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Experience the magic of Cuba with Abercrombie & Kent

Join Abercrombie & Kent on a 13-day unlimited small group journey to charismatic Cuba from $8,995. 

The charming Caribbean nation of Cuba is nothing short of magical. Stuck in a time warp yet full of invention, it’s this rich contradiction that makes Cuba so fascinating.

From cruising ‘Cuban’ style in a vintage convertible and touring tobacco farms to discovering the legacy of Benny Moré and getting lost in UNESCO World Heritage-listed Trinidad, discover the magic of Cuba on a bespoke adventure with A&K.

13-Days in Cuba with Abercrombie & Kent

Starting in Havana, you’ll cruise ‘Cuban’ style in a vintage convertible admiring glorious 19th-century baroque, neoclassical and Spanish architecture, before a candid meal with a baseball star.

Learn how this exuberant sport has become part of the national fabric, before bedding down in one of Havana’s most luxurious historic hotels, the Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana. Located in the heart of the old city, the hotel invites guests into elegant and spacious accommodations, for the perfect night’s rest.

Dig deeper with A&K’s Design Your Day options at a Rum Museum, on a Hemingway Tour, or with a mouth-watering Cuban cooking class. Step further back in time in Vinales at a tobacco stripping house where locals wet, smooth and strip the leaves. Understand the majesty and delight of Cuban cigars at a private tobacco farm. Then, cool off in the glistening natural pools of Guanayara Park.

Witness the legacy of Benny Moré with an arts tour and performance in Cienfuegos. Discover sobering slave history at the ‘Valley of the Sugar Mills’, and learn salsa at a private residence in heritage-listed Trinidad. End with a deep dive into revolutionary history at the fascinating Pay of Pigs.

Exterior of Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana
Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana © Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana

Why Cuba should be on everyone’s hot list

Every Cuban adventure should begin in Old Havana. There’s more than a bit of magic in a city that has managed to keep pre-embargo classic cars on the road for more than 50 years. All while managing to keep on dancing in the face of isolation and rationing. Vintage Chevrolets, Buicks and classic Mercedes line the streets and often double as unofficial taxis. After wandering the old squares and churches of the cobble-stoned historic centre, hail a classic convertible and go riding along the Malecón, the waterfront boulevard.

For elegant accommodation, stay at Hotel Saratoga. Good enough for Jay Z and Beyoncé, the hotel has a delicious rooftop pool, five-star indulgences and Wi-Fi, which in itself is luxurious in Cuba. Also worth considering are other members of the Habaguanex group of hotels. Each one is a beautifully restored historic property in the oldest parts of Havana. There’s an incomparable charm to sitting down to breakfast in an airy courtyard that has stood for more than 250 years. Such as the Hotel Palacio del Marques de San Felipe y Santiago de Bejucal.

Be sure to book advance tickets for the Tropicana cabaret show under the stars. Described as the largest and most gorgeous nightclub in the world, the Tropicana is a glam throwback to the 1950s. Stars including Edith Piaf, Josephine Baker, Marlon Brando and Ernest Hemingway flocked to perform there. Even with an entry price of more than $100 — and seating for more than 1500 guests — it regularly sells out.

Cuban buildings and Caberet
Cuban buildings and must-see Cabaret shows

Beaches, waterfalls and plazas

Dining in Cuba is an experience in which you’re never quite sure what the outcome will be. Local fishermen haul in a mighty catch of lobster each day. It gets served up doused in butter and salt at rooftop restaurants and corner cafés.

It’s easy to fill four or five days in Havana. If you have more time to spare there is plenty more of Cuba to experience.

Sun-worshippers head to the upscale resorts that line Varadero beach or along the keys in Cayo Santa Maria. Powdery soft white sand and no-filter-required turquoise warm water are a dream come true.

A day trip from Havana to Viñales offers opportunities to hike to magnificent waterfalls, visit farms where the world’s finest cigar tobacco is grown and enjoy the down-home hospitality of Cuban country folk. In the UNESCO World Heritage town of Trinidad, architecture buffs will enjoy historic plazas, Spanish Colonial-era buildings and open-air music casas. Where the sensual sounds of Afro-Cuban jazz fill the night.

Journey Highlights

  • Cruise ‘Cuban’ style, in a vintage convertible car-tour of Havana
  • Enjoy lively conversation with a local economist over a delicious Cuban lunch
  • Be enthralled by the natural wonders of Guanayara in Topes de Collantes
  • Understand the majesty and delight of Cuban cigars on a tobacco farm tour
  • Explore the legacy of Benny Moré with a guided arts school tour and choral performance
  • Wander the cobbled streets of UNESCO World Heritage listed Trinidad
  • Typically features a small group size of 10–12 guests

Contact your travel agent or visit Abercrombie & Kent today to secure your spot in this limited-edition, small-group adventure.

Trinidad beach and Afro-Cuban jazz
Trinidad beach © Colin Watts | Unsplash Afro-Cuban jazz © Jessica Knowlden | Unsplash

This article was produced with content supplied by Abercrombie & Kent and is a Signature Luxury Travel & Style digital exclusive. Be the first to see more exclusive online content by subscribing to the enewsletter.