Cuba Today: Havana, Cienfuegos & Trinidad

Program No. 22461RJ

Discover the unique social and cultural changes taking place in Cuba today as you enjoy a musical performance, converse with locals and embark on a walking adventure of historic Havana.

At a Glance

Welcome to Cuba: A mosaic of colorful buildings and diverse locals that comes together to form a country rich in history, culture and art. On a special journey that begins and ends in Havana, support entrepreneurs, musicians, artists, religious institutions and business leaders while learning about their lives. Alongside Cuban hosts, learn about U.S.- Cuba relations as you explore the vibrant cities that make this country so unique. Immerse yourself in colonial architecture, Art Deco buildings, classic cars and lively music while learning how a country shaped by so many outside influences could create such a strong sense of community.

Best of all, you’ll…

If you transfer or cancel:	Transfer Fee:	Cancel Fee:
less than 46 days prior to program start date	100% of trip total	100% of trip total
66 to 46 days prior to program start date	50% of trip total	50% of trip total
up to 67 days prior to program start date	$250.00	$250.00

Learn how to play Dominoes with members of a private Dominoes club.
Enjoy a performance from a private Cuban dance company and meet with the dancers.
Meet with members of an artist community and learn about Cuba's artistic heritage and developments in contemporary art.

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 “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/.

Ilen Chou View biography

Ilen Rodriguez is one of the many amazing Cuban leaders who works with and has been trained by Road Scholar in addition to being trained and scheduled by Havanatur, the government-run operator in Cuba. She 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. She will answer questions pertaining to Cuba and the Cuban people.

Guillermo Mena View biography

Guillermo Mena is one of the many amazing Cuban leaders who works with and has been trained by Road Scholar in addition to being trained and scheduled by Havanatur, the government-run operator in Cuba. She 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. She will answer questions pertaining to Cuba and the Cuban people.

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.

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.

Carole Cloonan View biography

Carole Cloonan once traveled the world working as a chef, sometimes on private yachts, a job that naturally flowed out of her move to the Caribbean to live in the Virgin Islands. As a chef abroad, she developed a curiosity for understanding other cultures. Now Carole is eager to combine her love of travel — especially in the islands of the Caribbean — with her passion to help Road Scholars be educated in the culture, culinary traditions, artists and their art, and literary legacy of Cuba.

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.

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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At a Glance

Best of all, you’ll…

General Notes