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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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.

What You'll Learn

  • 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 trip experts
Profile Image
Alberto Faya
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.

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

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 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 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.
Profile Image of Humberto Ramirez
Humberto Ramirez View biography
Humberto R. Ramirez Salazar is an architect and professor of the history of architecture and design at the School of Architecture, ISPJAE, Havana. He has been secretary of the International Council of Monuments and Sites, UNESCO NGO; president of Havana Architect Society; and a member of the National Heritage Commission. Some of his most important works as an architect and designer are the School of Architecture in Alamar, Agriculture and Animals National Research Center, Plaza Hotel Refurbishing Project, and Plaza Carlos III Shopping Center.
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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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8 days
7 nights
17 meals
7 B 5 L 5 D
DAY
1
In Transit, Arrive Havana, Check-in, Welcome Dinner
Havana
D
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana

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 available from 4:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).

Afternoon: After checking in at the hotel, take some time to freshen up.

Dinner: At a paladar (private restaurant).

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

DAY
2
Orientation, Urban Architecture, Community Arts Project
Havana
B,L
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 15 miles total, approximately 1 hour riding time. Walking and standing for approximately 3 hours, pedestrian streets, cobblestones, high curbs.

Breakfast: In the hotel restaurant.

Morning: Orientation: 8:30 a.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. 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. This program is staffed with a Study Leader, who will provide educational content, and a Group Leader who will deal primarily with logistics. We also will learn from a series of local experts who will give lectures and lead discussions. Program-related travel and transfers will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. Meals will be in paladars, privately owned and operated family restaurants. 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. Next, we’ll hear a presentation by an urban architect and city planner in a lecture room at the hotel. The lecturer explains every phase of Havana’s architectural development from pure examples of the Colonial Period, masterpieces of the Art Deco style and the startling examples of the Russian period. After the presentation, we will transfer by motorcoach to Old Havana where we will participate in a recycled paper workshop at the community project “Cyclopapel.”

Lunch: At a paladar.

Afternoon: We’ll set out with our Cuban host on a walking field trip into two of Old Havana’s four plazas: Plaza de la Catedral that originated in 1592, with its main feature the ornate Catedral de San Cristóbal; and Plaza Vieja, laid out in 1559 when it was the “new” square, now surrounded by elegant, historic buildings.

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
3
Cuban Music Lecture, Master Chef Project, Dance Performance
Havana
B,L,D
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 20 miles, approximately 1 hour riding time. Walking up to 1 mile and standing, approximately 3 hours throughout the day; mainly pedestrian-only streets, cobblestones, high curbs, sunny conditions, limited shade.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will enjoy an expert presentation at the hotel on Cuban music. We’ll be introduced through words and song to the diverse African, European, and American traditions that merge harmoniously together to create Cuban music. This session will conclude with a look at current Cuban music including reggaeton, now a mainstream genre popular across Latin America and in the USA. After, we’ll participate in a lively “Cuban Master Chef” workshop where we will shop for ingredients at a local market, and learn how to prepare a typical Cuban meal and Cuban cocktails.

Lunch: We’ll enjoy the fruits of our labor during lunch at a nearby paladar.

Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll attend a performance by a contemporary dance company and learn about their training and daily lives at their rehearsal space.

Dinner: In a paladar.

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

DAY
4
Transfer to Viñales, Cojimar, Finca Vigia, Vinales Valley
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: At the hotel.

Morning: We will begin our journey by motorcoach to Viñales, a beautiful valley in the Pinar del Rio province of Cuba in the Sierra de Los Organos. This area is rich with lush landscapes, tobacco farms, and karsts. On the way, we will stop in the fishing village of Cojimar and meet with local fishermen to hear their tales.

Lunch: At a paladar.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will also visit one of Ernest Hemingway’s favorite refuges, Finca Vigia. Hemingway wrote “The Old Man and the Sea” at Finca Vigia. There, you may visit Hemingway’s own fishing boat, Pilar, which served as the basis for many of the scenes depicted in the novel. Then, we’ll continue our drive through the picturesque Viñales Valley. After checking in to the casa particular, we’ll explore Viñales on foot with our Cuban host before returning in the early evening.

Dinner: At a paladar.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
5
Tobacco Farm Visit, Farm-to-Table Lunch, Cueva del Indio
Viñales
B,L
Casa Particular Vinales

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 25 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 2 miles indoors and outdoors, uneven terrain, limited shade.

Breakfast: In the casa particular.

Morning: We’ll travel by motorcoach to the Valle del Silencio where we will visit a tobacco plantation. At the plantation, we will travel by horse-drawn carriage and ox carts and learn about their natural farming practices. There will be an opportunity to talk with the farmers and learn about life as a farmer in Cuba.

Lunch: After learning about the tobacco growing and drying process, we'll enjoy a farm-to-table lunch at the farm’s on-site restaurant.

Afternoon: Following lunch, we’ll board the motorcoach to visit the ancient indigenous dwelling Cueva del Indio. We’ll travel through the cave system by small boat and see the cave paintings and archeological remains from pre-Columbian Cuban civilizations. We’ll return to the Casa in the late-afternoon and adjourn for the day.

Dinner: 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 and transfer tomorrow.

DAY
6
Organic Farm, To Havana
Havana
B,L,D
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving 115 miles, approximately 3 hours riding time with a stop en route. Walking up to 1 mile; standing indoors and out up to 2 hours. Cobblestones, high curbs, sunny conditions, limited shade.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will board our motorcoach and travel to the Casa Caridad Botanical garden where we will learn about the garden from the owners. Next we will stop to see the amazing 120 m long Mural de la Prehistoria. We continue to the farm Finca Agroecologica. Here, we will meet with the owners and workers and have a walking exploration of the agroecological farm to learn about what is grown there and organic farming methods.

Lunch: After learning about the farm, we'll enjoy a delicious meal prepared with their own organic ingredients.

Afternoon: Following lunch, we will transfer back to Havana, arriving in the late afternoon.

Dinner: At the hotel restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
7
Antique Car Project, Havana Vieja, Craft Ice Cream Maker
Havana
B,D
Hotel Grand Aston La Habana

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 20 miles total, approximately 2 hours riding time. Walking and standing for approximately 3 hours, pedestrian streets, cobblestones, high curbs.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: After breakfast we will be met at the hotel by a fleet of antique cars that will drive us to the Santos Suarez neighborhood. Here we will visit a typical Cuban mechanic shop where they will demonstrate how solutions are always found to maintain these antique cars. We will return to city in the antique cars for a walking exploration of Havana Vieja with our Cuban host.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy local fare.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will have a unique opportunity to visit with a craft ice cream maker. We will have a discussion with the owner to learn about entrepreneurship in Cuba and the process of making the craft ice cream and the distribution channels. After the discussion, we will get to enjoy this delicious ice cream!

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.

DAY
8
Program Concludes, In Transit From Program
Havana
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.

Breakfast: At the hotel depending on flight time.

Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we’ll transfer to the Havana airport. 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!






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