Taste of Cuba

Itinerary

Itinerary:
Havana - Viñales - Cayo Levisa Island - Havana
Duration:
8 days / 7 nights (flexible)
Price:
from £ 810.- per person (excluding flights)

From vintage cars to authentic Cuban countryside and castaway islands, this trip will give you a real taste of Cuba in just one week. If you’re after an authentic adventure in a short window of time, it’s a winner. First, you’ll wander through cobbled streets and shady plazas of Havana, stopping for afternoon mojitos and stumbling upon hidden salsa bars. Then, you’ll head for the timeless hills of Viñales, where tobacco dries in the sunshine and oxen plough the red earth. You’ll end the trip on a dreamy island of Cayo Levisa with sugar-soft sand and clear blue waters.

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 local Casa 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 colonial beauty, peeling bygone glamour and colossal Caribbean soul.

Days 3-5 – Rolling through tobacco hills

This morning you’ll travel to the tobacco town of Viñales – roughly 3 hours by private transfer – and you’ll be travelling through one of Cuba’s most beautiful provinces. Horse ride through the rolling hills of Viñales, Cuba’s rustic cigar region. You’ll stay in a Casa particular and explore the valley on horseback or by foot. You’ll learn 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 – Cosy Cayo Levisa Island

After breakfast you’ll jump in your private transfer and continue your journey through Cuba. Today’s transfer takes roughly half an hour to Palma Rubia port where you’ll hop on the ferry for another 30 minutes over to the cosy island of Cayo Levisa. Cayo Levisa Island is a little nook of beach bliss off Cuba’s northern coast. Heading for the island, you’ll be following in the footsteps of Hemingway, who discovered this archipelago on a fishing trip from Cayo Paraiso – the next islet along. You’ll spend two nights in a basic resort on Cayo Levisa, without a care in the world. It’s sun-drenched, secluded and downright dreamy.

Days 7-8 – Overnight in Havana

After breakfast you’ll make your own way to the ferry port where we’ll arrange tickets to take the ferry back to the mainland. You’ll be met at the ferry port and transferred back to Havana. The journey should take around 2 hours. You’ll return to Havana and stay in Havana Vieja. This is your chance for a final wander and to visit any sites you may have missed previously. The many art galleries and local craft markets mean you can stock up on any last minute souvenirs. Maybe you’ll have time to visit some of Hemmingways’ old haunts as well.

We’ll arrange for a private transfer to take you to the airport, where you’ll catch your international flights home