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| GETTING TO KNOW THE CARIBBEAN'S LARGEST Capital |
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Remnant of an ancient wall that protected Havana from prirates and the British. |
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AfroCuban art on display at the Callejón de Hamel |
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Museum of the Revolution: old car not part of exhibit. One in ten autos are pre-1959! |
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El Morro guards the entrance to Havana Habor. |
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Morning walking tour of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We'll visit four of the five historic plazas that make Havana unique in the western hemisphere.
Cathedral Square, the most beautiful and private 18th century colonial plaza on the island. Named after the masterpiece of Cuban baroque architecture: the Cathedral of Havana built by the Jesuit order.
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| Square of Arms, an ancient military parade ground for Spanish soldiers, surrounded by impressive buildings such as: |
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Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, former seat of colonial government. Today the building houses the Museum of the City. |
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Palacio del Segundo Cabo, seat of the second authority of the island. Today it houses important publishing concerns. |
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Museo de Artesania at Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the second oldest fortress built by the Spaniards in the West Indies. Today it displays treasures of artistic ceramics by the most prestigious Cuban artists from the middle of the last century to present. The institution is host to the Ceramic Biennial. |
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We continue onto San Francisco Square, one of the oldest plazas in the historical quarter.
And later onto Plaza Vieja, the only civic square of colonial times. Absent are churches and government buildings. We'll visit an important center for the visual arts.
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Cayo Hueso is home to the famed Callejón de Hamel, an AfroCuban cultural space. |
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We spend time in Rumba performance at Callejón de Hamel, an alley in which the façades of all the buildings display murals inspired by AfroCuban religions themes.
Later, we'll meet alley artist Salvador Gonzales and visit his studio.
 Tonight we have a Cuban band playing for us. You'll learn how to perform and dance to Salsa, Son, Rumba, Mambo and other popular Cuban rhythms from the band members of Grupo Dulce María. |
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| MODERN HAVANA AND CENTRAL HAVANA |
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Towering monument to Cuba's founding father José Martí is focus of Vedado's Plaza de La Revolución. |
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Consider a Cuban flamenco performance while in Havana. |
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Small section of the incredible scale model of the city of Havana (second largest in the world) used for sensitive and rational urban planning. |
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North American students make many lasting friendships while in Cuba. |
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You'll meet with renowned architect Dr Miguel Coyula, a leading member of the Group for the Integral Development of Havana. |
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Morning visit to the Scale Model of Havana and a private meeting with world-renowned architect Dr Miguel Coyula, director of the Group for the Integral Development of the Capital. His organization hosts a museum that contains a model of the entire city of Havana. The model took nine years to build and is the second largest in the world after one of New York. Havana's 727 square kilometers are represented in an area of 22 meters of length and 10 meters of width. City planners needed to see and have a tactile sense of the impressive physical and cultural patrimony of Havana, spanning five centuries as a port city, island and Caribbean Capital, and launching pad for the conquest of the Americas.
Historical periods of construction are displayed through the use of different colors. Brown represents the colonial period, ochre the republican period, ivory the revolutionary period, and white represents new projects, sculptural monuments and cemeteries. With the use of textures and colors similar to the natural ones, the vegetation, parks, beaches and plazas are distinguished. This virtual city enables urban planners practical and realistic planning. They experiment by placing miniature buildings in the peewee metropolis to see how they fit within a specific area and architectural context. If planners don't like a proposal, they can move it somewhere else, demand a design change, or nix it. You'll learn how each part of the city has developed historically, and the tough challenges each district faces today.
Followed by an air-conditioned luxury coach tour of the most important sites of Modern Havana such as the Capital building, the Grand Theatre, Central Park, Prado promenade, the Revolution Square, University of Havana, Cemetery Colon, Malecón seawall, and the Miramar, Central Havana and Vedado neighborhoods.
We will also see important examples of Art Deco style architecture such as Lopez Serrano Building, the House of Catalina Laza, and the America Theatre.
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| In the afternoon there will be three architectural visit options (entrance fee not included): |
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El Capitalio (Capital Building) designed by Cuban Architects and built by the American construction company of Purdy and Henderson. This monumental building is one of Cuba's most outstanding architectural heritage sites packed with art work from Cuban and foreign artists. |
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Centro Asturiano, inaugurated in 1927 and designed by Spanish Architect Manuel del Busto. This building features solid heavy façades constructed in Capellania Stones with clear influences from the Spanish Renaissance. It houses the new Museum of Fine Arts inaugurated in 2001. |
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Centro Gallego, built in 1915 by Belgian Architect Paul Belau. Its façades are richly decorated and inspired by baroque and renaissance styles. Today the complex houses El Gran Teatro de La Habana (The Grand Havana Theatre) and Alicia Alonzo's National Ballet. |
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In the evening we witness one of Havana's most impressive and longstanding tradition: The Firing of the 9PM Cannon at the Fortress of San Carlos de La Cabana. Afterwards you are free to sample music and dance at venues surrounding your hotel. |
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| HAVANA – AFROCUBAN LIFE AND CULTURE |
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Engage in the island's vibrant culture. |
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You'll confront a moat surrounding Havana's Castillo de la Real Fuerza. |
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Morning ferryboat ride across Havana harbor to the municipality of Regla. This community has a long, rich and still active tradition of African-inspired religions.
We'll visit the local church dedicated to the Black "Virgen de Regla," Yemayá, the African goddess of the sea in the Yoruba religion (of western African origin) and the patron saint of sailors.
Meet a babalao (highest priest in the Santería religion which is a mixture of Yoruba and Catholicism) in his home.
Tour Regla's Municipal Museum to learn the origins of this unique community and its religions.
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| Master artist Antonio Canet. |
Visit the home studio of painter, master printmaker and designer, Antonio Canet.
In the afternoon you will have time to visit the beautiful Playas del Este (Havana's Eastern Beaches) where you can relax and enjoy water sports.
Tonight we'll enjoy the best Cuban jazz in the city at La Zorra y el Cuervo [The Fox and the Raven] (optional, not included in cost). |
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| HAVANA ARTS EDUCATION AND ARCHITECTURE EXPLORATION |
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| Right Panorama of the ISA (Institute of Superior Arts). Its facilities are considered amongst the most unusual and best examples of architecture globally. |
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ISA music students. |
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Fantasy garden and studio of acclaimed artist José Fuster. |
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Morning visit to ISA, the Institute of Superior Arts, for an exchange with students and their teachers on arts curriculum in Cuba. ISA is a center for advanced studies in the fields of theatre, dance, music, visual arts and communication art. Its campus and buildings were designed after the Revolution by Cuban Ricardo Porro and Italians Roberto Gottardi and Vittorio Garatti. Its buildings, described as "magic-realist architecture and landscape," are listed by the World Monument Fund as one of the world's 100 most endangered facilities. Fortunately, today they are being restored, under the supervision of the original design team. This visit is a great opportunity to meet the coming generation of Cuban artists.
Lunch hosted by José Fuster, one of Cuba's most important ceramists and painters at his whimsical studio in Jaimanita, just outside of Havana.
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Music abounds. |
Afternoon visit with other local artists at the studios to discuss ideas and their work. This is a great opportunity to purchase gifts of art.
Evening is free to explore the city with your classmates, faculty and new Cuban friends. But don't stay up too late. In the morning we're off to Cienfuegos! |
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| CIENFUEGOS – THE FRENCH INSPIRED PEARL OF THE SOUTH |
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| Right White sand beach of your Resort Guajimico, comprised of over four-dozen bungalows and a club (discoteca). |
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Former sugar baron's opulent mansion. His wealth was generated by slaves.
El Nicho water falls not far from your Guajimico dwelling. |
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Historic edifice in Cienfuegos city center.
Iguana suns itself on Guajimico beach. They are not poisonous or mean. |
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Morning departure to Cienfuegos, otherwise known as The Pearl of the South, for its wealth of 19th and early 20th century buildings.
City tour of Cienfuegos: Your guide will explain the origins of this beautiful cosmopolitan city. We'll explore Cienfuegos' Plaza Martí where the ceremony of foundation of the city took place, and where you'll find a reproduction of the Parisian Arc de Triomphe.
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Turn-of-the-century Cienfuegos landmark modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Below Guajimico has 51 private bungalows (one is reserved for you and your roomie). |
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We'll visit neoclassical buildings such as the Cathedral, built with donations from wealthy slave-owning families like the Lebrancs, the Albis, the Terrys. Inside are reproductions of the Twelve Apostles in stained glass imported from Paris. The original machinery of the clock tower – still in place and working – was manufactured in France. We also visit the Tomas Terry Theatre, constructed at the end of the 19th century, which still displays original decorative elements including wood and iron works, frescos, etc.
Afterwards we will move on to your Hotel Guajimico, a beach-front resort nestled in a lagoon on the warm waters of the Caribbean sea. Located between Cienfuegos and Trinidad, it's a dream-come-true for nature lovers, snorkelers, scuba divers and sun worshippers. |
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| LEARNING CUBAN CULTURE BY EXTENDING A HAND OF FRIENDSHIP |
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North American students help out at a Cuban high school for several hours before engaging in cultural activities with their new friends. Here they are cleaning up a stream. |
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Then they learn new dance steps from peer instructors … |
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… and practice baseball and other sports. |
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Full day work and cultural exchange with high school students in the Cienfuegos countryside. This is one of the most exciting components of any Cuba tour. North American students help out their Cuban conterparts for several hours in the fields or with school building and ground maintenance. This is followed by friendly games and cultural activities. Many students become lasting friends.
Lunch is served in the high school cafeteria or at a local eatery.
Late afternoon return to our hotel.
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Cuban students in playground prior to class. |
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Volunteerism is an island way a life dating back centuries.
Many Cuban youth pick careers as health professionals, social workers, legal advocates, educators, scientists and technicians. |
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Cubans learn social skills via civic engagement.
A good day's work is followed by great music and good food – let's party!
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| HISTORIC TRINIDAD: ONE OF THE ISLAND'S FOUNDING SETTLEMENTS |
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| Right Trinidad's main plaza featuring buildings that are hundreds of years old, yet the neighborhood bustles with vitality. |
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Trinidad's Iznaga tower was built to keep watch over cane-field slaves. |
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Sixth generation member of the Santander family spins decorative pots at centuries-old workshop. |
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Morning departure to Trinidad. Today we explore on foot one of the oldest cities founded by the Spaniards in the West Indies, Trinidad, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
We visit its Plaza Mayor, Museum of Architecture, Museum of Romance, the main parish and other amazing sites, some dating back centuries.
We will also stop at a mirador (lookout) over the Sugar Mill Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the sugar barons had their countryside mansions and mills.
Trinidad is well known for its pottery makers. We meet with a family that has been passing the tradition for generations: the Santanders.
Free time to wander the city's historic streets or enjoy the beach.
Return to Guajamico. Your evening is free to enjoy the amenities of your resort hotel. |
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Sunset on Trinidad's Playa Ancón. |
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Cubans come in all colors and are proud of it! |
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Young person staffs a farmers market. |
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| RELISHING GUAJIMICO'S FAB BEACHES ON THE CARIBBEAN SEA |
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An affordable rare delight. Indulge! |
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Just do it! |
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Free day to enjoy the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea next to your resort hotel. Sunbathe, snorkel, and explore the beach and nature with your fellow student travelers. |
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| Left Hatchling poised to become a gentle giant: Cuba protects endangered sea turtles, along with other marine life, thus all flourish. |
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| RETURN TO HAVANA FOR INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURES |
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We'll miss you and hope you return soon! |
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Hop onto your bus for Havana's José Martí International Airport for flight home.
Keep in touch with your new Cuban friends – exchange email addresses! Bring some "calling cards" to pass out on the island. Take pictures and keep a journal. Upon your return, we'll post them on this website for all to see and enjoy. |
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Old Cuban saying, "a true friend remembers the song in your heart when you have forgotten the lyrics." |
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