Splendours of Cuba

Itinerary

Day 1: Fly to Havana

Fly from London (regional connections available) to Havana with Virgin Atlantic. Transfer to the Iberostar Parque Central or similar for 3 nights. (N)

Day 2: Havana

Morning walking tour of Old Havana, including the Camera Obscura and a stop at El Floridita, home of the daiquiri cocktail. Afternoon panoramic tour in a classic American car, visiting Revolution Square and a rum museum. (B, L)

Day 3: Havana

Day at leisure to stroll along Old Havanas cobbled streets or take optional visits to the Bellas Artes Museum, Hemingways Museum or the Revolution Museum. (B)

Day 4: Las Terrazas

In the morning, drive to Las Terrazas in the western province of Pinar del Rio for a stay of 2 nights. Established as a sustainable environmental and development project, Las Terrazas provides an ideal introduction to Cubas countryside life and landscapes. Visit the local community and the partially restored 19th-century coffee estate. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Viales

Full-day tour of the beautiful Viales valley, its tobacco plantations and rounded limestone hills. Visit a cigar factory and take a boat ride through the Indian Cave. (B, L)

Day 6: Peninsula de Zapata Cienfuegos

Travel to Cienfuegos via the Peninsula de Zapata. Take a boat trip through the mangroves and drive past Playa Girn, site of the 1961 invasion. Continue to the small city of Cienfuegos, with its distinct French influence, for 1 night. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Cienfuegos Trinidad

Morning tour of Cienfuegos, known as the Pearl of the South, and visit the Cienfuegos botanical gardens. Afternoon transfer to Trinidad for a 3-night stay in a casa particular in the heart of the old town. Dine this evening at a privately run paladar. (B, D)

Day 8: Trinidad

Morning walking tour of the town, including the Romantic Museum or Cantero Museum and a visit to Casa de la Musica. Founded in 1514, Trinidad contains well-preserved colonial buildings with hardly a trace of 20th-century architecture. Afternoon at leisure or take optional excursions. (B)

Day 9: Valley of the Sugar Mills

Morning tour of the Valley of the Sugar Mills, dotted with ruins of large former sugar plantations. Visit the watchtower of the Manaca Iznaga plantation, a reminder of Cubas slave trade and colonisation. Afternoon at leisure. (B, L)

Day 10: Santa Clara Havana

Morning drive to Santa Clara, the site of the turning point in the Cuban revolution, and see Che Guevaras museum and mausoleum. After lunch, continue to Havana for a final night. Optional evening music performance. (B, L)

Days 11-12: Fly to London

Transfer to the airport. Fly to London with Virgin Atlantic and arrive the following day. (B)