Classic Cars and Cigars
Itinerary
Days 1-3 – Classic cars in Havana
Havana has a distinct, exotic personality that you won’t find anywhere else on the planet. During this trip, you’ll stay in a charming colonial hotel near the heart of timeless Old Havana and take a city tour by classic car and foot. It’s the perfect way to explore the mix of crumbling beauty, peeling bygone glamour and colossal Caribbean soul.
Days 3-5 – Rolling through tobacco hills
If you’ve chosen to travel through Cuba by hire car then you’ll pick your car up this morning to drive through one of Cuba’s most beautiful provinces to Vinales. Alternatively you’ll hop aboard the shuttle bus. Today’s travel time is roughly 3 hours. Horse ride through the rolling hills of Viñales, Cuba’s rustic cigar region. You can explore the valley on horseback or by foot, learning about the art of cigar-rolling and meet the local guajiros. If you’re looking for an authentic Cuban countryside experience, you’ve found it. Life isn’t staged in Viñales, it simply unfolds.
Days 5-7 – Las Terrazas eco experience
After breakfast you’ll set off on your journey to Las Terrazas by hire car or private transfer. Your travel time today is about an hour and a half. Las Terrazas, Cuba’s pioneering eco-village is a beautiful natural playground just begging to be explored. Walk to hidden waterfalls, get to know the forest on foot and discover a unique biosphere saved from the brink of destruction. You’ll spend 2 nights tucked away in the nature reserve of Las Terrazas, staying in a truly unique resort built around a giant tree. The area is an example of eco-tourism at its very best.
Days 8-11 – Cuba, the Cuban way – Trinidad
After breakfast and a last cup of coffee, you’ll set off by hire car or private transfer for roughly 4-5 hours. You’ll follow the autopista to Cienfuegos on Cuba’s southern coast. Trinidad was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, and its cobbled streets and colourful buildings make it feel like snapshot in time. Music fills the central square each night, there are some nice local paladars (private restaurants) and even a nightclub in a cave nearby! Not far outside of the town you’ll also find some nice beaches, and to the north are the highlands of Topes de Collantes.
On the day after your arrival, you’ll head out for a bici-taxi tour of the town a local guide. He’ll take you on a voyage of discovery and show you life behind the facades of the coloured cobblestone streets. You’ll see schools, tobacco and cigar factories, local fruit markets and even the ration stations, giving you a fascinating insight into real life in Cuba. We can also arrange local classes and workshops here – just chat to your travel specialist.
After breakfast this morning, you’ll say goodbye to Trinidad and begin the 5-6 hour journey back to Havana by hire car or group transfer. If you’re self-driving, you’ll drop off the hire car today.
Accommodation
For this itinerary we offer the following options
Travel by hire car
For a little extra freedom, you can choose to travel by hire car. The signposts can be a little confusing at times, and you’ll have to avoid the occasional pothole on the rural roads, but there’s very little traffic around and we think it’s a really lovely and adventurous way to explore the country. You’ll have a modern car complete with a map and insurance cover, so you’re all good to go!
