Cuba Jewish tour 2021

This tour provides a full-time schedule of People to People activities. That is a key factor for any US trip to Cuba.

Presence of Jewish in Cuba dated from XV century, but a permanent Jewish community in Cuba was established in 1898, following the Spanish-American War. The United States had gained temporary control of the island, and as a result, a number of American settled in the country. They largely worked for US-owned plantations and businesses and established the first synagogue in Cuba.

Discover the history of Cuban Jewish presence on your trip to Cuba, a genuine Cuba Jewish experience 2021. The nine-day tour of the most famous cities in Cuba which visit relevant Jewish sites in Cuba, will provide visitors from Israel and US the opportunity to get close to the history of the Jewish community in Cuba and to understand better Cuba´s today. You will have great personal experiences you could share many times.

You will meet Cuban local people from all walk of life, tobacco growers, expert chefs, local artists, historians and salsa dancers, Jewish Cubans, a real Cuba experience. Your Cuba program begins in Havana, cigar farm in Viñales, Santa Clara, Trinidad and continues on through Bay of Pigs before settling into the French architecture of Cienfuegos, known as "the pearl of the South." And will end in Havana on Day 9.

Your local guide knows about Cuban Jewish history in Cuba and the main Jewish sites in Cuba as well as local Jewish communities in Havana, Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba. He has had experience with previous Jewish visitors from Israel, Jewish Americans, and European Jewish customers who has travel as tourist to Cuba, as family groups, small group to Cuba from Israel and US. We had attended in Cuba many groups from Israel and US, some of them incentive & corporate trips to Cuba.

During your Cuba trip a 24 hours emergency phone number is available

Jewish heritage sites

• Synagogue Adath Israel, the oldest one , built in 1914, loc ated in Old Havana, open to public by appointment.
• Beth Shalom's Synagogue.
• Sephardi Center.
• Jewish Cemetery of religious community Ashkenazi in Guanabacoa, east of Havana.
• Jewish cemetery of Sefardi Union (located just behind the Ashkenasy cemetery in Guanabacoa).
• Each of the 2 cementeries has a memorial to the Holocaust victims.
• Small Square (Plazoleta) for Holocaust victims in Havana ( Streets Picota and Merced).
• Columbus Havana Cemetery with vaults, statues of Cuba distinguished people with Jewish ancestry.

Highlights Cuba Jewish Experience

• Welcoming Dinner in private restaunrat (Paladar).
• Three important Synagogue in Havana and Jewish Communities.
• Meet with Jewish Leaders and Members of The Sephardic Centre.
• 1955 Cadillac Tour of Havana.
• Community Project exerience in Fusterlandia.
• Cigar and farm experience in Vinales.
• Art and architecture in Cienfuegos.
• Local art project Trazos Libres.
• Jewish Community in Santa Clara.
• Crafts and sugar production in Trinidad, the most colonial of Cuba.
• Salsa dance lesson.

Destination you will visit:

Accommodation and meals

We guarantee accommodation in good comfort hotels in different categories, in excellent locations within the city algo available lodging in Casa Particular, a local bed and breakfast experience, Kosher Meals is available on request.

On request, availabe transfer to The Sephardic Centre to participate in morning services.

Note: This Cuba Jewish tour is also available for US citizens who are members Jewish religious communities interested in participating in a Cuba tour of Jewish religious activities and Jewish Heritage trace in Cuba. It meets US requirements for a legal travel to Cuba from US

Welcome to Cuba Full Itineraryry

DAY 1 Welcome to HAVANA

Arrival at José Martí International Airport, Havana.

Meet and Greeting at the Airport.

Private Transfer to accommodation.

Information briefing with the local guide.

Welcoming Dinner at Family/Private Restaurant like San Cristobal, Habana 61, Elizalde or Iván Chefs Justo.

Accommodation in B&B at Hotel or Private House, all our guest house are comfortable, well equipped and central located, attended by local Cubans who offer first class services to guess; or at Hotel of any category in Havana, first of their category in the capital, lodging according to your interest and budget.

D (Dinner included)

DAY 2 HAVANA

Breakfast.

Privately guided walking tour in Old Havana.

Visit Hotel Raquel.

Hotel Raquel is a hotel built at the beginning of the 20th century, It´s name is in honor of the matriarch of the Judaism, "Raquel" The bar was named Lejaim, which means “to life” in Hebrew and is the traditional Jewish toast. The boutique is named Bezalel.

Visit Orthodox Synagogue - Adath Israel and personal with the Jewish community.

City Tour of Old Havana starting the walking tour of Old Havana from the Templete, where Havana villa was founded in 1519. Walking through the Plaza de Armas and all other Squares of Old Havana: San Francisco de Asís Square, then to Old Square, visit the Cathedral Square. Seeing the monuments and buildings more relevant from the different centuries all well preserved, the Palacio Del Segundo Cabo, the Cathedral.

Visit Sephardic Synagogue and optional Lunch with the members of the synagogue.

Tour in a majestic private 1955 Red American Cadillac passing through the Revolution Square Stop to take pictures, then continuing through the Colon Cemetery, one of the most historical cemetery of the world and the most significant in Latin American with more of 500 mausoleums, chapels and family vaults; enjoy some of the most relevant mansions of the Vedado on visiting Paseo Avenue & President Avenue, 17 Street between others majestic avenues of the City , going through the University of Havana, the Coppelia building, the Rampa, the first Hilton built outside USA in the fifties, visiting the Promenade on the Sea , then Fifth Avenue finish at Hotel Nacional de Cuba , one of most renowned Hotel in Cuba, witness of many important historical events in Cuba, visit the Hotel´s hall of fame, a gallery of pictures of world figures who has been guest of Hotel National de Cuba from its foundation including American celebrities.

Free afternoon.

Accommodation in B&B at Hotel or Private House.

B (Breakfast included)

DAY 3 Havana Follow in the Footsteps of Ernest Hemingway

Breakfast.

Departure to visit the Jewish Cemetery.

Leaving for Hemingway Museum at Finca Vigía farm located in the town of San Francisco de Paula 15 kilometers southeast of Havana. It was the residence of Hemingway in Havana, Cuba since 1939, he bought the farm following year in 1940 when he married his third wife Martha Gellhorn. It is considered one of the most complete Hemingway´s museum in the world. There you will see the Hemingway´s Yacht El Pilar, which he used for all his fishing adventures in the Cuban´s see. While leaving in Havana, Cuba Hemingway wrote his masterpiece Old Man and the Sea novel based in real stories told by fishermen of Cojímar, a fishermen town east to Havana.

Finca Vigía is on the World Monument Fund's 100 Site List as well as the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 11 sites.

He won the Novel Prize literature award in 1954 and dedicated his medal to the Cuban people leaving the medal at the Sanctuary of Virgin Caridad del Cobre, patron of all Cubans.

Optional lunch.

You will also visit Cojímar and La Terraza de Cojímar restaurant where you will see pictures on the wall of Hemingway fishing and at this restaurant very famous at the time.

From Cojímar will visit the external area of Morro Cabaña fortress to have an excellent view over Havana City and the Promenade from the other side of the harbor, also will visit the small harbor’s town of Casa Blanca where you will see the Havana Christ and the Institute of Meteorology.

17:00 Visit El Patronato (Beth Shalom) Conservative Synagogue.

Back to accommodation.

Accommodation in B&B at Hotel in Havana of any category according your choice or at very good private guest-house .

B (Breakfast included)

Day 4 Havana Fusterlandia Viñales Havana

Breakfast.

Departure to Viñales.

On the west side of Havana it is the town of Jaimanitas, there visit Casa Fuster, also known as "Fusterlandia," the bizarre studio of artist José Rodriguez Fuster. Most famous for bringing the amazing designs of Gaudi and Brancusi to Cuba, he has adorned the surroundings of his studio enclave with brightly colored sculptures and mosaics.

Continues trip to Viñales, one of the most beautiful areas of Cuba with their rare hill name Mogotes, fertile land where best tobacco leaf is grown. Place of wonderful caverns, little country routes and amazing landscapes.

Visit a private cigar farm where you will see the tobacco plantations and the process of drying the tobacco leaf from where the Havana Cigar is produced.

The history of tobacco in Cuba and Cigar rolling demonstration where you can build your own selection.

Luncheon at Finca Paraiso (very interesting local agro ecological project with the best views of the Valley; family private owned restaurant.)

14:00 Entrance to the Indian caves with a boat ride inside the cave.

Back to Havana.

Free evening in Havana city.

Accommodation in B&B at Hotel or Private House.

B, L (Breakfast and Lunch included)

Day 5 Havana Cienfuegos Santa Clara

Breakfast.

Departure to Santa Clara vía Cienfuegos.

Visiting local project Trazos Libres (Free Strokes), a community cultural project which supports and collaborates with local artists.

Privately guided city tour in Cienfuegos City, founded by French settlers who came from Louisiana, USA in 1819. This history gives it an air and architectural style that is distinctive from that of the rest of the island. This city appeal lies partly in the European flavor of its colonial heritage, with a wide Parisian-style boulevard and elegant colonnades, and there is an ambience to inspire Cuba’s most celebrated Son singer Benny Moré to write the words “Cienfuegos is the city I like best”.

Optional lunch.

Continues trip to Santa Clara.

Accommodation in B&B at Hotel or Private House.

B (Breakfast included)

Day 6 Santa Clara Trinidad

Breakfast.

Visit the Che Memorial at the Square Che Guevara, and then visit the Vidal Park at the Center of the City, and walking through the city.

Visit Jewish Community Tikun Olam in Santa Clara. Visit to the Jewish Cemetery and new synagogue in Santa Clara, most central Cuba city.

Optional lunch.

16:00 in the afternoon departure to Trinidad.

19:00 Arrival and Check in.

Free evening in Trinidad.

Accommodation in B&B at Hotel of any level or at centrally located Private House with all good conditions to lodge, a great experience, best way to meet local Cubans.

B (Breakfast included)

Day 7 Trinidad

Breakfast.

One hour Salsa Lesson, you learn to move like the locals with a traditional salsa class.

Tour of the City of Trinidad established by the Spaniards in 1514 and lined with cobblestone streets and colorful houses, the town of Trinidad is easy to wander around and almost every scene offers superb photographic opportunities – from locals casually smoking their huge cigars on the doorsteps of their homes to old Chevrolets cruising by. Visit Santa Ana and the Major Square.

Museum of Municipal History of Trinidad.

Lunch included in La Esquina, Local private restaurant.

After lunch departing for the Sugar Mills Valley, visit the Viewpoint, and the Manaca Iznaga, experiencing the Sugar Cane Juice and the explanation of the house the history and legends of the site.

Free time to enjoy the handcraft textiles being produced in the area.

Optional: Downhill canopy tour on zip-lines where you can enjoy magnificent views of the landscape.

Back to the town, rest of the afternoon at your leisure to make your own discoveries.

Optional dinner.

At night Enjoy traditional Cuban rhythms at La Casa de la Música, it is one of the most visited places in Trinidad.

Accommodation in B&B at Hotel or Private House.

B, L (Breakfast and lunch included)

Day 8 Trinidad Bay of Pigs Havana

Breakfast.

Departure to Havana via Bay of Pigs.

Ciénaga de Zapata National Park, a must-see for travelers, is an attraction for wildlife lovers and intact habitats. It is considered an important Cuba area, recognized with the category of Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

Optional Lunch.

Afterwards we visit the Bay of Pigs' Battle Museum at Playa Girón, the actual site of the invasion, which recounts the events of this conflict.

Continuation to a beautiful swimming whole (cenote) name Cueva de los Peces which resembles a huge natural tropical fish tank. Snorkeling time is included.

Continues trip to Havana.

Arrival and Check in.

Accommodation in B&B at Hotel or Private House.

B, L (Breakfast and lunch included)

Day 9 Havana Departure

08:00 Breakfast.

According to departure time, free morning for last minute souvenir shopping.

Visit to the Almacenes de San Jose where you can purchase local crafts, artwork, and souvenirs.

Private Transfer to Havana International Airport to take flight out of the country (clients must check the flight at the Airline Desk 3 hours in advance).

B (breakfast included)

Note: You can ask for an extension or your Cuba stay, we could offer all services in Cuba including transportation, accommodation and tour guide service between others

END OF SERVICES

Include

• Accommodation as described.
• Meet and Greeting at the Airport.
• Private Transfer In/Out.
• Local tour Guide in full command of English his salary, accommodation and meals.
• All the activities as indicated with the Entrances pointed out in the Program.
• Private transportation by minibus or Bus with driver and guide service.
• Meals as indicate the program.
• 24 hours phone emergency number.
• Local Cuban staff assistance during the whole staying for the implementation of the Program.
• Local Taxes.

Not included:

• Airfare.
• Tourist Visa.
• Medical Insurance.
• Tips.
• Services not mentioned in the Program.