Cuba | History, Gardens, Agriculture, and Culture

Upon arrival at the José Martí International Airport, you will be met by your guide and driver and transferred to your elegant Casa Particular - La Villa Teresa, located in the Havana suburb known as La Vibora. After getting settled, you will have leisure time to explore on own, perhaps go into Old Havana via one of the iconic taxis, and then reconvene at the Casa for your 6pm classic convertible transfer to the private restaurant (paladar) La Guarida, where the Oscar-nominated Cuban film "Strawberry and Chocolate" was filmed.

This morning take a guided walking tour of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the four plazas in Old Havana: Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de San Francisco de Asis, and Plaza de Armas. Learn about the ongoing restoration projects throughout Havana, and see the giant model of the city. After lunch at La Imprenta enjoy a performance from the Habana Compas Dance company. Dinner will be at Mojito Mojito this evening.

Today begins with a visit at the National Botanical Garden on the outskirts of Havana. Explore the collections with a specialist guide from the garden. She will then join you in your vehicle as you drive through the expansive acreage of the garden's arboretum, featuring trees from many different countries and regions. Next we'll explore Finca Vigía, the former home of American author Ernest Hemingway, now a museum. Take the remainder of the day to enjoy your beautiful villa and perhaps take an iconic cab ride into Old Havana for self-exploration. Dinner at Aljibe this evening.

Today we will journey to western Cuba and the quaint and very special town of Viñales. This area is the home of limestone formations known as mogotes: flat-topped hills dating to the Jurassic period, which can be found in only four countries in the world. Viñales is also famous for its rich soil and agriculture, including tobacco production. Have lunch at a local paladar called the Agroecológica, situated in the hills surrounding Viñales. Savor all the dishes made with produce from the land where the restaurant is located. We'll then visit the finca of farmer Hector Luis. Learn about his crops and how he makes a living in this area. Take a walk on the Cueva de la Vaca trail, which gives you a chance to see plants common to the mogote vegetation complex, including the "mogotes triad": Bombacopsis cubensis, Gaussia princeps, and Spathelia brittonii. After our visit, we'll take the ride back to Havana with an evening at leisure. Dinner will be on own.

This morning visit the oldest botanic garden of Cuba, La Quinta de los Molinos Garden. It was founded in 1864, and has a butterfly house as well as a breeding nursery of Polymita spp., a terrestrial, eastern-endemic genus of very colorful mollusk. Continue your exploration by going to the now-famous Alamar Organoponic Gardens. Meet with one of the cooperative representatives and learn about the garden's history, accomplishments, and horticultural practices of organoponics in Cuba. Take a guided tour to see the various crops and the "old-school" Cuban style of "city farming." Return to Old Havana for a free afternoon to do some shopping at the indoor San José Artisans' Market along the docks, or perhaps take a stroll through Old Havana and visit some of the museums and cafes not seen previously. Take a taxi back to your villa where you may wish to rest and prepare for this evening's farewell dinner at the paladar La Torre, followed by a show at Cabaret Parisién inside the famous Hotel Nacional.

This morning you will be transferred to the Havana International Airport for your flight to Miami.