Cuba
Cuba Holiday Package
The one and only Cuba, the capital of music, vibrancy, hope and freedom. A city that never fails to enchant its visitors and draw them into its long and fascinating history. Our Cuba holiday package is tailor-made to your needs.
The Cuba we know of – that of the Revolution, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara – is also a place of endless blue beaches, lush plains, majestic mountains and stunning tropical vegetation. Nestled in the heart of the Caribbean, Cuba is home to a population of warm, hospitable and happy people who march to the beat of their own drum, one defined by music, dance and, of course, traditional rum. Cuba still retains the signature mark of the colonial era, a constant reminder of its long and dynamic history, with fascinating architectural feats that reflect the glamor of the past. Enjoy a Havana cigar, sip a mojito and discover the endless charms of Cuba on your journey of a lifetime.
Air Exelixi Travel has organized a special getaway just for you. The destination is Cuba.
Our Guarantee
We promise the signature, non-negotiable quality of our services. This entails meticulous planning of every aspect of your trip, including whatever excursions and outings you choose to partake in. Our consultation team will be in place throughout your journey, there to help you along the way. In addition, we offer our clients competitive rates and the perfect prices – making us one of the top agencies in the travel market. From beginning to end, our goal is to offer our clients unique and top-of-the-range travel getaways.
Travel to Cuba:
Cuba – or the pearl of the Caribbean, as many call it – is its largest island in the region. For many people, when Cuba comes to mind as a destination, they think only of Havana.
This colonial city holds 500 years of history engraved onto its buildings and alleys, attracting visitors from all around the world.
The magic of Cuba is found with a combination of its historic center, Havana Vieja, and the popular Malecon Promenade – something you’ll discover as soon as you arrive. What makes it unique, however, is the vibrant Caribbean atmosphere of the country, an energy you’ll experience in the countless cafes and bars of the city.
Varadero is considered one of the best beaches in the Caribbean. But if you want to see the authentic Cuba, you can’t miss a visit to the popular colonial cities of Trinidad and Cienfuegos.
For those wanting to see more of the area, your trip to Cuba can be expanded with visits to other Caribbean islands like Haiti or Mexico.
CUBA PANORAMA
9 days / 7 nights
1st day
Athens – Havana
Meeting at Athens International Airport El. Venizelos airport (note that you should be at the airport at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure time) and depart for Havana. There you will be met by our office representative in Cuba who will accompany you to the hotel, where you can settle in your rooms and spend the night.
2nd day
Havana – City tour
Breakfast at the hotel and departure for our informative tour of the most beautiful city in the Caribbean. We will start in Revolution Square with its huge portraits of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. We will pass by the University of Havana, cross the “modern” district of Vedado with its central Copelia Square and the famous Malecón promenade, and end up at the Capitol, an exact replica of the one in Washington, D.C. Our tour continues at Habana Vieja or Old Havana, a cultural heritage of humanity, protected by UNESCO since 1982, is home to some of the finest colonial buildings in the Caribbean. We will have a guided tour of the Rum Museum, where we will be offered a drink and visit the only Greek Orthodox church in the Caribbean, St. Nicholas. Then, we will walk to the Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, the Old Plaza (Plaza Vieja) and the Plaza de Armas (Plaza of Arms). Entrance to the impressive 48-meter square Miniature of Old Havana (Maqueta de La Habana Vieja), accompanied by an audio guide and a virtual representation of the sunrise and sunset over the city, and finally we will end up to the Cathedral Square (Plaza de la Catedral), the Templete “temple” and the Castillo de La Fuerza Real. We’ll also visit the pirate fortress El Moro, in a central position at the harbour entrance with a magnificent view. Then, we will visit the largest bazaar in the city. The day ends with an unforgettable ride in antique cars in the lush, exotic forest of Havana and the prestigious Miramar district. Return to the hotel.
Day 3
Full day excursion Vignales/Pinardel Rio
After breakfast we depart for the majestic Viñales Valley in Cuba’s westernmost province, Pinar del Río, where the tobacco for the world’s finest cigars is grown. A visit to a local cigar factory to see how the cigars are processed, where the preparation for the manufacture of the internationally renowned cigars takes place, from harvesting to the final stage of packaging. Our walk in the Viñales valley will be unforgettable: green velvety hills known as mogotes, which are found nowhere else in the world, spring up from the valley, lush and almost eerie… towering palm trees, waterfalls and underground caves with rivers make up an enchanting landscape. A visit to the huge Mural of Prehistory (Mural de la Prehistoria) and the Cave of the Indian (Cueva del Indio) to cross its underground river by small boat. Lunch at a local restaurant in a unique setting with live music. Back in Havana, we will stop at the Los Jazmines Observatory with its magnificent view of the entire Vignales Valley. Return to Havana and overnight.
Day 4
Havana-free day
Breakfast and then free day for you to make the most of your stay. Visit the city’s large bazaar where you will find jewellery and decorative items made from wood, fruit and vegetable pits, crocodile skin and teeth, papier-mâché or clay, as well as paintings. Stroll through the narrow streets of the old town, sip a fresh juice of “fruit boba” (also known as papaya) or “guayaba” to the sounds of a nostalgic son or bolero, and return to your hotel walking along the famous Malecón coastal avenue, gazing at the sunset and the sun disappearing into the sea in a riot of colour.
Day 5
Havana – Guam – Bay of Pigs – Sienfuegos
Breakfast and departure for the Zapata Peninsula, the largest natural park in the Caribbean. In Guamá, we will visit “Crocodile Breeding Farm”. These animals, an important part of Cuba’s wildlife, are protected in their natural habitat from uncontrolled hunting. We continue our journey through the mangrove forest of Zapata, until we face the lacy Caribbean coastline of the Bay of Pigs (famous for the failed American landing on the island in 1961). Stop at a marine oasis, where the crystal clear, turquoise waters form a natural “aquarium pool”, a place ideal for swimming & snorkeling, for drinks at the open bar and for seafood appetizers – lunch is included. We continue to Cienfuegos, a town built in 1819 by French settlers and one of the country’s most important ports. Panoramic tour of the city with a stop at the central square with its white statue of the goddess Athena, dominated by the Tomas Terry Theatre, the Town Hall and the classic University building. On the sea, on the narrow peninsula of “Punta Gorda” we will visit the “Palacio del Valle”, a very impressive 100 year old building, an architectural masterpiece, a combination of romantic, gothic, Venetian and Moorish styles. From the cellars and the imposing salons, we will ascend to the roof of the Palace, where the view of the city and the sunset are enchanting. Arrival at your hotel, settle into your rooms and free rest of the day. Dinner at the hotel.
Day 6
Sienfuegos – Dolphinarium – Trinidad
After breakfast, our day starts with a visit to the Dolphinarium, where we will watch a spectacular dolphin show that will captivate us. Optionally (extra charge), those with adrenaline reserves and plenty of courage, swim and dance literally with these magnificent sea creatures – a unique experience! Continue on to traditional, colonial Trinidad, a city founded by the Spanish in the early 16th century, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986. Visit to the main square (PlazaMayor), surrounded by colonial buildings, the “Museum of Colonial Architecture ” and the traditional café La Canchánchara, where we will enjoy the local drink of rum, honey and lemon that the colonialists gave to the slaves for strength. Free time to stroll through the picturesque cobbled streets with their colourful shops or to shop in the open-air bazaars. Then back to the hotel and dinner.
Day 7
Sienfuegos -ElNicho -Hanabanilla – Santa Clara -Varadero ***(see alternatives)
After breakfast, we depart for the most impressive waterfalls of the island (El Nicho) in the heart of the green Escambray mountain range. Bathe in its crystal clear, crystal clear waters that form small, natural pools – at three different levels – adorned by the mother, mountain nature and goddess from the nearby enchanting observatory. A short distance away, we will board a boat for boating/exploration and lunch at the enchanting Hanabanilla Lake, surrounded by the exotic vegetation of the Escambray mountain range, home to colourful birds and rare amphibians. We continue to the town of “Che Guevara”, Santa Clara, a town directly associated with the great revolutionary. Visit to Che’s Mausoleum and Museum, in Leóncio Vidal Park. At the entrance of the mausoleum, the imposing bronze statue of Comandante with a gun in his hand, about 7 meters high, dominates the scenery. (The statue was placed so that it faces south, towards Latin America, as a symbol of Che’s vision of a pan-American revolution against imperialism. Highlights of Guevara’s life and actions are shown in relief and his last letter to Fidel Castro is engraved in its entirety on a special inscription).
Today’s unforgettable day will end on the magnificent beach of Varadero (or another place of your choice – see below). Arrival, check-in at the hotel and dinner. Please note that all meals and local drinks at your hotel in Varadero are included in the price.
Day 8
Varadero
Free day to enjoy one of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba. Various optional water activities are offered, or you can stroll through the local bazaar or visit the dolphinarium. We recommend a catamaran cruise to Cayo Blanco (aka White Island) – a lush green island with golden sand and exotic beach with turquoise blue waters! Stop en route at a coral reef, where you will be given time and equipment (masks, personal snorkels and fins) to explore the reef and the colourful underwater nature around it. At Kayo you will have time to swim or sunbathe. A buffet lunch with fresh fish, lobster and other seafood is included. Return to Varadero for rum, salsa and lots of fun and dancing! Please note that all meals and local drinks at your hotel in Varadero are included in the price.
9th day
Varadero – Havana airport
Breakfast at the hotel and free breakfast for a last dive. Lunch depending on your time of departure. Then we depart with the bittersweet taste of return to Havana airport, where we will take our flight back home.
10th day
Arrival in Athens
Arrival at a European stopover and then to Athens.
*** Instead of Varadero for the last 2 days/nights or to extend your holiday, you can alternatively choose :
A) The exotic island of Cayo Santa Maria
B) Medieval Trinidad
C) The capital/queen of the Caribbean Havana
What is included:
Economy airfare
Accommodation in the hotels of the program (depending on your preference) and hotel taxes
Breakfast daily and all meals listed in the program
All transfers, guided tours and excursions in the program, more detailed:
Havana city tour: St. Francis of Assisi Square, Old Square, Arms Square, Cathedral Square, Templete “Nairobi” and Castillo de LaFuerza Real.
Capitol, an exact replica of the one in Washington, D.C., United States.
Entrance to the impressive Micrography (Maqueta) of Old Havana
Visit to the pirate fortress El Moro, in a peripatetic position at the entrance to the harbour and with a magnificent view
Visit to the rum museum, where we are offered a drink
Visit to the only Greek Orthodox church in the Caribbean, Agios Nikolaos.
Visit to the largest bazaar in the city for shopping
Transit through the University of Havana, the “Modern” district of Vedado with its central Copelia Square and the famous Malecón beachfront avenue, and visit to Revolution Square with its huge portraits of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos.
Car ride – antiques – aristocratic Miramar district – Havana Forest
Full day excursion to the lush green Vignales Valley, in the province of Pinar del Rio with lunch
Visit to the cigar factory with a demonstration of cigar making
Entrance to the Prehistoric Mural
Boat ride in the underground river in the Indian Cave
Visit to the Los Hasmines Observatory with panoramic views of the valley
Entrance to Guama Park and visit to the Crocodile Farm in La Boca
Crossing of the largest mangrove forest in the Caribbean Cenaga Zapata.
Transfer and stop for a swim at the Bay of Pigs (Giron): a marine oasis where the crystal clear, turquoise waters form a natural “aquarium-pool”, a place ideal for swimming & snorkeling, for drinks at the open bar and for seafood appetizers
tour of the city of Cienfuegos passing by the TomasTerry theatre
Visit to the “Palacio del Valle”, a very impressive 100 year old building on the narrow peninsula of “PuntaGorda”
Visit to the Dolphinarium with a show and the possibility of swimming with dolphins
Guided tour of picturesque Trinidad
Entrance to the Trinidad Museum
Visit to the traditional café, La Canchachara with a drink
Entrance and swim at the island’s most impressive waterfalls, El Nitso, in the heart of the lush green Eskabrei mountain range
Boat ride on Lake Canabanilla and lunch
Visit to Che’s town, Santa Clara and the mausoleum.
The transfers are accompanied by Greek-speaking local guides and are carried out by luxury bus / minibus / cars, depending on the number of participants in the trip.
Greek-speaking guide throughout the stay in Cuba (note that the guide does not stay with you during the free days in Varadero / Cairo Santa Maria / Trinidad)
What is NOT included:
Airport taxes, Cuban visa, health insurance in case of accident according to the terms and conditions and specifications of the Cuban government.
All meals and drinks not mentioned in the program
Optional excursions, entertainments. In case of participation of only two persons in the program there is the corresponding surcharge in the prices of the optional
Personal expenses
Tips for local guides and guides are paid locally.
Notes:
*Prices are valid for a minimum participation of 6 persons , but the tour is also available with 2 persons with a surcharge in the package
*The order of the program can be changed, but without omitting any of the listed activities/excursions.
*If unpredictable (mainly) weather conditions do not allow access to the waterfalls or the Dolphinarium does not work, other activities are offered alternatively
Required for the issuing of visa
Photocopy of passport with necessary 6 months validity from the date of departure
6 months of valid visa with a valid 6 months of valid visa valid on the day of departure, with a valid 6 months of valid visa valid on the day of departure, with a valid 6 months of valid visa valid on the day of departure, with a valid 6 months of valid visa valid on the day of departure.
PANORAMA CUBA WEST
9 days, 7 nights
Ask us about organized departures and prices
