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| College Heights Secondary School Cuba Culture and Discovery Tour |
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| PROGRAM OVERVIEW |
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| CITIES AND SITES VISITS |
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Havana City and Havana Province |
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Classic French inspired Cienfuegos in the province of the same name |
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Legendary Trinidad de Cuba in Sancti Spíritus province |
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| TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS |
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The recently restored Hotel Parkview in the center of historic Havana – safe fun cultural district. |
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Trinidad's all-inclusive beach resort Club Costa Sur on the white sand beaches of Caribbean Sea. |
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| TOUR HIGHLIGHTS |
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Dance lessons taught by Cuban professionals with live music |
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Private guided walking tour of the main historical sites of Old Havana |
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Private guided luxury coach tour of Modern Havana |
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Visit a visual arts school and a training college for architectural restoration |
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Attend a regal cannon firing ceremony dating from 1519 |
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Visit Galería de Arte Maroya featuring Cuban paintings, sculptures and antiques |
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Travel to Topes de Collantes atop the Escambray Mountains in Soviet Army trucks |
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Visit a centuries-old family run pottery factory and ceramics studio |
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Tour the ruins of a sugar plantation once staffed by slaves |
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Walking tours of the central plazas and key sites of the cities of Trinidad and Cienfuegos |
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Saturday 14 March to Sunday 22 March 2009 |
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Nine days and eight nights in the Pearl of the Caribbean |
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Learn all about Cuban music, dance, art, culture and history |
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Spend time with your Cuban peers and help out at an urban architectural restoration college |
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Experience tropical nature from jungle mountaintops to rural villages to white sand beaches |
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Visit historic Havana, beautiful Cienfuegos, and ancient Trinidad de Cuba on the Península de Ancón, and much more! |
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CHSS FACULTY ALISON McNEILL is the inspiration for this program and will serve as tour leader. Click hear to read her invitation to join this 2009 Spring Break program, and her trip objectives and goals. Students and parents contact Ms McNeill about this program at 250-964-4431 (wk), 250-964-6955 (hm), or
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This program is fully escorted from the minute you touch down in Havana until you return home. While on the island you're in the conscientious care of an expert multilingual Cuban guide together with our professional bus chauffeur. Our Canadian and Cuban staff ensures worry free Cuba travel before, during and after your tour. |
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Time to commit. This tour is limited in size. Please register now so you can start planning and saving up for your Cuba trip. |
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Treble clef icon for special CHSS events |
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Shoe icon for music and dance activities |
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Face icon for art, museum, and education visits |
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Turret icon for history and architecture |
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Owl icon for nature and ecology romps |
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Fork icon for special tour meals |
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Smiling icon for free time and leisure |
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Ball icon for beach, sun and swimming |
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| Hint BLUE text links across this site offer extensive details and pictures. |
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| Notice to students This is an alcohol and drug free study abroad program. All CHSS good behavior rules apply while you are in Cuba. |
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| Included in costs are all activities listed below unless noted otherwise. |
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| Travel insurance Students and teachers have comprehensive trip interruption and health coverage while on this tour. |
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| Island transportation You travel in a private luxury tour coach chauffeured by a professional driver. |
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| Meals B=breakfast L=lunch D=dinner indicates meals included. All breakfasts are complementary on this tour. Your guide is glad to suggest eateries for every taste and budget for lunches and dinners not included. |
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Memories of Cuba last forever. Discover the island on routes less traveled. |
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| Travel for change Cuba Education Tours is a Vancouver Canada based organization dedicated to green, ethical travel that benefits Cubans and our guests. |
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 Five star treatment round-the-clock from our Cuban and Canadian staff ensure worry free travel abroad. |
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| CHECK OUT EACH TOUR DAY |
:: 01 :: 02 :: 03 :: 04 :: 05 :: 06 :: 07 :: 08 :: 09 :: |
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| Musician and dancers in Havana. |
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Modern dance students practice in Havana. |
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Get ready to learn plenty of new and unusual dance moves … |
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… and swing to lots of great music. |
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| The capital city of Havana as seen from the fortress El Morro, across the harbor from your hotel. |
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Arrival at Havana's José Martí International Airport.
Collect your bags and go through customs. See What to take to Cuba.
You're welcomed at the airport by your Cuba Education Tours guide and professional bus chauffeur.
Your Cuba Education Tours guide will direct you to a bank or exchange bureau (CADECA) to purchase Cuban Convertible Pesos.
Group transfer to the Hotel Parkview located at the boundary between Old Havana and central Havana.
Private check-in with assistance from your guide.
Afternoon and evening are free for you to settle in, rest up, and explore the vibrant neighborhood surrounding your hotel.
All breakfasts are complementary and served daily from 07:00AM to 10:00AM. Many meals are included in Havana. All meals are included in Trinidad.
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José Martí International airport in Havana – a colorful welcome. |
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TIME AND CLIME IN HAVANA NOW
Island-wide annual averages
Summer temp average: 81F | 27C
Winter temp average: 72F | 22C
Ocean temp average: 78F | 25.5C
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Havana's Malecón seawall near your hotel – a place for relaxation and new friendships. |
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| CUBA IS THE LARGEST and least commercialized island in the Caribbean. It hosts 6000 plant species, half of which are endemic. There are 20 million palms in Cuba comprised of 30 species. Other flora includes the rare cork palm, a holdout from the cretaceous period; the jagüey, a fig with aerial roots; the palma barrigona (pot belly palm); the ceiba (sacred silk-cotton tree); and the national flower, the mariposa (butterfly jasmine). The most abundant land fauna is reptilian: crocodiles, iguanas, lizards, salamanders, turtles and 15 species of nonpoisonous snakes. The biggest land mammal is the jutía, a tree dwelling rodent the size of a cocker spaniel. The bee hummingbird or zunzún is the world's smallest weighing between 1.6 and 1.8 grams. The tocororo is the national bird – its red, white and blue plumage reflecting the colors of the Cuban flag. |
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| GETTING TO KNOW THE CARIBBEAN'S LARGEST CAPITOL |
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Example of restoration in Old Havana. |
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Street pantomime in Old Havana. |
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View of the Capitolio from the Malecón seawall. |
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Inside view of the dome of El Capitolio. |
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| Exterior and interior of the Cathedral of Havana initiated by Jesuits in 1748 and completed in 1777. |
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![Taller Experimental de Gráfica [Studio of experimental design]](../images/100aGrafica.jpg) |
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We'll tour Taller Experimental de Gráfica [Studio of experimental design]. |
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| Entrance to one of many exhibits at Centro Wilfredo Lam. |
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Youth at a Cuban baseball game. |
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Ornate filigree and statuary adorn Havana's Gran Teatro where the National Ballet performs. |
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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. It contains the largest collection of remaining colonial-era architecture. This is a private tour led by your Cuba Education Tours guide.
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 to 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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Musicians at La Mina restaurant. |
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Lunch at La Mina Restaurant where you'll enjoy traditional Cuban dishes and live music!
Next we'll meet with the director of the Taller Experimental de Gráfica in Cathedral Square, a cooperative of artists involved in modern printmaking, and tour their workshop.
Followed by a visit to gallery Centro Wilfredo Lam (named in honor of one of Cuba's most important artists). It is headquarters for the Arts Biennial; its objective is to promote contemporary art from developing nations.
Free time in the famous open-air handicraft market near Cathedral Square where you can purchase all sorts of crafts and souvenirs by local artisans.
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Soccer, volleyball and baseball rule. |
Depending upon the playoff schedule, we'll attend a baseball game in Havana – always a rousing, yet friendly experience. Beer is not served at Cuban game parks and stadiums.
Tonight a Cuban band plays for us. They'll teach you how to perform and dance to Salsa, Rumba, Son, and Rueda de Casino and other popular Cuban rhythms from members of Grupo Dulce María. |
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| CUBAN DANCE LESSONS AND MUSIC, VOLUNTEERISM AND HISTORY |
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Spontaneous dance on the Malecón. |
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 Cuban dance instructors. |
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Havana street percussionist. |
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Above Soldiers fire the 9PM cannon. Below Students watch the blast.
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Morning dance lessons. You'll learn from Cuban masters and be coupled with a Cuban dance partner. Techniques and methods addressed are rhythm, movement fundamentals for women and men, and Afrocuban movement. Dance styles covered are Salsa, Rumba, Son, and Rueda de Casino.
Lunch in Old Havana (not included in cost).
This morning we'll meet with the professors and students of La Escuela Taller Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos Workshop School). This unique institution was established in 1992 in a heroic effort to train youth in the arts, crafts and theoretical knowledge to rehabilitate and preserve their architectural heritage. The school teaches young people archeological and restoration skills necessary to sustain the physical heritage and cultural patrimony of Old Havana. The Cuban capitol harbors the largest collection of colonial-era Spanish architecture in our hemisphere.
Now that you've met the students at Escuela Taller, you'll have a chance to help them out with their restoration projects. Be sure to wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty. This is a great opportunity to make new Cuban friends while learning from them at the same time. They'll have lots of questions about Canadian life for you too. Don't be shy.
Dinner (not included in cost). Your guide is available to suggest nearby eateries for every taste and budget.
Tonight we witness a most dramatic ceremony – El Cañonazo – the Firing of the 9PM Cannon at the Fortress of San Carlos de La Cabaña. This enchanting colonial reenactment dates back to 1519 when the city of Havana was enclosed by a tall thick rock wall to ward off attacks from pirates and the English. The cannon firing signaled the closing of the city gates for the night. If you were outside at the time, you were in "vedado" or the forbidden zone. Today Vedado is an important cultural hub and beautiful section of modern Havana. |
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Dance lessons. |
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Experimental dance in Havana melds hip hop and Afrocuban movement. |
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FIRST HERO OF THE CUBAN PEOPLE
Taíno Indian Chief Hatuey from the island of Hispanolia traveled to and warned his Cuban counterparts about the horrific dangers of the impending Spanish invasion in the year 1511. Read about his legendary struggle – that of the premier independence and resistance fighter in our Americas who staked his life for freedom from foreign occupation and thralldom. |
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| CIGAR FACTORY VISIT, CUBAN DANCE LESSONS AND CUBAN MUSIC |
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Fantasy garden and studio of acclaimed artist José Fuster. |
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Moviemaker Michael Moore visits the home of Cuban artist José Fuster while filming "SiCKO" in March 2007. |
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Two examples of José Fuster's art. |
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Morning dance lessons. You'll learn from Cuban masters and be coupled with a Cuban dance partner. Techniques and methods addressed are rhythm, movement fundamentals for women and men, and Afrocuban movement. Dance styles covered are Salsa, Rumba, Son, and Rueda de Casino.
Get ready for an air-conditioned luxury coach tour of the most important sites of Modern Havana such as the Capitol building, the Grand Theatre, Central Park, Prado promenade, Revolution Square, Coppelia Ice Cream Park, Plaza José Martí (in front of US Interests Section), Malecón seawall, Monument to the Battleship Maine, Hotel Nacional, University of Havana, Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón, and the Miramar, Central Havana and Vedado neighborhoods.
Tour highlight This afternoon we'll feast on a delicious 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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Highly skilled cigar factory worker. |
Visit to Tabaquería La Corona (cigar factory) one of the most famous names of Cuban cigars. You'll see the process from selection of the cured leaves to expert rolling by skilled workers. It was on the island of Cuba that Europeans first savored tobacco in 1492. Cuban aboriginals had long cultivated the crop and enjoyed it in ceremonial practices. The words tobacco and cigar both derive from the Taíno Indian language. Natives gave two crew of Christopher Columbus, Rodrigo de Xerez and Luis de Torres, tobacco. They introduced the product and custom to Europe several months later.
Dinner (not included in cost). Your guide is available to suggest nearby eateries for every taste and budget.
Tonight is free to explore the neighborhood around your hotel and local entertainment options. Students will travel in groups of four or more. Don't stay up too late. We're off to the central provinces of Cienfuegos and Sancti Spíritus first thing in the morning! |
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Left Cuban farmer tends malanga crop (taro root). It is one of the oldest cultivated plants. Below El Morro Castle in Havana; Dancer with the Ballet Nacional de Cuba; entrance to the University of Havana.
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| CIENFUEGOS, THE PEARL OF THE SOUTH |
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Cienfuegos also has a Malecón seawall. |
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Intricate detailing on a heritage building. |
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Cienfuegos, founded by French colonists, has a replica of the Arc de Triomphe in its central plaza. |
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Teatro Tomas Terry was built in 1889 by the sons of Tomas Terry (a Venezuelan immigrant who became wealthy via the slave trade and later mayor of the city). It is clad in Carrara marble; sports carved wooden seats, ornate ironwork, and an impressive romantic fresco on its arched ceiling. It once hosted the likes of Enrico Caruso and Sarah Bernhardt. Below Fresco detail.
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Cienfuegos' Club Náutico specializes in seafood delights. |
Morning departure to Cienfuegos – founded by French immigrants at the beginning of the 19th century is renowned for its wealth of stunning historical buildings.
Upon arrival we enjoy a scrumptious seafood lunch at the bayside Club Náutico Restaurant. Time to sample Cuba's famed harvest from the sea. (Drinks not included.)
Afterwards, your guide will recount the story of the origins of this beautiful cosmopolitan city, known as the "Pearl of the South." You'll walk its main Plaza Martí where the ceremony of its foundation took place, as do many important events still today.
We'll visit such neoclassical buildings as the Cathedral built with donations from wealthy slave owning families – enduring names like Lebranc, Albi, and Terry. Inside the Cathedral a marvelously rendered stained glass mural of the Twelve Apostles imported from Paris will awe you. The original machinery of the Cathedral's tower clock was also crafted in France and keeps on ticking to this day.
We'll visit the elegant art gallery Galería de Arte Maroya and review its impressively displayed collection of paintings, sculptures and antiques.
Now we journey on to the historic city of Trinidad and check to your all-inclusive beach resort Club Costa Sur. You'll have time for dinner and a swim in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea.
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Get ready for some fabulous beach fun.
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| THE HISTORIC CITY OF TRINIDAD DE CUBA |
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| Trinidad's Manaca Iznaga tower was built in 1816 to keep watch over cane-field slaves. It's 45 meters high and was for a century the tallest structure on the island. We'll climb up to its bell tower. |
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Sixth generation member of the Santander family spins decorative pots at centuries-old workshop. |
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1930s photo of a Cuban sugar cane cutters dance. Island music and movement has its origins in labor combined with the admixture of African and Spanish cultures known as syncretism. Below Youth practice modern machete dance.
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Today we explore on foot one of the oldest cities founded by the Spaniards in the West Indies, Trinidad de Cuba, declared World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It was established in 1514 on orders of the conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar who traveled to Cuba with Columbus in 1493.
We visit its Plaza Mayor, Museum of Architecture, Museum of the Romantic Era, the main town parish and other amazing sites, some dating back centuries.
We stop at a mirador (lookout) over the Sugar Mill Valley, also an UNESCO World Heritage Site, where sugar barons constructed their opulent countryside mansions and huge refineries.
Trinidad is well known for its pottery makers. We'll meet a family that has been passing on the tradition for generations: the Santanders.
Free time to wander the streets of Trinidad's historical center, examine the oldest architecture in the Americas, and inspect local art and shop for souvenirs..
Your evening is free to enjoy the beach, hotel amenities, and the lively streets of Trinidad. How about live Cuban popular music on steps of Casa de la Música – a great opportunity to practice your newfound dance moves with Cubans and your tour companions? |
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Cuban reef fish. Consider snorkeling in the clean warm waters at your beach resort. |
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| Fisher returns home with catch from Península de Ancón near your beach resort. Sea life thrives in the clean ocean waters near Trinidad. Most popular dinner treats are shrimp, red snapper, tuna and lobster. |
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In the countryside many youth are engaged in organic agriculture combined with rigorous academics. Animal partners help out on the farm. Eco-friendly practices result in tasty produce and high productivity. |
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| The Valle de los Ingenios [Sugar Mill Valley] brought untold riches to select families. You'll see their mansions and monuments. |
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![Trinidad's Sugar Mill Valley [Valle de los Ingenios]](images/540sugar_valley333.jpg) |
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| NATURE AT IS BEST IN THE ESCAMBRAY MOUNTAINS |
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Young person staffs farmers market. |
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The jutía, native to Cuba, is a large rodent the size of a cocker spaniel. They dwell in trees and are vegetarians. |
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A bumblebee hummingbird called a zunzún (actual size), gets its name from the sound of a bumblebee. It weighs less than a dime. Watch a short zunzún film clip. |
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Orchid. Exotic and unique plants and animals thrive in Cuba. The island has more protected areas than any other country. |
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| CUBA HAS MORE than 30 types of palms, including royal palms. Other indigenous plants are mahogany, ebony, lignum vitae, cottonwood, logwood, rosewood, cedar pine, majagua, granadilla, jagüey, tobacco, papaya trees, and the sacred ceiba tree. |
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| Topes de Collantes National Park in central Cuba's Escambray Mountains is the perfect environment to spot the Cuban parakeet left, Fernandina's flicker center, and the Cuban parrot right. |
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This morning we board Soviet Army trucks to climb the peaks of Topes de Collantes in the Escambray Mountains. The Escambrays comprise the island's second highest range, reaching to 3,700 feet atop Pico San Juan. The Escambrays are home to small villages and a true delight for birders and naturalists alike. Dramatic slopes are swathed in Caribbean pines, ancient tree ferns, bamboo and eucalyptus.
Upon arrival at Hacienda Codina, an old Spanish coffee plantation, we'll enjoy a traditional Cuban lunch, followed by a walking tour of the area to admire the beauty of the surrounding landscape and the animals and plants it hosts.
Late afternoon return to your Trinidad resort hotel. Dinner and drinks are included.
Your evening is free to enjoy the beach, the all-inclusive amenities of your hotel, and the lively streets of Trinidad. Your guide will keep you posted on local entertainment options.
Entertainment suggestion Live Cuban popular music at the nightclub Casa de la Trova – a great opportunity to dance with Cubans and your tour companions. |
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Peasant hut in the high altitude jungles of Topes de Collantes. |
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A Soviet Army truck is deployed to educate about nature. You'll ride in one to the top of the Escambray Mountains today. |
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Fresh water pool on the way to Topes de Collantes. The Escambray Mountains are located in central Cuba and form the second largest range on the island after the Sierra Maestra in the eastern province of Guantánamo. |
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| BEACH EXPLORATION AND WATERSPORTS DAY |
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The Península de Ancón is fun, clean and safe. |
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Join in on a volleyball game. Or stroll the beach for miles in peace. |
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Beach Day! Don't forget your swimwear and sunscreen; el sol shines stronger on the island! These beautiful white sand beaches rival the best sun destinations in the Caribbean but are without madding crowds. This is a great occasion to sunbathe, swim, snorkel, relax and spend time with your new Cuban friends and tourmates. Your beach resort offers many aquatic activities and services. Some are free, and others available for a very reasonable fee.
Evening is free to enjoy the amenities of your all-inclusive beach resort or go into the city for some farewell music and dance. Don't stay up too late, we depart super-early in the morning.
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| Musicians and kids play on the Playa Ancón. |
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How about joining an optional catamaran excursion? |
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A perfect place for snorkeling and water sports. |
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| GOODBYE CUBA – HELLO PRINCE GEORGE |
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| KEEP IN TOUCH with your new Cuban friends – exchange email addresses! Bring some business 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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Early morning transfer to Havana's José Martí Int'l Airport for your return home. Don't forget to save 25.00 CUC for your Cuban airport departure tax and some money for meals on Air Canada flights home. |
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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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