(See our full itinerary for more detailed excursion information)

Diva Destinations hosts throughout your stay

7 nights B&B accommodation

3 Lunches

2 nights All Inclusive at the Memories Jibacoa Resort

​Return overseas airport Transfers

Private guides and transportation throughout

Walking tour of Havana

Tour of the Havana Club Rum Museum

Visit to the entrepreneur/paladar “Creperie Oasis Nelva”

Visit the private restaurant “Creperie Oasis Nelva”

Panoramic Tour in Classic 1950’s convertible cars

Visit & Cocktail at the Nacional Hotel

Day trip to Viñales – visit to a Tobacco farmer

Viewpoint - Mirador Los Jazmines

Lunch & Cocktail Workshop in Viñales

Visit the Mural de la Prehistoria - The amazing Mural of Prehistory on the natural wall of a limestone rock in the Dos Hermanas Valley.

Entry to the Ernest Hemingway Museum

Cocktail Don Gregorio at Paladar "El Portal de Cojímar" where Hemingway spent part of his time.

Visit of Museum Fortaleza San Carlos de la Cabaña

Casa del Zunzún - The roomy backyard of Bernabé's house, home to a great variety of Cuban bird species

Natural pool & Cave - Cueva de los Peces - This beautiful "cenote" (karst cave and swimming pond with groundwater access), is connected to the sea by a tunnel.

Museo Playa Girón - The museum is dedicated to the defeated invasion of the Bay of Pigs in 1961

Walking tour in the city centre of Cienfuegos

Teatro Tomás Terry Theater

Cocktail at "Palacio de Valle" on the roof terrace of the "Palacio del Valle" overlooking the bay of Cienfuegos

Walking tour in the city centre of Trinidad including an embroidery and painting workshop, a ceramics manufacturing workshop and a Cuban Dance class

Slave watchtower - Torre Manaca Iznaga with a wonderful panoramic view of the Valle de los Ingenios

Visit the "Memorial Ernesto Che Guevara"

100% financial protection

Flights to/from Cuba

Meals not stated

All drinks

Tipping

Travel Insurance

Sole Occupancy Room: £3,955 | $4,999

Twin/Double Occupancy Room: £3,655 | $4,699

USD$ Rates quoted are approximate and are subject to change due to currency fluctuation

Day 1 – Private transfers from Havana Airport to our accommodation, Telégrafo Axel Hotel La Habana (**** Star) where we will be staying for 4 nights. We will have our welcome group meal in a local restaurant, a great way to get to know your fellow travellers (payable locally)

Day 2 – After our group breakfast it’s time to immerse yourself in the everyday life of Cubans. Our day starts with a private guided walking tour through the alleys and squares of Habana Vieja, where you will enjoy the sound and lights of this vibrant Caribbean capital. We will have lunch in a local café (payable locally). In the afternoon we take a ride in the famous Cuban convertible cars of the 1950s for a panoramic tour

along the breezy Malecón, which will take you through the modern part of the city.

Your day includes:

• Walking tour in the historic centre of Havana

• Tour of the Havana Club Rum Museum "Traditional"

• Journey to the origin of the most famous drink of Cuba. From the cut of the sugar cane to the distillery process and the ageing cellars, you will discover the process of elaboration of the rum, an essential part of the authentic Cuban culture. Enjoy a welcome cocktail at the Bar Havana Club and a rum tasting will be offered at the end of the guided tour (Welcome Cocktail & 1 glass of rum included).

• Visit to the entrepreneur / paladar “Creperie Oasis Nelva”

• Visit the private restaurant “Creperie Oasis Nelva” and learn more about the “cuentapropistas” – entrepreneurs- and their challenges in Cuba in a short conversation. This exchange will take place in an ecological and calm atmosphere.

• Panoramic Tour of Havana in a Classic convertible car

• Visit & Cocktail at the Nacional Hotel - This place is an architectural speciality and symbol of the Cuban history, culture and identity in the heart of the Vedado neighbourhood, a few meters away from the ocean with a wonderful view over Havana’s bay of the Malecón and Morro Castle. Enjoy a cocktail in this picturesque setting.

Day 3 - Havana - Viñales - Havana

After breakfast we have an early start as we head to Viñales via the province Pinar del Río, the tobacco route to the western part of the island, where the best tobacco-growing ground and the imposing limestone towers (Mogotes) can be found. The tour is a Panoramic journey through the Viñales Valley, where time seems to stand still. During the day we will visit a Tobacco Farmer to learn more about the origin of the real Cuban cigar, the Viñales Valley is the ideal place to learn all about its production, an art that has been passed from generation to generation. The use of traditional methods for the cultivation and processing of tobacco characterizes the daily life of the "Viñalero" farmers. We’ll then tour over tobacco fields and through a drying house. Note: Depending on the season, it may not always be possible to see tobacco plants themselves. In this case, the process from the cultivation of tobacco to the creation of the cigar will be explained.

Your day includes:

• Viewpoint - Mirador Los Jazmines - Exceptional opportunity to take photos and capture the unparalleled beauty of the Viñales Valley.

• Lunch & Cocktail Workshop in Viñales (included)

• You will learn how to mix at least 2 different cocktails and enjoy afterwards a typical lunch. The restaurant is located at the bottom of a mountain famous for the region, a "mogote".

• Visit the beautiful Jardín de Caridad in the centre of Viñales. The Garden of Charity began to be built at the beginning of the last century, by a couple who introduced a varied range of trees from different areas of the country, including the Cork Palm and was declared a National Natural Monument in 1988. The garden and the house still belong to the family and are now taken care of by their descendants. The entrance gate covered with vines incites the visitor's curiosity. Beautiful orchids bloom on dolls' heads, small forests of brindle lilies compose graceful original formations and turkeys scamper freely around the grounds. The owners will be happy to show you around the property free of charge, although donations are always welcome.

• Wall painting - Mural de la Prehistoria - The amazing Mural of Prehistory is painted on the natural wall of a limestone rock in the Dos Hermanas Valley, approx. 4 km west of the town of Viñales. The 120 m high and 160 m wide artwork was created in 1959 by the painter Leovigildo González Morillo, a student in his younger days of the outstanding Mexican muralist Diego Rivera, and is one of the largest open-air murals in the world. The impressive prehistoric painting represents the history of evolution and the region's biogeological past, considered one of the first lands in the Caribbean

We return to our hotel where we’ll have dinner in a local restaurant (payable locally)

Day 4 – Havana, Hemingway Tour

After breakfast, we take a tour of The Ernest Hemingway Museum. The great American writer fell in love with the island in 1932 while fishing for Marlins. He settled down here in 1939. His love affair with Cuba even outlasted his marriage, the Batista regime and the beginning of the Revolution. Learn about the life and the myth behind Ernst Hemingway in the house he lived in for 20 years, where he wrote some of the most relevant books of his Nobel Prize-winning career. His typing machine, hunting trophies and beloved Pilar yacht are included among the belongings of the writer that you will find in this museum. Kindly note: The Hemingway House can only be visited from the outside (with a view through the large panoramic windows and doors to the inside of all rooms).

After our museum visit we continue to Cojimar, the backdrop for the Novel "The Old Man and the Sea", for which he received the Pulitzer Prize and was explicitly mentioned by the Nobel Prize jury a year later.

Your day includes:

• Entry to Hemingway's former home - Museo Finca Vigía

• Cocktail Don Gregorio at Paladar "El Portal de Cojímar" “El Portal de Cojímar”, it is a new private restaurant in Cojímar, the small fishing village, where Hemingway spent part of his time. Enjoy a pleasant environment with the smell of the sea breeze, accompanied by excellent service. Don Gregorio is the drink of the house, based on Havana Club Ron 3 years, lemon juice, maraschino, sugar, ice frapé and Curaçao Azul.

• Visit of Museum Fortaleza San Carlos de la Cabaña - The fortress San Carlos de la Cabaña was built between 1763 and 1774, becoming in its time the largest defensive facility erected by the Spanish in their American colonies.

• We will have lunch in a nearby restaurant (payable locally)

• We have the afternoon at our leisure before. In the evening we will have our group dinner at a local restaurant (payable locally)

Day 5 - Havana - Bay of Pigs - Cienfuegos. After breakfast, we will have private transfers to the centre of Cuba along the "Autopista" and to the legendary Bay of Pigs to Cienfuegos, a port town characterized by its French colonial architecture also known as the "Pearl of the South". We have a full day of sightseeing before ending the day at our La Union where we’ll stay for the night. La Union, right in the historic center of the city known as "the Pearl of the South". A building famous for its elegant architecture and the cosy ambience that surrounds it. In the beautiful interior courtyards and comfortable rooms, you will find the fascinating atmosphere of past centuries. It is a lovely Colonial hotel with flair, a pretty rooftop terrace and a pool, centrally located only a few steps from the main square "Parque Marti".

Your day includes:

• Casa del Zunzún - The roomy backyard of Bernabé's house has become a natural space for a great variety of Cuban bird species to live in absolute freedom. Among them you will find the "bijirita" (vermivore bachmanii), the "tocororo"(priotelus temnurus), the "carpintero" (picidae) and the "toti" (ptiloxena atroviolaceus). The highlight of the visit will be watching a zunzuncito (hummingbird), the smallest bird in the world, having a sip of water from the very hand of Bernabé.

• Natural pool & Cave - Cueva de los Peces - This beautiful "cenote" (karst cave and swimming pond with groundwater access), connected to the sea by a tunnel, is a picturesque natural pool with a depth of over 70 meters. Right in front of it there is a small beach with turquoise waters. Both places are equally inviting for swimming, snorkelling or scuba diving. The place also features a small restaurant. (Snorkelling and diving equipment as well as food and drinks are not included).

• Museo Playa Girón - The museum is dedicated to the defeated invasion to the Bay of Pigs in 1961, which was carried out by Cuban exiles with the support of the US Navy and Airforce. The display describes how the outnumbered Cuban combatants were able to prevail in less than 72 hours. The exhibit includes original weapons, clothes and photos.

Day 6 - Cienfuegos - Trinidad

After breakfast we have time to enjoy a walking tour of Cienfuegos, visiting some highlights of the town. After our tour, we’ll depart for Trinidad. On the way we’ll visit a beautiful farm where we’ll have an authentic rustic lunch (included) and enjoy a few hours in the countryside in the beautiful mountains of the Sierra del Escambray. We’ll explore on foot or on horseback and discover the peaceful nature at the edges of the river. The tour continues to a small waterfall with a natural pool where we’ll spend time relaxing in the water. We arrive at our hotel in Trinidad late afternoon for 2 nights (hotel TBC) In the evening we’ll have dinner in a local restaurant (payable locally)

Your day includes:

• Walking tour in the city centre of Cienfuegos, visiting Teatro Tomás Terry. Although the theater was built in 1887 it's still in excellent condition. The frescoes on the ceiling and the four-level horseshoe-shaped room merit a visit.

• Cocktail at "Palacio de Valle" - Enjoy a cocktail on the roof terrace of the "Palacio del Valle" overlooking the bay of Cienfuegos. Probably the most famous building of Cienfuegos was built in 1917 by Cuban and foreign architects for the sugar baron Acisclo del Valle Blanco - then one of the richest men in Cuba - its architecture shows Gothic, Venetian and Moorish elements.

• Visit to Farm La Lima

Day 7 - Trinidad

After breakfast, we have a guided walking tour of Trinidad. Founded in the year 1514 and today the country`s most perfectly preserved colonial city. We will tour the old cobblestone streets of the city, suffice to understand why it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk by the Plaza Mayor and appreciate the magnificent mansions. We will then take a hike up into the mountains above Trinidad stopping for lunch (payable locally) with the afternoon at our leisure. We’ll take our group dinner in a local restaurant (payable locally)

Your day includes:

• Walking tour in the city centre of Trinidad

• Embroidery and painting workshop - Estudio Yudit Vidal On this tour, guests will receive interesting information about embroidery and painting on the one hand, and on the other, they can experience these two deeply rooted traditions of artistic craftsmanship first-hand. The visit to the 3rd floor of the gallery, by resident artist Yudit Vidal, is another highlight. During the tour, the various stages and techniques of hand unwinding, crochet, embroidery and drawing in dry pastel and acrylic are presented.

• Ceramics manufactory - Casa del Alfarero Trinidad’s rich pottery culture dates back to the 19th century with the creation of a workshop by Don Secundino Santander, who later transmitted his knowledge to future generations. Today, the art is still practised in Trinidad.

• Dancing Class - Ritmos Cubanos / Lesson with Cuban dance teacher & 1 cocktail A moving experience where you can actively experience one of the most famous Cuban traditions yourself accompanied by professionals: dancing. Well-known rhythms like Salsa and Son are the highlight of the day. In addition, a refreshing cocktail awaits you.

• Afternoon at leisure

Day 8 - Trinidad - Santa Clara – Jibacoa

After breakfast we travel through the Sugar Mills Valley, where the iconic Iznaga Tower stands, you will head for Santa Clara. This city witnessed the most important victory of the iconic guerrilla fighter Ernesto “Che” Guevara. To learn about this clash, visit the place where his troops derailed an armoured train in an action that effectively determined the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. Continue for a refreshing drink at Café Revolución, where you will find an interesting collection of objects from that

battle. Visit the “Che” Guevera Memorial, the final resting place of the epoch-making revolutionary. The tour ends at the magnificent beach of Jibacoa, to enjoy the sun and sea!

Your day includes:

• Slave watchtower - Torre Manaca Iznaga - Visit the Manaca-Iznaga-Tower which offers a wonderful panoramic view of the Valle de los Ingenios. It served as a watchtower to prevent slaves from escaping the Finca. Note: Climb the tower at your own risk.

• Visit to the "Memorial Ernesto Che Guevara" - Visit the impressive monument to Che Guevara which was erected in 1988 and inaugurated in 1997 with the transfer of Che Guevara ́s remains from Bolivia to Santa Clara. You can visit the main monument with the statue of Che, the mausoleum and a small museum which exhibits details of Che ́s life and death. Info: The mausoleum and museum which are located behind the

• Monument is closed on Mondays and sometimes on other days without prior notice. We cannot guarantee the opening hours. However, the monumental memorial itself with the imposing statue of Che is worth a visit on its own.

• Lunch at the restaurant "Los Taínos" (included)

We will end our stay at the Memories Jibacoa Resort (**** Star) for 2 nights All Inclusive (Breakfast, lunch and dinner included). This relatively small, charming hotel complex is located on Arroyo Bermejo beach in Jibacoa, surrounded by the sea and nestled in a picturesque, tropical hillside. On the coast, there are beautiful and colourful coral reefs, which are one of the main attractions for visitors.

Day 9 - Jibacoa

We have the day at our leisure ending with our final farewell dinner at the hotel.

Day 10- Jibacoa - Havana Airport

We will be transferred by private transportation to the Havana Airport for our final farewells.