Weekend in Havana
Discover the highlights of Havana on this two-night itinerary, which offers a comprehensive introduction to the Cuban capital. It includes a guided walking tour of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic district with its beautifully preserved mansions, plus a visit to the Havana Club Museum of Rum. Learn about the age-old art of cigar rolling with a torcedor and wander through Ernest Hemingway’s former estate, Finca Vigía. There will also be the opportunity to go behind the scenes at a class car restoration garage.
This Weekend in Havana itinerary includes several optional activities, including a cooking class in the small fishing town of Cojimar. Alternatively, you can spend time at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, home to one of the most extensive collection of Cuban art, or learn about Havana’s Jewish community with a visit to one of the city’s synagogues and an early 20th-century cemetery.
During this two-night Havana itinerary, you’ll dine at local paladars, private restaurants renowned for their homemade Cuban fare. There will also be the opportunity to experience Havana’s legendary nightlife and musical talents at the famous Club Tropicana or Fabrica de Art.
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Itinerary
Day 0
Commercial flights from the United States to Havana are the standard mode of travel between the two countries, and we ask that our guests book their own travel between the U.S. and Havana. This tour will begin in Havana on Day 1. We recommend you arrive a day early to allow for flight delays or cancellations and we are happy to book an extra night's accommodation for you as a tour extension.
You might also consider flying to Miami on Day 0 and spending the night there, and then flying to Havana the next morning if you can find an early enough flight. If you prefer to arrive on Day 1, be sure your flight arrives no later than 9:00 Am.
We are happy to offer guidance with scheduling your travel to and from Cuba, and our office staff is ready to answer any questions you may have.
Day 1
Friday - Colonial Havana, Rum and Cigars
Old Havana and its system of fortifications became a UNESCO site in 1982 because of its unique architecture. Colonial Havana’s colonnaded streets are as colorful as our cars. As you walk through a rainbow of pastels listen for rumba riffs rumbling down the cobbled streets and the sounds of people working behind walls of mystery. Our walking tour takes us to Habana Vieja’s historic district composed of several Plazas around which colonial life revolved: the government, the church, the market, the homes of wealthy Counts and Marqueses. During our walk, we will visit a restored mansion built in the 18th century that originally belonged to the Count of La Mortera and today houses the Havana Club Museum of Rum. Havana Club rum, created in 1878, is considered one of the hundred best rums in the world. The museum, opened in 2000, offers a real-time journey through the rum-making process—from the sugar-cane mill to the cooper shop where the aging casks are made and then, on to the tasting room.
Cuban cigars or Habanos have historically been regarded among the world's finest and they constitute another Cuban leading export. After lunch, we will have a cigar rolling experience with a torcedor (cigarmaker) in the comfort of a private home. This experience is an introduction to the art of cigar rolling, also known as cigar making or cigar craftsmanship, an age-old art that has been passed down through generations. Then we continue our foray into Cuba's many influences, with a cocktail class where you will learn to prepare 3 classic Cuban cocktails. Get ready to shake, stir and sip!
Return to your accommodation to get ready to go out for dinner at a private restaurant, also known as paladar, which serves as a counterpart to state-run restaurants for tourists seeking a more vivid interaction with Cuban reality, and looking for homemade Cuban food.
Day 2
Saturday - History, Hemingway and Classic cars
Today our first stop will be the Museum of the Revolution, set in the former Presidential Palace. Even though it is partially closed for restoration, we will marvel at this early 20th century architectural jewel. The backyard, open to the public, boasts a collection of vehicles used by the revolutionary movement prior to 1959. The center piece: The Granma Yacht on board of which 82 people including Fidel Castro and Che Guevara came from Mexico to fight against the government at the time. After our stroll, we drive under the bay of Havana to El Morro, which offers an amazing view of the city of Havana. This fortress located at the entrance of the bay was part of a series of fortified structures to defend Havana from enemies of the Spanish crown and frequent sacs from ruthless pirates.
Then, we make our way to Ernest Hemingway’s former estate Finca Vigía, the recently renovated Museo de Ernest Hemingway. He lived in the Moorish-style home with his third wife, Martha Gellhorn, and wrote nine novels within its walls. Wander the rooms and the grounds of the estate and see where Hemingway lived his life as a man while writing novels that made him a legend.
After lunch, we visit a vintage car restoration garage. The garage brings nostalgia-laden classic cars back to their original comfort and elegance. See firsthand the ingenuity of Cuban autoworkers that restore these beautiful machines to reflect their historic glory.
Return to your accommodations to freshen up. We pick you up in a convertible car to enjoy a ride along the Malecon right before dinner in one of Havana’s finest paladars before hitting the town for a night out. While Tropicana might be Havana’s most iconic nightclub, the Fábrica de Arte Cubano is its most entrepreneurial. Not just a nightclub, Fábrica de Arte teems with artists and musicians who don’t simply entertain but press the boundaries of Cuban culture. Take in the sights, mix and converse with the locals, and move to the beat in this stunning performance space before returning to our accommodations for the evening.
Day 2 Alternative Activity Options
For the morning activity on day 2, you can choose from the following:
1. Cooking class: Your guide picks you up in your Classic Car after breakfast to begin our day of all things Hemingway. It’s a short drive east to the small fishing town of Cojimar, which inspired The Old Man and the Sea and saw frequent visits of Hemingway and his boat, Pilar. We walk through the town and stop at some of his favorite sundowner spots before joining our friends at El Ajiaco restaurant. We visit the gardens where some of their vegetables and herbs are grown, then have a lesson in how to prepare some traditional Cuban dishes. With our minds ablaze and stomachs prepped, we sit down for the best lunch in Cojimar.
2. Fine Arts Museum: Your guide picks you up in your Classic Car after breakfast to visit the Museum of Fine Arts in central Havana (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Habana). This fabulous museum has two impressive buildings. One is dedicated to Cuban art and includes a wide range of subjects and styles. The other is a divine European masters collection including originals by Goya, Murillo, Velasquez, Gainsborough, Rubens and various impressionists. The museum also houses one of the most important collections of Greek and Roman art in Latin America. Then we will visit an art project on the outskirts of Havana that turned this neighborhood into a gallery of murals, sculptures and more.
3. Jewish Heritage: It is said the presence of Jewish in Cuba dates back to colonial times. However, the community truly grew towards the beginning of the 20th century since they found in Cuba the ideal conditions to thrive. It was a large and prosperous community until 1960 when the vast majority emigrated mostly to the US. This morning, your guide picks you up in your Classic Car after breakfast to visit one of the Synagogues located in Modern Havana to learn about the few but strong Jewish who are still preserving their beliefs and traditions in Havana. Then we are off to visit not only one of Havana's Jewish Cemeteries, but the oldest, founded in 1906 by the United Hebrew Congregation. Time has inevitably passed, but the love for those resting there is pretty much latent.
Afternoon activities remain the same.
Day 3
Sunday - Departure
If you are flying out in the afternoon and would like additional guide services in the morning, these can be arranged at a modest additional price.
Dates & Rates
Dates | Adult (USD) | Child (USD) |
---|---|---|
Jan 01, 2025 to Dec 31, 2025 | $1,180£0€0$0$0 | $1,180£0€0$0$0 |
Supplementary Information
*Prices are based on double occupancy in standard accommodations in Havana.
*Please note that a performance at the Tropicana adds $200 to the cost of your tour.
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