13 year old son connected with other kids and we all learned a lot!

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