Here is where Christopher Columbus said as he landed in the Island of Cuba: “This is the most beautiful land that human eyes have ever seen.”
The Great Admiral landed in what now is the port of Bariay in October 1492. Stepping on Cuban soil for the first time, he was impressed by the beauty of its beaches and exuberant vegetation and he pronounced the phrase which is remembered to this day.
Get to know the eastern part of Cuba, its beaches, nature and people. Visit the site of Columbus’ landing, and the monuments, museums and reproductions of the life of the first settlers. Travel through the lush tropical nature, and discover how farmers live in Cuba. Share firsthand experiences with Cubans and the new forms of private business in the island.
Program Duration: 6 Days/ 5 Nights
Program Includes:
6 Days, 5 Nights accomodations 5 Star Hotel
All inclusive – all beverages. alcoholic drinks and meals included at hotel.
Local Guide and Driver.
Transfer from Holguin Airport to your hotel.
Transfer from hotel to Holguin Airport
Lunch at Private Restaurant in Holguin
Lunch at Private Restaurant in Bariay
Lunch at Private Restaurant in Bahia de Naranjo
Roundtrip Air Transportation (Miami-Holguin-Miami) paid separately.
We will meet at the hotel in Miami for our pre-travel briefing. Discuss the details of the travel itinerary and receive your travel documents. Get all the details of the places to go and all the relevant information about Cuba and your trip.
DAY 2: Sunday
Holguin
Our flight leaves Miami bright and early! You will be picked up at the hotel for departure on the Holguin-Miami flight. We arrive at Frank Pais International Airport.
The city of Holguin is the capital of the Cuban province of the same name. Known as the city of parks, Holguin is the fourth largest city in Cuba by the number of inhabitants. The province is known for its large industrial development and agriculture.
Holguin is considered the third most important tourism center in Cuba. It has many natural attractions and is known for its unparalleled beauty with its vegetation, countryside and beaches.
Holguin City Tour
We will meet the guide and driver who will accompany us throughout the tour.
Welcome to the city of Holguin, as we take a panoramic tour of the town with a stop at the Calixto Garcia Park, where the old town hall is now a museum.
Climb the Loma de La Cruz (Mount of the Cross), where you can take in a magnificent view of the city. This a place where Pope Francis celebrated Mass on his trip to Cuba. La Loma de la Cruz takes its name from a wooden cross that sits at the top of the hill, a symbol of assurance and safety for many and a place of pilgrimage for most visitors.
Lunch in a restaurant in the city.
Playa Costaverde
We depart for the 4-star Playa Costaverde Hotel, located in Playa Costaverde–one of the most beautiful beaches in the area. The hotel is all-inclusive.
After checking in, our guide will provides us with more details about the program.
DAY 3: Monday
Bariay And Gibara, The White Village
After breakfast we depart for Bariay, the place where the first meeting took place between the two cultures – Indigenous and Spanish, and where Cristobal Colon said his famous words. We will visit the monumental complex that memorializes the event, and the replica of an aboriginal village.
From there, we continue to the town of Gibara, called la Villa Blanca (The White Village), a picturesque colonial enclave. The small city has a rich history and its own cultural life. It boasts beautiful architectural sites and a wonderful layout of its houses, streets and parks, but to most visitors the wealth of the town lies in its people, a lovely community proud of their town and its history.
Lunch in a private restaurant (Paladar) with typical local dishes based mainly on seafood.
People to People
Meet the new form of private businesses. Share an exchange with restaurant owners and its Cuban clientele. Get to know how the current dual currency in Cuba is managed.
After lunch we stroll through the town, visiting two small museums (Colonial Art and Natural Sciences), and La Bateria Fernando VII, a Spanish Fort that guards the entrance to the bay.
Return to the hotel.
DAY 4: Tuesday
Chorro de Maita And Bahia de Naranjo
After breakfast, we visit Chorro de Maita (Maita Stream), located 30 minutes away from the hotel by bus. It is an archaeological site with a museum that recreates buildings and sculptures depicting the life of the locals at the time of Colombus’ arrival.
This is the place where we asume that the first contact between the two cultures took place. Surrounding the aboriginal cemetery of Chorro de Maita, the landscape is a riot of green, ocher and blue tones, framed by the sea, palm trees and mountains.
People to People
Join the conference by specialists of the museum, explaining the history of the place and the discoveries made in the burial grounds. Visit the primary school in Maita and interact with the students.
Next, we visit Bahia de Naranjo (Naranjo Bay). It is one of the best-preserved bays in Cuba, where you can see manatees and other endangered species in their natural habitat. A small boat takes you to the aquarium and dolphinarium located in the center of the bay over a series of small keys.
Enjoy a seafood lunch surrounded by tropical fish exhibitions, and participate in a dolphin and sea lion show.
Return to the hotel.
DAY 5: Wednesday
Holguin Carnival Festivities
We stay in the hotel and its beautiful surroundings as we immerse ourselves in a typical Cuban Carnival Celebration, with its different artistic forms. We will explore the preparation of local dishes in a festive atmosphere that is recreated right in the hotel grounds. Engage with artists and locals. Join in contagious Cuban dances. Let’s move!
People to People
Get to know the festive and culinary traditions of the region, sharing in on a way of life that keeps Cubans alive and happy.
DAY 6: Thursday
Return Trip to Miami
Time to say “hasta pronto!” We will check out and go to Frank Pais International Airport in Holguin. We will take the Miami-bound flight, as we end our trip.
All program prices are per person, based on double occupancy unless otherwise noted. Single occupancy will carry a surcharge. Infants up to 2 years of age stay for free. Children 2 – 12 years old receive a 25% discount off the double occupancy rate. Program prices quoted here do not include airfare. International airfare will be quoted separately. Upon request, we can also quote domestic airfare and hotel stay in the US city of departure.