Cuban Explorer
Wednesday 19 October 2022 - Monday 31 October 2022
(12 nights)
From £2,130.00
Listed by Spice Escapes
Enjoy the charm & character of this Caribbean delight!
Join us on a wonderful Caribbean break to the historic island of Cuba! Get away from it all this autumn and enjoy some fun in the Caribbean sun with Spice!
This 11-night break to the Caribbean's largest island, famed for its rum, salsa, vibrant culture and stunning beaches will be amazing. Spend a few days in the happening capital Havana and immerse yourself in decades of history intertwined with a hot salsa beat and plenty of rum cocktails before transferring to historic Trinidad for 3 nights and then on to quieter Varadero for 4 nights' All Inclusive relaxation on the beach.
The tour operator for this flight inclusive holiday is Spice UK Ltd (ATOL 9046). This holiday is protected by the Civil Aviation Authority under the ATOL scheme in the event of failure of the tour operator. Spice UK Ltd holiday terms and conditions apply, as supplied with the full holiday information pack. Your money is protected via our trust account in compliance with EC travel regulations.
Includes
- Flights
- Transfers
- 4 nights' B&B accommodation in Havana
- 3 nights All inclusive accommodation in Trinidad
- 4 nights All inclusive accommodation in Varadero
- 1 evening meal in Havana
- Walking tour of Havana
- City tour of Cienfuegos with a visit to the Palacio de Valle + Welcome Cocktail
- Lunch at the Club Cienfuegos Restaurant
- City Tour of Trinidad.
- City Tour Santa Clara
- Lunch at Santa Rosalia Restaurant in Santa Clara
- Cuban Tourist Card
Extras
- Single supp £399.
- Some drinks & some meals
- Optional excursions
- Personal extras.
- Tip kitty £60 (taken with balance)
- Personal travel insurance
- Covid testing as applicable at the time of travel
We have run this trip for 5 years now and last year we added a third destination which was well received so now you get to enjoy the delights of Havana, explore historic Trinidad and relax in Varadero.
So here it is…we have an allocation of just 15 at this price which we expect will be filled very quickly if the last few years have been anything to go by. We also have a further on hold after this but they will have a £100 supplement so please book early for the best price!
Location & Itinerary
Havana
Havana, the first grand city built by Europeans in the New World, retains the grandeur and charm of a history that spans nearly 500 years. When New York was still a collection of huts Havana was a cosmopolitan city with palaces and squares, with a high society already famous for its dances.
Admire the famous Cathedral in Old Havana built in 1748. Visit the Palacio de los Capitaines Generales, the residence of the Spanish Captain General who ruled Cuba from 1791-1898 and the Castillo Real de la Fuerza, built between 1558-77, one of the oldest surviving colonial fortresses in the Americas and home to Giralda, the symbol of Cuba, as seen on the label of Havana Club rum.
See the Capitolio Nacional, a huge marble building modelled on the Capitol building in Washington and visit the Museo de la Revolucion, formerly the presidential palace. Wander along El Malecon, the famous waterfront of Havana. Pay a literary pilgrimage to the Hotel Ambos Mundos where Ernest Hemingway wrote the novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls".
When you're cultured out stroll along the Malecon and sample an ice cream from the famous Coppelia ice cream parlour, watch the strutting peacocks in the Hotel Nacional's garden, drink a mojito in La bodeguita and a daiquiri in La Floridita and take a cab ride in a 1950s Cadillac. And, of course, dance salsa. Visit Havana's nightclubs to learn to dance like a Cuban, with uninhibited passion.
As Graham Greene said of Havana "Anything is possible".
Trinidad
Trinidad is a town in central Cuba and probably its best preserved colonial town, with the old part of Trinidad being a UNESCO heritage site since 1988.Llike most colonial towns, is beautiful with brightly colored buildings and cobblestone streets and its main square, Plaza Mayor, is surrounded by stunning colonial buildings.Whilst here we will enjoy a city tour to uncover the very best of the towns history.
Varadero
Varadero is the largest resort complex in the Caribbean. It offers you over 20 km of fine sand-shore and crystal-clear waters, pure air, clean and safe beaches, four and five star-hotels close to the sea and night time entertainment, clubs, bars, restaurants and more!.
This former elitist resort, 34 km east of Matanzas and 140 km east of Havana, is fronted by a stunning white sandy beach which, is bathed by the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Flocks of egrets and occasional pelicans fly by, skimming over a sea of stunning blue.
The resort occupies a narrow peninsula centered on a Cuban town which has a small population. Varadero is Cuba's premier beach resort, set on a sheltered peninsula with what many claim to be one of the finest beaches in the Caribbean. Warm, clear and shallow waters lap the soft, white sandy beaches. Sun seekers paradise with growing numbers of Americans, Canadians and European tourists. Varadero is a one hour's coach journey from Havana.
Travel & Stay
Hotel Nacional - Havana
The five star Hotel Nacional de Cuba is renowned, due to its refined elegance and classic splendour, as Havana's best hotel. Since 1930 it has attracted a large number of personalities from the arts, sciences and politics including Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Naomi Campbell, Errol Flynn, and Alexander Fleming. Built in the 1930s and combining Art Deco features with modernist influences, the Nacional's image still appears on much of Cuba's tourist promotion literature and evokes the glamour of a bygone era. A full refurbishment in 1992 remained sympathetic to the original architecture, preserving the hotel's 1930s splendour.
With its privileged location in Vedado, the centre of Havana, the Nacional stands on a promontory just a few metres from the sea and offers fabulous views of Havana Bay, the Malecón promenade and the city. There are two swimming pools, a choice of restaurants and beautiful gardens complete with strutting peacocks.
Hotel Brisas - Trinidad del Mar
Once outside of Havana and Varadero and good standard hotels become much more of a challenge to find and those in central Trinidad even more so. With that in mind we have opted to stay outside of Trinidad town at the resort of Trinidad del Mar.
Situated on the blinding white shores of Ancon Beach, surrounded by the Escambray mountains, the Hotel Brisas Trinidad del Mar is a miniature version of the beautiful old town of Trinidad. It's a great base from which to swim with the dolphins, explore the areas cultural attractions or simply relax in the comfort of the hotel and its facilities. The Brisas Trinidad hotel is all inclusive, which means you can enjoy the swimming pool, fitness room, jacuzzi, daily activities, games room and various non-motorised watersports at no extra cost. It is located 12km outside of Trinidad town and we have included a city tour when you stay here which starts and ends at the hote but if you want to stay in Trinidad after the tour then taxis back to the hotel later in the day are easy to find.
Hotel Iberostar Tainos - Varadero
The Iberostar Tainos is an attractive 4-star beach hotel built in traditional Caribbean style, close to the fabulous Varadero Beach on Cuba's north coast and set against a magnificent backround of a lush green landscape.
The hotel offers guests a choice of the finest restaurants, its two specialty options serving delicious Cuban and Japanese fare. For a more casual experience, the main restaurant, La Isabelica, provides a sumptuous buffet and when it's time to cool off, a variety of bars and lounges will quench the thirst from morning through to the small hours.
Guest rooms are bright and spacious, all with a large balcony with views over the resort or ocean. During the day, activities are a-plenty, including watersports, volleyball and minigolf. Of an evening, sit back and enjoy live shows in the Theatre Bar, the perfect way to end your day under the Cuban sunshine.
All guests at Iberostar Tainos will receive the following: - Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks throughout the day. Unlimited local and some international drinks. Comprehensive daily activities programme including watersports, aerobics and dance classes as well as nightly entertainment including live shows.
Provisional Flight Information
19/10/22 Heathrow to Paris Dep: 0620 Arr: 0835
19/10/22 Paris to Havana Dep: 1055 Arr: 1450
30/10/22 Havana to Paris Dep: 2155 Arr: 1150(+1)
31/10/22 Paris to Heathrow Dep: 1310 Arr: 1340
19/10/22 Manchester to Paris Dep: 0555 Arr: 0825
19/10/22 Paris to Havana Dep: 1055 Arr: 1450
30/10/22 Havana to Paris Dep: 2155 Arr: 1150(+1)
31/10/22 Paris to Manchester Dep: 1550 Arr: 1620
19/10/22 Birmingham to Paris Dep: 0615 Arr: 0840
19/10/22 Paris to Havana Dep: 1055 Arr: 1450
30/10/22 Havana to Paris Dep: 2155 Arr: 1150(+1)
31/10/22 Paris to Birmingham Dep: 1620 Arr: 1635
Cuban Explorer - Accommodation
| Type | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Place in a twin share room | £0.00 | Sold Out |
| Place in a twin share room (female only) | £0.00 | Sold Out |
| Single occupancy room | £399.00 | Sold Out |
Cuban Explorer
| Type | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Own flight without transfers | £1731.00 | Sold Out |
| Birminghamx | £2231.00 | Sold Out |
| Birmingham | £2831.00 | Sold Out |
| Heathrow | £2831.00 | Sold Out |
| Manchester | £2831.00 | Sold Out |
Not enough spaces left for you? Join the waitlist
Passport validity
You should have at least 6 months remaining on your passport from the start date of your holiday and your passport must be less than 10 years old (even if it has 6 months or more left).
Travel Insurance
Please ensure that you have adequate personal travel insurance to suit your requirements in place before you travel. Spice Escapes have arranged a scheme with Staysure who are fully authorised and regulated by the FCA (firm reference number 663617) full details of which can be found on the FCA website www.fca.org.uk. For an instant online quotation please click here.
The latest FCO travel guidance for Cuba
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cuba
Host & Everything Else
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