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Cuba

Cuba Today: Havana and Viñales

Program No. 22879RJ
Discover the history and culture of Havana as you meet with dancers, fishermen, entrepreneurs and more. Explore the Viñales Valley to uncover the natural beauty of this region.

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Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Nov 28 - Dec 5, 2023
Starting at
3,199
Dec 12 - Dec 19, 2023
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3,199
Jan 9 - Jan 16, 2024
Starting at
3,399
Jan 23 - Jan 30, 2024
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3,399
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Feb 6 - Feb 13, 2024
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3,399
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Feb 13 - Feb 20, 2024
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Feb 20 - Feb 27, 2024
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3,399
Mar 5 - Mar 12, 2024
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3,399
Mar 12 - Mar 19, 2024
Starting at
3,399
Itinerary Note

Private Group - Friends of Joe and Pam

Mar 19 - Mar 26, 2024
Starting at
3,399
Itinerary Note

Join travel journalist Joseph Rosendo on this date to be part of the filming for the PBS series "Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out".

Mar 26 - Apr 2, 2024
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3,399
Apr 9 - Apr 16, 2024
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3,399
Apr 30 - May 7, 2024
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3,399
May 14 - May 21, 2024
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3,399
Oct 15 - Oct 22, 2024
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3,399
Oct 22 - Oct 29, 2024
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3,399
Nov 12 - Nov 19, 2024
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3,399
Nov 19 - Nov 26, 2024
Starting at
3,399
Dec 3 - Dec 10, 2024
Starting at
3,399
Dec 10 - Dec 17, 2024
Starting at
3,399
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Nov 28 - Dec 5, 2023
Starting at
3,399
Dec 12 - Dec 19, 2023
Starting at
3,399
Jan 9 - Jan 16, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Jan 23 - Jan 30, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Feb 6 - Feb 13, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Feb 13 - Feb 20, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Feb 20 - Feb 27, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Mar 5 - Mar 12, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Mar 12 - Mar 19, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Itinerary Note

Private Group - Friends of Joe and Pam

Mar 19 - Mar 26, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Itinerary Note

Join travel journalist Joseph Rosendo on this date to be part of the filming for the PBS series "Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out".

Mar 26 - Apr 2, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Apr 9 - Apr 16, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Apr 30 - May 7, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Filling Fast!
May 14 - May 21, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Oct 15 - Oct 22, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Oct 22 - Oct 29, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Nov 12 - Nov 19, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Nov 19 - Nov 26, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Dec 3 - Dec 10, 2024
Starting at
3,599
Dec 10 - Dec 17, 2024
Starting at
3,599

At a Glance

Gain rare insight into the history and culture of Cuba through important interactions with local business owners, historians, a dance company and farmers. Contrast the city architecture of Havana with the beautiful landscapes of the Viñales Valley, full of karsts and tobacco farms.
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.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Enjoy a performance from an independent Cuban dance company and meet with the dancers to discuss and support their craft.
  • Discover the magic of maintaining antique American cars with a visit to a mechanic's workshop.
  • Learn about the history of Cuban music during a discussion with a Cuban expert.

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/.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Miguel Coyula
Miguel Coyula, anoted architect and urban planner, is a consultant to Cubasolar, the leading nongovernmental organization promoting the use of renewable energy in Cuba. He is a member of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, where he serves on the Commission for City, Architecture, and Culture. His long career has encompassed research and policy in the areas of agricultural, industrial, neighborhood, and community development. He has lectured widely at over 20 universities and research institutions throughout Latin America, the USA, and Europe.

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

Profile Image of Alejandro Anido
Alejandro Anido View biography
Alejandro Anido is one of the many amazing Cuban leaders, who works with and has been trained by Road Scholar. He is a Cuban expert, and is responsible for relaying local knowledge, and both cultural and historical information for the places we visit throughout the program. He will answer questions pertaining to Cuba and the Cuban people.
Profile Image of Alberto Faya
Alberto Faya View biography
Alberto Faya is a Cuban singer, researcher, composer, and professor of music. He has a degree from the University of Havana, is a professor of musical culture there, and gives lectures relating to Cuban history, culture, and music. During the 1970s, he worked to better incorporate African and Afro-Cuban music in Cuban society, striving to air Afro-Cuban rumba music on radio stations. Faya is a believer in the ongoing melding of different cultures and considers culture as the means by which personal identity is derived.
Profile Image of Dariem Zamora
Dariem Zamora View biography
Dariem Zamora was born in Cuba. He has lived in Miami, Florida, since 1995 and has been involved in Cuba travel since 2002. He has visited Cuba more than 50 times, leading groups all over the Island. He has a deep understanding of Cuba and is eager to discuss Cuban culture, politics, economics, and history. Every program is a new adventure for Dariem and an opportunity for him to introduce his country’s beautiful cities, landscapes, and the vibrant spirit of 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 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.
Profile Image of Miguel Coyula
Miguel Coyula View biography
Miguel Coyula, anoted architect and urban planner, is a consultant to Cubasolar, the leading nongovernmental organization promoting the use of renewable energy in Cuba. He is a member of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, where he serves on the Commission for City, Architecture, and Culture. His long career has encompassed research and policy in the areas of agricultural, industrial, neighborhood, and community development. He has lectured widely at over 20 universities and research institutions throughout Latin America, the USA, and Europe.
Profile Image of Julie Cardenas
Julie Cardenas View biography
Julie Cardenas hails from Naples, Florida. She holds a B.A. in biology from Florida Gulf Coast University and certificates as a Florida Master Naturalist and NAI Certified Interpretive Guide. With an affinity for traveling and being on the water, Julie spent her early career cruising oceans, rivers, and inland waterways. As a naturalist, she traded seasons leading winters in the Florida Everglades and summers in Southeast Alaska. Leading Road Scholar groups since 2012, Julie currently directs programs in South Florida, Cuba, and Alaska.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Trading with the Enemy
by Tom Miller
Miller captures the openness, sensuality and pride of Cuba and the Cubans in this eloquent account of entertaining travels in Fidel's Cuba.
Moon Cuba
by Christopher P. Baker
A practical guide in the Moon series, packed not only with travel necessities (hotels, restaurants, sights), but also with a good overview of history and destinations throughout Cuba.
The Old Man and the Sea
by Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway's brief story of a fisherman who, after 84 days with no luck, finally makes a big catch. It’s an affectionate portrait of life in Cuba and winner of the 1953 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
New Art of Cuba
by Luis Camnitzer
A survey of Cuban art since 1981, all by young artists who have come-of-age since the revolution, and revised to reflect more recent developments. Twenty-four new color plates augment the 200 black and white illustrations.
A Simple Habana Melody, From When the World Was Good
by Oscar Hijuelos
An unlikely love story and lyrical tribute to Latin music by the author of Mambo Kings.
Cuba Journeys
by Rowland Scherman (Editor), Charles Fields
Fields presents Cuba in his newest collection, featuring 120 color and 30 black-and-white photographs that illustrate the island's diverse landscapes. He captures the Matanzas coastlands, Vinales Valley tobacco fields and Havana metropolis, which serves as a backdrop to a series highlighting classic American cars. Includes cultural and historical commentary written in English and Spanish.
Cuba, A History in Art
by Gary R. Libby
This slim, yet comprehensive survey of Cuban art between 1725 and 1959 explains the development of artists’ styles and how developments in Cuba (and especially Havana) changed their work.
Havana, History and Architecture of a Romantic City
by Maria Luisa Lobo Montalvo, Hugh Thomas (Introduction)
This magnificent history of Havana, featuring 480 color illustrations, shows the city and its growth from its founding as a Spanish colony to independence.
Cuba, This Moment, Exactly So
by Lorne Resnick
This deluxe coffee-table book organizes 250 black-and-white photographs around micro-stories that immerse readers in the heat and culture of the "Pearl of the Antilles." Includes a foreword by great travel writer Pico Iyer.
The Spaces Between, Contemporary Art in Havana
by Antonio Eligio Fernandez
This study of shared, communal spaces for Havana artists examines the context of contemporary Cuban art. Including major contemporary figures, the work discusses artists’ techniques, their major themes and the environments in which they create.
Cuba and Its Music, From the First Drums to the Mambo
by Ned Sublette
A thorough and entertaining history of Cuba and its music by the popular radio producer, music historian and cofounder of Cuban record label QbaDisc.
Cuba
by Pierre Hausherr (Photographer), Francois Missen
With full-page photographs, introductory essays on history, architecture, music, food and more, this oversized, illustrated paperback by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Francois Missen and photographer Pierre Hausherr captures the spirit of Cuba, its people, nature and culture.
Havana & Cuba West Map
by ITMB
A full-color map to the city center of Havana, at a scale of 1:10,000. Plus, on the reverse, a regional map of Cuba at a scale of 1:600,000.
Havana, A Cultural and Literary Companion
by Claudia Lightfoot
An illuminating guide to the city, its history and geography, as the inspiration for writers, artists, musicians and intellectuals.
Our Man in Havana
by Graham Greene
The classic story of a British vacuum cleaner salesman who gets accidentally drawn into Cold War espionage with disastrous results.
The Distant Marvels
by Chantel Acevedo
A life-affirming tale of love set during a hurricane in 1960s, post-revolutionary Cuba. To keep hope alive amongst the evacuees, Maria Sirena tells the incredible story of her childhood during Cuba's Third War of Independence.
Cuba, What Everyone Needs to Know
by Julia Sweig
Director for Latin America Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, Julia Sweig traces the geography, history and identity of Cuba in this admirably succinct portrait of the island nation and its role in world affairs.
Culture Smart! Cuba
by Mandy Macdonald
A concise, well-illustrated and practical guide to local customs, etiquette and culture.
Passage to Cuba
by Cynthia Carris Alonso
An wonderful coffee-table book that takes readers through the crumbling, baroque splendor of Havana. Subtitled "An Up-Close Look at the World's Most Colorful Culture."
The Pride of Havana
by Roberto G Echevarria
Professor Gonzalez Echevarria expertly traces the arc of baseball in Cuba, intertwining its heroes and their stories with the politics, music, dance, and literature of the Cuban people.





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If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.