After our morning breakfast at the casa particular we'll take you on a personalized walking tour of Old Havana stopping at all major plazas and points of interest giving you a good lay of the land for future independent exploration as well as a general overview of Cuba’s history and current political and economic climate. 

We will also point out some of our favorite hidden gems such as shops, bars, cafés, galleries and restaurants, were we will enjoy lunch to try traditional Cuban cuisine!

We will include some downtime for rest or independent exploration including visits to the Museum of the Revolution or Modern Art Museum which we highly recommend checking out. 

At night, we'll depart from Habana Vieja to the posh Vedado neighborhood to enjoy a delicious dinner at La Fabrica’s VIP restaurant Tierra! This will be an incredible mixed media art and bar experience. You will view everything from photography to sculptures, to fashion to architecture, as well as film, live music, and much more. There are no words to describe this amazing place which is popular with locals and visitors alike! 

This is a perfect chance to meet and interact with people from Cuba as well as many other parts of the world! Plus, live music will start at 10:30 pm and if you’re looking for something more laidback there are quiet lounges and various patios for a breath of fresh air. This is one party in Havana that many tourists don’t get to experience, but once you do you’ll be dying to come back!

*Most people choose to stay out late at Fabrica, located in Vedado, therefore your tour leaders will be happy to arrange taxis to take participants home in waves if some of you decide to head home before others*

After breakfast, we will begin our drive to the Cuban countryside to visit Viñales Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site, known as the heart of the tobacco and coffee-growing region in Cuba. 

Fusterlandia is a community-based art project located on the outskirts of Havana where you can admire Cuban artist José Fuster’s childlike rough shapes and bright colors in his untrained mosaic compositions. Fuster went on to become a world-renowned artist and now many of the surroundings have been decorated in the same fashion making this area a popular destination for visitors which has allowed the community to increment their earnings. 

Later upon arriving in Viñales we will head to Finca Paraíso, a beautiful hillside organic farm. Here we will enjoy a large family-style lunch before taking a tour to learn more about sustainable agriculture in Cuba. 

Next, we’ll visit the Viñales Mural de la Prehistoria, or the Prehistoric Mural. This massive mural painted on the side of a large “mogote” showcases a unique interpretation of prehistoric life. However, the main highlight of this stop is by far the piña coladas, considered by many to be the best in all of Cuba! 

Take a short boat ride through an impressive cave that once served as a dwelling for the indigenous community that inhabited the area prior to the arrival of Spanish colonizers. This quick trip allows you to appreciate the limestone caves and interesting rock formations common to caves in the area. 

Additionally, there is a small handicraft market upon exiting the cave that is fun for browsing! 

We will continue a day of outdoor adventure with a light hike or horseback ride throughout Viñales Valley to learn about flora and fauna. Here we will visit a tobacco and coffee farmer’s home. This is a great opportunity to try and purchase cigars, snap an iconic photo and sip on a delicious local beverage known as canchanchara! 

While here you will learn about Cuban tobacco industry in greater detail as well as the overall way in which the Cuban economy works in order to deepen your appreciation of the work that goes into creating products and experiences for tourists and the way in which your visit to the country can have a positive impact on the lives of individuals. 

At night, live a true “guajiro” experience with music, drinks, food, and cross-cultural interaction on a family farm!  

After breakfast, we will hug our Cuban host families goodbye and begin the journey back to Havana, making a quick stop at the impressive Jazmines lookout which allows you to appreciate expansive panoramic views of the valley. 

Upon arriving back in La Habana Vieja we will grab lunch on the patio at Los Antojos. Located on one of the cutest streets in all of Havana, Los Antojos serves delicious Cuban recipes in a fresh and modern way. 

We’ll later visit the largest market in Havana featuring local arts, crafts, clothing, gifts, etc. This is a great opportunity for some souvenir shopping for loved ones back home. We love to show our travelers D' Brujas Jabones Artesanales. This is a female-led cooperative that makes artisanal soaps and is an awesome, and rare, example of female-powered entrepreneurship within Cuba’s emerging private sector. 

For those not interested in shopping, this is also a good opportunity to visit any museums of interest that you haven’t seen yet or to grab a beer at the brewery located next to the artisan market. 

At night we'll go to dinner and a show, which could be a musical performance or modern ballet depending on the season. 

We’ll head to Mégano for a day on the beach, arriving at approximately 10:30 am. Here you can enjoy a relaxing morning on the beach, go for a dip or even do some snorkeling. For those looking to take care of the environment, we will have trash bags and gloves available to do an optional beach clean-up at a nearby beach. 

After we enjoy a picnic lunch on the beach, we’ll depart from Mégano and return to Havana to freshen up before dinner!

We will enjoy a delicious group dinner at the fun and funky El Dandy! Located close to our casa particular headquarters, this small corner restaurant serves delicious cocktails and international cuisine. Fan favorites are mojitos, sweet potatoes fries, and their pasta arrabbiata. 

Located right around the corner from El Dandy is one of our favorite places to shop in all of Havana, Clandestina (first Cuban sustainable urban fashion brand made up of a collective of designers, artists, and creators selling products in Cuba and abroad). We highly recommend squeezing in a visit before dinner! 

After dinner, we will hop in our pre-reserved cabs and cross the bay to visit the fortress of San Carlos de la Cabaña (UNESCO World Heritage site). Here we will attend the nightly Cannon Ceremony and visit the Che Guevara museum. Every night at 9:00 pm in Havana they reenact the cannon ceremony which was performed every morning and evening during colonial times to symbolize the opening and closing of the city’s port. 

Enjoy a Classic Car Tour around Havana while seeing a variety of different Havana neighborhoods and sites including the Revolution Square, Vedado, Miramar, the Havana Forest & El Mirador del Cristo de la Bahía. This is a great day for photos so be prepared!

We’ll later grab a delicious meal at Jíbaro, known for its innovative cocktail menu! 

That afternoon we'll experience a guided tour of the Havana Club Rum Museum, where we’ll have the opportunity to experience the process of making rum in detail and learn about the origin of Cuba’s most popular distillate.

Enjoy a delicious dinner meal and round-on drinks in Más Habana as we celebrate another successful Heart of Travel adventure and share our personal trip highlights with one another! 

On our final day, we will have breakfast at our casa particular before heading to the airport to catch our return flights. For those doing the extension, we will hit the road to Cienfuegos and Trinidad shortly after breakfast. 

After arriving to Cienfuegos, we will make a stop at the Bay of the Pigs where we can swim, snorkel or just take in the ocean views at this historic site.     

Later after finishing up at the beach we will stop for lunch at Alexis’ local paladar for fresh seafood cut and prepared on the grill right in front of us! This is one of our most fun and delicious meals so it’s the perfect way to break up the day’s drive! 

Not too far from Alexis’s restaurant we will stop in Girón to visit the Museum of the Invasion, a very interesting look into Cuba’s perspective on this sad event in history which helps to continue contextualizing Cuba’s history and complex relationship with the United States. 

That night we have an optional group dinner at Ozniel’s rooftop, where he has a variety of traditional dishes and drinks, or you can enjoy resting after the day's over.