Auténtica Cuba - Simply Guided 2020

Auténtica Cuba from the Colourful Streets of Havana to a 5* All Inclusive Retreat in Varadero

€ 3199 13 DAY GUIDED TOUR FROM

17 - 29 JUL 2020

Visiting: Havana, Hemingway, Museum of Rum, Vinales Valley, Bay of Pigs, Cienfuegos, Trinidad, Sugar Mill Valley, Santa Clara, Varadero

The rich historical past of the Bay of Pigs is still vivid while now the area is famous for its beaches and diving sites. Here we will have lunch in a seaside restaurant, while there is opportunity for swimming and snorkelling in the Caribbean Sea. Continue to Guama, the main attraction of the National Park. Speedboat tour of the natural lagoon, the Laguna de Tresoro, where the unspoiled nature can be observed, migrating and endemic birds can be seen. Visit the Aldea Taino, the reconstructed Taino Aboriginal Village where we learn about the customs of the ancient indigenous inhabitants. We arrive back to port by motor boat and visit the country’s largest crocodile breeding farm, where we will observe hundreds of these reptiles in their natural habitat. We visit the crocodile nursery; here the braves may hold the yet harmless infants in their hands. Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue our trip to Cienfuegos. Panoramic sightseeing tour of the famous Malecon, passing by the beautiful seaside villas, stop at the Palacio del Valle, a unique palace with architectural richness. Then we head towards downtown Cienfuegos, where we continue with a walking tour of the city of former aristocrats. Cienfuegos, founded by French settlers, has European-style architecture. Walk down the Boulevard of the city via the Prado; visit the Jose Marti Square, the Governor’s palace, the Thomas Terry Theatre famous for the excellent acoustics and the Cathedral. Check in at the 4* Hotel La Union. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. DAY 6 - CIENFUEGOS – TRINIDAD Drive to Trinidad, a small colonial town founded 500 years ago that was once attributed by the abundance of its sugar cane plantations. Here, we discover another face of Cuba. Our journey is made not only on ground but in time, too. Trinidad preserves the unique atmosphere of the colonial era. While walking along the small winding streets we have the feeling as if we would have flown back in time. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage city, The Plaza Mayor, the Tower of Contrabandido, the Cathedral, La Santissima Trinidad Square and the exhibition of the Romantic Museum. The museum is located in the palace of the town’s richest family with balustrade yard, marble floors, and neoclassical decoration, walking among the frescoes of the city’s wealthiest merchant family we can enjoy the assembled exhibition of articles. Later we walk in the old town and stop at the famous Canchanchara

DAY 1 - MALTA - HAVANA Meet your tour manager at Malta International

lunch we join in Hemingway’s footsteps: we visit the famous Hotel Ambos Mundos where the “For Whom the Bell Tolls” was born, the hotel room and the thematic exhibition. Then stop at Hemingway’s favourite places, La Bodeguita del Medio and La Floridita bars, where the world famous “Mojito” and “Daiquiri” cocktails began their journey of conquest. Then visit the outdoor exhibition of the Revolutionary Museum, where the famous ship Granma is exhibited, we will see the boat, which Fidel and the other revolutionaries landed to launch the revolution. Evening optional visit to the World famous show of Tropicana. Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner. DAY 4 - HAVANA – VINALES VALLEY Full day excursion to the western part of the country, the province of Pinar del Rio, 170 km from Havana, the picturesque Viñales Valley, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. Pinar del Rio province is also called the country’s “green” part. Our way leads along the lush tobacco plantations. This excellent climate is the secret to the excellent Cuban tobacco, the raw material of the famous Cuban cigars. Today you will learn about the making of cigars, the tobacco production and processing through to wrapping cigars. We visit the house of an authentic Cuban tobacco producer family, who lead us through the plantation, a tobacco drying barn and you will see the process of tobacco step by step. You learn how you can recognize high-quality tobacco leafs; learn the art of wrapping cigars as one of the famous Cuban cigars is made before your eyes. Next stop on our way is the exquisite Valley of Viñales, stopping at a lookout point where you can enjoy the breath-taking panorama with the remote scenery of “Mogotes” and mountains that make this place deservedly a World Heritage site. After lunch we start hiking the Indian cave, and river boating inside the cave. We will then visit the famous wall painting, the “Mural de la Prehistoria” that fascinates us with its unique technology of gigantic size. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner DAY 5 – HAVANA – BAY OF PIGS - CIENFUEGOS Proceed to one of Cuba’s most important nature reserves, the world famous Zapata Peninsula, a bird and animal sanctuary which is located in the Montemar National Park. The first stop is the famous Bay of Pigs where the famous US disembarkation took place.

Airport for your flight to Havana. DAY 2 - HAVANA – HEMINGWAY

Upon arrival transfer to the 5* Hotel SO Paseo del Prado for check in. Lunch at a local restaurant and after a panoramic city tour of modern Havana, one of the most beautiful cities of Latin America. Havana captivates everybody, this real Caribbean metropolis has a unique atmosphere, where a time travel tempt us, where the Colonial era, the mark of the ‘50s USmob’s mark and the retro, socialist present is simultaneously existing. We cross Havana’s famous seaside promenade, the Malecon which is a favourite meeting place for locals, we can admire the mansions of the Paseo, then stop at the Revolution Square where the Jose Marti Memorial is located. On the way back to we drive next to the world- famous Colon cemetery that is one of the world’s richest graveyards with more than 500 statues, and arrive to the old town. Visit Finca Vigia, Hemingway’s house where he lived during his Havana years. Then we visit Cojimar village, the fishing spot of the great writer where he sailed out to catch his big fish. We visit the statue of Hemingway that the local fishermen did build remembering their old friend. Meals: Lunch and dinner. DAY 3 – HAVANA – MUSEO DEL RON – HABANA VIEJA Today we visit Habana Vieja, the historical part of the city. We start a walking tour. We visit the Havana Club Rum Museum where we get acquainted with the making of the world-famous Cuban rum, the growing and processing steps of sugar cane to follow through the process until it has matured, barrel filling and bottling. You can purchase the original Havana Club memorabilia, as well as can taste the typical Cuban drink called Guarapo made from fresh sugar cane and the excellent Cuban cocktail, Guarabana. Proceed to explore the old town on foot with its rich cultural and historical attractions, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. Visit the Plaza de Armas, the “Arms’ Square”, the Governor’s palace, while we can hunt local antiques at the authentic antique market, walk through the Plaza San Francisco where we will see the old Stock Exchange Palace and St. Francis of Assis Church and the Cathedral Square. Then we visit La Plaza Vieja, the “Old Square”.After

AUTHENTIC CUBA 2020

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