Details, prices and bookings come from the operator (hetravel.com). Check with them before you go.
Join us for a gay tour that blends together the sophistication, heritage and promise of Cuba’s capital with three days of exploring smaller towns that are rarely visited by foreigners. On this trip we will have a special emphasis on the arts of Cuba, and the role of the LGBT community. Click to read a
After five decades during which our Florida Straits have served as a wall instead of a water bridge, the recent announcements by the Presidents of Cuba and the United States herald the start of rapid changes to daily life in Cuba. At this momentous time we invite you to join us for a People-to-People exchange with leaders of social change in Cuba and some of the country’s most creative artists.
Plan your flight to arrive in Miami this evening. There are no structured group activities this evening, in order to offer maximum flexibility for arrivals. Our host will be on hand to meet up for an informal happy hour tonight.
We will gather at a designated meeting place in Miami Airport to check-in for our flight, allowing plenty of time for this process and security screening. We will arrive in Havana mid-morning, in time for a lovely group luncheon. When dining together, we’ll discover unexpected cuisine at some of Havana’s top-rated private restaurants (paladares). After lunch, we’ll visit the community art project of Muraleando. Artists, musicians and dancers have turned this once neglected neighborhood into one of the city’s centers of self-expression. Hear the stories of the project from community leaders and local residents. After settling in to our classic hotel near the heart of Havana, you will have time to exchange currency at the hotel and explore our unique hotel. Later we’ll go as a group to a charming, privately-owned restaurant nearby.
Each morning during our time together in Cuba, we will have breakfast at the hotel before meeting in the lobby around 9 am to embark on our historical, arts and studio tours. This morning enjoy a presentation from a representative of the City Historian’s Office of Havana. We will learn about the city’s accomplishments and the ongoing challenges in restoring Havana. With this meaningful perspective, we will explore Old Havana, founded in 1519, on a walking tour through the city’s historic squares. We will see examples of the city’s colonial architecture and meet with some of Havana’s cuentapropistas (independent business owners). Our lunch today will be at a popular paladar, located near Cathedral Plaza. After lunch, we will continue our exploration of Old Havana, stopping at a graphics workshop cooperative and an architectural restoration training facility, where workers are learning how to bring run-down buildings back to their original glory. We will end the afternoon at Hotel Ambos Mundos, which was home to author Ernest Hemingway for seven years. For those who wish, visit room 511, which now serves as a small museum to Hemingway. A bit later, join the rest of the group at the hotel’s rooftop for a cocktail and share stories of the day. After returning to our hotel for a chance to rest and freshen up, we’ll depart for a delicious dinner in Old Havana. For those who desire a later night out, we’ll catch some live music at Café Taberna.
A special highlight of the day (schedules permitting) will be to meet CENESEX’s Director and LGBT rights activist Mariela Castro Espin. She is the daughter of President Raul Castro, and uses her powerful name to advocate for LGBT Cubans, especially those with HIV and AIDS. In 2008, she also ensured that Cuba’s national health system will provide medical care and legal assistance for trans-gendered Cubans who wish to change gender. We’ll have lunch together then visit the University of Havana for an enlightening discussion with students and staff. This afternoon we will also visit KCHO, a self-supported, non-profit art studio, gallery and cultural center. After returning to the hotel, the evening will be at leisure. We will provide suggestions for nearby restaurants and activities.
Today we will leave Havana and journey eastward to Santa Clara to learn more about the Cuban Revolution. We’ll visit the monument and mausoleum of Che Guevara, and Casa de la Ciudad, the city’s cultural center. We’ll meet local artists who can give their perspective on art and the artists’ role in the striving for equality and representation of Cuba’s LGBT community. Later this afternoon we’ll arrive in Remedios, founded in 1513, and one of Cuba’s oldest cities. We will have time to unpack at our hotel in the colonial heart of the city and some time to relax before dinner together.
This morning, meet with a city historian and embark on a guided walking tour of the historic town, including a visit to “San Juan Bautista” Parish Church, well-known for its 13 beautifully decorated gold alters, that were painted over for centuries, to prevent theft from pirates. Learn about the church’s history and the neighborhood through members of the community. Visit the “Parrandas Museum” to learn about “Las Parrandas de Remedios, the oldest festival in Cuba occurring every December since 1820. The highlight of the festival is a fireworks competition between neighborhoods on Christmas Eve and a festive parade. Meet with the director of the museum, community members, artists and float makers to learn about the town’s tradition. After lunch, visit Marcelo Salado, a former sugar mill town outside Remedios to learn about the importance of sugar to Cuba until the rapid decline of sugar prices at the turn of the 21st century. The museum houses an impressive collection of steam locomotives. We’ll return to Remedios this afternoon and dinner is on our own this evening.
Today we will visit Finca Yolandra, an organiponico or urban garden. Organiponicos came into existence in the early 1990’s, when the Soviet Union collapsed, leaving Cuba without a major trading partner. Food shortages caused local community members to set up farms wherever they could find space. We will meet with these local farmers and community members to talk about the “Special Period” and the importance of having a self-reliant agricultural sector. A special lunch today at Il Divino features seasonal ingredients from Finca Yolandra. This is an amazing open-air fine dining restaurant overlooking orchards and gardens in the middle of the countryside. This afternoon we will visit Finca Vigia, the Cuban home of Ernest Hemingway, elements of which will feel familiar to anyone who has visited The Hemingway House in Key West, Florida. Late this afternoon we arrive back in Havana and will have the evening to explore the neighborhood around our hotel and dine independently.
This morning we will meet with the members of “Proyecto Palomas” a community project aimed at providing happiness for all Cubans. Hear about their work with the LGBT youth community and the encouragement to empower themselves through art and dance. Next, visit the Museum of Decorative Arts, located within a beautifully restored mansion in the once-prominent neighborhood of Vedado. The former residence of Maria Luisa Gomez Mena, the Countess of Revilla de Camargo, now houses an extensive collection of highly artistic and historic pieces from Europe and Asia. After lunch on the famed Malecon, meet with American author Marc Frank, who has been living in Cuba for the past 25 years. Marc’s recent book Cuban Revelations, recounts his observations before, during and after the Cuban Economic Crisis. In a question-and-answer session, hear Marc’s views on Cuba’s past and the direction the country is heading. This evening’s cozy farewell dinner will be at a special location where we can savor our memories of our time in our neighbor to the south. Those with energy left over will be able to head out on the town for the last night in Havana.
Price includes: Airport/hotel transfers within Cuba; Chartered round-trip flight between Miami and Havana; all breakfasts and lunches plus 4 dinners, with alcoholic beverages at the welcome and farewell dinners; Accommodations: 8 nights of comfortable lodging including 1 night near Miami Airport, 5 nights in Havana and 2 nights in Remedios; All activities, entrance fees, and transportation as described. This tour will include complimentary Cuban Medical Insurance. HE Travel provides complimentary Medical & Evacuation Insurance for every US Resident on our group tours who does not have other coverage. Not included: Airfare to and from Miami; 4 dinners; Personal items including: alcoholic beverages, snacks, laundry, telephone calls, gratuities for guide(s) and HE Travel host. Optional Tour Choices: $1250 Single Supplement (for solo travelers who wish to enjoy a private bedroom and bathroom)
8–15 May 2027 · Italy · with HE Travel
Last departure 10–17 Sept 2017 · with HE Travel
Last departure 21–29 Oct 2017 · with HE Travel