WEEKEND CULTURE FIX

Once guests have cleared Cuban immigration and customs, they are greeted by our Havana-based tour staff.  Our first outing will take us to UNESCO World Heritage Site, Old Havana where we will visit the historic center of the city.  Lunch will be served at the elegant Cafe del Oriente, situated in the monumental Plaza de San Francisco, where Secretary of State John Kerry hosted his formal luncheon following the re-opening of the US Embassy in Havana.

After lunch, guests continue their guided walking tour of Old Havana’s living neighborhood and are introduced to an eclectic selection of private galleries and informal street vendor options.  As the afternoon progresses, guests may choose from a high tea with butler passed mimosa service at Havana’s oldest perfume apothecary, Habana 1791—including aromatherapy treatments and a classical chamber quintet—or a visit to the nearby House of the Habano for our first pairing of the best Cuban cigars, cognacs and exceptional rums.  A late afternoon check-in to our hotel is followed by an oceanfront Welcome Reception set to the sophisticated sounds of our bolero trio.

Following dinner, our bar hop begins at El Floridita which is famous for mixing Ernest Hemingway’s favorite daiquiris.  And our late-night hop continues at the original Sloppy Joe’s, the famous Prohibition Era hangout where we are joined by some of Havana’s foremost contemporary authors.

Following breakfast, our fleet of vintage convertible sedans picks you up at the hotel for a tour of Colonial Cuban treasures.  Cuban colonial history extends for more than 500 years, and has resulted in stunning and architecturally significant residences and public buildings.  Join us as we explore Havana’s vast cultural achievements and immerse ourselves in the opulent world of the Spanish Creole aristocracy of the colonial period, with its Mudejar craftsmanship and baroque palacios, and classically inspired grand mansions.  In many instances, exceptional preservation work has kept these villas in the magnificent state in which they were first envisioned.

Lunch awaits at Doña Eutimia paladar, a family style favorite situated adjacent to the Plaza de la Catedral that showcases a fusion of traditional Cuban cuisine with subtle international nuances.  Once lunch is completed, your guests explore Havana’s beautiful coastline aboard our luxury catamaran, and learn about Cuba’s extensive eco-initiatives from local experts from the University of Havana.

Havana’s sizzle is second to none, and the city is a vibrant creative hub renowned internationally for its music scene.  Join us for a behind the scenes encounter at Cafe de los Artistas, a quaint culinary enclave established by one of Cuba’s foremost filmmaking families.  Celebrated musicians welcome guests for dinner and private recording session, hosted by an original member of the Buena Vista Social Club.  Guests enjoy butler passed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while becoming immersed in the inner workings of the music industry. Our salsa encounter continues throughout dinner with an exclusive Q&A with some of Cuba’s foremost artists and choreographers, followed by a steamy combination of salsa lessons and mojitos.

Following a morning at leisure, we invite you to an afternoon comprised of an insiders’ foray into Havana’s celebrated visual and performance art scene.   Art enthusiasts from across the globe have long known that Havana is an important cultural capital of the Americas.  Guests enjoy a private escorted tour of Galeria Avistamientos, a gallery space featuring internationally acclaimed contemporary artists.  Next stop is the engaging Fototeca de Cuba, followed by a curator led tour of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.  Lunch awaits at the acclaimed culinary destination, Cafe Laurent, that offers sweeping views of Vedado and the Malecon, where they are joined by curator Julie Portella Ponce de Leon, former director of the Art History Department at the Havana Superior Art Institute as she shares insights into Cuba’s vibrant visual arts tradition.  And our final visual arts destination is a private studio visit with one of Cuba’s most celebrated painters.

An unforgettable night at the world famous La Guarida restaurant awaits your guests for their final night in Havana.  The restaurant was the set of the 1994 Oscar nominated film for Best Foreign Language, Fresa y Chocolate.  You and your guests experience the finest nuevo-Cuban cuisine, a fusion of traditional staples and avant-garde techniques that pay homage to Jose Lezama Lima, one of Cuba’s most relevant writers of the 20th century.  After dinner, the party continues into the night at the restaurant’s rooftop terrace and cigar lounge where guests bask in the hip sophisticated mix of the resident lounge DJ.

Guest will have a free morning to recapture their favorite moments of their trip before they are transported to the airport for their return trip to Miami.

*Extensions available upon request