Vintage, Glam & Revolutionary CUBA Tour!

CUBA, CUBA, CUBA!!!  As a mid-century lifestyle enthusiast with a huge interest in the time capsule that is CUBA,  I’ve teamed up with Soltura Cuba Travel to design two 7-day tours of “Vintage” Cuba this April! From the Tropicana to the Fosca Building, this tour is tailor made for the art, architecture, and lifestyle historian. I’ll be your hostess on this most fabulous trip!! Hurry, book and join me!

Created for the traveler who wants to explore the vintage charm of Cuba. We’ll be staying in a mid-century modern hotel and we will be guided by experts in the field, who will share with us the most significant examples of various architectural movements represented in Havana, going as far back as colonial, mid-century modern, and touching on soviet influence.

Day 1: Embark on your journey to Cuba.  We have taken care of you reservations, and we will greet you upon your arrival in Havana.  We will assist you in checking in to your room at one of the famous hotels of the 1950’s, where you can refresh before our orientation and dinner. Time allowing, you may take in some of the Malecon seaside walk on the edge of Havana, built in the mid-1950’s, before our pre-dinner welcome reception and orientation, followed by dinner at one of Havana’s finest restaurants. Our hotel is located in the heart of Cuban nightlife.. After dinner, we will check out one of Cuba’s renowned clubs for some traditional Cuban music.

Day 2: Colonial Habana.  We will visit the memorial to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and then an 18th century Spanish fortress before you have even had lunch. Then we will visit one of the famous plazas of Old Havana before our walk down the famous restored street of Obispo, ending up at Hemingway’s famous haunt, la Floridita, considered to be the birthplace of the daiquiri. You may want a siesta after this. We’ll once again meet to dine at one of Havana’s finest restaurants.Optional: the famous Tropicana Nightclub show.

Day 3: Habana Vieja continued. We will continue our tour of the other plazas with our architecture expert, and we will lunch on the top floor of the Focsa Building, overlooking all of Havana. Built in the 1950’s, it is still considered one of the major engineering feats in Cuba’s history. After lunch we will learn about Cuba’s mid-century modern architecture movement as we tour significant sites in Havana. Dinner will be at La Guarida, one of the most famous restaurant in Cuba, and quite possibly the highest in quality. Make sure you watch the Cuban film Fresia y Chocolate before our trip. The music doesn’t get started until around 11pm, but if you are up, we’re going to a jazz show tonight.

Day 4: The modern suburbs of Havana. Our architecture guide will discuss the struggles within the modern movement of architecture in Cuba, as we see strong opinions represented in a handful of building styles along the way. One of the best preserved beach houses now happens to be high-end private restaurant. Lunch. We will make our way further into the outskirts of Havana, and then make our way back to Havana for some free time. We will meet in the lobby of the Havana Hilton, built in the late 1950’s. Dinner will be at Polinesio, an impressively preserved Trader Vic original tiki bar, built below the lobby of the Havana Hilton.

Day 5: Havana’s history of art. We will start the day with a tour of Bellas Artes Museum of Cuban Art. Our guide is a filmmaker, and he will weave together Cuban art history in a way that promises to keep you engaged. After our tour we will head out to Playas del Este to see how Cubans do beach. We will come back together, and dinner will be on your own tonight. We will make suggestions and help with reservations upon request.

Day 6: Revolution and then freedom.  Art walk along shady Prado Avenue, and then tour of the Museum of the Revolution. After that, it is your day. So much to see, such little time. Maybe you need to revisit Havana Vieja, or maybe you simply want to decompress at the hotel, reflecting on the beautiful culture you have absorbed over the previous few days. It’s up to you. We will assist in making arrangements for you with our guides upon request. Dinner will be in one of Havana’s finest restaurants, overlooking Vedado.

Day 7: Breakfast, airport, farewell.  Breakfast at the hotel, and then we will bring you to the airport, filled with the vibrant warmth of Cuba, yours to take home and remember.

What’s included?

Accommodations, all group meals, museum/club entry fees, expert guides, ground transportation, bottled drinking water, and other group costs are covered. Additionally, gratuities for restaurant service, drivers, and general group activities is included (travelers may tip guides and musicians as you deem appropriate based on your satisfaction). We will connect you with our experienced travel agent to arrange transportation to/from Havana, Cuba, or you may research your own flight to Cuba. Upon registration, we will send you a pre-trip information packet to help inform you and prepare you for an amazing cross-cultural experience. We take care of as much as possible so that you can relax. Price is per person, double occupancy.

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