traveling well includes… - jfitzpatrick travel · traveling well includes ... city. arrive at the...

Havana

Miami

CARIBBEANSEA ATLANTIC

OCEAN

CUBA

FLORIDA

Santa ClaraVilla Clara

Cayo Santa Maria

CaibariénSancti Spiritus

Camagüey

LasTunas

Holguín Playa Esmeralda

Santiago de Cuba

Birán

Maximum Elevation: 226 ft.

Traveling Well Includes…• �All�hotel�accommodations

•� �All�gratuities�to�Tauck�Director,�local�guides�and�drivers,�hotel�and�restaurant�staff

•� �Tauck’s�“do-it-for-you”�service�from�your�bilingual,�professional�Tauck�Director�and�experienced�local�Cuban�guides

•� �11�days�of�“People-to-People”�educational�exchange�in��Havana,�San�Francisco�de�Paula,�Santa�Clara,�Cayo�Santa�Maria,�Remedios,�Caibarién,�Camagüey,�Holguín,�Birán�and�Santiago�de�Cuba

•� �Exclusive�Tauck�Experiences�fostering�meaningful�cultural�connections�with�Cuban�families,�artists,�musicians,�students,�educators,�agricultural�workers,�artisans,�entrepreneurs,�community�leaders�and�others

•� �Exploration�of�Cuban�daily�life,�history�and�culture�with�People-to-People�interaction�at�plantations,�workshops,�art�studios,�museums,�dance�/�music�schools,�monuments��and�historic�sites

•� �Airport�transfers�upon�arrival�and�departure�as�noted

•� �All�meals�–�35�(12�breakfasts,�11�lunches,�12�dinners)�at�local�restaurants�and�private�paladares

Creating People-to-People connections... with a new

13-day trip across the length of the island... bringing Tauck travelers face-to-face with

Cubans from all walks of life to share thoughts and insights, learn about their country

and their lives, and connect with their rich cultural heritage, from Havana to Santiago de

Cuba... delving into Cuban history, architecture, agriculture, community art, the role of

sugar, Hemingway’s life and times... talking with students, teachers, artists, craftsmen,

fishermen, preservationists, musicians, dancers, community leaders, families...

NEW!

CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE & CULTURE

1. ARRIVE MIAMITour begins: 4:00 PM, Sofitel Miami. A transfer is included from Miami International Airport to the Sofitel Miami. Your small group gathers at the Sofitel Miami for a welcome reception and Tauck Director briefing about tomorrow’s charter flight to Havana, followed by dinner at the hotel. Meals D

2. BIENVENIDOS A LA HABANAAfter an early breakfast, board a charter flight from Miami to Havana’s José Martí International Airport, where your local Cuban guide welcomes you to Cuba’s enigmatic capital city. Arrive at the Meliá Habana; after a welcome drink and lunch, head to the Museum of the Revolution, housed in what was once Cuba’s Presidential Palace, for a visit and cultural exchange. Return to your hotel for a discussion about U.S. – Cuban relations. The drive to tonight’s welcome reception and dinner at a local restaurant includes a stop at Plaza de la Revolución (Revolution Square), dominated by a memorial tower honoring 19th-century Cuban patriot José Martí, and huge metalwork portraits of national heroes Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos adorning two buildings. Meals BLD

CUBA3. COLÓN CEMETERY & HEMINGWAY’S CUBAWith Cuba’s origins as a Spanish colony rooted in Catholic traditions, religion has played an important role in its society – as you’ll see on a walk with a local historian through Havana’s Colón Cemetery, one of the largest in the world, and the final resting place of noted Cubanos from all walks of life. Depart the city for Finca Vigia (“Lookout Farm”) in San Francisco de Paula, American novelist Ernest Hemingway’s winter home from 1939 to 1960. See the author’s 9,000-volume library, his yacht, Pilar, and his typewriter; talk with a docent about his life here. Visit an organic farm with an adjacent paladar for lunch and a discussion with its owners about running a private restaurant in Cuba. Return to Havana for a walk along Calle Obispo in Habana Vieja, winding up at the Hotel Ambos Mundos to continue exploring Hemingway’s strong connections to Cuba and its people. Make your way up to Room #511, his “first home” in Cuba, which he rented from 1932 – 1939, and where he began For Whom the Bell Tolls; the memorabilia on display prompts an exchange about his time in Havana. Next, visit the historic Hotel Nacional de Cuba, a 1930s Art Deco classic overlooking the Malecón waterfront, with its Salon of History. Enjoy dinner at a choice of restaurants in your hotel this evening. Meals BLD

Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825 www.tauck.com/cuba 5

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5. CHE’S LEGACY & MORE IN SANTA CLARAAfter departing Havana this morning, your People-to-People interactions continue en route to the province of Villa Clara, as you stop to meet with local artisans and craftsmen, see demonstrations of their various projects, and talk about local enterprise. Arrive at the Che Guevara Mausoleum in Santa Clara, a memorial sculpture complex and museum honoring Ernesto “Che”

Guevara de la Serna, the Argentine-born physician, Marxist revolutionary and military leader who played a key role as Fidel Castro’s second-in-command in the Cuban Revolution and the subsequent establishment of Cuba’s revolutionary government; the complex commemorates the victory of Che’s troops in the pivotal Battle of Santa Clara in 1958. Discuss Che’s life and legacy with docents as you view the monuments and some of his personal effects in the museum, and visit the cave-like memorial crypt, built in 1997, containing the remains of Guevara and fellow revolutionaries killed with him while fighting in Bolivia in 1967, marked by an eternal flame. Following lunch in Santa Clara, attend a dance demonstration and lessons by a senior

4. HISTORIC HAVANA & COMMUNITY ARTSBegin today’s People-to-People cultural exchange at Maqueta de La Habana, featuring a 1:500 scale model of the city, followed by a guided walk through Habana Vieja – its nearly 500-year-old heart, now a pedestrian-only UNESCO World Heritage Site – with local experts to discuss its historic architecture, restoration and preservation. Head to Projecto Muraleando, a barrio community art development project featuring murals and sculptures celebrating Cuban life, crafted from found items; discuss the project’s impact with its artists and those who benefit from it. After lunch at a paladar on the Malecón, arrive at Habana Compas, a thriving Havana dance and cultural performance group; talk with company members about their mission, and watch a demonstration of music, dance or art. Enjoy a rooftop dinner this evening. Meals BLD

Cuba, the forbidden island! The Tauck trip was wonderful, our great Tauck Director and Cuban guide fulfilled

my dreams by experiencing Cuba through its fabulous multicultural people, music, art, history, and beautiful

countrysides. Every day, every event, surpassed the one before. The Tauck surprise events cannot be put into

worlds. Cuba, the 43rd country I’ve visited, is forever going to be my favorite trip.

Tauck Traveler Review, www.tauck.com

MONUMENTS TO MARTÍ Revered throughout the country as the “Apostle of

Cuban Independence,” Havana-born José Julián Martí

Pérez (1853 – 1895) – known simply as José Martí –

was a poet, professor, philosopher, journalist and

revolutionary political theorist who inspired, died for and

came to symbolize Cuba’s fight for independence from

Spain in the late 19th century. As is befitting Cuba’s

national hero, Martí’s image and legacy are everywhere;

during your People-to-People travels, you’ll see the

tower honoring him that dominates Havana’s Revolution

Square; a striking monumental fountain bearing his

likeness in Santiago de Cuba; and his memorial and

grave in that city’s Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, where you’ll

witness the solemn Changing of the Guard.

community group at the Casa de la Cultura; meet the members and talk about their activities. Continue on to your hotel on the small island of Cayo Santa Maria, where you’ll have dinner à la carte at your leisure this evening. Meals BLD

6. SUGAR CANE HISTORY, CRAFTS & MUSICExtracting sugar from sugar cane was a mainstay of Cuba’s economy for centuries. Of more than 50 sugar mills in this region, only a few are still in operation today. Travel to the Museo de Agroindustria Azucarero Marcelo Salado (Sugar Mill Museum), interpreting the history of sugar production in Cuba, including the use of slave labor. Check out exhibits featuring original machinery and steam locomotives used to transport cane to the mills, and talk to museum staff. After a traditional lunch – and a coconut tree-climbing demonstration – drive to the fishing village of Caibarién and the Por la Costa community arts project, led by artist Madelin Perez Noa. Meet Madelin and her family to talk about art, paper making, their project and their workshops for local children. Enjoy a special afternoon in Caibarién with the Banda Municipal Concerto Infanti, a children’s band led by octogenarian Marco Antonio Urabay, founder of Cuba’s Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA). Hear these young musicians play, and chat with them and their conductor about their music and mission. Return to the hotel for a champagne toast at sunset, followed by an à la carte dinner. Meals BLD

7. THE GUAYABERA STORY IN SANCTI SPIRITUS Travel across Cuba’s center today, bound for Camagüey. En route, stop in Sancti Spiritus to learn about the traditional four-pocketed Cuban shirt, the guayabera, at the Guayabera Museum, set in a historic 1858 riverside villa. Meet the curator and staff for a discussion of this iconic Cuban garment (known outside Cuba as the habanera), purportedly created here in the 18th century; typically worn only in the countryside for centuries, the guayabera appeared in Havana in the 1940s, and its popularity spread. At lunch in a paladar, discuss the challenges of turning a private home into a restaurant. Arrive at your Camagüey hotel early this evening. Meals BLD

8. CUBAN ARTS EDUCATION IN CAMAGÜEYA day of People-to-People exchanges awaits in Camagüey, dubbed “the Maze” for its labyrinthine lanes and squares that confounded pirates in bygone days. Meet gifted students of the Vincentina de la Torre Art School and their teachers to discuss their work and daily routines. At the Endedans Modern Dance Company, see an enchanting private performance by its talented students in various styles; talk with the young dancers about their backgrounds, dreams and goals. After lunch at a paladar, visit the studio of artist Martha Jimenez, whose images of strong, mysterious women have been shown around the world, for an exchange with the artist or a member of her family or staff. Return to the hotel via bicitaxi (pedicab), then attend a special evening at the Larios Studio, where you’ll see a renowned painter and sculptor at work, and interact with artists in the studio. Head to a local restaurant for dinner. Meals BLD


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9. CAMAGÜEY’S ARTISANS & THEIR WORKToday, visit the studio of leather sculptor José “Pepe” Guiterrez for a demonstration and discussion of his work: creating unique masks, busts and animal sculptures from goat hide. As he works, he explains his process of shaping the leather into pieces inspired by Afro-Cuban culture and African mythology. Watch as local women join together to make handmade dolls at Projecto Carsueño; attend a dance performance and cultural exchange with a folk dance company. See those big, red clay pots in front of or on the porches of homes throughout the city? They’re tinajónes, the traditional symbol of Camagüey – and at the Casanova Pottery Studio, the welcoming Casanova family will show you traditional and time-honored methods of creating these iconic vessels, and discuss their history and use. Have dinner at a local paladar this evening. Meals BLD

10. ORGANIC AGRICULTURE, PRINTING & MOREEn route to Holguín, travel to La Finca la y de Calzadilla, a working organic orchard in rural Las Tunas; explore the grounds, talk to workers about the crops they produce, and learn about agrarian life in today’s Cuba. Have lunch by a lake...even fish for your lunch if you wish... and meet a local weaver who demonstrates how she crafts hats and bags. In Holguín, meet the Gongora family at Casa Editora Cuadernos Papiro (Papyrus Papers Publishing House), their family-operated print shop and printing museum, as they discuss their processes and demonstrate their historic 19th-century presses; you can try a little printing yourself, too. Continue on to your hotel, facing a coral reef on the Playa Esmerelda coast in Holguín. Meals BLD

11. BIRÁN, SANTIAGO DE CUBA & THE CASTROSHead out to your final destination on the eastern end of the island, historic Santiago de Cuba, whose strong African influences, thriving musical scene and passionate people give the city a vibe all its own. Stop along the way in the village of Birán, birthplace of Fidel and Raul Castro. Discuss the family’s history as you explore Finca Mañacas, the family estate, with a docent who offers insights on features including the estate’s main house, the school Fidel attended, the post office and the family graves. Board a catamaran to Cayo Granma, an island community almost completely destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. After lunch, meet local fishermen and discuss Dreams and Fantasies, the community project they launched for local children who create art out of found objects left in the hurricane’s wake. Then sail around the bay, return to the mainland and head to downtown Santiago de Cuba for a cultural exchange at the Moncada Barracks, one of modern Cuba’s key historic sites. Now a school and museum, this was the Cuban army barracks attacked by some 100 rebels led by Fidel Castro on July 26th, 1953, one of the earliest actions in the Cuban Revolution; talk with docents about the attack and

ARTESANOS DE CUBA... From members of a Havana community

project crafted from found items… to a

sculptor who shapes goat leather into

African-inspired masks and figures… to

entire families who work together to create

paper-making projects, art books printed by

hand on historic presses, or iconic tinajónes

(the traditional pottery of Camagüey)... you’ll

meet and learn from some of Cuba’s artesanos

during your People-to-People travels.

its aftermath as you view exhibits on the event and its role in Cuba’s history. Check into your hotel, where you’ll enjoy Royal Service Rooms; have dinner at your leisure tonight. Meals BLD

12. MARTÍ’S LEGACY & RURAL FAMILY LIFEOn your final day of People-to-People exchange, visit one of the country’s most revered places – the memorial and tomb of Cuba’s national hero, the poet, journalist and freedom fighter José Martí (1853-95), in Santiago de Cuba’s Santa Ifigenia Cemetery; witness the changing of the guard and discuss Martí’s life and legacy with a local historian. Head to the village of La Maya and visit a multi-generational family in their private home; discuss aspects of rural life in this region of Cuba and their hopes and dreams for the future, and enjoy coffee and some delectable homemade desserts. Travel to the Jardín de los Helchos, a “secret garden” featuring hundreds of types of ferns and many varieties of orchids, developed and donated to the Cuban Academy of Science by Manuel Caluff; talk with Manuel and his staff about this extraordinary garden, and the effort that it takes to keep it in bloom. After lunch at a private paladar, visit Santiago de Cuba’s Spanish-Colonial Diego Velázquez House; engage in a discussion with the curator and staff. Spend some time discovering more of the city, including Revolution Square. Tonight, bid Cuba and its people a fond adiós at a farewell reception and dinner at your hotel. Meals BLD

13. JOURNEY HOMETour ends: Miami. After breakfast, transfer from the Meliá Santiago de Cuba to Antonio Maceo International Airport in Santiago de Cuba for the return charter flight to Miami. Your Tauck program of People-to-People educational exchange ends at Miami International Airport. Allow three hours for flight check-in. Please book flights home from Miami to your final destination no earlier than 4:00 PM. Meals B

Caption

13 DAYS from $7,465* pluS AirfAre(12 Breakfasts, 11 Lunches & 12 Dinners)

BEGINS MIAMIJan�12⁄ , 26⁄ Feb 9⁄ , 23⁄ Mar 2, 9⁄ , 16, 23⁄ Apr�6,�20⁄ May�18 Jun�1 ⁄ = Sold Out

Go to www.tauck.com for up-to-the-minute space availability; additional departure dates may become available as these sell out.

PRICE PER PERSON

Airfare is additional.

Please ask at time of booking about additional hotel nights at the Sofitel Miami and about our comprehensive Guest Protection Product.

Note: Due to the nature of People-to-People travel in Cuba, itinerary is subject to change.

FINE HOTELS / GREAT LOCATIONSNight 1 SOFITEL�MIAMI MiamiNight 2-4 MELIÁ�HABANA HavanaNight 5,6 MELIÁ�BUENAVISTA Cayo Santa MariaNight 7-9 HOTEL�SANTA�MARÍA CamagüeyNight 10 PARADISUS�RÍO�DE�ORO Holguín RESORT�&�SPANight 11,12 MELIÁ�SANTIAGO�DE�CUBA Santiago de Cuba

January�–�March*LAND PRICE + ON-TOUR AIR (2 flights) = TOTAL PER PERSON

Double $7965 + $525 = $8490 Single $8895 + $525 = $9420 Triple N/A + N/A = N/A

April*LAND PRICE + ON-TOUR AIR (2 flights) = TOTAL PER PERSON


May*LAND PRICE + ON-TOUR AIR (2 flights) = TOTAL PER PERSON


June*LAND PRICE + ON-TOUR AIR (2 flights) = TOTAL PER PERSON


Note: Order and individual components of itinerary may change depending on day of the week, but a full People-to-People itinerary will be preserved.


traveling well includes… - jfitzpatrick travel · traveling well includes ... city. arrive at the...

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