15 DAYS BEST LOCAL GUIDE TOUR OF MEXICO AND CUBA

Highlights

• Havana world heritage city..
• Trinidad, declared by UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Mexico City, Worldwide Heritage Site.
• Teotihuacan Pyramids world heritage site.
• Our lady of Guadalupe parish.
• Merida, Yucatan tour..
• Chichen-Itza, mayan site.
• Cancun beach resort, one of most visited beach in the world.
• 4 Cuban world heritage sites.
• 3 Mexican world heritage sites.

Travel Itinerary

DAY 1 HAVANA ARRIVAL

Welcome to Cuba by Cubatoptravel.

Meet and greeting at Havana International Airport.

Your transfer to accommodation will be provided by your tour guide and/or cuban staff .

Check In at the Hotel or at private Havana guest house.

Evening is free, you can enjoy a free time to walk Havana or do any optional activity in Havana.

Accommodation in B & B at Hotel 3*,4* or 5* or at best centrally located private guest house.

Free evening / optional.

• Cannon Fire Ceremony at Morro Cabaña Fortres.
• Art Factory (art exhibitions, life music group performance, workshops about art, culture, books).
• Music House.
• Cabarets like Tropicana or Parisién.
• Latin Jazz Night Clubs like the Fox and the Raven.
• Salsa dancing clubs.

Day 2 HAVANA TOUR EXPERIENCE

08:30 Breakfast.

09:20 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, the Palacio del Segundo Cabo and the Cathedral.

10:30 Visit the cigar factory in Havana.

12:00 Entrance to the Rum Museum and know about the process of producing Rum from the Sugar Cane.

Continuation of walking tour through out Havana 4 Old Squares.

13:45 Optional lunch at bohemian restaurant La Mina at the Plaza de Armas Square (not included).

15:00 Visit the Paseo del Prado Avenue, the Grand Theater of Havana, the Capitol Building, the Central Park.

16:30 American Old vintage classic car Havana tour with your tour guide throughout Old, Central and Modern Havana.

17:30 Drop Off at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba with its more than 90 years of existence, visit the Hall of Fame and get a Welcoming Mojito, visit the gardens of the Hotel.

Continuation the tour through the Vedado area, visiting the University, 23 Street, the Seaboard / Promenade.

19:30 Back tothe Hotel.

Free evening.

Optional dinner at best family private owned restaurants in Havana also name “Paladar”

Optional activities available.

Back to Hotel.

Accommodation in B & B at Hotel 3*,4* or 5* or at best centrally located private guest house.

B (Breakfast included).

Day 3 HAVANA - VIÑALES VALLEY TOUR

Today you will visit must-see Viñales, world heritage site by UNESCO.

07:00 Early breakfast.

7:45 Departing for Viñales Valley (190km). One of the most beautiful areas of Cuba, UNESCO world heritage site , with their rare hill name Mogotes, fertile land where best havano tobacco leaf is grown. Place of wonderful caverns, little country routes and amazing landscapes.

10:00 Walking tour through the Valley visiting tobacco farms, meeting “guajiros” working land with the oxen, part of the traditional agriculture in Cuba and more sustainable method to keep a healthy agriculture production..

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

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

Visit Los Jazmines viewpoint from where you will have an excellent view over the Valley.

Visit the town where you can see how it has developed due to tourism and free enterprise for Cubans to generate small family business.

Check in at private Guesthouse, accommodation with breakfast.

B,L (breakfast and lunch included).

Day 4 VIÑALES VALLEY – CIENFUEGOS

07:30 breakfast

8:15 Check Out and departure to Cienfuegos City. French founded city with an important port town founded by French settlers from Louisiana in 1819. This history gives it an air and architectural style that is distinct from that of the rest of the island. This city appeal lies partly in the European flavor of its colonial hub, with a wide Parisian - style boulevard and elegant colonnades, and there is an ambience to inspire Cuba’s most celebrated Son singer to write the words “Cienfuegos is the city I like best”. Visit the Martí Park, the Terry Theater, the Alameda (Central Park pedestrian boulevard ), the Seaboard (one of the prettiest Bay in Cuba), visit the Palacio del Valle.

12:30 Optionalluncheon (notincluded).

Check in at hotel in Cienfuegos..

Free evening.

Accommodation in standard room at Hotel 3* or 4* well located or at private guesthouse at the city center in B & B.

B (breakfast included).

Day 5 CIENFUEGOS – TRINIDAD

Fantastic day today, know well preserved colonial city in the America´s: Trinidad, Cuba, world heritage city.

8:00 Breakfast.

09:00 Check out, departing to Trinidad Cuba.

10:15 Arriving to Trinidad and check in to your accommodation.

12:30 Optional luncheon in a local private restaurant.

14:00 Departing for tour of Trinidad City, the quintessential of Cuba Colonial City, best preserved historical Center in all the America´s, 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, where the Cathedral is located and the Romantic Museum and other main and oldest building of Trinidad.

Entrance to the Canchanchara Bar to try the cocktail Canchanchara based on Aguardiente (from Sugar Cane), lemon juice and honey.

Visit Sugar Mills Valley and Manaca Iznaga tower and local community , you will learn about how Trinidad, Cuba became a wealthy prosperous city in the XVIII Century due to the productions of sugar for the world market particularly to Europe.

Free evening, it is recommended to enjoy the cultural night life in Trinidad, of a particular interest is some galleries of arts in the Historical Center of Trinidad as well as Casa de la Trova or Casa de la Música, to listen Cuban music and eventually to dance at Cuban Rhythms with local Cuban people.

Accommodation in standard room at Hotel 3* or 4* or 5* well located or at best good comfort private guesthouse at the city center in B & B.

B (breakfast included)

Day 6 TRINIDAD - SANTA CLARA –HAVANA

Visit HISTORICAL CITY OF Santa Clara, most central city of Cuba

08:00 Breakfast.

08:45 Leaving Trinidad to Varadero beach , on your way visit Santa Clara City.

10:20 Visit historical center of Santa Clara at Vidal park, visit Che memorial, the Monument to the Derail Train.

Continuation to Havana.

Check In at accommodation.

Leisure time, enjoy last night in Havana.

Optional evening..

Accommodation in B & B at Hotel 3*,4* or 5* in centric Havana with all taxes included.

B (breakfast included).

Day 7 HAVANA-DEPARTURE-CANCUN.

Visit Cancun, one of most visited beaches in the world

After breakfast , enjoy morning in Havana.

At the appropriate time, Transfer Out to Havana International Airport.

Flight to Cancun International Airport.

Meet and Greeting at Cancun, Quintana Roo.

Welcome by your staff MexicoTopTravel.

Transfer to Hotel in Cancun, check in.

Free time

Accommodation in All Inclusive Hotel 3*,4* or 5* in Cancun.

B, D (breakfast and dinner included).

Day 8 CANCUN-MERIDA.

Enjoy visit Chichen-Itza, one of 7 new world wonders of the world, must-visit heritage site in Mexico

Departing early Cancun to this special Mexican culture adventure of visiting most known Mayan civilization archeology site.

Chichen Itzá "Mouth of the Well of the Water Witches" in the Mayan Language, one of the most important sites for the Mayans, where you will get to know the Kukulcan Pyramid, one of the seven wonders of the world modern, the history of the ball game, the astronomical observatory of the Mayans.

Free time to enjoy knowing all that the Mayan culture involves.

13:30 Lunch with folklore show.

15:00 Visit to the Ik-Il Cenote located 3 km from the archaeological zone of Chichen Itzá where you can cool off with its crystal clear waters, surrounded by lots of vegetation.

Then continuation to Mérida City, known as the white city, know its elegant historical center where most important buildings of the City are located including the government palace, the Montejo old XVI Century house ( house of the Spaniard Conqueror of Yucatan Peninsula), and the Cathedral, then travel throughout Montejo avenue most beautiful and big avenue in the city.

Time to walk by yourself and discover this interesting City, most develop and modern on the South east of Mexico.

Accommodation in B & B at Hotel 3*,4* or 5* or at boutiques or at Hacienda Hotels.

B, L (breakfast and lunch included).

Day 9 MERIDA.

Ecotur to Celestum, swim at this beautiful beach on Gulf of Mexico.

8:30 Breakfast at the Hotel.

Enjoy an excursion to the Ría Celestún Biosphere Reserve, an area that serves as a refuge for numerous migratory birds, and one of the two sites in Mexico where the pink flamingo reproduces. This protected natural area safeguards different ecosystems and a fauna diversity, including endangered species such as hawksbill and cahuana turtles, jabirú, spider monkey, anteater, jaguar, manatee and tapir.

You will board a boat to cross part of the estuary, where you can observe the beautiful pink flamingos. Also, you will visit the Bird Island which as its name implies is full of birds. You will cross the mangroves to reach a water hole where you can cool off with a bath. Later you will go to the beach where you will have time to rest and enjoy lunch. Don't worry about how to transport yourself because a vehicle will pick you up and return to your hotel.

Back to the hotel.

Night available.

Accommodation in B & B at Hotel 3*,4* or 5* or at boutiques or at Hacienda Hotels.

B (breakfast included).

Day 10 MERIDA-MEXICO CITY.

Tour of beautiful “Cenotes and Haciendas” in Mérida Yucatan then flight in the afternoon to Mexico City to know this incredible City, center of the Aztec Empire.

After breakfast, enjoy a very nice local guide tour to 3 of most interesting Cenotes in Yucatan and know some of best historical Estate “Haciendas” big mansions built in the XIX of early XX Century by the landlords high class of Yucatan whose land produce henequen very well demanded those days which make them very rich and prosperous City of Mérida, Yucatán. Henequen was then called as the “green gold” at that time in history.

Have optional luncheon.

Depart to Mérida International Airport to take domestic flight to International Airport of Mexico City.

Meet and Greeting at the airport by Mexico Top Travel staff.

Transfer In to Hotel in México City.

Accommodation in B & B on standard room at Hotel 3*,4* or 5* or at boutique hotels with breakfast and taxes included.

Enjoy free time, walking throughout Reforma Avenue, one of the most centric, important and beautiful avenues in the City of Mexico.

B (breakfast included).

Day 11 MEXICO CITY.

8:00 Breakfast at the Hotel.

9:00 Departure of the tour from the Hotel Lobby to the Historic Center of Mexico, known as Zócalo or Plaza de la Constitución, here you will visit the National Palace where you will observe the Macro Mural painted by the famous Mexican muralist Diego Rivera in which they represent different scenes from the history and development of Mexico.

You will also visit the outer area of the ruins of Tenochtitlán capital of the Aztec Empire; Later on, you will visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, the largest in Latin America, one of the most outstanding works of Hispanic American Art built over three centuries and encompassing in the same space the different styles of the Viceroyalty era. It will be wrapped in the historical center of all the architectural jewels of Mexico, being one of the most representative squares in Latin America, for having a meeting point between the political, economic, religious power of the indigenous and viceregal past of Mexico.

12:00 The Panoramic Tour on Reforma Avenue will continue, one of the main and most beautiful Avenues in the City where you will appreciate various Monuments such as: The Angel of Independence, La Diana, Torre Caballito, Statue of Carlos V, Statue from Cuauhtémoc, You will also appreciate the majestic tower building, an admirable building, which is the tallest of the buildings in Mexico and one of the tallest in all of Latin America. You will visit Chapultepec and the Residential area of Las Lomas, later after noon you will arrive at the Museum of Anthropology one of the most important museum venues in Mexico and Latin America, where our guide will show you and explain the Mexican Room.

Transfer back to hotel.

Free afternoon and night available.

Accommodation in B & B at the Hotel 3*,4* or 5* Hotel with hotel and local taxes included.

B (breakfast included).

Day 12 MEXICO CITY - BASILIC OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE - PYRAMIDS OF TEOTIHUACÁN.

Visit Teotihuacan Pyramids, Mexican world heritage site and visit Basilic of Guadalupe, one of most visited churches in the world.

8:00 Breakfast at hotel.

The tour starts visiting the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Queen of Mexico and Empress of America, know the ancient basilica, the hill of Tepeyac where the appearance and the miracle to Juan Diego, the garden of the offerings happened Chapel Indio the ancient Basilica and the current where you can admire closely the actual tilma of the Virgin of Guadalupe to all pilgrims ask miracles. The tour continues with a visit to the Plaza of the 3 Cultures, one of the most significant of the city of Mexico, as it reflected three important stages of the history of Mexico: Pre-Hispanic, colonial and contemporary.

Then we continue to the wonderful Teotihuacan Pyramids, expression of the Aztec Empire´s where you will climb the Pyramid of the Sun and Moon, know the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the Jaguar building and the god road.

17:00 Return to Hotel.

Free evening.

Accommodation in in B & B on standard room at Hotel 3*,4* or 5* with all taxes included.

B (breakfast included).

Day 13 MEXICO CITY –SAN ANGEL-COYOACÁN & XOCHIMILCO.

Visit colorful towns of Mexico City Coyoacán and San Angel and also visit Xochimilco, one of best Mexican world heritage site.

Breakfast at hotel.

Departure of the tour to San Angel to know University City, you will know the oldest pyramid of Latin America, the Olympic Stadium, besides the murals of Juan O'Gorman.

Later you will be drive to Coyoacan neighborhood founded by Hernan Cortés in 1522, it was the second city hall of New Spain, and it houses the first religious building of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which was the Church of the Conception, you can also visit the Church of San Juan Bautista, one of the oldest Catholic temples in Mexico, its construction began in the sixteenth century. Its design is attributed to Fray Juan de la Cruz, belonging to the Franciscan order. The whole is granted to the order of friar’s preachers or Dominicans, who later gave their administration to the Franciscans.

Another attraction of Coyoacán is the Plaza Hidalgo (Square Hidalgo) next to the Centennial Garden that forms the main meeting point of all visitors who visit Coyoacan. Nowadays, Coyoacán is surrounded by coffee shops, ice cream parlors and craft shops where people go to spend their free time in the company of family and friends to spend a nice and pleasant moment.

Visit Frida Kahlo Museum.

Optional lunch

Continue to the Xochimilco Channels, the last vestige of the Aztec era. Here you will enjoy a nice time on a Trajinera boat navigating through the Channel.

Transfer back to hotel

Free evening

Accommodation in B & B at Hotel 3*,4* or 5* in centric Mexico City with breakfast and all local taxes included.

B (breakfast included).

Day 14 MEXICO CITY-PUEBLA-CHOLULA.

Lovely City of Puebla, land of “ mole and talavera” and monumental pyramid of Cholula.

7:00 Breakfast at the Hotel.

8:00 Departure to the state of Puebla with a distance of approximately 120 kilometers from Mexico City. You will visit the Archaeological Zone of Cholula with the largest pyramid in the world. Cholula is distinguished as the city of 365 churches, as it has a Church to visit every day of the year.

Continuation of the tour to the beautiful capital of the state Puebla de los Ángeles, a purely colonial city decorated with the famous tiles (Talaveras). We visit the beautiful Cathedral, the Main Square, the Temple of Santo Domingo, the Chapel of the Rosary, considered the eighth wonder of the art world.

Optional luncheon

Visit a place where they make talavera, which is a type of majolica pottery, which is distinguished by its glassy white as a base of color. The authentic talavera only comes from the city of Puebla and the towns of Atlixco, Cholula and Tecali de Herrera, due to the fact that the type of clay and the history of crafts come from that region. Time to buy artistic examples to take away as a souvenir.

Return to hotel in México City.

Accommodation in B & B at the Hotel 3,4,5* with breakfast and all taxes included

B (breakfast included).

Day 15 HAVANA DEPARTURE.

Today is departure day,end of a magicvisit Cuba and Mexico tour On time you will be transferred to Mexico International Airport Benito Juarez to take your flight out of the country.

B (breakfast included).

END OF SERVICES

Included:

• Accommodation as indicated in Cuba and Mexico destinations.
• Cuban Local guide and Mexican local guide, both experience, professional and in full command of foreign language to conduct tours in Cuba and in Mexico.
• Full attention by Cuban and Mexican local staff while customers are in each of these 2 great tourist destinations..
• All indicated tours to best Cuba and Mexico attractions as mentioned on the Itinerary.
• Meals included as indicated on the Itinerary.
• Visit all highlights indicated on the Program.
• 9 Breakfast, 1 Dinner and 2 luncheons
• 24 hours phone emergency number.
• Staff assistance during the whole staying for the implementation of the Program.

Not included:

• Flights (international or domestic not included).
• Insurance
• Personal Expenses
• Entry visas
• Services not include on the Itinerary.
• Tips to Tour Guides, driver and at hotels.