Off the Beaten Path Cuba One Week Tour

Your flight will land at Antonio Maceo Airport, where your private transfer will greet you at customs. After settling in to the comforts of your hotel in the heart of the city, your guide will lead you on an introductory tour through the historic streets to find the neoclassical towers of the Catedral de Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion. The foundations date back to the 16th century, and the current facade was established in the 1920s. The interior contains hints of frankincense that linger beneath the ceiling frescoes and fill the pores of the hand-carved choir stalls.

Today, your tour will begin with the Moncada Barracks, which is a museum that focuses on Cuba’s revolution. Your guide will explain unique artifacts that are symbolic of stories from the war. You will also have the opportunity to visit Fidel Castro’s grave at Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, where the monument stands beneath parallel rows of palm trees with the towering figure of Jose Marti’s resting place in the background. Here, a single copper plate adorns a 10-foot tall granite boulder, demonstrating the opulence of the revolutionary’s tomb.

In the morning, your private transfer will meet you in your hotel’s lobby after breakfast and escort you to the gorgeous town of Holguin, which is a preserved city that has seemingly been frozen in the 1950s with fresh paint that shimmers on the facades, a cooling breeze that sweeps inward from the water, and ice cream parlors that decorate nearly every street corner. You will be able to make your way to a stairway that spans 465 steps and reaches upwards of 902 feet for a spectacular panoramic view of the city.

This morning, your private driver will escort you to the beautiful fishing village of Gibara. You can wander along the streets that are imbued with the aroma of grilling sea bass or visit the renovated 19th-century Iglesia de San Fulgencio. You will continue your tour to the marvelous coastline at Guardalavaca, which is known for its pristine, azure water that laps against the white-sand beach. Snorkelers can find hard coral that glints with yellow and orange hues, and if they are lucky, hidden shades of butterflyfish among the rising coral.

This morning, you will travel with your private transfer to the isolated town of Baracoa to arrive at one of Cuba’s oldest and most secluded destinations. Your guide will help you unravel the intriguing history of cacao in Cuba as you witness the process of crafting the delicious treat. You can also visit the impressive archeological museum of La Cueva del Paraiso for insight into the series of caves that wind through the Cuchillas del Toa mountains. Archeologists have uncovered ceramics and 3,000-year-old petroglyphs related to the Taino people. They have also found a replica of a sculpture discovered in the early 20th century, adding to the mystery of a town that is known for local legends.

In the forest, the trail will wind alongside the protruding roots of a mangrove cay and small river that leads inland to the Majayara plateau. Here, you can traverse the stunning terrain and search for petroglyphs near the terraced staircase at Majana. After exploring Parque Natural Majayara, you will return to Santiago de Cuba for the remainder of the evening, which will be spent at your leisure. In the city, you can venture to the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca del Morro for a fascinating view of the ramparts from the summit of a rocky promontory.

Life in Santiago de Cuba will return with the rising sun in the morning along the walkways of Parque Cespedes. Notable historic architecture outlines the surrounding square and represents different pieces of the city’s history, from pirate attacks to earthquakes. The trees will also provide relaxing shade for locals as musicians fill the square and city dwellers sip coffee. Your private transfer will greet you at your hotel after breakfast and escort you to the airport for your flight home, concluding your time in Cuba.