11
For more information, call: 800-539-7098 or visit:
www.centralholidays.combest highlights of the city such as the main plazas (Plaza del Gallo,
Plaza de los Trabajadores, Plaza Ignacio Agramonte, and Plaza San
Juan de Dios) and unique streets. Then, experience a rehearsal by the
world-renowned Camagüey Ballet Company and afterwards have the
chance to meet with the dancers and see how they create their own
shoes and costumes. Savor lunch at a local paladar, then depart for
the house of the artist Cassanova which is outside of the city. Here you
will learn how Camagüey’s most famous visual icons are made—the
“tinajon.” Tinajones are large red pots often found outside of homes,
used back in the day to store water. You may even be able to sit at the
wheel and create your own! Return to the hotel, and enjoy dinner on
your own. (B,L)
DAY 3
I
CAMAGÜEY
I
SANCTI SPIRITUS
I
SANTA CLARA
Power up
with a full breakfast at your hotel, then depart for the city of Sancti
Spiritus. Here you will visit the gallery of talented artist Jorge Antonio
Gonzalez Perez. Follow this interaction with lunch at a local paladar,
then continue on to the important city of Santa Clara. Here you will find
a famous Revolution Square which features 14 palm trees to symbolize
Che’s birthday (June 14, 1928) and can hold up to 80,000 people for
political and cultural events. Nearby is the Mausoleum of Che Guevara
located on a hill in a remote area outside of Santa Clara. The main
feature is a larger-than-life statue of Che situated in this, the city where
the last battle of the Cuban Revolution was fought. Inside, is a museum
about his life and his final resting place; while he passed away in
battle in Bolivia his remains were ultimately found and shipped back
to Cuba. Next, head to your hotel for check-in. Dinner will be on your
own tonight. (B,L)
DAY 4
I
SANTA CLARA
I
TRINIDAD
I
SANTA CLARA
After breakfast at
your hotel, embark on a scenic three hour drive to the town of Trinidad,
a colonial town locked in time. On the way, visit the fertile Sugar Mills
Valley from which the region once earned its riches and made people
very prosperous. Passing green farms and pastures, arrive at the
Manaca-Iznaga Tower which offers a stunning bird’s eye view of the
region from the top. Have lunch at a local paladar in the center of
Trinidad. Afterwards, you will want to walk off your meal on a city tour
of Trinidad’s historical center with its cobblestone streets, people atop
horses and buggies, and music in the air. Dip into the different
galleries, shops, workshops, bars, and restaurants with your guide who
will share a unique story about each place visited. The Trinidad history
museum, also called Palacio Cantero, displays a collection of objects
from the 18th and 19th centuries, recreating the ambiance of those
eras. There is even an area with a timeline of the town history that
shows the heydays of sugar production. Take some time to explore the
town on your own and interact with community members. Try seeking
some of the famous local crochet work for which Trinidad is famous!
Return to the hotel at the end of the day and have dinner on your own
tonight. (B,L)
DAY 5
I
SANTA CLARA
I
HAVANA
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, then
head out on your drive to Havana. Time permitting, stop at Morro
Castle, considered one of the oldest stone forts in the Americas and
which offers an unparalleled bird’s eye panoramic view of Old Havana
and Havana Harbor. Have lunch at a local paladar, then stop by the
Museum of the Revolution, housed in the former Presidential Palace.
Today the museum displays the storyline of Cuban history and features
memorabilia from the colonial days to modern times, mainly focusing
on the period of the revolutionary war of the 1950’s. The afternoon will
be a busy time on Paseo del Prado which is a promenade leading into
the heart of Old Havana which is great for people-watching and where
you will see a density of vintage American cars, Cubans young and old
spending time together, and a mixture of colonial and modern
architecture. Check in at your hotel, and then have dinner as a group
at a local paladar. (B,L,D)
DAY 6
I
HAVANA
Early in the morning, have a hearty breakfast at the
hotel before setting out on a full day of sightseeing. Your local guide
and driver will take you deep into Old Havana which has been a
UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. Here you will enjoy an
ACCOMMODATIONS
City
Nights
Hotel
Camaguey
2
El Marques, Colonial or Sevillana
Santa Clara
2
America
Havana
2
Nacional
ARRIVAL DATES & PRICES*
2017 - $2,639 Dec. 18
2018 - $2,639 Jan. 8 & 15; Feb. 5 & 19; Mar. 5 & 19; Apr. 2 & 9
$2,456 May 7 & 21
$2,394 Jun. 11 & 25; Jul. 2 & 23; Aug. 13 & 27; Sep. 10 &
24; Oct. 8 & 22
*Prices are per person based on double occupancy. Single room supplement
available upon request.
Our programs are catered to groups under the General License category for
people-to-people travel as outlined by the US Treasury Department.
Monument of Che Guevara, landscape, Santa Clara
insightful walking tour showcasing the restoration and preservation
process of its most elaborate buildings, along with old ties and new
hopes around every corner as you explore Plaza Vieja, Plaza de Armas,
Plaza de San Francisco, and Plaza de la Catedral. Pass by the
community project “Jovenes Emprendedores” which sponsors the
growth and development of young entrepreneurs. Go for lunch at a
nearby paladar, then drive off to Finca Vigia, also known as the old
Ernest Hemingway house. Here is where the famed author of “A
Farewell to Arms” and “For Whom the Bell Tolls” spent 20 years when
living in Havana beginning in mid-1939. At this living museum you can
peer in to see items just as Hemingway left them, including more than
8,000 books, personal relics, and collections; his precious boat Pilar
and the legendary swimming pool where he hosted some of the
biggest cultural icons of the times. Drive back to the Old Town and visit
the San Jose Craft Market, an expansive warehouse transformed into
a bazaar with over 100 privately-owned artisan and handicraft stalls –
a fantastic place to purchase souvenirs. Take time to converse with the
local entrepreneurs to learn about this burgeoning sector of private
enterprise. Return to the hotel. Tonight enjoy a special farewell dinner
at a local paladar together as a group to reminisce about the last few
days. (B,L,D)
DAY 7
I
HAVANA TO USA
Have breakfast at the hotel, then at a
convenient time, your guide and driver will take you by bus to the
Havana airport for your international flight home. Be assisted with
check in, then have a short flight back to the USA. Thank you for
exploring Cuba with us! (B)
(B) Breakfast - (L) Lunch - (D) Dinner
The included features for this program can be found on page 5. Tour
includes 14 meals: Breakfast daily, 5 lunches and 3 dinners.