CUBA: COLOURS & FLAVOURS - £5,980 FROM - The Ultimate Travel Company
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CUBA:
C O L O U R S & F L AVO U R S
7 - 22 February 2021
FROM
£5,980
PER PERSON
Tour Leader: Chris Caldicott
E X P L O R E T H E B E AU T Y, V I TA L I T Y & M AG I C O F C U B A This fascinating tour is designed as an introduction to one of the Caribbean’s most colourful and vibrant islands. It encompasses some of the major sights of the island to give you a taste of its beauty, vitality and magic. During our stay we explore Havana, a vibrant city steeped in myth and legend, viewing its fine colonial and neo-classical buildings, seeking out the haunts of Hemingway and soaking up the city’s blossoming culture with visits to the National Museum of Fine Arts, local artists’ studios and private collections. Cuba has a long tradition of dance – the rhumba and cha- cha-cha to name but two – but more recently the island has also given us ballet dancers of international repute. In the Central Provinces, we see the neo-classical treasures of Cienfuegos, and the beautifully preserved colonial towns of Viñales and Trinidad, before ending our tour back in Havana once again. During the trip Chris will be giving a rolling travel photography workshop for those that wish to partake. Food always plays a big part of Chris’ trips and he will be happy to give an introduction to the traditional local Cuban cuisine, an eclectic mix of Spanish, African and Caribbean influences.
Mojitos in Havana
Havana Trinadad
16-DAY ITINERARY, DEPARTING 7 FEBRUARY 2021
7 February London / Havana 9 February Havana evening ballet performance at Havana
Theatre (subject to ballet performance
Suggested flight (not included in the This morning drive in famous 1950s schedule).
cost of the tour) Virgin Atlantic VS classic cars to visit the Hemingway
147 departing London Heathrow at Museum and Cojima, the fishing Dinner at a local restaurant followed
12.25 hrs arriving Havana at 17.50 hrs. community where Hemingway by the option to enjoy live music at
Transfer to 5-star Iberostar Parque based his novel The Old Man and the Fabrica del Arte VIP lounge.
Central Hotel, located in the historic Sea with a specialist guide. Enjoy
centre of Havana, and where four spectacular views of the city from the 11 February Havana / Viñales
nights are spent. Dinner at a local El Morro fort across the harbour from
restaurant. Havana. Morning transfer (with luggage) to
Viñales, a gateway to the Sierra de los
8 February Havana Lunch at a local restaurant. This Organos mountains and the Viñales
afternoon enjoy a contemporary Valley. Its main street is lined with
This morning enjoy a city tour in an photography tour of Havana with the colourful colonial-era wooden houses,
open top vintage car taking in all curator, Cristina Figueroa, covering including the Municipal Museum,
the main sites including the Parque cutting edge photography studios which explores the region’s history,
Almendares, the riverside city park; including El Local, Seis Seis Studio and where orchids and palms fill the
Cristobal Colon Cemetery, noted and El Apartamento. Dinner at a local sprawling Casa de Caridad Botanical
for its many elaborately sculpted paladar. After dinner there will be the Gardens.
memorials; and the historical option (to be paid for locally) to enjoy
Hotel Riviera and Hotel Nacional live music at La Zorra el Cuervo, a Lunch at a local restaurant. Enjoy a
overlooking the Malecon, built in the basement jazz club. tobacco tour with a specialist guide at
1920s and frequented by movie stars a tobacco plantation, where they still
such as Errol Flynn, Frank Sinatra, 10 February Havana plough with oxen, and see the famous
Ava Gardner and Clark Gable. drying houses and learn how to roll
Enjoy a half day food tour including a cigar. Continue to Hotel Encanto
Lunch at a local restaurant. a visit to a local market and lunch Central, located in the heart of Viñales
This afternoon meet the famous of Cuban food with a twist at one of and where two nights are spent.
photographer, Robert Salas, in his Havana’s best kept secrets with a Dinner under own arrangements.
home and enjoy his private collection specialist chef. You will also learn to
of extraordinary images. Dinner at a make a real Cuban mojito. 12 February Havana / Viñales
local paladar.
This afternoon visit the spectacular This morning enjoy a trekking tour
Baroque style 19th century church (weather permitting) including lunch
of Iglesia de Mercedes decorated by to Los Aquaticos (the water people)
renowned Cuban artists including to see the dramatic landscape of
Esteban Chartrand, Miguel Melero, this stunning natural area declared
Pidier Petit and Juan Crosa, among a UNESCO world heritage site in
others. 1999. The rich red earth of the Viñales
countryside is also home to the local
Optional (to be paid for locally) early farming population who lovingly tend
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Trinadad Viñales
the surrounding landscape to grow for more than a century, still stand 16 February Trinidad
tobacco crops from which Cuba’s monument to the town’s past glory.
world famous cigars are made. The town was designated a World Morning departure for a day trip
Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. by boat to Cayo Macho, a small
Rest of the afternoon at leisure. Check into the centrally located Caribbean gem with beautiful clear
Dinner at a local tapas restaurant. colonial Hotel Iberostar where five turquoise waters and beautiful
nights are spent. Dinner at a local beaches to enjoy swimming and
13 February Viñales / Havana restaurant. Optional (to be paid snorkelling in coral reefs with
locally) visit to Casa de la Trova for colourful tropical fish and turtles.
This morning drive back to Havana an evening of live traditional Cuban
(with luggage). music. Enjoy cocktails and a seafood lunch
on board before returning back to
Lunch a local restaurant. Afternoon shore. Dinner at a local restaurant.
guided tour of the Museo de Bellas
Artes (National Museum of Fine 17 February Trinidad
Arts) which contains Latin America’s
largest collection of antiquities as Morning tour to Sancti Spiritus, one
well as works by Goya, Rubens, of the original seven Cuban cities
Velázquez, Turner, Gainsborough founded by the Spanish in 1514. Its
and Canaletto. Check in to Iberostar colonial origins are evident in the
Viñales Valley
Parque Central Hotel where one night town’s buildings and layout, and
is spent. Dinner at a local restaurant during the Revolution of 1959, Sancti
with live music. 15 February Trinidad Spiritus aided Che Guevara’s division
of the rebel army with hundreds of
14 February Havana / Cienfuegos / Morning departure to Finca La volunteer fighters. Visit the museum
Trinidad Lima in the Escambray Mountains, of La Guayabera, the traditional shirt
a wonderful rural farm, to enjoy of Cuba and originally from this area.
Depart (with luggage) to Cienfuegos, trekking, horse riding and swimming Light lunch at a local paladar in
the ‘Pearl of the South’ and enjoy a in waterfalls. Sancti Spiritus. Return to Trinidad
city tour by boat. and remainder of the afternoon
Lunch at Finca La Lima. Return to at leisure. Dinner under own
Fresh seafood lunch in a fishing Trinidad and enjoy an afternoon arrangements.
village. Continue along the panoramic photography tour of this beautifully
coastal road to the beautifully preserved colonial town with its 18 February Trinidad
preserved colonial town of Trinidad. elegant colour-washed palaces and
The elegant town grew extremely mansions such as the 18th-century Morning departure into the
prosperous in the 19th century Palacio Brunet and the Palacio countryside to the Valle de los
sugar boom but was then hit hard Cantero which contains the Museo Ingenios (Valley of the Sugar Mills)
by competition from sugar beet. Its Municipal de Historia, along with to see the ruins of the local sugar
fine palaces and family mansions, the churches of San Francisco and plantations and learn about the slave
preserved following a gradual Santisima Trinidad. Dinner under own history. Also visit the plantation
economic decline that continued arrangements. homes of the sugar barons some
020 3411 4595 | ENQUIRY@THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK | THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK
TOUR PRICES PER PERSON
Tour Price £5,980
Single Supplement £720
Please note we have not included the
cost of the flights in the tour price. Please
contact us for prices should you wish to
book them through us.
PRICE INCLUDES
• Accommodation throughout as shown
in the itinerary
• Breakfast daily; 12 lunches; 10 dinners
• Mineral water at meals included in the
itinerary
• Visa fees
• All entrance fees, visits and
Trinadad excursions
• Transportation as per the itinerary
• Gratuities in restaurants for included
meals
of which have been exquisitely 21 February Havana / London • Gratuities to guide/s; gratuities to
restored. Return to Trinidad. driver/s
Morning at leisure for shopping and • Porterage
Lunch under own arrangements. exploring before checking out of the
Afternoon at leisure. Dinner at a hotel. • Local English-speaking guide/s
local paladar. • The services of your tour leader
Lunch at a local paladar. Continue throughout
19 February Trinidad / Havana (with luggage) to Havana airport for
suggested flight (not included in the
Morning departure (with luggage) cost of the tour) Virgin Atlantic VS
for Havana. Stop en route at Santa PRICE EXCLUDES
148 departing Havana at 21.50 hrs.
Clara – site of a major revolutionary • International flights
battle in 1958 and final resting 22 February London • Alcoholic drinks at meals
place of Che Guevara. Visit the Che
Guevara Mausoleum. Arrive London Heathrow at 12.00 hrs. • Travel insurance
• items of personal expenditure (e.g.
Enjoy a private culinary experience N.B. Please note that this trip telephone calls / laundry etc.)
at a beautifully restored colonial does involve a substantial amount
house. Continue to Havana and • Government levies or taxes introduced
of walking and a certain level of
check into Iberostar Parque Central fitness is required. after costing and publication of this
Hotel where two nights are spent. programme on 28/01/20
Dinner under own arrangements.
20 February Havana
Morning at leisure. Lunch under
own arrangements.
This afternoon enjoy a tour of the
private collection at the home of
Alberto Korda, Cuba’s most famous
photographer, where his daughter,
Alex Korda, will talk about her later
father’s celebrated photos including
those of Che Guevara and the early
years of the Cuban Revolution.
Dinner and Rumba party at a local
paladar followed by (optional and
to be paid for locally) live music at
Casa de la Musica de Miramar.
YO U R TO U R L E A D E R
CHRIS CALDICOTT
Since travelling to some of the most remote parts of the world as
Photographer-in-Residence to the Royal Geographical Society, Chris Caldicott
has continued his globetrotting lifestyle as a freelance photographer, writer
and lecturer specialising in food and travel. He has had several books
published about food, travel and the spice trade and visited 118 countries
on assignments to capture evocative images and write about memorable
experiences for publications such as Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveller, The
Sunday Times, Harpers Bazaar, Tatler, House and Garden and The Telegraph.
Chris will offer an initial workshop at the beginning of the trip on how to
take better travel photographs and get the best out of your camera covering
exposure, focus and composition illustrated with examples of his own work.
He will also be offering one to one tutorials on photography and individual
cameras and curating opportunities to capture creative images of the journey.
020 3411 4595 | ENQUIRY@THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK | THEULTIMATETRAVELCOMPANY.CO.UK
25-27 VANSTON PLACE LONDON SW6 1AZ
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