Essence of Cuba Tour: Culture, Landscape & History

Even when looking out the window of the plane upon your descent into Cuba, you can’t believe you are landing in Havana. Thin palm trees rise above the tall tropical grass on the outskirts of the runway. Your flight lands and you meet your private transfer at baggage claim. The tropical warmth of the Caribbean embraces you once you leave the airport. Buildings painted with pastel colors line the avenue. Murals praising socialism and the Cuban way of life cloak sporadic walls on the suburbs of the city. Old Havana highlights the city’s elegant history, taking you into the former grandeur of mansions and cathedrals, fortresses and narrow lanes.

Cuban Baroque architecture meets Art Nouveau facades surrounding large plazas. Rumba and salsa emanate from restaurants along Calle Obispo. People dance to the rhythms of the neighborhood in the Plaza de Armas. Emerald leaves of yerba buena glow in effervescent mojitos. The city captivates you with its festival for the senses, from the aroma of the sea breeze to the radiant, friendly people. In the evening, you can soak up the atmosphere at La Floridita, a restaurant and cocktail bar that opened in the 19th century, and is still known for making Ernest Hemingway’s favorite daiquiri.

UNESCO placed Old Havana on the World Heritage list in 1982, safeguarding the authentic charm of the streets, buildings, and culture. The capital building’s dome creates the skyline of the historic neighborhood. Artists display their paintings on the central walkway of Paseo de Marti. Classic American cars park on the fringes of Parque Central; the sun glints off of the polished paint, showcasing the distinct bodywork. Your guide meets you in the hotel lobby after breakfast, eager to lead you through the treasured monuments of Old Havana on a fabulous walking tour. The Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception adorns Plaza de la Catedral.

The rigid texture of the façade stems from the material used to erect the edifice, having mined coral from the seafloor in the Gulf of Mexico. The Spanish erected the structure in the 18th century, with two large bell towers framing the entrance. End your tour of Old Town in the Plaza de Armas where you step into one of the legendary cars of the city to cruise along the Malecón. Water splashes against the sea wall and mists into the air. You have a view of the high rises of Havana’s more contemporary Vedado district. The city’s refurbished colonial architecture stands at odds with the dilapidated facades of Havana Central, overshadowed by the modern buildings of the city’s western edges.

Hotel Inglaterra once tended to international guests such as Frank Sinatra and Winston Churchill. The open windows look out to the Parque Central. The elegant neoclassical décor dates back to the 19th century, contributing to the city’s lavish history. After breakfast, your private transfer meets you in the lobby of your hotel. Drive along the main avenues of the city, through Vedado and the western suburbs, past the canals of Marina Hemingway, and into Cuba’s western countryside. A large multi-leveled complex overlooks the coastline in the Santa Fe district.

The medical school contains 28 buildings with facilities designed to support around 3,500 students. Sugarcane fields grow beside the road. Chickens roam and roost in the chicken farms. Wind along the highway around the foothills of the Sierra Maestra Mountains and into the center of the Pinar del Rio region. Stretch your legs on a tobacco farm near the town of Vinales. The farmer plows the rust-colored soil with two large oxen. He puffs a thick cigar and welcomes you into his home with open arms.

He acts as your tour guide, leading you through the process of tobacco cultivation in Cuba’s most coveted region, due to the rich mineral content of the soil. The dark leaves have a stronger flavor and can grow in bundles similar to lettuce. In the drying house, the aroma of rich earth and vines fills the wooden structure. At the end of your tour, the farmer brings you into his home and offers to teach you how to hand-roll a cigar using some of the tobacco from his farm. Continue to the heart of Vinales to tour the trails weaving around the hillsides of the stunning landscape.

In the morning, you can stroll along the main road in the heart of Vinales for a panoramic view of the staggering karsts towering over the fields. The undulating landscape creates a mysterious, yet beautiful atmosphere. After breakfast, you venture to the nearly two miles stretch of sandy beaches adorning Cuba’s northern coast, known as Cayo Jutias. The fine grains of white powder tickle your bare feet. Black coral rises up from the seafloor. A thatched Oceanside restaurant provides pristine views of the water, specializing in freshly-caught seafood.

Mangroves grow along the edges of the sea, adding to the biodiversity of the region. Coconuts dangle from the palm trees. Lounge chairs sink into the sand, providing the perfect retreat from the hot beach. The water laps at the serene shoreline. If you prefer a more adventurous excursion on the water, you can set sail on a seafari for a snorkeling tour of the coral reefs. Parrotfish and large snappers swim around the sea-fans' hard reef. Return to the quiet streets of Vinales in the evening.

In the morning, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the restaurant. Small local farmers grow and roast their own coffee bean crop in the morning, brewing rich coffee from their own backyard. Outside of Vinales, you stop at a lookout point for a spectacular view of mist traveling along the valley floor, with palm covered karsts rising out of the haze. Make your way to Cienfuegos stopping at the famous Bahia de Cochinos, Bay of Pigs. The place represents a victory for the Cuban people, but a large failure in American history, signifying the 1961 invasion of Cuba. A museum dedicated to the historical conflict provides a video and photos.

The pristine water and powdery sand contrast the struggle that once took place in the region. A crocodile farm at Boca de Guama allows you to visit with the native species of Rhombifer, along with see turtles. Learn about the breeding process of the reptilian species on the property dwelling in the marshy landscape. Step onto a boat to traverse the mangrove-lined canals leading you into Treasure Lake. A gentle breeze blows through the branches and leaves. The rugged beauty of the region combines the saltwater and freshwater. Continue to Cienfuegos for a tour of the maritime city once considered the “Pearl of the South.”

In the morning light, you can see the seductive beauty of Cienfuegos. Pearl white buildings shimmer against the turquoise water of the bay. The 18th-century fortress protected the city and the bay from pirates and privateers intimidating the Caribbean. After breakfast, your private transfer escorts you to Trinidad, a city known for containing the “Soul of Cuba.” Little bricks pave the street. Red rooftops create a fiery image set against the backdrop of blue sky. The Spanish founded Trinidad in the 16th century, making it Cuba’s third European settlement. Colonial architecture from the 18th century continues to decorate the streets.

Men guide donkeys up the hillsides. Horses pull carts through town. The Museum of Colonial Architecture contains exhibits detailing the intricacies of the city’s buildings. Architectural embellishments, such as doors, handles, and windows recreate an elegant ambiance. The ruins of many 19th-century sugar mills provide insight into the history of the city, Cuba, and the infamous slave trade of the Caribbean. At Valle de los Ingenios, you can stroll through the dilapidated structure surrounded by royal palms. The breeze rustles the wild sugarcane growing across the formerly manicured landscape. The illustrious late 18th-century estate housed one of the most notorious slave traders in Cuba, Pedro Iznaga. In the evening, you immerse yourself in the spirit of Cuba at Casa de la Musica, joining in some quintessential salsa dancing.

The sounds of horse hooves clopping against the brick-lain streets echo against Trinidad’s historic buildings. After breakfast, you leave behind the red-tile roofs of the city and the surrounding lushness, making your way to Santa Clara. The city is known for its strategic location during the Cuban Revolution. The people retain a passion for rebellion, fanned by the edgy youth culture fostered by the university. Murals depicting cartoonish representations of Cuban-American relations dominate the walls of Carretera Central. The Museum of Decorative Arts located in the heart of town contains exhibits exploring antique and valuable art pieces dating as far back as the 1700s.

Follow your guide through the core of the city until you reach the large plaza Conjunto Escultorico Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara. The square overtakes both sides of the wide boulevard, adorned with a bronze statue of Che standing 22 feet tall. The complex depicts various aspects of Che Guevara’s life, from his time in Guatemala to the farewell letter the guerilla leader wrote to Fidel Castro. A decorative wall depicts Che in the Sierra Maestra Mountains consulting Fidel. The monument stands on a hilltop providing a vista of Santa Clara.

In the morning, you wake up to a view of the opulent turquoise water of Cayo Santa Maria splashing rolling against the shoreline. The sunlight washes over the powder–white sand. A road bridge connects the key to the mainland, surrounded on all sides by the clear Caribbean Sea. Spend the day at your leisure enjoying the shade of thatched cabanas, the aroma of freshly fallen coconuts, and the panorama of the immaculate beach encompassing nearly eight miles of coastline. Mangrove trees, pine forests, and salt marshes turn the southern edges of the island emerald. Stroll along the water’s edge between Hotel Melia Buenavista to Memories Paraiso Azul.

The fine sand compacts, providing a walker’s paradise underneath the warm sun. Sand dunes rise to a height of over six feet protecting the resorts on the island from tropical storms. Footpaths connect the beach to restaurants situated atop the dunes providing an immaculate view of the sea’s various shades of blue. A rocky outcrop juts away from the eastern shores of Cayo Santa Maria near Playa Megano. Vivacious fish swim around the small coral heads near the beach. You can swim out to a viewing point with snorkel gear to view the partially sunken boat next to an isolated sandbar. The warm water is clear and inviting.

Pelicans glide through the sky and swoop down into the water in search of breakfast. Ibis perch on the wooden posts of the walkways leading to the beach. You listen to the soothing sound of the tide and enjoy the seductive aroma of freshly brewed coffee. After breakfast, your private transfer escorts you across the road bridge, beginning your journey to Havana. The scenic drive crosses through the heart of Cuba. Sugarcane and tobacco grow on the outskirts of the cities. Pearled monuments to farmers and the community rise out of the empty countryside.

Stop at the small village of Cojimar before returning to the city. In the 1950s, Hemingway found charm in the fishing community. The award-winning author kept his fishing boat in the harbor. Hemingway even used Cojimar as the setting for his Nobel Prize winning novel, The Old Man and the Sea.  A gilded bust of the sportsman and writer stands at the heart of the neoclassical monument dedicated to his memory. Once in Havana, you settle into your hotel in the Old City, where the jovial sounds of salsa welcome you back to the city.

The imposing stone structure of Castillo de la Real Fuerza was erected in the 16th century to help defend Havana from pirate attacks. Due to its positioning inside the bay, the Spanish used the structure as a storehouse and military barracks instead. The walls are nearly 20 feet thick and over 32 feet tall, radiating power in its historical design. A museum inside the castle contains antique weapons, along with treasures retrieved from sunken ships near Cuban shores. The edifice emanates the splendor of Cuba, a historic country filled with unforgettable antique and contemporary wonders. Your private transfer meets you at the hotel and escorts you to Jose Marti International Airport with plenty of time to check into your flight departing for home.