After breakfast, your guide will take you on your city tour of old and new Havana, Cuba’s capital and the largest city in the Caribbean. Setting off in classic American cars, we enjoy a panoramic view of the city visiting the up-market Miramar district, previously home to the rich and famous of pre-Revolutionary Cuba, then continue to the Museum of the Revolution and the Plaza de la Revolución. The cars will drop you off at the Rum Museum for a short tour to see how Cuba’s most famous beverage ‘Havana Club’ is made. You’ll stop for lunch before continuing on foot to the visit the heart of the colonial old town and its four main squares. Havana is a bustling capital full of historic monuments, cathedrals and palaces. Preserved by a combination of very little war damage, post Revolution restoration work and the millions of dollars invested since it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, it’s one of the cities with the finest surviving Spanish colonial complexes in the Americas. The rest of the afternoon is free to spend at your leisure. You can have dinner at your casa if you wish or eat out in the old town.

Today is free to spend as you wish. You can continue exploring the colonial delights of the old town or venture into Centro Habana or Vedado which are both a short walking distance away. Lunch and dinner are not included today so you can either choose to eat at your casa or you can eat at the many local restaurants available.

After an early breakfast we depart in the morning for Cienfuegos which is located on the South coast of Cuba, stopping off for lunch (not included) and a swim at Caleta Buena along the way. Our route takes us through the Cienaga de Zapata National Park and the Bay of Pigs which was made famous by the failed CIA backed invasion in 1961. The road along the Bay to Caleta Buena clings to the rocky coastline giving beautiful views of the emerald Caribbean Sea. After lunch and a swim in natural sea pools we continue on to Cienfuegos, a World Heritage Site and once a French settlement for immigrants from Bordeaux and Louisiana. The locals refer to it as ‘La Perla del Sur’ or the ‘Pearl of the South’ for its beauty and French inspired architecture. The city centre has some fine examples of colonial buildings set around a pretty square. We check into our accommodation for the night. You can have dinner at one of the local restaurants in town.

We leave Cienfuegos and head up into the Sierra del Escambray, Cuba’s second highest mountain range. We drive up the winding road into to the lush tropical forest, taking in the spectacular views. Our destination is El Nicho, a beautiful waterfall on the Rio Hanabanilla which is reached by a short trail. There are natural pools in which to take a refreshing swim. After a picnic lunch we continue to Trinidad, one of the most famous of Cuba’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Possibly the best preserved of colonial towns it offers stunning views from virtually every angle with its rows of pastel coloured houses, cobbled streets and pretty squares. Old cadillacs and horse-drawn carriages leave you feeling like you really have been whisked back to place where time has stood still. Playa Ancon, an 8 km white sandy beach is only a short 15-minute drive from the town centre and in the evenings the place really comes alive with live music played in the many mainly open air bars and restaurants centred around the town’s two main squares. We check into our local accommodation on arrival and take a tour of Trinidad town.

Today is free to spend at your leisure exploring Trinidad or relaxing by the beach. There are a number of excursions you can enjoy including a day trip on a catamaran to the small island keys of Cayo Macho or Cayo Blanco, including a seafood lunch freshly caught en route; alternatively you can take a trekking or horse-riding trip into the mountains surrounding the town stopping off at a waterfall for lunch.

After breakfast in Trinidad, we depart for the Escambray Mountains, a steep drive to Topes de Collantes about one hour from Trinidad. On arrival, we switch into a local vehicle to go to the start the Guanayara trail which takes us deep into the forest, passing fruit and coffee plantations. We have lots of opportunities to spot Cuba’s colourful national bird – the Tocororo – with its black, red, white and blue plumage. Half way through the trail we come to El Rocio waterfall and a gorgeous natural pool where you can have a swim. We stop for lunch in a simple country restaurant, and then continue our journey to Santa Clara, about 2 hours away by bus. Santa Clara was the site of the last battle of the Cuban Revolution. In December 1958, Che Guevara and his troops ambushed an armoured train carrying arms to Santiago de Cuba and this was a major turning point in the Revolution. We visit the Mausoleum of Che Guevara and the museum that has many of his former belongings and is a fascinating insight into one of the 20th Century’s most revered icons.

After an early breakfast we head off to Las Terrazas Community, a biosphere reserve tucked away in the Sierra del Rosario Mountains, arriving in time for a late lunch. The community is a natural area of around 5,000 hectares which is being developed as a sustainable rural economy for eco-tourism. Created after the Revolution to replant the area which had suffered badly from deforestation, it is now a haven for migrating birds from the North. It’s a perfect place to spend the day as a family, walking in the hills or swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the San Juan River.

Wake up in Las Terrazas Community, and after breakfast, there will be time to have a go at zip-lining through the forest canopy. An 1500m course with 5 wires takes you right across the Las Terrazas community and lake and is great fun for all, kids and parents alike. Afterwards, we carry on to Viñales where we check into your accommodation for two nights, before exploring the quaint little town. You can have dinner at your casa in Viñales or at one of the restaurants on the main street in town.

Today we explore Viñales Valley on foot, another of Cuba’s UNESCO World Heritage sites located in the Western province of Pinar del Rio. This area is to cigars what France’s Bordeaux region is to wines and it is here that the tobacco plants are carefully harvested using traditional methods in order to create the world-class cigars for which Cuba is so famous. Viñales has another-world quality, due to the unique mogotes, strange limestone hillocks that have been formed as a result of erosion during the Jurassic period around 160 million years ago. Our walk takes us to a local fruit farm where you can try natural juices before scrambling up the mountainside to reach a natural tunnel which takes us through to another valley. The scenery is Jurassic and dramatic. In the afternoon you can explore Viñales town or get a day pass to enjoy the swimming pool at La Ermita Hotel. In the evening enjoy live music in one of the bars along Viñales main street.

After breakfast check out of your casa and head for Cueva del Indio, a natural cave with an underground river. Explore the cave and take an underground boat ride! We leave Viñales for Palma Rubia where a boat will take you to Cayo Levisa, arriving in time for lunch. Cayo Levisa is a beach paradise with 3 km of white sand where you can unwind and enjoy some family time in a truly peaceful and stunning location. The hotel offers full board accommodation.

Free day to relax on the beach.

Free day to relax on the beach.

This morning the boat will take you to back to Palma Rubia from where you return to Havana for your last night in the capital. You should arrive back in time for a late lunch and time for some last-minute exploring of the old town.

Your final morning in Cuba will give you time to relax, do some final exploring of old Havana or do some souvenir shopping. Your transfer will collect you to take you to the airport for check-in 3 hours prior to departure.