This will be our 14th winter in Cuba, and we have designed our tour to show you as much as possible of the wide variety of Cuban life, its countryside and fine historical architecture. Situated 150 miles south of the Bahamas, Cuba is approximately 800 miles long from east to west. The majority of the population is Espanic, and although very poor, money has not been spared on their excellent healthcare, education and fairly good, although empty, main roads.  What cars there are mostly date back to the fifties, and bicycles or horse drawn carts are still a common form of private transport.

The hotels have been chosen by us with care and are what we consider to be the best at each stop. All the hotels have private bath or shower rooms, swimming-pools, restaurants and generators, as well as rather erratic mains electricity and, in most cases, solar heating for the water.

Service can be slow in Cuba, the food, quite frankly, unimaginative, but now is the time to visit this lovely country, before the inevitable changes occur.

This is a tour for those who want to meet the delightful Cuban people and see their fascinating country as it is now, and not for those expecting a sophisticated Caribbean holiday.

The tour starts with 3 nights, at the comfortable Parque Central Hotel ****. Situated in the heart of historic HAVANA and facing Central Park, this hotel is ideally placed for exploring the old city. While in Havana there will be tours to see the magnificent Spanish colonial style buildings in Old Havana, MORRO CASTLE and Havana's BOTANICAL GARDENS.

You then transfer 250 miles south to TRINIDAD, with a short tour of the attractive town centre of CIENFUEGOS on the way. You will stay for 4 nights at the Trinidad Del Mar Hotel *** about 20 minutes drive from Trinidad. This hotel is on a beautiful, long sandy beach with good swimming and all meals and most drinks are included during your stay.

Tours from here include TRINIDAD with its simple market and beautiful Spanish colonial architecture, and a visit to the sugar plantations with lunch at an old historical house in a very pretty country area. There is also the chance to take a boat trip to an island offshore where you can swim and snorkel at the coral reef.

The tour then travels north-west to Moka Hotel *** for 5 nights. Moka is a small country hotel in LAS TERRAZAS village within the SIERRA DEL ROSARIO BIOSPHERE RESERVE and with its tropical gardens, swimming-pool and good walks, this is a special place to stay. Here we include a visit to the SAROA GARDENS and lunch at Buena Vista, an interesting ruined coffee plantation; a short tour in the country with lunch at a local farm; and a dinner at a village restaurant.

This hotel overlooks the spectacular VINALES VALLEY, with remarkable Jurassic period limestone hills rising steeply out of the fertile tobacco growing valleys. UNESCO proclaimed this valley to be a world cultural landscape and the views from your bedroom balconies are superb. This is regarded as the most beautiful part of Cuba.

Tours will include a half day to see this lovely area visiting tobacco fields, drying houses and the pretty country town of VINALES, with lunch at a local restaurant; also a day to CAYO JUTIAS - a lovely island just off the coast. There are wonderful walks near the hotel and you can, of course, relax by the pool.

For your last 2 nights in Cuba you return to the Parque Central Hotel, Havana. A visit to a famous cigar factory, and a farewell dinner at a restaurant situated in the heart of Old Havana are included.

HOTELS:
The standard of accommodation varies and full details are given in the itinerary.

GUIDE/TRANSPORT:
All tours are accompanied by an experienced, English-speaking guide. Transport will be in an air-conditioned coach.