Havana Cuba Pilgrimage Tour

Check into the hotel in Miami, Florida.  Enjoy a welcome dinner and then join everyone for an orientation meeting at the hotel.  Overnight at the hotel in Miami.

Check Into Hotel. 

Mass

Classic Cars Tour

Enjoy an amazing driven tour of Miramar’s Quinta Avenida and Havana’s “malecon” in beautifully restored vintage 1950s convertibles. Spending an hour with the owner/operators of these classic cars promotes the Cuban people’s independence from Cuban authorities.  It offers the US traveler the chance to learn about and support entrepreneurial efforts. This drive is a retrospective, nostalgic journey through time and you can feel you’re in the 1950s with the backdrop of the Cuban skyline, nearly frozen in time.

Dinner at San Cristobal

Set in an early 20th Century mansion in the “Centro Habana” district, San Cristobal Paladar is probably, the best restaurant in Havana. Restaurateur and Executive Chef, Carlos Cristobal Marquez, has created a uniquely engaging ambiance within a cluttered, but warm, eclectic décor; each room offers a journey through a particularly iconic aspect of Cuban culture. The cuisine, Cuban Creole with a very refined and international twist, has a five-star rating by many international food critics. It was enjoyed by President Barack Obama and his family during their recent visit to Havana.

Mass

Catholic walking tour of old Havana

Explore the rich history and profound Catholic influence in the heart of Old Havana on this immersive walking tour. As we stroll through the cobblestone streets, you will uncover the stories, architecture, and cultural heritage that have shaped the Catholic identity of this vibrant city. Our knowledgeable guide will lead you through centuries-old churches, historic plazas, and significant landmarks that highlight the enduring presence of Catholicism in Havana.

Lunch at Doña Eutimia

Enjoy Lunch in a small place a few steps from Cathedral Square, on the Callejon del Chorro, and beside the Graphics Workshop. Doña Eutimia offers exquisite creole food, and unforgettable black beans accompanied by fried pork chops, making this small space an experience you will not forget.

Mass

Day Trip to Vinales

Explore Pinar del Rio, Cuba’s westernmost province, where natural beauty intertwines with cultural richness. Begin your journey with a visit to the quaint town of Vinales, renowned for its majestic mogotes and fertile tobacco fields. Immerse yourself in the local culture with a visit to the historic Catholic church, a centerpiece of community life. Delve into the province’s diverse landscapes—from archeological caves to lush rainforests. Experience the charm of Pinar del Rio’s towns, steeped in old-world elegance and a vibrant farming legacy. This journey promises an unforgettable blend of nature, culture, and tradition.

Lunch at Finca Paraiso Agro-ecological farm

Nestled into the Valley of Silence, located in Vinales, Cuba, is a true slice of paradise where the concept of “farm to table” cannot be more purely executed. Wilfredo is a local farmer who, along with his daughters, owns and operates the part organic farm and family-run restaurant. Neat beds of organic crops, where a few years ago were only weeds, are planted against the breathtakingly dramatic backdrop of Vinales Valley. The organic farm and farm-to-table restaurant is a new phenomenon in Cuba and an afternoon with Wilfredo and his family will provide a meaningful encounter for the Cuban farmer/entrepreneur and the US visitor who will participate in discussions with Cuban farmers and produce sellers about cooperative farming and agricultural practices. This new, independent revenue stream is rapidly growing in Cuba and a fascinating business model supplying their restaurants with the crops and the livestock they cultivate.

Visit the Catholic Church in Vinales

Join us on an enlightening journey to the charming town of Viñales, nestled in the picturesque Cuban countryside. Our visit to a local Catholic Church offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the serene beauty and rich history of rural religious life in Cuba.

Dinner at El del Frente in Havana

El del Frente, located in Old Havana, is not only a stylish bar, but it also serves as a restaurant, offering a wide range of delicious dishes in a vibrant and trendy atmosphere.

Mass

Visit to Christopher Columbus Cemetery – Necropolis Cristobal Colon

Founded in 1876, the Colon Cemetery is one of the great historical cemeteries of the world and is held to be the most important in Latin America in historical and architectural terms.  Located in the Vedado district, it was built by the Galician architect Calixto Arellano de Loira y Cardoso, who became Colón’s first occupant when he died before his work was completed. The great cemetery is 140 acres in size and is noted primarily for the elaborately sculpted memorials and the opulence and majesty of the mausoleums and statues. There are more than 500 major mausoleums, chapels, and family vaults.  Among the most notable figures buried here are many of Cuba’s greatest cultural figures including Jose Lezama Lima, Alejo Carpentier, and Dulce Maria Loinaz, to name only a few; and since the 19th century, Jose Miguel Gomez, president of Cuba, and many generals and dignitaries. With 800,000 graves and one million interments, there may not be a more beautiful place to be interred than Havana’s “city of the dead”.

Vedado and Havana Moderna visits

The morning starts with a visit to Plaza de la Revolucion or Revolution Square followed by a visit of the Vedado district which highlights the architecture of the area, drive by the Mane monument, and the Malecon, Coppelia Park the Havana Libre hotel, and the Rampa district. The group will visit the farmers market and other places of interest in Havana where they will have the opportunity to interact with the Cuban people.

Lunch at Arrecife

Experience a delightful meal at one of Havana’s newest contemporary paladars, boasting a stunning oceanfront setting, exceptional service, and a delectable menu of international cuisine.

Performance Habana Compas Dance

Habana Compás Dance is recognized nationally and internationally for combining dance and percussion, it has accumulated more than a decade of work in favor of Cuban culture. It merged in 2004, under the general direction of the dancer and choreographer Liliet Rivera, who developed a novel artistic line where the essence of Spanish dances blend with Afro-Cuban rhythms.

The company consists of 24 dancers, as well as a musical group composed of violin, flute, piano, drums, percussion, bass, and voice, which contributes to a more accomplished harmonic work. The use of batá drums, tumbadoras, drumsticks, castanets, shekerés, heels, flip-flops, keys, stools, and percussive chairs is a unique musical experience

Return to hotel

This morning we will depart Havana for our return flights home.  Cuba and her people bid you  Adios! Hasta la proxima!