CUBA – Knox College Road Trip€¦ · CUBA – Knox College Road Trip December 5 - 12, 2016 (8 days/7 nights) Havana – Cienfuegos – Trinidad - Havana . Departure: Miami . Havana

CUBA – Knox College Road Trip

December 5 - 12, 2016 (8 days/7 nights)

Havana – Cienfuegos – Trinidad - Havana

Departure: Miami Havana Hotels: Hotel Habana Libre (5 nights) Trinidad Hotel: Hotel Rancho Luna (2 nights) Itinerary and times Subject to Change; Often for the better DAY 1 – 05 DECEMBER Monday Flight from Miami Airport –Charter Flight AA 9448

VIP Group Check-in (see notes at end of itinerary) Estimated check in: 4:30 AM EST

Estimated Departure: 7:30 AM Estimated Havana Arrival: 8:30 AM The city of Havana (La Habana) was first settled on 25 November 1519 on the sheltered, natural Havana Bay and became Cuba’s capital city in 1553. It was a strategic port city and thereby wealthy jumping off spot for New World gold and silver being transported to Spain.

Visit to the Plaza de la Revolucion – This large square is surrounded by many of the major state offices with the impressive Jose Marti Memorial museum tower the highest point in the city. This city square is the center of the city for political rallies and special events baincluding the open air masses held during Papal visits.

Bus tour of central Havana including; El Capitolio, inspired by the U.S. Capitol in

Washington, D.C. and is being restored to once again house the nation’s governing assembly, the newly restored Grand Theater of Havana, housing the Cuban National Ballet, the Bacardi Building, an art deco landmark, and the newly restored Sloppy Joe’s Bar.

Group Lunch at La Barraca Restaurant in the Hotel Nacional de Cuba

The Hotel Nacional de Cuba in Vedado the stands on a hill just a few meters from the Florida Straits of the Atlantic Ocean, and its garden offers a great view of the Havana Harbor, the El Malecon seawall and the city.

The Malecon is the nearly 5 mile seawall with 6 traffic lanes and a broad oceanfront walkway running west from Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta to the River Almendares. The Malecon is a very popular gathering spot for all Habaneros, especially on hot summer nights. During storms, the traffic is often closed as the winds from the north drive large waves crashing over the sea wall.

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Vedado once referred to the “forbidden” area outside the historic city’s walls that banned construction and retained its forest preserve as a buffer against attack. This residential neighborhood area is currently the commercial heart of modern Havana. Check in - Hotel Habana Libre with daily Breakfasts This large impressive Vedado hotel on the famous La Rampa

opened as the Habana Hilton in 1958 and served as Fidel Castro’s first headquarters in Havana. Currently operated by the Spanish Sol Melia Hotel Group, it is one block from the Malecon and across the street from Havana’s famous Coppelia ice cream parlor. Noted for the large, beautiful mural adorning its entrance, it features many restaurants, bars, outdoor pool and the best rooftop view of the city.

Hotel Havana Libre

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Group Dinner –at the La Moneda de Cuba paladar (prívate restaurant) Transfer across Havana Bay Castillo de Los Tres Reyes del Morro was built between 1589 and 1630 at the entrance to Havana harbor on the peninsula point opposite the city buildings of Havana. Down along the water is the Battery of the 12 Apostles with each canon named after an apostle. Transfer to San Carlos de la Cabana fortress Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana was built between 1763 and 1774 on the la Cabana hillside down from El Castillo del Morro after the English conquest of the city from that hill area. Steep walls, a deep moat and a majestic drawbridge make this long hillside fortress (it once housed 120 canon) a dominant feature on the harbor and a great spot for viewing old Havana at night. It also housed political prisoners and became Che Guevara’s headquarters after taking possession of the city in 1959. 9:00 PM - Canonazo Ceremony

Every night the picturesque Canonazo Ceremony takes place with an historical ceremony recalling the firing of a canon shot to announce the closing of the city gates and the raising of a chain in the harbor to protect against pirate attacks. A drummer marches soldiers dressed in 18th century Spanish Colonial uniforms to the ramparts at 8:45 AM to prepare the large canon for the loud explosion at 9:00 PM. Transfer to Hotel Habana Libre for overnight DAY 2 – 06 DECEMBER Tuesday 8:30 AM - Transfer by bus down the width of the island through the Cuban

countryside to seaport city of Cienfuegos

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Cienfuegos, founded in 1819 on a beautiful bay, is known as the “Pearl of the South” and the capital of the Cienfuegos Province. Sugar was the key to its wealth and during boom times, world famous performers sang and acted at the Teatro Tomas Terry built in 1886-89. Singer Benny More was born here and the area is known for its musical and dance tradition and legacy (birthplace of the Cha-Cha-Cha). Lunch in the Palacio del Valle on the Cienfuegos waterfront

This Gothic, Venetian and Moorish styled mansion has also served as a casino and now a popular restaurant.

Visit the Plaza Jose Marti, Teatro Terry, Castillo Jagjua, Cementerio Tomas Acea, and Casa de Artex in Cienfuegos

Check in for two nights at the Hotel Rancho Luna on a beach across the beautiful bay from Cienfuegos. This tropical hotel features refreshing breezes, good views, landscaped grounds, a friendly outdoor pool and nightly entertainment.

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Dinner at Hotel Rancho Luna Free Evening DAY 3 – 07 DECEMBER Wednesday 8:30 AM - Transfer within the Escambray Mountains on Cuba’s southern coast to the historic, colonial city of Trinidad Visit to the Valle de los Ingenios, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Manaca Ianaga Estate, one of the many sugar plantations when Cuba was the major provider of sugar to the world in the 18th and 19th centuries. The area features a railway line through the valley, bringing trains to Cuba before to its colonial overseer Spain

Trinidad Founded in 1514 by Diego Velasquez, Trinidad was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. This center of the sugar trade is famous for its original cobblestone streets and pastel colored, colonial era buildings. The city was isolated and largely unchanged over the years. The town center has been lovingly and historically restored and its Casa de la Trova where live music is performed regularly and the Casa de la Cultura with its studio and exhibition spaces are famous throughout Cuba.

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Visit Casa del la Alfarero and meet artists working various stages of pottery production of utilitarian and decorative pieces. The Santander family has produced award-winning ceramics over several generations. Group Lunch at Restaurante Nueva Era Walking tour of historic Trinidad with sites including the Parque Central Cespedes, the Plaza Mayor, the Iglesia Parroquial Mayor, Museo Romantico and the Palenque de los Congos Reales. Meet local artists in their studios. A specialty of the area is handmade lace and crochet. Stop at the Casa de la Trova to meet with local musicians Transfer to Hotel Rancho Luna for dinner and free night DAY 4 – 08 December Thursday 8:30 AM – Transfer to Havana

Tour Finca la Yoandra, a two acre organic garden west of Havana and an example of Cuba’s push to grow more local food.

Lunch at the attached Italian restaurant, Il Divino.

Visit Studio Fuster in Jaimanitas to discuss with artists and neighbors how the studio has transformed their entire neighborhood into a work of art and a model of individual private enterprise.

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Visit the school Centro Pro Danza directed by Laura Alonso (daughter of world famous ballerina Alicia Alonso)

Visit Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA)

At ISA, the schools of Visual Arts, Music, Theatrical Arts, Dance, and Audiovisual Communication, are home to professors whom are all active musicians, dancers, or artists. Study at the Institute is comparable to conservatory work in the United States. ISA was built in 1961 on the site of the pre-Revolutionary Country Club of Havana, which was so exclusive that dictator Fulgencio Batista was denied a membership. Considered Cuba's best example of post-Revolutionary architecture, its red brick halls and pavilions are covered with Catalan vaults and cupola skylights. Recently reopened, each faculty member provides a combination of theory and practice designed for students serious about pursuing artistic achievement through concentrated study. From the 800 students in 39 specialties have come some of Cuba's finest artists and musicians studied here, many of the little trios performing all around Havana have ISA students in their ranks.

Transfer to Hotel Havana Libre for check in and overnight

7:45 PM – Transfer to private restaurant VIP Havana for dinner

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Day 5 – 09 December Friday 8:15 AM - Tour the Corona Cigar Factory where you will meet and see how skilled workers prepare and select the tobacco, and then roll and sort the many cigar brands produced here.

After the tour we will visit one of the well-stocked La Casa del Habano cigar shops. WALKING TOUR of Old Havana

Havana Vieja or Old Havana is the historic center of Havana, full of Spanish colonial buildings surrounded by a city wall in Havana’s early years. Currently in restoration, the area was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. The area incorporates 4 main squares: Plaza de Armas, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de la Catedral and Plaza de San Francisco. The busy Calle Mercaderes and the bustling Calle Obispo are Old Havana’s major crossing streets. Calle Obispo starts to the west of the Plaza de Armas and is a main shopping street in Old Havana. It runs past the Ambos Mundos Hotel up to the El Floridita Bar, birthplace of the daiquiri, and the Parque Central where you’ll find the Capitolio and the Grand Theater.

The Plaza de Armas is Havana’s oldest square. The center area, often bordered by bookstalls, has a statue of revolutionary landowner Carlos Manuel de Cespedes at its center. At the northeast corner is the neo-classical El Templete (built in 1828) marking the spot where the first mass in Havana was said under a Ceiba tree in 1519. This event is celebrated again every 16 November. Opposite is the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, Cuba’s oldest building and the second oldest fort in the New World. This fort and a city wall were built to protect the inhabitants from pirates. The weathervane atop the fort is

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La Giraldilla, the symbol of Havana representing governor Hernando de Soto’s wife who watched in vain for his return from his Florida campaign. On the west side of the square is the Palacio de los Capitanes Generales (1780), the home of Cuba’s ruling governor and now the city’s historical museum. Visit the Ambos Mundos Hotel with the Hemingway Museum Room. Meet with students and professors at the Escuela Gaspar

Melchor e Jovellanos and Escuela Carlos Mariategui Vocational Restoration Schools

The cobbled Plaza de San Francisco faces the Terminal de Sierra Maestra, the dockyard for luxury liners. At one side stands the Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco de Asis, built in 1608 and rebuilt in Baroque style in 1730 complete with a 40 meter bell tower (campanario). Because of it excellent acoustics, the church was converted into a concert hall. Outside the statue of the legendary French Wanderer draws touches and photos. Group Lunch –El Templete on Havana Bay Continue WALKING TOUR after lunch Plaza de Catedral is a beautiful square surrounded by noble residences and anchored by the Cathedral of Saint Christopher, Havana’s patron saint. Construction of a church on the site began in the 18th century and was built into La Catedral de San Cristobal de la Habana after the Jesuits were expelled in 1767. This undulating baroque structure, (“music set in stone”), featuring asymmetrical towers was completed in 1777. Visit El Taller Experimental de Grafica printmaking artist studio La Plaza Vieja is the largest of the four Old Havana squares and is dominated by 18th century residential buildings. The square that once was a covered market and later hosted fiestas, bullfights and executions is now becoming more tourist minded with small museums, galleries and restaurants including a brewer. We’ll also stop at the Hotel Raquel to see how the city is honoring its cultural background, in restoration projects, such as the Hebrew culture in this old Jewish neighborhood. Tentative visit to the Renee Portocarrero silk screen workshop 7:30 PM – Dinner at Café Laurent (private restaurant)

Optional Tour on own: Tropicana Nightclub

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Day 6 – 10 December Saturday Transfer to the Sierra del Rosario Biosphere Reserve in the Pinar del Rio province Meet ecological researchers and tour the project gardens, followed by a Coffee Plantation tour The 25,000-hectare (61,776-acre) Sierra del Rosario, declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1985, encompasses a mountainous area of rapidly recovering, secondary tropical deciduous forests, cut with numerous rivers and waterfalls. Nearly 100 species of birds can be spotted here, including over half of Cuba's 22 endemic species. The Botanical and Orchid Gardens house over 25,000 different species of plants and over 700 orchid varieties. Most of the activity is confined to the two developments, Las Terrazas and Soroa, which are connected by a loop of paved roads that begin and end on the Autopista Nacional. The buildings in the Las Terrazas Community have been designed to blend with their surroundings. Tour the nearby ruins of a French coffee plantation from the 19th century. Lunch at Casa del Campesino

Visit to Las Terrazas Las Terrazas is a sustainable agricultural and artists’community including farmers, workers, artists, musicians, and craftsmen. The village has a population of about 1,000 and a number of hotels, workshops, and restaurants. The nature reserve includes 5000ha of secondary pine forest which was planted on the surrounding (deforested) hills by building terraces to avoid erosion; hence the name (in Spanish, terrazas means terraces).

The reserve is rich in flora and fauna, and includes lakes, rivers and waterfalls. One can enjoy organized excursions on the many footpaths and trails, in addition to a variety of other outdoor activities. The visit will include a stop at Maria’s House for a special “after lunch” cup of coffee and a visit to the local school and physician’s office. Visit with locals at the Casa de la Cultura

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Visit Papermaking Art Studio of Ariel Visit the home of popular Cuban Guajira singer Polo Montanez Visit the Painting Studio of Lester Campa If time, we will visit the falls and bathing pools of the San Juan River. If so, we can take some time to wade or swim Transfer to Havana Dinner and Evening on own

Day 7 – 11 December Sunday

8:30 AM - Visit the National Museum of Fine Arts – Cuban Section with guide Founded in 1913 due to the efforts of its first director, Emilio Heredia, a well-known Cuban architect, the National Museum of Fine Arts made frequent moves until it was finally placed on the block once occupied by the old Colon Market. The full collection is now housed in two separate buildings.

In 1954, a new Palacio of Bellas Artes

was opened, designed by the architect Rodriguez Pichardo. The 1954 Palacio was recently reconstructed by the architect Jose Linares and is now dedicated to Cuban art and its complex range of styles and influences presenting both mixed collections and spaces devoted to outstanding individual artists, including Cuba’s legendary Wilfredo Lam.

Visit Callejon de Hammel This neighborhood Cuban art project featuring vivid street murals and the sculpture of Salvador Gonzalez Escalona is an ongoing Afro-Cuban educational and artistic event, a Santeria shrine and a rumba street party every Sunday.

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Visit to Hemingway’s home Finca Vigia and the PILAR boat in the village of San Francisco de Paula. Meet with director Ada Rosa and the museum staff Ernest Hemingway, the Nobel and Pulitzer prize winning author, born and raised in Oak Park, IL, first visited Cuba in 1928 and returned regularly from 1932 on for fishing, to write in his habitual room at the Ambos Mundos Hotel (now museum room 511 at the hotel), and in 1939 purchased Finca Vigia (Lookout Farm) in San Francisco de Paula. Finca Vigia represents one of the few areas where the U.S. and Cuban governments continued to work together in difficult recent years to structurally restore the house and preserve and then digitalize the many letters and documents left there for use in academic research. Circling the ground floor, you can see the house more or less as it was when Hemingway was living and writing here. There's his library of 9,000 books, paintings, and stuffed animal heads. In addition to an old typewriter, the works of art by Picasso, Miró, and Klee are some of the more prized possessions. There's a small tower separate from the main house that you can climb for a better view all around. In the surrounding gardens, you can see Papa's pet cemetery, the swimming pool and the author's dry-docked fishing boat, Pilar. Transfer to Cojimar for lunch at Bodegon Las Brisas

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Visit the village of Cojimar The fishing village where author, famous deep-sea fisherman, Ernest Hemingway docked his boat the Pilar. It was the home of his faithful boat captain Gregorio Fuentes and the setting for his Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Old Man and the Sea. An outdoor bust of the author was dedicated the year after his death and created in bronze from fishing tackle donated by local Cuban fishermen. Las Terrazas de Cojimar

This café/bar/restaurant in Cojimar is where fisherman in days past brought their daily catch. It was one of Hemingway’s favorite restaurants and featured in the Spencer Tracy film of The Old Man and the Sea.

Transfer to Havana and visit the San Jose Handicraft Market on the way back to the

Hotel Habana Libre 6:00 PM - Group Dinner with Cuban guests – and music – Café del Oriente

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Overnight Hotel Havana Libre Day 8 – 12 December Monday Departure from Havana – Terminal 2, Jose Marti Airport Marazul Flight AA 9449 Check-in at 6:30 AM

Estimated HAVANA departure: 9:30 AM Estimated MIAMI arrival: 10:30 AM

Havana-Cienfuegos-Trinidad land and air Program Includes: Round trip flight from Miami to Havana Miami and Havana Airport Departure Taxes VIP Group Document Departure Service US Treasury Department License to legally travel to Cuba Cuban Visa (Note: persons born in Cuba will require additional time, paperwork and fees to process their Visa) Cuba Health Insurance for any medical expenses in Cuba Group air conditioned bus transportation for transfers and program including Round trip bus transportation – Havana / Cienfuegos / Trinidad / Havana / Pinar del Rio / Havana Experienced Committee on Illinois tour leader Bilingual Cuban group tour guide for entire stay Double Room at the Hotel Habana Libre per itinerary Double Room at the Hotel Rancho Luna in Cienfuegos per itinerary Daily Breakfasts Meals and Educational Program Sessions per itinerary Not Included: Transportation to and from Miami and within Miami Lodging in Miami Single Supplement Meals and drinks not specified in final program Taxis or individual travel within Cuba U.S. travel insurance Individual Tips for Cuban guide and driver

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Documents

CUBA – Knox College Road Trip€¦ · CUBA – Knox College Road Trip December 5 - 12, 2016 (8 days/7 nights) Havana – Cienfuegos – Trinidad - Havana . Departure: Miami . Havana