Traveling in Cuba will change the way your family sees—and lives in—the world. Our People-to-People program introduces you to the real people of the island: farmers, artists and dancers, school students, cigar-makers and more. In the company of expert local guides, you go beyond the touristic to see and feel real life. On the streets of Havana, in a mountainous eco-village, in the haunts of Hemingway, or in the fields of a peasant farm, every moment is a revelation—and a truly meaningful opportunity to have unscripted interactions with Cubans from all walks of life. Whether you’re cruising in a tail-finned car from the ‘50s or spotting hummingbirds in a mountain preserve, you’ll end every day in perfectly located hotels (all of them family-friendly, with welcoming swimming pools). Best of all, you’ll have the satisfaction of exposing your whole family to experiences that will touch your perceptions of everything from the Cuban Missile Crisis to the cost of putting food on your dinner table.
 

DAYS 1-2 - URBAN LIFE IN HAVANA
Our introduction to this vibrant city includes a visit to La Muraleando where we meet the visionary artists who founded the project that has filled the streets with murals and art installations… a guided walk in beautiful Old Havana… and visit a working cigar factory. You’ll shop the local markets on a typical Cuban’s budget for food. We’ll retrace Hemingway’s footsteps as we visit small bars he favored, hear the local music, and sip an authentic Cuba libre.

DAYS 3-4 - THE AGRARIAN WORLD OF VALLE DE VIÑALES
Beyond the city, we visit Las Terrazas, a sustainable community in the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve where we learn about reforestation and the unique program to encourage small-scale private enterprise. From our hotel with impressive views of the valley, we visit a local school for a fascinating back-and-forth conversation with students and teachers. To experience the scenic Cuban countryside, we’ll take rural walks that offer chances to talk with peasant farmers and learn about cigar making, and have lunch at an organic farm where they views are amazing.

DAYS 5-6 - THE CULTURE OF HAVANA
On our return to Havana, we’ll stop in at the workshop where Cuba’s famous car lovers refurbish and maintain their tail-finned treasures. Then, we’ll hop in for a ride to Revolution Square and other points of interest. We’ll get a cooking instruction at a typical restaurant and visit Finca Vigia, Hemingway’s home where he wrote some of his greatest work.

DAYS 7 - FAREWELL
Before parting ways at the airport, we'll visit the Hotel Nacional, go down into tunnel shelters built during the Missile Crisis, and see the recently reopened U.S. Embassy.