11D10N Entire Cuba

<p>Arrival. <strong>Welcome to Cuba!</strong>. Transfer to the hotel and, depending on the time of your flight, free time. To welcome you at the end of the afternoon we will include a trip in an old classic car to the <strong>fortress of San Carlos</strong> passing the ‘Malecón’ and we will attend the <strong>cannon shooting ceremony(admission included)</strong>. Return to the hotel (by coach or vehicles) and accommodation.</p>

<p>This morning we include a visit of about 4 hours; we will include a stroll through Colonial Havana; declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a panoramic tour of Revolution Square and the University. We will include a <strong>boat trip</strong> across the bay in the little boat to Regla where we will see the church of the Virgin of Regla, a place of great devotion where there is a strong syncretism between the Catholic religion and the Afro-Cuban. Will you buy flowers and have a daughter of Ochun read your hand? After this, at lunchtime, we will take you to the area of the <strong>‘Callejón del Chorro’</strong>, an area with multiple “paladares” (private restaurants) where you can have lunch. Afternoon free. In the evening, those who wish may optionally attend the famous Tropicana cabaret-show.</p>

<p>We will leave Havana for the south of the island, where we can enjoy its beautiful tropical landscapes. Arrival in <strong>GUAMA</strong>, and a visit to the <strong>crocodile farm</strong>, including a <strong>boat trip</strong> to admire this area declared a national park. In the village of Taina we will see a little more about the population that existed before the arrival of the Europeans. We continue along the Caribbean coastal road. Have your swimsuit to hand! We will have time in <strong>CALETA BUENA</strong>, where we will <strong>include lunch</strong>, and you can swim, see its cenotes or snorkel! After that in <strong>GIRON</strong>, we will visit the <strong>Girón Beach Museum</strong> which tells us about the Bay of Pigs invasion and the revolution. Continuation to <strong>CIENFUEGOS</strong>, “the pearl of the south”, a very nice colonial city, where we will walk through its French neoclassical colonial streets. <strong>Dinner included</strong> and accommodation.</p>

<p>A little under a hundred kilometres take us to <strong>TRINIDAD</strong>, arrival and visit to Cuba’s most beautiful and best-preserved colonial city, a true “open-air museum”, declared a world heritage site. After the visit we will see the <strong>“Temple of Santería Yemayá”</strong>, dedicated to the orisha (God) of the Sea, with its offerings of fruit, water and stones; a santero will tell us about this religion and its beliefs. After the <strong>visit and lunch included</strong>, we will stay at our resort hotel at Ancon beach. You will have the afternoon free to enjoy the Caribbean Sea on this magnificent beach, or, if you prefer, to stroll at leisure in Trinidad. At night we provide a transfer to the cathedral to enjoy the “place of music” and its little restaurants with Cuban music.</p>

<p>Our day is full of beautiful landscapes and unforgettable experiences. By coach we travel to <strong>MANACAIZNAGA</strong>, at the centre of the sugar zone that brought Trinidad prosperity; here we will remember the story of the slaves next to the ancient 44-metre tower that was used to watch over them. We will then take a <strong>historic train </strong>with its old wooden carriages that slowly runs through the hacienda. The train stops at <strong>FENOTA</strong>, a sugar mill today a museum, and goes on to <strong>GUACHINANGO</strong>, in this beautiful area of hills we will have time to relax over <strong>lunch (included)</strong>. In the afternoon, we return to Trinidad on our old train, where there is free time to relax at the hotel.</p>

<p>In the morning, after breakfast we will return to <strong>HAVANA</strong>. Depending on the number of participants, this may be done on the “Vía Azul” tourist coach line. HAVANA, arrival at 16:30. End of our services. Please, check the time of your flight in case you might need an additional night.</p>

<p>We include a <strong>tour of SANTIAGO</strong>, Cuba’s second city and one of contrasts, capital of the ‘son’ and the revolution. Around 20 km from the city, in the mountains, we will go to the <strong>Basilica of our Lady of Charity of Copper</strong>, where we will be surprised at the veneration for the virgin patron of Cuba. After that we will go to the <strong>Santa Ifigenia cemetery</strong>, where Fidel Castro and José Martí are buried. We will see the <strong>Ron Bacardí factory</strong> and go to the <strong>CASTILLO DEL MORRO</strong>, an impregnable citadel on a promontory declared a world heritage site, which houses an interesting museum on Piracy. <strong>Lunch included</strong>. Free time in the afternoon.</p>

<p>Among beautiful landscapes of tropical hills, we travel to the north coast. A walk through the quiet centre of <strong>HOLGUIN</strong> before continuing to </p><p><strong>GUARDALAVACA</strong>, where we see the <strong>Museo Chorro de Maita</strong> archaeological park that protects the remains of a village and an Indian cemetery with the remains of 62 human skeletons, and <strong>Taina Village</strong>, which reproduces scenes of how the Indigenous peoples lived before Columbus’s arrival. We see the magnificent surroundings of <strong>BARIAY BAY</strong>, where Christopher Columbus landed. <strong>Lunch included</strong>. Afternoon free at the resort by the beautiful Guardalavaca beaches. <strong>Dinner included</strong> in the hotel.</p>

<p>We travel to the west of the island. Stop at <strong>PUERTO PADRE</strong>, a small town stopped in time, which was once the largest sugar port on the planet. <strong>Lunch included</strong> en route. In <strong>LAGUNA DE LA REDONDA</strong>, we will include a beautiful <strong>one-hour boat ride</strong> between the mangroves, foliage-covered tributaries and small inland lakes. After that, spectacular landscapes on the road that crosses the sea towards <strong>CAYO COCO</strong>. Arrival mid-afternoon, <strong>dinner included</strong>.</p>

<p>Free morning to enjoy the beach. After <strong>lunch (included)</strong> we will leave for <strong>YAGUAJAY</strong>, where the <strong>Camilo Cienfuegos museum-cemetery</strong> is located. Night in <strong>REMEDIOS</strong>, one of the most beautiful colonial towns in Cuba. <strong>Dinner included</strong>.</p>

<p>On the outskirts of Remedios, we see the old <strong>Marcelo Salado sugar mill</strong>, a former sugar mill closed after the fall of the USSR, and today a museum that shows us what traditional sugar production was like. We include a 20-minute <strong>ride on an old train</strong> with a steam engine. After that we travel to <strong>SANTA CLARA</strong>, where we see the <strong>Constantino Pérez cigar factory</strong> (Montecristo and Partagas cigars). After <strong>lunch (included)</strong> we visit the <strong>Che Guevara Mausoleum Museum</strong>. Return to Havana. Arrival at about 19:00. End of our services. Please, check the time of your flight in case you might need an additional night. </p>