Cuba

The Best of Cuba: From Viñales Valley to Habana Vieja

Program No. 22143RJ
From dominoes to a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, experience all things Cuban on a learning adventure that explores the western regions of this fascinating island nation.

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At a Glance

Support the people of Cuba while we take an immersive look at this island nation's natural spaces and cultural treasures. Journey through Havana, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Matanzas and Viñales to meet local residents who share with you their way of life, their arts and community organizations dedicated to giving back to their people. Gain insight into Cuba's natural resources during field trips to Las Terrazas — a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — Casa de Caridad Botanical Garden, and local tobacco and organic farms. Enjoy meals at local paladares, immerse yourself in Havana’s Fine Arts Museum, and discover captivating plazas that invoke the colorful culture and powerful history that makes Cuba, Cuba.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles a day on a combination of cobblestone streets and dirt paths. Getting on and off of a motorcoach. Navigating high curbs, uneven steps, and stairs without railings. Travel in a tropical climate.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Learn about local crops during a field trip to an organic farm where you will enjoy a home-cooked lunch with fresh ingredients from the farm.
  • Engage with local Cubans as you learn to play dominoes with members of a local club.
  • Explore Las Terrazas, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that began as a reforestation project in the 1960s.

General Notes

Note: Round-trip flight from Miami to Havana is included. Road Scholar offers opportunities to travel legally to Cuba under the new OFAC Regulations published June 5, 2019. Following the General License category “Support for the Cuban People,” 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. Questions about traveling to Cuba? Road Scholar has your answers. Learn more: https://www.roadscholar.org/travel-tips/cuba/.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Marta Núñez Sarmiento
Marta Núñez Sarmiento is a retired professor at the University of Havana where she taught methodology and gender studies. Her research has concentrated on women and employment in Cuba, gender studies in Cuba, images of women in Cuban mass media, and transition projects for Cuba proposed by Cuban American and U.S. scholars. She holds a master’s in sociology and a PhD in economics. She has been a visiting professor at universities around the world and a consultant on gender for the UN and other NGOs.

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

Profile Image of Jose Luis Sande
Jose Luis Sande View biography
Jose Luis Sande has been a Cuban travel leader for more than 16 years. He is fluent in English and Spanish, and his far-reaching knowledge about Cuba makes him especially capable of providing a world-class educational experience. Jose was a high school English teacher before training to become an exploration leader. He lives with his wife, an English teacher herself, and his two sons in Havana. Jose is also an avid cyclist and specializes in leading groups in Cuba by bicycle.
Profile Image of Elias Valor
Elias Valor View biography
Elias Valor is one of the many amazing bi-lingual Cuban leaders, who works with and has been trained by Road Scholar. He is the Cuban expert, and is responsible for relaying local knowledge, and both cultural and historical information for the places we visit throughout the program. Elias will answer questions pertaining to Cuba and the Cuban people.
Profile Image of Marta Núñez Sarmiento
Marta Núñez Sarmiento View biography
Marta Núñez Sarmiento is a retired professor at the University of Havana where she taught methodology and gender studies. Her research has concentrated on women and employment in Cuba, gender studies in Cuba, images of women in Cuban mass media, and transition projects for Cuba proposed by Cuban American and U.S. scholars. She holds a master’s in sociology and a PhD in economics. She has been a visiting professor at universities around the world and a consultant on gender for the UN and other NGOs.
Profile Image of Camilo Garcia Lopez Trigo
Camilo Garcia Lopez Trigo View biography
Camilo García Lopez Trigo has represented Cuba at its Embassy in Canada, the United Nations in the Netherlands, and in Washington DC. He also is involved in the National Center for Sex Education (Centro Nacional de Educación Sexual, or CENESEX. He shares his experiences representing Cuba in both friendly and adversarial nations, and his views on the current and future state of US-Cuba relations. Dr. García is a professor at the University of Havana International Relations School and an expert in US political studies.
Profile Image of Hector Aviles
Hector Aviles View biography
Hector Aviles is one of the many amazing bi-lingual Cuban leaders who work with and has been trained by Road Scholar. He is the Cuban expert and is responsible for relaying local knowledge, and both cultural and historical information for the places we visit throughout the program. Hector will answer questions pertaining to Cuba and the Cuban people.
Profile Image of Betty Vander Kaaij
Betty Vander Kaaij View biography
Betty Vander Kaaij graduated with a BA in hotel and tourism and jump-started her career in hospitality with Westin Hotels. After stints in Miami, Seattle, and abroad, she moved back to Mexico City and married a Dutch hotelier. In 1997, they were invited to Havana for Cohiba Cigars’ 30th anniversary. Betty fell in love with Cuba and its people and promised herself that one day she would return. Her dream came true in 2011, when she started leading groups to the island.
Profile Image of James Fitch
James Warner Fitch View biography
James “Jim” Fitch is a Vermont native and graduate of Northeastern University with a degree in international business. After several years in the corporate world, he traded in his loafers for trekking shoes, leading educational travel programs for teenagers to Spain and Costa Rica. Jim joined the Peace Corps for three years, teaching entrepreneurship and business skills to underserved communities in the Dominican Republic. He began working with Road Scholar in 2015.
Profile Image of Jose Diaz
Jose Armando Diaz View biography
José Armando Díaz was born in La Habana, Cuba and moved to Miami at the age of six. He graduated from Florida International University with a marketing degree, then worked for Pan Am and Delta Air Lines. With his passion for travel, history, and culture, he attended the International Tour Management Institute to become a travel director. Jose’s ultimate goal was to lead programs in his homeland. He believes bringing people to see Cuba’s beauty and the warmth of its people creates a positive impact.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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12 days
11 nights
26 meals
11 B 9 L 6 D
DAY
1
In Transit, Arrive Miami, Check-in. Orientation
Miami
DoubleTree Hotel Miami Airport

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 3:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Arrive to DoubleTree Hotel Miami Airport. Courtesy shuttles are available from the Miami International Airport. Check-in, relax and prepare for your flight the following day to Havana. Remember to bring your name tag (sent previously).

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like depending on what time you arrive in Miami.

Evening: At 6:00 pm the Group Leader will hold an Orientation meeting at the DoubleTree Hotel Miami Airport. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the schedule for the Flight to Havana and you will be given your Cuban Tourist Card (Visa).

DAY
2
Flight to Havana. Orientation, Havana Vieja
Havana
B,L
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach: hotel shuttle to airport approx. 15 min.; flight time 1 hour; driving 20 miles, approx. 1 hour riding time.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Miami - Havana Flight Details: American Airlines Flight #4447 Check in: 6:30 am Depart Miami: 9:30 am Arrive Havana: 10:45 am.The Group Leader will arrange a shuttle transfer from the Doubletree Hotel to the Miami Airport. An additional Orientation will be given after you arrive in Havana en route to the hotel. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. 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. Meals will be in paladares: privately owned and operated family restaurants. A reminder: The regulations that govern our program and are 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 the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. 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. Road Scholar programs are carefully crafted to comply with these regulations. All itineraries reflect this emphasis. Visits with independent social projects, religious organizations, and members of civil society are included in every program. Thank you for your understanding.

Lunch: Arrival at Aeropuerto José Martí — José Martí International Airport (HAV), about 14 miles from the hotel. We will make a stop at Revolution Square en route to a private restaurant for lunch. Afternoon arrival in the hotel.

Dinner: On your own at your choice of a small restaurant near the hotel. Your Group Leader will have suggestions.

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 early morning check-out and transfer to Trinidad with an extended stop in Cienfuegos.

DAY
3
Cienfuegos, Musical Performance, Trinidad
Trinidad
B,L,D
Hotel La Ronda

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving 150 miles to Cienfuegos, approximately 3 hours riding time; driving 70 miles to Trinidad, approximately 1-1.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 1 mile on uneven, paved, and cobblestone streets/sidewalks, unpaved ground.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: This morning we will check out of the hotel, board our motorcoach, and begin the journey to Cienfuegos on the southern part of the island. The drive through the countryside will be a fascinating experience as we observe the forms of transportation available to Cubans, including an abundance of horse drawn carriages. We will attend a rehearsal of a local music group, with an opportunity to interact with the musicians.

Lunch: At a local paladar.

Afternoon: We will continue our drive to Trinidad for a late afternoon check-in at the hotel.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
4
Trinidad, Sugar Mill Valley
Trinidad
B,L
Hotel La Ronda

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Strenuous walking up to 2.5 miles and standing outdoors; very uneven cobblestone streets; sunny conditions, limited shade. The historic center of Trinidad is not accessible to motorcoaches and can only be reached on foot.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Trinidad is one of the original Spanish Settlements and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded in 1514, this time capsule of a city is a mix of historic landmarks and majestic natural beauty. We’ll set out walking with our Cuban host to Plaza Mayor where we will see historically and architecturally significant landmarks of this colonial town. We will visit the workshops of several local artisans including basket makers, embroiderers, and toymakers. We’ll also have a visit with a local artisan who uses abandoned wood from houses to create one-of-a-kind sculptured portraits.

Lunch: At a Paladar

Afternoon: We will board the motorcoach and drive into the Valle de los Ingenios (Sugar Mill Valley). Along with Trinidad, the Valley was home to a flourishing sugar industry between the late 18th and late 19th centuries. Per UNESCO, which designated this as a World Heritage Site in 1988, “The Valley de los Ingenios is a remarkable testimony to the development of the sugar industry. A living museum of Cuban sugar production, it includes the sites of 75 former cane sugar mills, plantation houses, barracks and other facilities related to this vulnerable industry, which has witnessed a gradual and progressive decline.” We’ll then visit artisans at the San Isidro de los Destiladeros, a former sugar mill that now serves as an archeological site. We’ll then return to Trinidad in time for dinner.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. You might like to try one of the many paladares in Trinidad. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer to Matanzas in the morning.

DAY
5
Transfer to Matanzas, Organic Farm, Dance Performance
Matanzas
B,L,D
Hotel Rio San Juan

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 180 miles, approximately 4 hours riding time. Walking up to 1 mile and standing indoors and out for up to two hours. Cobblestones, high curbs, sunny conditions with limited shade.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will set off by motorcoach for Matanzas. Founded in 1693, Matanzas has been called a hidden gem and even the “Athens of Cuba” for its architectural, historical, and cultural heritage. En route, we will stop at a local organic farm. 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 dotted throughout the property.

Lunch: At the farm.

Afternoon: This afternoon we'll enjoy a performance by a local independent Afro-Cuban dance company at their rehearsal space, and engage in discussions with the dancers about their work. Afterwards, we'll check into our hotel.

Dinner: Dinner is included at your hotel this evening.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
6
Matanzas, Community Projects
Matanzas
B,L,D
Hotel Rio San Juan

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 180 miles, approximately 4 hours riding time with stops. Walking up to one mile and standing indoors and out for up to two hours. Cobblestones, high curbs, sunny conditions with limited shade.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: 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. We will ride on the motorcoach to a nearby community project where we will interact with and support local weavers at the Seminario Evangelico de Matanzas. Also, by motorcoach, we'll visit a project run by independent artists and discuss their work in the community.

Lunch: At a Paladar.

Afternoon: We'll return to the hotel in the mid-afternoon and break for the remainder of the day.

Dinner: At a Paladar

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for transfer to Viñales in the morning.

DAY
7
Transfer to Viñales, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Viñales
B,L,D
Casa Particular Vinales

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving 115 miles, approximately 2.5 hours riding time with stop en route. Walking up to 1 mile and standing indoors and out up to 2 hours. Cobblestones, high curbs, sunny conditions, limited shade.

Breakfast: In the Hotel.

Morning: We will begin our journey to Viñales, a beautiful valley in the Pinar del Rio province of Cuba in the Sierra de Los Organos. This area – designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 – is rich with lush landscapes, tobacco farms, and limestone karst hills, called mogotes in Cuba. On the way, we will stop at Las Terrazas, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that began as a reforestation project in the 1960s. Here, we will meet with local business owners and explore the reserve.

Lunch: At the restaurant at Las Terrazas.

Afternoon: Next, we'll continue our drive to Viñales. After checking into the Casas, we'll explore Viñales on foot with our Cuban host before returning to our Casas in the early evening.

Dinner: At a paladar with many fresh ingredients from nearby farms.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
8
Botanical Garden, Tobacco Farm, Cuevo del Indio
Viñales
B,L
Casa Particular Vinales

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 1 mile and standing indoors and out up to 2 hours. Cobblestones, high curbs, sunny conditions, limited shade.

Breakfast: In the Casa.

Morning: We will transfer by motorcoach to the Casa de Caridad Botanical Garden, where we'll discuss the impact of climate change on the 190 species of plants grown here, and the steps which must be taken by all of us to reverse the trend. Next, we will drive to a local tobacco farm. Here, we will hear a presentation by the proprietor about the farm and the interesting process of growing and treating tobacco.

Lunch: At the farm's restaurant.

Afternoon: Following lunch, we will have a private visit to the Cuevo del Indio, where we will take a short canoe ride through the mysterious underground cave and then be led on a careful walk to find our way out. We'll return to the Casa in the late-afternoon and adjourn for the day.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. You might like to try one of the many paladares in Viñales. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out in the morning.

DAY
9
Mural, Community Project, Transfer to Havana
Havana
B,L,D
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 110 miles, approximately 4 hours riding time with a stop en route. Walking up to 1 mile and standing indoors and out for up to 2 hours; sunny conditions, limited shade. Paved and unpaved roads, high curbs.

Breakfast: In the Casa.

Morning: Aboard our motorcoach, we'll head out to see the Mural de la Prehistoria, a modern mural depicting world history and evolution. Painted onto a rock wall in 1961 by the former Director of Mapping at the Cuban Academy of Sciences, Leovigildo González Morillo, we'll learn about the efforts of the local community to maintain the mural. Next, we'll board our motorcoach to visit an organic farm. Here, we'll go on a walking exploration of the farm to learn about what they grow and organic farming methods.

Lunch: At the farm's restaurant.

Afternoon: We will visit a local community project run by the artist Mario Pelegrin, which includes a library of children’s books, a private art gallery, and a pottery studio. Next, we'll board our motorcoach to transfer to Havana and check in at our hotel.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
10
Women in Cuba, Dance Rehearsal, Fine Arts Musuem
Havana
B,L
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking and standing approximately 2 hours through old Havana. Cobblestone streets, uneven terrain. Walking and standing for up to 2 hours in the museum. Some steps and no elevator.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: At the hotel, we’ll be joined by an expert in gender studies and sociology for a presentation on women in Cuba that will provide perspectives on women in today’s Cuban society. Next, we’ll attend 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. Our last stop before lunch is a visit to the Museum Nacional de Bellas Arts — the Fine Arts Museum of Havana — where a private curator will lead our exploration. Cuban art is renowned worldwide. We’ll delve into the stories of how various works of art relate and what they say about politics, culture, and society.

Lunch: At a paladar.

Afternoon: We’ll stop at an Artist Studio before returning to the hotel by motorcoach and break for the day.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. You might like to try one of the many paladares in Havana. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
11
The New Cuban Constitution, Old Havana, Dominoes
Havana
B,D
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana

Activity note: Walking and standing for approximately 2 hours in old Havana; cobblestone streets, uneven terrain.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: At the hotel, we’ll have a presentation by a Cuban academic on the new Cuban Constitution, which was adopted in 2019. We’ll learn about the role of private enterprise in Cuba’s evolving society, followed by open discussion. Next, we'll head to Old Havana by motorcoach and discover two of the four historic plazas of Old Havana on foot. Each square has its own unique features. . We will also visit the private shops of artisans, jewelry makers, and weavers.

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. You might like to try one of the many paladares in Havana. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Afternoon: Dominoes – Cuba’s national game – has its own set of rules, and is played enthusiastically in private and public. More than competition and skill, it is a greatly enjoyed social activity. We’ll meet members of a local dominoes league, learn the Cuban rules, and then play with club members. Teams will rotate and each American will play with one Cuban, presenting an opportunity to practice a few words in Spanish.

Dinner: At a paladar. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning. The Group Leader will announce check-out time and the time of our transfer to the airport in the morning.

DAY
12
Return Flight to Miami, Program Concludes
Havana
B

Activity note: The Group Leader will announce airport transfer time based on flight schedule.

Breakfast: At the hotel or boxed breakfast depending on flight times.

Morning: Havana - Miami Flight Details: American Airlines Flight #1334 Check in: 8:45 am Depart Havana: 11:45 am Arrive Miami: 12:45 pm.Group transfer to the Havana airport. Flight times are always subject to changes made by the airline. Please do not schedule connecting flights within 3 - 4 hours of arrival in Miami due to possible delays, schedule changes and airport security (PLEASE NOTE: The flight time is subject to change.) This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. 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!






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