The Best of Cuba: From Viñales Valley to Habana Vieja

This was a really good overview of Cuba. The guides were great and the lecturers were very good. As tourists, we were taken care of very well while still being exposed to some of the day-to-day hardships of the Cuban people. We loved the casa particulares in the Viñales Valley.

We had a fabulous trip. We learned so much and enjoyed everyone in our group. I loved our Road scholar guide, Carlos, who really bent over backwards to keep everything organized and informative. He had a great sense of humor which we needed at times. Go to Cuba. Listen to great music, see dancers and learn about our shared history. The one to one opportunities on this trip are very moving. One early morning our bus driver, Thomas, was cleaning our bus, inside and out, before most of us were awake. They really do make the trip as comfortable as they can.

My wife and I had a wonderful experience with Road Scholar. The interaction with the Cuban people was priceless. We definitely would go on another trip with Road Scholar.

Had a very enjoyable time, even if there was a blackout going on. The group of people I was with are all wonderful, a lot of retired teachers asking good questions, doctor and his wife and I myself a farmer. The biggest highlights of my trip was seeing a Masonic emblem on the canopy of a building. I took a picture of it and showed the bus the picture. He lit up like a Christmas tree and said we brother we brother gave me a big hug and the secret handshake. He showed me pictures of his family and was sonic paraphernalia in their home was fun to make such a great connection, I’m going to try and keep up our relationship,

Such an amazing program. I learned so much about Cuba and the Cuban People. I would definitely go back. Such a beautiful country. The people are so kind and welcoming of US Citizens

Fantastic and comprehensive tour! Perfect for adventurous travelers who are able to stay positive when the unexpected occurs.

I would highly recommend the Cuba experience. The people, food, educational value is superb. I felt so safe and well taken care of and learned so much. The food is amazing and the people were warm and friendly. I can't say enough about this amazing adventure and encourage anyone to visit Cuba with Road Scholar.

This was a bucket list trip, I have always wanted to go to Cuba. I packed carefully, taking nothing I expected to return home with... at each stop, I left part of what I had with me. I filled up my suitcase with local made treasures. Best decision ever. The people were amazing. I felt safe the entire trip. It was a five star dining experience (which I did NOT expect). There are definitely cultural differences, they have infrastructure that was frozen in time. I highly recommend this trip for anyone interested in understanding the Cuban/American political climate. Keep your mind open to both sides. As a resident of South Florida, I definitely listen to American politics differently than before this trip. Oh and did I mention the scenery is spectacular! Beaches, mountains, farms still using oxen, cityscapes and yes, the old cars still run. But the people were the best... even though we both spoke few words of the other person's language, I will always remember the animated conversation with a young dancer and see the happiness on her face.

Traveling to Cuba in the middle of an embargo, a drought, and the resulting economic hardships is not for the faint of heart, but Road Scholar made it doable and even very enjoyable--not to mention of course informative and life-expanding. The tour leaders were fantastic and the itinerary was a great mix of locations and experiences.

My trip to Cuba fulfilled a life-long dream and far exceeded my expectations. It was comprehensive, well-designed and fun!

This Cuba program gave me great insight into Cuba's culture, economy, government and general way of life. It was a very educational experience.

I highly recommend this trip to anyone. I gained an insight, appreciation and empathy that I could never have achieved from books. I will always carry the music, art and warm smiles of the Cuban people with me. I want to learn more and would love to return.

If you have ever wanted to visit Cuba, this is a fine choice.Cuba has weathered so many hardships and setbacks in their road to independence and yet the people remain resilient and joyful. Their art, music, and dance reflect the soul of the nation and Road Scholar puts you in contact with them, one-on-one to understand their life on their terms. With RS, you are a participant, not simply an observer and that is the true value of this program.

Our trip to Cuba was terrific! We learned so much about Cuban history, art, culture, and society. We ate well, heard great music, saw amazing dancers, met and saw fabulous artists and artwork. Overall, it was just wonderful.

My wife and I did the best of Cuba trip recently. It was a great trip very enlightening. We learned a lot about the people and culture of Cuba. The group leaders, Jim and Elias were amazing. They both went above and beyond every day to make sure everyone had a great trip. Cuba felt like a very safe country. The people were very friendly. I highly recommend this trip for anyone looking for a unique travel opportunity close to home.

Totally amazing and very educational trip. Amazing trip.

Cuba- wonderful trip. A cultural delight with much music, art and education. Highly recommended.

Everyone should experience a visit to Cuba. It's a beautiful country with welcoming people. I learned so much about Cuba due to our wonderful leader, Betty, and guide, Jose Luis. Expect to be out of your comfort zone - heat and blackouts. The art, music, and dance were excellent.

I really loved this trip - lots of variety in what we did and saw. Great people. Great guides.

Fascinating Cuba - pack your curiosity and flexibility We were extremely fortunate to have Jose Luis Sande as our tour guide throughout the trip. As promised, the tour highlighted the arts/artists, and we thoroughly enjoyed each opportunity for interaction - especially the music! Bring your patience, bug spray, and flash lights. Strongly recommend Cuba: An American History as pre-trip reading.

The Havana hotel was first class and the restaurant choices ample and of good quality. That was less true in other places. I was especially displeased with the Hotel Rio San Juan in Mantanzas where my room was on the 2nd floor. I had difficulty on the stairs as the hand rail only went from the 1st floor to the landing half way up. I had to hold on to the wall for support the rest of the way. My shower leaked so there was a lot of water on the floor after each use. On the last day, the plumbing actually came apart while I was showering resulting in water shooting directly out of the wall at my mid-section leaving the plumbing to the shower head useless. All of this was made worse by the slippery tile floor in the bathroom and shower and the lack of a grab bar or anything to hold on to for support while on that slippery floor. Slippery tile floors and the lack of grab bars was also true of all the other hotels as well, even in Havana. However, although the Air B&B in Vinales also had tile floors in the bathroom and shower, they at least had a small mat on the shower floor to reduce the risk of slipping on the wet floor. The printed material sent in advance was very helpful; I read and re-read every word. The guides on the tour, Jim Fitch and Jose Luis Sande, were excellent. My only issue was the lack of detail of each day’s agenda. I understand that the materials sent in advance had to be somewhat general as the situation on the ground determines the actual venues to tour on any given day. However, one day Jim hand-wrote the agenda for that day and distributed it electronically. So why can’t that be done every day? My issue is that I don’t know the names of the places we visited or of the artists whose works we saw. The names were announced out loud as we were visiting each site but were not printed anywhere. As I look at my photos of a great artist whose studio we visited, I have no idea of that artist's name. Knowing only the name of the city is not enough.