Tour of 7 nights 8 days that will take you through the paths of the rich tradition and culture of Cuba 

Cuba in Full Colour ( February to March)

Programme:

• ·      Day 1: Santiago de Cuba

Arrival and reception at the International Airport of the City of Santiago ¨Antonio Maceo¨ Assistance of the Solways Representative. Overnight at the Melia Santiago hotel.

Santiago de Cuba is the second most important city and is recognized as the Capital of the Caribbean, it stands out for its cultural, architectural, and historical attractions and for its picturesque geographical position, located between the sea and the Sierra Maestra mountains.

It is the region of the country that treasures the most sites and cultural manifestations declared world heritage. It also holds the distinction of Creative City for Music, granted by UNESCO and the status of Musical Reference of Ibero-America, given by the Latino Institute of Music. One of the three most important popular festivals in Cuba is celebrated in its streets: The carnivals of Santiago de Cuba, an explosion of color, music and dance.

From its soil the honey arose to create the internationally famous Cuban Light Rum, an inseparable part of the identity and culture of the nation.

Santiago de Cuba is also the cradle and slab of great heroes and personalities of Cuban history and culture, a forge of rebellion and the struggles for independence throughout the history of Cuba.

·       Day 2: An encounter with the city

09:00 hrs Visit to the most Caribbean and mountainous city of the archipelago, possessing a beautiful coastal landscape that combines the Blue of the Caribbean with the Green of the Sierra Maestra, Cradle of religion, son, bolero and tasty rum. Recognized for her participation in the independence struggles of Cuba through history and the illustrious sons of the city. One of the seven towns founded by the advance Diego Velazquez in the first moments of the conquest and colonization of the Island of Cuba by Spain

Tour of its urban historic center, starting at Parque Cespedes, the main square of the city declared a national monument in 1978, visit the Casa de Diego Velazquez, the oldest in Cuba in the heart of the city. The building belonged to the Spanish conquistador Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, the first Governor of Cuba, built between 1516 and 1530. Another house from the beginning of the 19th century was built next to this house. In both the environments of the different centuries are reflected and at present it is the Museum of Cuban Historical Environment.

Continuation towards Calle Enramadas, where you will find the Oriente and Heredia theaters, the latter, the most important in eastern Cuba. You will also find, on this boulevard, the “Salon del Son ” headquarters of the famous “Septeto Santiaguero”, a faithful exponent of traditional Cuban music and winner of 2 Grammy awards in 2015 and 2018.

We continue visiting the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, a place that represents the main necropolis of the Cuban East dating from 1868. One of its main attractions is the Mausoleum to Jose Marti, our national hero and since 2016, the ashes of the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz. Outstanding figures of national culture also lie here: Felix B. Caignet, pioneer of Cuban radio, Pepe Sanchez, the father of trova music, and Compay Segundo, troubadour-singer and composer, winner of the Granmy Award for best tropical Latin album in 2002 at 96. year old.

Once the tour is over, you can have lunch in a restaurant in the city

16:00 p.m. Visit to the La Tumba Francesa Community Project proclaimed in 2003 by UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and National Prize for Community Culture that recalls dances of African origin. At the end return to the hotel.

At night, visit the Casa de la Trova Pepe Sanchez, located at number 208 of Heredia street, an emblematic place, cradle of traditional Cuban music, where popular traditional Cuban music orchestras and prominent troubadours meet. To tour the traditional music of Santiago.

·      Day 3: Santiago de Cuba – Santuario del Cobre – Bayamo – Camagüey 

Departure to Camagüey, on the way you will visit the Copper Sanctuary, on the heights of Cerro de Maboa, town of Santiago del Prado, known as "El Cobre"; There its main attraction is the National Sanctuary Basilica of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, patron saint of Cuba, solemnly crowned by Pope John Paul II during his apostolic visit in January 1998. The building stands out for its eclecticism.

Once in El Cobre, one cannot fail to mention the Steel band ¨El cobre¨ is a musical band that has been created for more than 30 years, made up of metal drums with a peculiar marimba timbre and high tuning, in English they are known like Steel band, pan or Steel drums and according to many it is perhaps the only musical instrument invented in the 20th century. In addition, to guarantee its continuity over time, they have a children's version of the band. They have in their repertoire more than 50 songs ranging from popular and classical music to danzon, mambo, chachacha, guarachas, conga, boleros, ballads, rock, calypso, reggae, samba, jazz and others.

Continue of the trip, visit in transit to the City of Bayamo, the second oldest in Cuba, founded in 1513 by Diego Velasquez, known as the City of the National Anthem. Visit to the Plaza del Himno and the first Plaza de la Revolucion Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, as well as the birthplace of the Father of the Nation.

Lunch in Bayamo at a local restaurant

Continue of the tour to Camagüey, the province with the largest and flattest area in the center of the island of Cuba. Its economy grew during the 17th century thanks to the production of sugar and the raising of cattle. It was founded in 1514 as Santa Maria del Puerto Principe and had several previous locations until it settled in its current place in 1528. Its narrow and labyrinthine streets stand out, which often lead us to beautiful hidden corners, as well as its baroque churches. and golden altars that make it a place to visit for lovers of Catholic buildings.

Cradle of relevant personalities such as the distinguished patriot Ignacio Agramonte, poet Nicolas Guillen or doctor Carlos J. Finlay, who discovered the causes of yellow fever.

Arrival to the City of Camagüey. Accommodation at Gran Hotel in Bed & Breakfast plan.  Free night

·       Day 4: Discovering Camagüey – Trinidad.

09:00 hrs Visit to the Historic Center of Camagüey, considered the largest in Cuba, is a World Heritage Site since 2008, according to its well-preserved set of religious buildings, the atypical irregular urban layout that is still valid in the present, a high environmental and contextual value, as well as the wise combination of past and modernity. Retracing its streets after its history, architecture, culture, religion and legends, is a unique experience.

Camagüey is known as the city of churches, the city - labyrinth due to the winding network of its streets and the city of “ tinajones  ”vessels made of clay to store water that have become a symbol of the city.

As a means of transport, the unique Bicitaxis will be used, considered rolling galleries, since they are decorated by the main plastic artists of the city. During the tour you can visit the gallery of one of these artists

Start of the tour in the Plaza de la Soledad that continues to the “ Callejon de los Milagros”, a space that is part of the Calle de los Cines project. You can visit the Birthplace of Ignacio Agramonte, famous Camagueyan patriot, a beautiful property representative of the colonial era.

The tour is resumed, now to the Plaza de los Trabajadores, emblematic space of the city from where it is possible to appreciate the religious heritage of Camagüey and enjoy several of its legends, including that of The Holy Sepulcher

Transfer to Plaza del Carmen, one of the best preserved since colonial times. On this site you can see the Baroque-style Del Carmen Church , with two symmetrical towers that differentiate it from the rest of the sanctuaries in the town; the Las Ursulinas Convent, current headquarters of the Office of the City Historian and the University of the Arts and the bronze sculpture that recreates the daily life of the town, by the artist Martha Jimenez, whose creation workshop can also be visited.

Continue the route to the Agramonte Park, the founding center of the town, which became the Plaza de Armas during the colony. It houses numerous buildings including the seat of the municipal government, the House of Cultural Diversity and the Cathedral. Presiding over the square, the equestrian statue of the patriot Ignacio Agramonte.

Walking to Plaza San Juan de Dios, one of the best preserved colonial architectural settings in the country. Here is the Church and Hospital of San Juan de Dios, where the ashes of the Father of the Order of San Juan de Dios, beatified in 2008, are kept. God, dedicated to the founding of the town and the architecture of the city. This square also stands out for the accumulation of art galleries that it treasures. Lunch at La Campana restaurant in Toledo. 

Finishing Lunch , continue travel to Trinidad. Arrival at Melia Trinidad Peninsula. Allotment in All incluse Plan.

·      Day 5:  Trinidad 

Departure to Trinidad with a visit in transit to Manaca - Iznaga, center of the Valle de los Ingenios, a region that was one of the most prosperous in Cuba in the 17th and 18th centuries. Visit to the Manaca-Iznaga Tower, located in the old sugar farm located about 15 km from the city of Trinidad. In the place, the 45 m high bell tower that allowed the surveillance of the slaves in the sugar plantations of the colonial era is preserved. At the end of the visit, we continue to the ruins of the San Isidro de los Desfiladeros sugar mill, Continuation of the trip to the city of Trinidad, third town founded by the Spanish crown in 1514 under the name of the Santisima Trinidad that preserves its almost intact colonial architecture, Lunch in a local restaurant with 1 liquid, at the end we will start the tour to the Historic Center of Trinidad declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 1988 next to the Valle de los Ingenios located in the region. Panoramic tour of the city to contemplate the colonial architecture of the old houses such as the Romantic Museum, the former Palace of Count Brunet, the Church of the Holy Trinity, the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad located on a raised platform in the city of Trinidad that preserves its eclectic façade where the image of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, Patroness of Cuba, is found. (Does not include tickets). At the end, return to Melia Trinidad Peninsula hotel in All-inclusive plan.

·      Day 6: Trinidad - Cienfuegos – Habana 

08:00 am Pick up at the hotel departure for a panoramic tour of the city of Cienfuegos, popularly known as the Pearl of the South. Walk along the Boulevard and the Prado where the sculpture of the famous Cuban musician Benny More known as the "Barbaro del Ritmo y El Sonero Mayor de Cuba" stands out. Panoramic view of the buildings of the city, where the Government Palace, the Valle Palace, the Tomas Terry Theater, the Iglesia de la Purisima Concepcion and the Marti Park stand out (Does not include tickets). Lunch at Palacio del Valle with 1 liquid included. At the end, continue the trip to Havana, on the short journey we stop at Fiesta Campesina to take a 15-minute break and continue. Arrival in Havana and accommodation at the Melia hotel in BB plan. At night , departure to enjoy a panoramic tour of the city with the invitation to taste all the color, textures and aromas of the unique Havana, at the end return to the hotel.

·      Day 7: Havana 

08.30 hrs pick up at the hotel in Havana. Panoramic walk through Modern Havana starting the tour in the Plaza de la Revolucion with time with photos , panoramic view of the University of Havana. Transfer through the Malecon Habanero until you reach the Paseo del Prado, surrounded by notable buildings such as the Gran Teatro de La Habana and the Capitol of Havana. The tour continues passing through the Havana Railway Terminal considered a National Monument since 1993, until reaching the Alameda de Paula, the first seaside promenade in the Cuban capital built in 1777. Walking tour of the main squares: Plaza San Francisco de Asis, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de Armas and Plaza de la Catedral, where the most important buildings of the time are concentrated. Lunch at a local restaurant with 1 liquid. Visit to the exterior areas of the Palacio de la Artesania, an old Baroque-style palace from the end of the 18th century and Visit to the Callejon de los Peluqueros social project (panoramic does not include other services). Its creator, the stylist Gilberto Valladares, known as "Papito" revitalized the Havana neighborhood "Santo Angel" with his Arte Corte Project. Visit the Loma del Angel neighborhood, with its cobbled streets that inspired the writer Cirilo Villaverde in his famous novel “Cecilia Valdes” in the 19th century and the setting for multiple takes of the film “Fast and Furious 8”. Transfer by bus to the Residential area of ​​Miramar until reaching the Jaimanitas neighborhood. Visit to the creative project "Fusterlandia" created by the Cuban ceramic artist, sculptor and engraver Fuster who has revived the facades of houses, avenues, parks and buildings in the town with exceptional street art

·       Day 8: Havana – Havana Airport 

Shared transfer from the hotel in Havana to the Havana International airport.

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