Our Forbidden Island Tour offers a unique experience that has eluded the past generation for the last 60 years! Here is the perfect opportunity to visit Cuba and take in all of its rich culture. As the country adapts to the modern technology, gaining access to the Internet and Wi-Fi, it still is engulfed in its old world ways.
From Cuba’s beautiful beaches to the historic story Havana wants to share with you, to the stroll through the country side, to reliving the colonial history through our expert Cuban guides that will show you the experience of a rich heritage of music and dance that Cuba is renowned for. Prepare to have your mind blown away with the historic American cars to the fragrance of cigars and with plenty of rum and salsa in between, this adventure will take you into the heart and soul of all things Cuban.
Of all the changes on the way, the Cuban people remain friendly and consider friendships an important way of life. Ernest Hemingway once called Cuba, “A second home” and was great friends with Fidel Castro. As businesses are starting to open up in the country, it will start enjoying a change as it propels into the new age! You do not want to miss the opportunity to experience Cuba before it’s too late!
We Do Cuba Every Day!
- Private welcome reception and pre-tour briefing
- Superior accommodations at the Melia Cohiba in Havana
- USA-CUBA Tours exclusive-guided programming, including; unique handpicked people-to-people activities; insider access to Cuba’s famous places and those rarely seen; and private visits and lectures with Cuba’s renowned experts
- Buena Vista Social Club Show (Optional)
- Famous Tropicana Show (Optional)
- Experienced TSP tour manager will travel with the group
- Local English speaking Cuban guide
- Half hour massage at Yuma Massage in Havana
- All meals while in Cuba (as shown on itinerary)
- Certification of travel to Cuba under the U.S. Department of the Treasury general license
- Small group size (usually 16 or fewer guests)
- All entrance fees to scheduled activities and events (except optional events)
- All in-country (Cuba tour-related) ground transportation and airport transfers via luxury motor coach
- Cellphone access for emergency calls to the U.S. while on tour (charges may apply)
- Flight package including: round-trip airfare from Ft. Lauderdale to Havana, Cuban tourist visa, Cuban medical insurance. Does not include baggage fee for checked bag or over weigh limits and Cuban exit tax, these fees will be collected by the airlines at the airport. Gratuities for luggage handling, restaurant service, and programmed activities throughout tour.
- Customary end-of-tour gratuities for the Cuban guide, driver, and tour leader are left to the guest’s discretion and should be based on your satisfaction with the level of service received.
Day 1 (Thursday) – Meet & Greet in Ft. Lauderdale and Fly to Havana
Arrive in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where you will meet your fellow Havana tour guest and meet your TSP representative who will be with the group through-out the tour. Then we’re off for a short flight to Havana’s Jose Marti International airport. After we clear Customs & Immigration we’ll take a nice drive through Havana to your hotel Melia Cohiba. After you check-in we’ll have a introductory tour orientation.
Day 2 (Friday) – Getting to Know Havana, Architecture, History, and Education
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
After a lovely breakfast, We’ll embark on a full day walking tour of the historic plazas with a local Cuban historian guide and learn why this is a world UNESCO site. Our first stop is the Plaza de la Revolution, then we’ll visit the Plaza de Armas, then it’s off to El Templete, and then finally La Cathedral San Cristobal de la Habana. We will break for lunch at a local Cuban paladar, where you can relax and enjoy the Cuban food, culture, and music, then continue our walking tour. The tour will finish up with a nice ride back to the hotel where you can rest and relax, while your tour guide arranges a beautiful dinner at a nice local Cuban paladar. Afterwards we’ll take a beautiful stroll and visit the Castle San Carlos de la Cabana for the Cannon Firing Ceremony. The firing of the cannon signals closing of the city gates for the night.
Day 3 (Saturday) – Havana’s Rum/Cigar & Culture Tour
Breakfast and lunch
After breakfast, meet your Cuban expert/guide in the lobby and get ready to see and discover a few things Cuba is famous for as we travel to Partagas Cigar Factory. We will meet local Cubans who work in the Partagas factory and we’ll learn from them the process of growing, harvesting, and manufacturing of Cuba’s must famous cigars. Partagas factory is a place where you will see, smell, touch, and hear the history behind what makes Cuban cigars so famous and how important they are to their economy from local Cuban experts. Then we’re off to visit the Great Theater in Havana, you’ll learn from a Cuban historian about the history of the theater. We’ll also meet local performers of opera and ballot groups who use the theater for dance and plays. We get a chance to stop by the famous La Floridita bar and restaurant to experience Hemingway’s favorite place to visit. Here you can sample the famous Cuban Daiquiri and enjoy a nice Cuban lunch. After lunch we’re off to visit and learn about Earnest Hemingway and all his contributions to Cuba from a local Cuban expert. We will visit his home and farm while learning about his adventures and challenges while in Cuba. We’ll visit Hemingway’s favorite city, Cojimar, where he gain inspiration when writing “The Old Man and The Sea”. Then back to the hotel to relax and freshen up. The night is open for you to explore and enjoy a nice private dinner with friends and family.
Day 4 (Sunday) – Experience and learn from local artists in their element
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Breakfast in the morning, then we get an early start with a Vintage Classic Car ride with your Cuban guide as we travel to our first cultural stop of the day – Fusterlandia. This is a vibrant arts complex named after its originator and chief creative force, Jose Fuster. A self-effacing painter and sculptor, Fuster is recognized as one of Cuba’s most talented and iconic artists. In fact, many call him the “Picasso of the Caribbean”. We’ll get a chance to meet Jose Fuster and other artist while visiting Fusterlandia. Then we’re off in our vintage classic cars and headed to Hotel Nacional for lunch, where we’ll meet a historian guide that will show and discuss the history of the famous hotel. After lunch we’re headed to visit Callejon de Hammel and meet the people of African dance group and learn about their history. Tour ends with a drop-off at Melia Cohiba hotel, where you can rest and relax. Your TSP representative will arrange a fabulous dinner at a nice Cuban restaurant. After dinner we can arrange some entertainment for you at the famous Tropicana show.
Day 5 (Monday) – Matanzas (Southside) were you’ll learn about the historical sites, like the Bay of Pigs
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Enjoy breakfast and meet your trusted tour guide in the lobby and get ready to travel to Matanzas, Cuba. Matanzas is approximately 103Km from Havana and will take a little over an hour to get there. Once there we will start off by visiting the Matanzas providence “Playa Giron” where you’ll meet a local Cuban historian that will teach you the history of the Bay of Pigs from Cuba’s perspective. We’ll visit the beach where Cubans confronted American trained forces and then hear from an expert during our tour of the museum. We’ll take a boat ride to La Laguna del Tesoro and then eat lunch at an authentic Cuban Paladar. During this time in Matanzas we’ll take a scenic drive through the heart of Matanzas where you’ll learn about Matanzas history from local experts and many groups of people we’ll meet during our travels. This will give you a real look at Cuba and her beauty, all while being humbled as you take in the landscape and listen to the Cuban people
Then we’ll enjoy a short relaxing ride back to the hotel where you can relax and freshen up, while your representative/guide arranges a beautiful dinner.
Day 6 (Tuesday) – Art Adventure & History Tour of Havana
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
After breakfast meet your Cuban tour guide in the lobby and get ready to experience art through the eyes of local Cuban artist and designers. Enjoy a tailor made behind the scenes visits to Art Centers, Galleries and Museums, such as the The Napoleon Museum, Church & Convent of St. Francis of Asisi, and the Museum of Chocolate. Not only will you experience some of the beautiful Cuban artwork, but you’ll get a chance to taste the artwork. We’ll also meet local artist and hear their stories while immersing yourself in the vibrant and exciting Havana art scene. We’ll have lunch in a local Cuban Paladar of our choice and after lunch we will continue on with visiting the Bellas Artes, the Museum of Cuban Art, and the National Museum of Decorative Arts. Then back to the hotel to relax and freshen up, while your tour guide arranges dinner at Antiguo Almacen, where you can tour the beer making process in Cuba.
Day 7 (Wednesday) – Amazing Vinales Day Tour, the Splendor of Rural Cuba
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
After breakfast you’ll meet your Cuban tour guide in the lobby and we’ll set-off from Havana for Pinar del Rio province and the wonderful town of Vinales and a world UNESCO site. The comfortable air conditioned bus ride there will take us on a scenic drive along the “Ruta del Tobaco” into the lush surroundings of the Pinar del Rio Province. The views of the Mogote Valley are stunningly beautiful, which is made famous for its pin cushion shaped hills, tobacco fields and green vegetation. Once there we’ll meet a local agricultural expert who will teach us about the rural farming and tobacco farming, and learn how Cuban cigars are processed and rolled. Lunch will be served at a local authentic Cuban paladar on the farm where you can relax and enjoy the beauty. After lunch we’ll meet a local historian and visit the Mural de la Prehistoria and take a boat ride through the underground Indian caves. Now it’s back on the comfortable air conditioned bus for a relaxing ride back to our hotel in Havana. Freshen up and relax in hotel, while your representative/guide arranges dinner at Italia Paladar La Terraza de Miramar.
Day 8 (Thursday) – Farewell to Cuba
Breakfast
After breakfast we’ll meet in the hotel lobby where we’ll check out of the beautiful Melia Cohiba hotel and we’ll take a short ride to Jose Marti International Airport for your flight back to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. You’ll have time to shop while at the airport and pick up those last departing gifts to share with loved one back in United States.
*Prices per person and based on double occupancy
Forbidden Island | 4/11/19 – 4/18/19 | $2,895 | Sold-Out |
Forbidden Island | 4/18/19 – 4/25/19 | $2,895 | Sold-Out |
Forbidden Island | 4/25/19 – 5/2/19 | $2,895 | Sold-Out |
Forbidden Island | 5/2/19 – 5/9/19 | $2,895 | Sold-Out |
Forbidden Island | 5/9/19 – 5/16/19 | $2,895 | Sold-Out |
Forbidden Island | 5/16/19 – 5/23/19 | $2,895 | Sold-Out |
Forbidden Island | 5/23/19 – 5/30/19 | $2,895 | Sold-Out |
Forbidden Island | 5/30/19 – 6/6/19 | $2,895 | Sold-Out |
Forbidden Island | 6/6/19 – 6/13/19 | $2,895 | Sold-Out |
Forbidden Island | 6/13/19 – 6/20/19 | $2,895 | Sold-Out |
Forbidden Island | 6/20/19 – 6/27/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 6/27/19 – 7/4/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 7/4/19 – 7/11/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 7/11/19 – 7/18/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 7/18/19 – 7/25/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 7/25/19 – 8/1/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 8/1/19 – 8/8/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 8/1/19 – 8/8/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 8/8/19 – 8/15/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 8/15/19 – 8/22/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 8/22/19 – 8/29/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 8/29/19 – 9/5/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 9/5/19 – 9/12/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 9/12/19 – 9/19/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 9/19/19 – 9/26/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 9/26/19 – 10/3/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 10/3/19 – 10/10/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 10/10/19 – 10/17/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 10/17/19 – 10/24/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 10/24/19 – 10/31/19 | $2,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 10/31/19 – 11/7/19 | $3,695 | – |
Forbidden Island | 11/7/19 – 11/14/19 | $3,695 | – |
Forbidden Island | 11/14/19 – 11/21/19 | $3,695 | – |
Forbidden Island | 11/21/19 – 11/28/19 | $3,695 | – |
Forbidden Island | 11/28/19 – 12/5/19 | $3,895 | – |
Forbidden Island | 12/5/19 – 12/12/19 | $4,095 | – |
Forbidden Island | 12/12/19 – 12/19/19 | $4,495 | – |
Forbidden Island | 12/19/19 – 12/26/19 | $4,795 | – |
Forbidden Island | 12/26/19 – 1/2/20 | $5,295 | – |
Forbidden Island | 1/2/20 – 1/9/20 | $4,795 | Suspended |
Forbidden Island | 1/9/20 – 1/16/20 | $4,795 | Suspended |
Forbidden Island | 1/16/20 – 1/23/20 | $4,395 | Suspended |
Forbidden Island | 1/23/20 – 1/30/20 | $4,195 | Suspended |
Forbidden Island | 1/30/20 – 2/6/20 | $3,995 | Suspended |
Forbidden Island | 2/6/20 – 2/13/20 | $3,995 | Suspended |
Forbidden Island | 2/13/20 – 2/20/20 | $3,895 | Suspended |
Forbidden Island | 2/20/20 – 2/27/20 | $3,895 | Suspended |
Forbidden Island | 2/27/20 – 3/5/20 | $2,895 | Suspended |
Forbidden Island | 3/5/20 – 3/12/20 | $2,895 | Available |
Forbidden Island | 3/12/20 – 3/19/20 | $2,895 | Suspended |
Forbidden Island | 3/19/20 – 3/26/20 | $2,895 | Suspended |