Cuba | Son Caminos: Havana 500 Celebration
Tour Sponsor: Mari Marqués
Havana | Matanzas| Varadero
Photo by David Garten
Immerse yourself in Cuban culture and join Son Caminos in celebrating Havana 500—the quincentennial of the founding of an extraordinary city. Havana has long been preparing for its historic commemoration and we’ll be there to take advantage of the special events, performances, and exhibits throughout the capital. Son Caminos leads travelers beyond the surface to engage in intimate encounters with distinguished artists, professionals, and community leaders. You’ll visit artists in their private studios, engage in interactive arts workshops, and gain insights through exclusive city and museum tours. In a city abundantly rich in music and dance, you’ll have multiple options to enjoy live performances and experience Havana’s vibrant nightlife.
After the stimulating days in Havana, we’ll gain historical context by traveling east to Matanzas, the hub of the island’s sugar industry, to explore the roles of sugar and slavery, and the essential contributions of AfroCubans to the development of Cuba and its capital. For some pleasurable rejuvenation, we’ll stay in Varadero—the most famous beach on the island. A walk along its fine white sand and swim in the clear turquoise water will revitalize you before returning to the exuberance of Havana for the culmination of the birthday celebration on our last weekend.
Son Caminos provides carefully curated small group tours focused on supporting independent artists and community groups, and exploring the intersection between art, culture & the history that forms the vibrant landscape of Cuba.
Our tours meet legal requirements for licensed travel under the category “support for the Cuban people.”
Tour Highlights:
∼ Enjoy the guidance of expert Cuban-American tour leader and a bilingual Cuban guide, both passionately committed to fostering dialogue and mutual understanding between the people of the US and Cuba.
∼ Meet with documentarian Gloria Rolando, recently invited to join the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences in the director category. Her films highlight AfroCuban contributions to Cuban history and promote intercultural dialogue.
∼ Hear the intimate stories behind the photographs by award winning Leysis Quesada, whose work was recently featured in a show at Annenberg Space for Photography in LA.
∼ Attend a workshop with the artists from Ediciones Vigía, an independent publishing collective that produces extraordinary limited edition hand-made books.
∼ Tour El Castillo de San Severino, a former slave port and prison which now houses the Museum of the Slaves’ Route. Museum exhbits come to life in an exclusive performance by premier folkloric group AfroCuba de Matanzas.
∼ Varadero! Swim in its magical waters and experience one of the most beautiful beaches in the world!
∼ Walk to nearby restaurants and nightclubs from your hotel in Vedado, an epicenter for cultural activities in Havana. Relish the magnificence of a Havana sunset after a stroll on the Malecón—the city’s famous seawall esplanade, only a few blocks from the hotel.
Tour Price
$3990 double occupancy in 4-star hotel
$810 single supplement
Price includes lodging in 4 star hotels (7 nights in Havana, 2 nights in Varadero); 20 meals; airport transfers and transportation to all programmed activities.
Please register by September 20, 2019 to ensure you’ll be joining us in celebrating Havana 500!
Trip Itinerary
View Trip Itinerary Here
