Havana (3 nights), Cienfuegos (2 nights), Sancti Spiritus (1 night).

Sat :Depart Gatwick for Havana. Meet on arrival and transfer to the Bello Caribe Hotel for the next 3 nights.

Sun: A full day tour of old and new Havana including lunch at a typical local restaurant. Visit the imposing colonial fortress of EL Morro, the City Museum, Cathedral Square, Plaza de Armas and the Palace of the Captain General. In Modern Havana see Revolution Square and drive along La Rampa, the Cultural heart of the city.

Mon: Today follow the Hemingway trial. Drive to Finca la Vigia. Ernest Hemingway's former home which is now a museum. The interior has remained unchanged since the day Hemingway left. Continue to the picturesque village of Cojimar where Hemingway kept his boat El Pilar and was the inspiration for his novel "The Old Man and the Sea".

Tue: After breakfast leave Havana driving South East towards Guama. Visit the crocodile farm, then take a short boat trip on a canal to Treasure Lake and the reconstructed site of an ancient Arawak Indian village. After lunch drive to the infamous Bay of Pigs invasion site and nearby museum. Continue to Cienfuegos for two nights stay at the Jagua Hotel.

Wed: Morning city tour of with its many historical buildings including the 1870 Cathedral, also visit the Botanical Gardens. Continue to the Spanish colonial town of Trinidad founded by Valazquez in 1514, with its evocative old churches, palaces, museums and unspoiled cobblestone streets. Lunch at a local restaurant followed by a city tour including the Romantic Museum: a mansion converted into a museum and filled with locally made 19th century furnishings. Return to Cienfuegos for dinner and overnight at Jagua Hotel.

Thu: A beautiful morning drive through Sugar Mills Valley with spectacular views of the countryside. The ruins of dozens of small 19th century sugar mills including warehouses, slave quarters and manor houses are dotted throughout the valley. Visit the Manaca Izaga watchtower which dates back to 1750. Lunch in the area and continue to sancti spiritus. A brief tour of this colonial town including a visit to the local museum. Dinner and overnight at Rancho Hatuey.

Fri: Drive to Varadero for a further week on the beach, or return to Havana for your overnight flight to Gatwick arriving Saturday morning.

An excellent introduction to the highlights of Cuba. The perfect combination with a week on the Beach. Hotels used on the tour are of a simple medium class standard.

GRAND TOUR OF CUBA -13 Nights

Havana (3 nights), Cienfuegos (2 nights), Sancti spiritis (1 night), Moron (1 night), Holgiun (1 night), Sanctiago de Cuba (3 nights), Varadero (2 nights).

HOTELS:

Havana (Cuba)

1. BELLO CARIBE HOTEL

Location: In playa, on the western side of Havana in a residential area approximately 15 minutes by taxi from the centre of Havana.

Accommodation: 120 air-conditioned rooms with a double or twin beds, satellite TV, telephone, radio, safety box, shower & w.c, and some rooms with balcony.

Facilities: 2 restaurants, cafetaria, 4  bars, swimming pool,  shops, hairdresser, games area and tennis courts.

Opinion: An unpretentious, friendly and lively  hotel offers a good base for the independent traveller.

2. KOHLY HOTEL

Location: In a residential area approximately 15 minutes by taxi from the centre of Havana.

Accommodation: 136 air-conditioned rooms with a double or twin beds, satellite TV, telephone, shower & w.c, and balcony.

Facilities: A number of restaurants and bars including a pizzeria, swimming pool, gym, sauna, disco (only weekends), shops, hairdresser, tennis courts, pool room and bowling hall.

Opinion: An unpretentious and friendly hotel offering excellent value.

Prices based on Bed & Breakfast. Supplements per person per night: Single room £8 (1 May-30 Jun NIL). Dinner £6.

CHILD REDUCTION: 40%.
 

PLAZA HOTEL, Havana (Cuba) Location: Established in 1909, the 188 roomed hotel retains its colonial charm and character. It's a comfortable medium class hotel with a pleasant ambiance in a superb location on the edge of the old quarter within walking distance of Havana's historic sites. The hotel was fully refurbished in 1991. All are air-conditioned rooms, have a double or twin beds, satellite TV, telephone, safe, shower & w.c.

Facilities: Include two restaurants, lobby bar and cafe, shops and roof terrace bar with splendid views of the city. Opinion: A comfortable medium class hotel with lots of character in a superb downtown location. Supplements per person per night: Single room £12.  Child Reduction: One child sharing with two adults 50% (Two children in own room 30%).

Varadero (Cuba )

BEACHES - (SANDALS) VARADERO Very comfortable with good standards

Set in 20 acres of grounds that lead on to a lovely stretch of beach, approximately 10 minutes by car from the heart of Varadero. A welcome addition to Varadero, Beaches offers a good all-inclusive package in the true Sandals tradition, on one of the nicest parts of the beach. Minimum age 16 years. Open to families, couples and singles).

facilities
Choose from 4 restaurants which offer a range of cuisine, buffet and a la carte. 3 bars including a piano bar, a large swimming pool, 2 outdoor whirlpools, massage (available at an additional charge), small fitness centre, 2 floodlit tennis courts, table tennis, volleyball, basketball, watersports (see What's Included), shops, a disco and open-air bandstand offering nightly shows and weekly beach & theme parties.

accommodation
350 Junior Suites set in a main building and in several villa clusters. Each junior suite has air-conditioning, twin beds or a king-size bed, satellite television, telephone, safe, hairdryer, radio and bath with shower. Garden View Junior Suites are located on the ground and first floor level of the main building or the villas. Premium View Junior Suites are located on the 2nd floor of either the main building or the villa wings. Concierge Junior Suites are located on the 3rd & 4th floors of the main building with stocked mini bar replenished daily, bath robes and VIP check-in..

Honeymoon Offer - receive the following benefits: room upgrade (subject to availability), bottle of sparkling wine, Fruit Basket , two T-shirts, private cocktail and dinner, one free photograph.

what's included
• All meals including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
• National and limited choice of international drinks including beer, house wine, juices, spirits & cocktails by the glass
• Watersports including snorkelling, windsurfing, kayaks, catamarans, sailboats, paddle boats, water-skiing & scuba diving.
• Land based sports and use of the gym
• Evening entertainment

1. CORAL HOTEL, Varadero (Cuba )

Location: Set back aa short walk from the beach through the hotel's sister properties and just a brief taxxi ride from the centre of Varadero.

Accommodation: 260 air-conditioned rooms with a double or twin beds, satellite TV, telephone, bath, shower & w.c. and balcony or terrace. Most of the rooms from the 2nd floor upwrds have a sea view.

Facilities: A beautiful freeform swimming pool with children's area and aqua-bar, restaurantts, coffee shop, bars, tennis court, hairdresser, shop, pool room and watersports centre.

Opinion: A livelly meddium class hotel offering excellent valluuee.

Prices baseddd on All Inclusive.

Supplements per person per night: Single room£13. Child Reduction 40%

GRAN HOTEL, Varadero (Cuba )

Location: Set adjacent to a beautiful beach some 11km from the centre of Varadero

Accommodation: 331 air-conditioned rooms with a double or twin beds, satellite TV, phone, safe fridge, bath, shower & w.c.

Facilities: Two swimming pools, jacuzzi, a variety of restaurants including a 24 hour coffee bar, a number of bars, shops and watersports centre by the beach.

Opinion: A comfortable all inclusive hotel with a great choice of faculties. Excellent value for money.

Child Reduction: One child sharing with two adults 50% (Two children in own room 30%).

LTI  - TUXPAN

Location: Directly on the beach just 3 km from the centre of Varadero and sharing the gardens with its sister hotel LTI Bella Cost.

Accommodation: 233 comfortable air-conditioned rooms,( some connecting) with a double or twin beds, satellite TV, phone, safe, fridge, bath, shower & w.c. and balcony or terrace with either garden or seaviews.

Facilities: A spacious swimming pool with jacuzzi and childrens area, Mini Club,(4-12yrs) a variety of restaurants including A la carte, bars,  shops, two tennis courts, disco, daily entertainment and activities programme and watersports centre on the beach.

Opinion: A well managed All Inclusive hotel with an excellent choice of facilties.
 

Cayo Largo-The All Inclusive Island Situated some 177 km south-east of Havana, Cayo Largo is a small tropical island with 25 km of fine white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. All seven hotels on the island are managed by the same hotel group and operate as one ALL INCLUSIVE resort. We have three of these hotels, Guests can take their meals and drinks at any of the hotels irrespective of where they are staying.

VILLA IGUANA

Location: Next to the Isla del Sur Hotel a short walk from the beach.

Accommodation: 114 air-conditioned rooms built in two storey blocks, with a double or twin beds, satellite TV, telephone bath or shower & w.c.

Facilities: A buffet restaurant, bar and swimming pool.

Opinion: A simple and relaxed hotel with a beautiful beachfront setting. Supplements per person per night: single room £9.

Child Reduction: One child sharing with two adults 50% (two children in own room 30%).

ISLA DEL SUR HOTEL

Location: Directly on the beach some 6 km from the airport.

Accommodation: 57 large and tastefully decorated air-conditioned rooms in a two storey building, with a double or twin beds, satellite TV, telephone bath or shower & w.c. and balcony or terrace.

Facilities: A snack bar, 24 hour bar and swimming pool.

Opinion: A comfortable medium class hotel, ideal for families. Supplements per person per night: single room £9.

Child Reduction: One child sharing with two adults 50% (two children in own room 30%).

HOTEL PELICANO

Location: Directly on the beach some 3 km from the airport.

Accommodation: 230 comfortable air-conditioned rooms built in village style set in six blocks, with a double or twin beds, satellite TV, minifridge, telephone, bath or shower & w.c and balcony or terrace.

Facilities: Buffet restaurant, A la carte restaurant serving International cuisine, snack bar, 24 hours bar, shops, a large saltwater swimming pool, night club and tennis courts.

Opinion: A comfortable and relaxed beach hotel away from the pressures of everyday life. Supplements per person per night: single room £12.

Child Reduction: One child sharing with two adults 50% (two children in own room 30%