Cuba Revolution Tour

Day 1 — Havana

On arrival at Havana’s Jose Marti International airport, clients will be met by a local driver and transferred the short, 30-minute drive to their accommodation in Habana Vieja.

The rest of the day is free for clients to go for a wander and / or sample the first of many mojitos.

Day 2 — Havana

The largest city in Cuba, and the seat of national government, Havana is one of the world’s most iconic and enchanting cities.

Accordingly, after breakfast, clients will be collected from their accommodation for a morning’s walking tour of Old Havana.

In keeping with the nature of the holiday, first up is a visit to the iconic Museum of the Revolution, somewhat ironically located within the old Presidential Palace.

There will then be an opportunity to explore the city’s colonial heritage and its many beautiful and atmospheric plazas.

After a break for lunch, you will have the opportunity to enjoy of the most popular activities on any holiday to Cuba, a ride through ‘New Havana’ in the back of a classic American car.

Enroute, you’ll pass through Revolution Square with its vast mural of Che Guevara, past the haunting Necropolis Cristobal Colon & University of Havana, around the Embassies and mansions of Miramar and back along the Malecon, the city’s sweeping, seafront promenade.

You will then be dropped off at your accommodation where the rest of the day is at leisure.

(If you wish to spend longer in Havana, there is enough to see and do to warrant spending multiple days in the capital).

Day 3 — Havana to Cienfuegos via Bay of Pigs

Departing Havana after breakfast, it is an approximate 3-hour drive south to one of the most famous locations of the Cold War, the Bay of Pigs.

It was here, in April 1961, that 1,400 Cuban exiles landed on Cuba’s south coast in an attempt to counter the recent Cuban Revolution.

Poorly planned, and without aerial support, the invasion was largely doomed from the off and only served to bolster the reputation of Fidel Castrol & the Cuban Revolution.

Today, the area around the Bay of Pigs is sparsely populated and, if it wasn’t for the small museum at Playa Giron, one would be hard pushed to identify the region’s pivotal role in recent Cuban history.

From Playa Giron it is a further 90-minute drive to the coastal city of Cienfuegos, another of Cuba’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Having checked in at the hotel, there will be a tour of the city’s key sites, including the Punta Gorda area which, pre the Cuban Revolution, was home to the city’s wealthiest residents and their grand homes. Most of the residents left soon after the Revolution, their houses now split into multiple dwellings or repurposed as hotels.

Day 4 — Cienfuegos to Trinidad via Guanaroca Lagoon & El Nicho

Fascinating as both Cuba’s colonial & revolutionary history is, today we suggest a slight change in focus, namely to Cuba’s beautiful countryside.

Accordingly, after a relatively early breakfast, at approximately 08.00, you will head out of Cienfuegos for the short drive to the Guanaroca Lagoon.

Set up as a national park in 1994, Guanaroca Lagoon covers 3000 hectares and is a bird watchers’ paradise. The main draw is undoubtedly its large population of pelicans, flamingos and trogons although there is plenty of other birdlife to enjoy, in addition to its beautiful natural setting, all of which you will enjoy on a boat trip.

From the Guanaroca Lagoon, you will then head inland, up into the foothills of the Escambray Mountains (once home to counter Revolutionary forces!) to beautiful El Nicho.

The famous waterfalls at El Nicho are fed by both the Rio El Nicho and the Rio El Mamey, and are accessed by an easy and picturesque walking trail.

At the foot of the waterfalls is a pool in which visitors can enjoy a refreshing swim, together with a simple restaurant nearby serving typical Cuban cuisine and cold drinks.

Returning to the car, you will then head back down to the coast and onto your next destination, the town of Trinidad. After checking in at your accommodation, the remainder of the day is at leisure.

Day 5 — Trinidad

One of Cuba’s 7 original ‘villas’, Trinidad was founded in 1514 and, on the back of the sugar trade, became one of the richest towns in the Americas.

This wealth is evident in the centre of Trinidad, yet another UNESCO World Heritage site, which has barely changed over the centuries.

Surrounding its beautiful central plaza, and along cobbled roads that head off in every direction, pretty much every building in the traffic free historic centre is a handsome remnant of a bygone era.

After a more leisurely breakfast than previous mornings, your guide you will collect you from your accommodation for a walking tour of town.

The afternoon is then free for you to explore the town at your leisure beginning. For anyone with an interest in the Cuban Revolution, this should really begin with a visit to the Museum of the Struggle Against The Bandits which, as alluded to the day before, focuses on the post Revolution campaign to flush out the last of the old regime’s supporters, many of whom had retreated deep into the Escambray Mountains.

After a day exploring town, what better way to end the day than with a visit to La Canchanchara bar to try out the local firewater.

Day 6 — Trinidad to Camaguey via the Valley of the Sugar Mills

As mentioned, Trinidad grew rich on the sugar trade and, this morning, shortly after departing town, you will pass through the haunting Valley of the Sugar Mills.

At its peak, the Valley of the Sugar Mills was home to some 50 estates, before boom eventually turned to bust as first the sugar price collapsed and then most of the industry moved north.

One by one the estates were abandoned and left to decay in the tropical climate. One such estate was Manaca Iznaga which, today, has been partially restored and turned into a visitor attraction.

While enjoying an idyllic setting in the heart of the valley, the first thing any visitor will notice is the vast tower, from the top of which one can enjoy spectacular views. During its time as a working estate, this same tower was used as a look-out to watch over the huge slave workforce on whose misery a tiny minority grew rich. From such human misery, the Cuban Revolution drew much of its support.

Continuing on from the Valley of the Sugar Mills, it is an approximate 4-hour drive to the city of Camaguey, yet another UNESCO World Heritage site, perhaps best known now for its maze-like layout, designed to baffle invading pirates.

In relation to the Cuban Revolution, Camaguey was also home to Ignacio Agramonte, one of the staunchest of revolutionaries. His birthplace is located in Plaza de Trabajadores and both the main park and airport are named in his honour.

Day 7 — Camaguey to Bayamo

Departing Camaguey after a leisurely breakfast, it is an approximate 3-hour drive to Bayamo.

Older than either Havana or Santiago, the small, charming, colonial town of Bayamo is somewhere that many Cubans hold dear for its revolutionary history.

In this instance however, we refer not to the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s, but rather the war of independence from Spain in the 19th century.

During this prolonged struggle, Bayamo was an insurgent stronghold and, in an act of defiance, large parts of the town were burned to the ground by its own residents.

Carlos Manuel de Cespedes, viewed by many as the father of the independence movement, was also a native of Bayamo and in stark contrast to the estate owners of Trinidad, was famous for freeing the slaves on his own plantation.

Despite this tumultuous history, Bayamo is still an attractive town to visit with plenty of graceful colonial-era architecture to admire including San Salvador cathedral, the Bayamo theatre, and Parque Cespedes.

Another, less well-known feature of the town, and a welcome one at that, is the relative lack of motor traffic – even today a significant number of Bayamo residents still get about by bike or horse.

Having checked in at your hotel, there will be an opportunity to explore the town with your guide.

Day 8 — Bayamo to Santo Domingo & La Plata

In stark contrast to yesterday’s almost entirely flat drive, the journey today takes you into the foothills of the beautiful Sierra Maestra, eventually arriving at Villa Santo Domingo.

From Santo Domingo, you will transfer to jeeps which will take you to Alto del Naranjo, the starting point of the 4km trek up to Comandancia La Plata, the famous camp where Fidel Castro and his small band of comrades hid away in the early days of the Cuban Revolution.

Little has changed at La Plata since the 1950s, with the 16 wooden cabins providing an atmospheric insight into the humble beginnings of a revolution that would captivate / strike fear into much of the world.

In addition to the main camp, a further, steep climb takes one to the communications building, aka, Radio Rebelde, from where early radio broadcasts were made.

Returning to Santo Domingo in time for lunch, the rest of the afternoon is free for you to relax at the hotel and perhaps explore the surrounding environs including a small village and nearby river.

(Please note that the trek to La Plata is uphill, occasionally steep and over uneven ground – if you have concerns over the suitability of this trip our advice would be to stay at Villa Santo Domingo and explore the surrounding area instead).

Day 9 — Santo Domingo to Santiago de Cuba via El Cobre

After a relaxed morning enjoying the natural surroundings, you will make your final push west to Santiago de Cuba.

Non-stop, the journey takes something over 2 hours but, while many of the past revolutionaries might turn in their graves, there is the option enroute of visiting El Cobre, Cuba’s most famous site of religious pilgrimage.

The church – whose catchy full name is El Sanctuario de Nuestra Señora de la Caridad del Cobre – was built in 1927 and houses a black Madonna which many Cubans come to venerate and ask for protection from. In 1998, the then Pope visited El Cobre, blessed the shrine and referred to the Madonna as the Queen of Cubans.

The story of this particular Madonna dates back to 1611 and 3 young fisherman who were about to meet an untimely death in the Bay of Nipe due to a sudden storm. Just as all hope seemed lost, they spotted the Madonna floating nearby and, having recovered her from the water, the 3 men safely made it back to shore.

From El Cobre, it is approximately 20kms to Santiago de Cuba where on arrival, the remainder of the day is free for you to relax. If staying at the Hotel Casa Granda in the city centre, there are few better people-watching spots anywhere in Cuba.

Day 10 — Santiago

Separated by the length of the island, Cuba’s second largest city looks and feels very different to Havana. For many of the city’s residents, Santiago de Cuba is also the spiritual home of the Cuban Revolution and there are therefore a number of related sites to visit.

After breakfast at the hotel there will be a full-day’s tour of this fascinating city, beginning with the iconic Moncada Barracks and Museum, attacked by Fidel Castro in July 1953 and, for most people, the start of the Cuban Revolution.

Equally evocative is the Museo de la Lucha Clandestina which is housed in a beautiful, bright yellow, colonial-style building that was once a police station. Attacked in November 1956 to divert attention away from the seaborne arrival of 80 plus revolutionaries on the Granma, the museum focusses on the underground struggle against the government throughout the 1950s.

Perhaps most evocative of all however is a visit to the Santa Ifigenia Cemetery, the final resting place of Fidel Castro, whose mausoleum is constantly guarded; time allowing, there should be an opportunity to witness the famous changing of the guard.

Of course, the story of Santiago de Cuba didn’t begin in the 1950s so, in addition to all of the above, there will also be an opportunity to explore the city’s main square, Parque Cespedes, surrounded on all sides by historic buildings such as the Ayuntamiento and the Cathedral, as well as heading out of the city to the magnificent San Pedro de la Roca castle which guards over the entrance to the Bay of Santiago de Cuba.

Returning to the hotel at the end of a busy day, an evening visit to the famous Casa de la Trova for some live music is strongly recommended.

Day 11 — Santiago

Today you will head out of Santiago for the day, returning in the late afternoon.

First up, you will head along what is now referred to as the Revolutionary Highway, to Granjita de Siboney, the farmhouse base from where Fidel Castro planned his ultimately unsuccessful attack against the aforementioned Moncada Barracks in July 1953.

Now a museum, the building retains many of its original features and personal effects from the time. Next to the farmhouse is the well in which their weapons were stashed.

In a slightly odd coincidence, there is also a nearby plaque that commemorates the landing of US forces in 1898 in support of the war of independence.

Just a short drive from Granjita de Siboney is the Gran Piedra, a vast natural rock, from the top of which (weather permitting) visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding region.

Also included on your day’s exploration, just a couple of kms from La Gran Piedra, is a visit to La Isabelica, an old mansion at the heart at one of the first coffee plantations established in eastern Cuba by Haitian emigres.

The surrounding buildings include the old slave quarters and workshops that include the original coffee-processing machinery.

A word of warning – at this altitude, the cool temperatures can come as something of a shock after the hot, steamy weather typical of Santiago!

Day 12 — Santiago to Holguin via Biran

This morning, you begin the journey back west with the drive from Santiago to Holguin via Biran.

Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra de Nipe, the otherwise unremarkable village of Biran is famous throughout Cuba for being the birthplace of Fidel, Raul, Ramon & Juanita Castro.

Their father, Angel, bought the vast 93sq km Finca Las Manacas in 1915, a clear indication of what the young Fidel & Raul gave up for their principles.

Interestingly, the estate was the first property in Cuba to be appropriated by the new government at the culmination of the Revolution, although it wasn’t until 2002 that it took on its current form as Museo Conjunto Historico de Biran.

The multiple, yellow wooden houses at the heart of the estate are where the Castro family lived. In addition to countless photos and personal family items, including their father’s car, you can also visit the schoolhouse in which Fidel studied. In the nearby cemetery, you will also find the graves of Fidel’s father and siblings.

From Biran, you will then continue to Holguin where the rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 13 — Holguin to Santa Clara

Departing Holguin bright and early, this is the longest day on the road of the entire tour, an approximate 7 hour drive along thankfully empty roads to the city of Santa Clara.

Dating back to the late 17th century, Santa Clara may not be as picture postcard pretty as many other Cuban towns but, for those with an interest in the Cuban Revolution, it is an absolute must-visit.

It was here, in late December 1958, that the Cuban Revolution was finally and conclusively decided with the defeat of armed forces sent to the city by then leader, Fulgencio Batista.

On the outskirts of town, just off the main highway, is the final resting place of Ernesto Che Guevara, with both a vast statue and a small museum dedicated to, alongside Fidel Castro, the most famous of the Cuban Revolutionaries.

After visiting the museum and then checked in at your accommodation in town, there will be a visit to the Tren Blindado, a combined national monument, memorial park, and museum celebrating the Cuban Revolution.

Day 14 — Santa Clara to Havana

After a more leisurely breakfast than the day before, it is an approximate 3-hour drive along the widest, but still empty, stretch of highway in Cuba, from Santa Clara to Havana.

Having arrived back in the capital, and said goodbye to your guide, the afternoon is free for you to explore further on your own or simply relax, perhaps at a hotel with a pool.

Day 15 — Home

Depending your flight time, you will be collected from your hotel for the 30-minute drive back to Havana airport in good time for your return flight home.