Arrival at Santiago de Cuba International Airport. Private transfer.

It is no secret the Santiago de Cuba City, the Capital of the Caribbean as it is also known, is a year-round destination. January just makes it an extra special Cuban destination because of the Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival.

Group welcomed by your Authentic Cuba Travel® Cuban Guide. Panoramic transfer to your Luxury Casa Particular. Private group check-in.

With our Cuba Jazz tours, we have found the way to share Authentic Cuba Travel® experiences in a way that enlightens and empowers the North American travelers and the Cuban people they connect with along the Cuban Jazz journey.

Breakfast is complimentary daily from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Santiago de Cuba (1514), second largest Cuban city, was one of the first 7 villages founded by Spanish conquistador Diego Velazquez in the beginning of the 16th Century. It was also the first capital of the country under the colonial ruling. The city’s privilege location by the Santiago de Cuba’s Bay- opening to the Caribbean Sea- made it a strategic departing point for the explorations of Mexico and Florida led by Spaniards Juan de Grijalba and Hernan Cortes respectively in 1518 and 1538.

Also known as the Capital of the Caribbean because of its cultural heritage, the city has played important roles during historical events in the Caribbean region. For example, during the 1791 Haiti’s Revolution, a large number of French and British immigrants fleeing the conflict settled in the city enriching the Spanish and African cultural fabric of the city. Morning: During our Support for the Cuban People trip to Santiago de Cuba, we will pay a visit to 28 de Enero Casa de Cultura, in the Jose Marti Municipality. We will exchange with Yaneslidia Delis Mustelier, founder and director of Sin Limites, a community project founded in 2015 with the goal of promoting equality and equal opportunities for all by integrating handicap people, and those with disabilities, with Cubans without disabilities into the fashion industry. This Support for the Cuban People activity will result in a meaningful interaction with the individuals of Cuba. We will present donations of educational & humanitarian items and ask how we can help promoting their message of equality in the USA.

Your Authentic Cuba Travel® tour guide will teach you a lesson today about the early days of Santiago de Cuba as you explore the surroundings of Parque Cespedes, the city’s original colonial square.

Well-known for being the burial site of Diego Velazquez, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption (1522) was visited by Pope Francis in 2015 and showcases elaborate ceiling frescos, hand-carved choir stalls, and a refined altar dedicated to the venerated Virgin of Charity.

At over 500 years young, Santiago de Cuba’s Historical Centre showcases distinctive colonial architecture, narrow steep streets, and the oldest house in Cuba (Museum of Colonial History), former house of Diego Velazquez, the Spanish conquistador who founded the city back in 1514.

Next we visit Casa Dranguet, the former home of coffee grower Carlos Dranguet Thomas. The residence of this Frenchman who fled the 1791 Haitian Revolution and established his plantation in the fertile hills east of Santiago now functions as a small coffee museum. We’ll learn about the history of coffee in the region and enjoy a delicious coffee.

Lunch at Paladar Aurora. Paladar is a Spanish word that refers to private independent restaurants run by Cuban restaurateurs (self-employers). Cuban entrepreneurs are showing an emerging confidence and a newfound responsibility to take control of their futures after Raul Castro's economic reform programme. We will engage in a conversation with Cuban owners and staff to learn more about the booming independent Cuban hospitality industry. Eating in privately-owned restaurants directly supports the Cuban people and their families.

Afternoon: next we will pay a visit to Santiago de Cuba’s antique bookstore, Libreria Escalera de Edy, a privately-owned Cuban rare and old book store that also carries vinyl records, posters and other memorabilia. The book store serves also as a book exchange and cultural center for the neighbours. Run by self-employed Cubans (cuentapropistas) Edy Ferrer and Conrado Ferrer, here we can shop for some rare Cuban books, postcards and posters). Shopping in these sorts of stores directly supports the Cuban staff and their families while encouraging independent entrepreneurial activities that in turn strengthen civil society in Cuba.

Visit to Municipal Museum of History, Emilio Bacardi, one of Cuba’s oldest museums founded in 1899 by Independence War hero, Emilio Bacardi. As Santiago de Cuba’s first republican mayor, Mr. Bacardi amazed an extensive fortune as a rum producer. The museum highlights the history of the Eastern region and contains the largest collection of paintings of Santiago de Cuba’s landscape artists, Jose Joaquin Tejada.

Evening: although the Official Opening Gala of the 39th Jazz Festival of Santiago de Cuba takes place tomorrow, Wednesday 24 January 2024, there are a series of pre-event Jazz concerts and Jazz impromptus sessions taking place in the city tonight as part of the prestigious Cuba’s international Jazz gathering. Your dedicated Cuban tour guide will keep you posted on what’s going on and drive you to the main events. Please, do keep your ALL ACCESS JAZZ PAZZ with you at all times to enjoy full access to all venues.

The main 39th Jazz festival venues in Santiago de Cuba are the Teatro Marti (Marti Theatre), Plaza de Marte (Marte Square), Plaza Dolores (Dolores Square), the UNEAC Headquarters (Cuba’s National Union of Artists and Writers), Melia Santiago Hotel, Cabaret Tropicana de Santiago de Cuba, among other smaller jazz clubs such as Iris or La Pachanga.
Morning: this morning we will visit UNESCO World Heritage Site, San Pedro de La Roca Castle (1633) which guards high above the narrow entrance to the pocket-shape Bay of Santiago de Cuba. Boasting stupendous views of the Caribbean Sea and the Sierra Maestra mountains, and a striking Spanish military architecture, the fort serves as a museum today showcasing the many events it has witnessed during its 4-Century history from pirate’s attacks, to English forces’ assaults, to United States’ fleet battles.

Lunch at Paladar El Pirata, serving delicious local seafood dishes and boasting nice views of Santiago de Cuba bay and Sierra Maestra Mountains.

Afternoon: panoramic bus ride of modern Santiago de Cuba. We will visit the Heredia Theatre, San Juan Hill, Square of Revolution Antonio Maceo, baseball stadium Saturnino Lora, Moncada Barracks, Palacio de Justicia, among others.

Afternoon: then we will drive through the former bourgeois neighborhood of Vista Alegre for a visit to the Rene Valdes Art Gallery. This art space was established by the Caguayo Foundation, a cultural institution founded by world renowned local artist Alberto Lescay to promote monumental works of art.

Next we will pay a visit to Santiago’s Casa de la Ceramica where Santiaguero ceramic artists work using a range of techniques from raku, painted, to enameled work. Exchange with artists and staff members.

Before heading back to our hotel, we will enjoy a panoramic bus ride of modern Santiago de Cuba. We will visit the Heredia Theatre, San Juan Hill, Square of Revolution Antonio Maceo, baseball stadium Saturnino Lora, Palacio de Justicia, among others.

Evening: showcasing the biggest jazz names and breaking barriers along the way, the Opening Concert of the 39th Jazz Festival kicks off today in Santiago de Cuba. Your All Access Jazz Pass will grant you access to the Marti Theatre (where the biggest Jazz names perform) as well as all other venues hosting the Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival 2024. Please, safeguard your Jazz pass carefully as it is unreplaceable if lost or stolen. Morning: after a 10-minute ferry ride throughout Santiago de Cuba’s Bay, you will arrive at an authentic Cuban destination known as Cayo Granma, a pedestrian only island named after the Granma vessel that brought Fidel Castro’s Revolutionaries to Cuba from Mexico in 1956. Cayo Granma is a small 2-square-kilometer charming island inhabited by fishermen whose red-roofed picturesque houses stand on stilts above the Caribbean waters. Today we will mingle with its friendly people (population about 1,200) and learn about their way of life.

Next we will visit the community art project, Suenos y Fantasia (Dreams and Fantasies) carried out by local children who use their imagination to create toys and crafts from recycled materials collected from the seashores. During this visit we will engage with the Cubans to learn more about the role of this Cuban independent organization. This Support for the Cuban People activity will result in a meaningful interaction with the people of Cayo Granma. We will present donations of educational & humanitarian items.

A true seafood lunch will be served at Paladar Cayo Granma where you will indulge over freshly-caught fish sided by the traditional Cuban staples such as congris (rice and beans) and tostones (plantain chips).

Afternoon: you will visit the San Rafael Church, which stands on the highest elevation at the center of the island. As you stroll around the village you will see the local school, pharmacy, family doctor’s office, as well as the colourful dock where the fishing boats are kept. You will unveil the mystery of this overlooked authentic destination in Santiago de Cuba by the hand of your Cuban guide.

Evening: the exhilarating and exciting Cuba jazz travel experience continues on tonight. During the 2nd night of the Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival 2024, almost all venues offer concerts in parallel so it is hard to decide where to go. Especially when you have an ALL ACCESS Jazz pass that grants you complete access to All Things Jazz! No worries, your Authentic Cuba Travel® tour guide is here to guide you and your bus driver is here to drive you to the best the Cuban Jazz Festival has to offer! Morning: during our Support for the Cuban People trip to Cuba, we will engage in authorized Support for the Cuban People activities at El Cobre Town, the headquarters of El Cobre Youth Steel Band. The community work of the band includes the betterment of El Cobre town and its locals. Under the direction of musician, Hermes Ramirez, a children’s steel band have been founded to preserve the musical and social work of the band for future generations. Performing for the Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity, the El Cobre Youth Stell Band is also a regular of the Cuba’s Jazz Festival.

This Support for the Cuban People activity will result in a meaningful interaction with the people of El Cobre town. We will present donations of educational & humanitarian items and ask how we can help promoting their message of peace in the USA.

As you venture past touristy stalls selling religious stamps, sunflowers and souvenirs in El Cobre town, you will reach the sacred house of all Cubans, the Basilica of Our Lady of Charity, proudly standing in the heart of Cuba’s highest and most biodiverse mountain range: Sierra Maestra. Sierra Maestra mountain range is also home to another UNESCO World Heritage site where the ruins of the first 19th century coffe plantations remains have been found.

Followed by a visit to nearby Monumento al Cimarron (Runaway Slave Monument), a bronze-and-iron sculpture standing atop a hill near El Cobre town, It was created by Santiago de Cuba’s sculptor Alberto Lescay as a remembrance of the slave revolts that took place in the region during colonial times.

We will have lunch at another private restaurant today, Paladar La Brasa. This is a must visit in our Cuba jazz trips for USA citizens on Support for the Cuban People Cuba tours. We will engage in a conversation with Cuban owners and staff to learn more about the booming independent Cuban hospitality industry. Eating in privately-owned restaurants directly supports the Cuban people and their families.

Afternoon: exchange with students of the University of Santiago’s Faculty of Dentistry in charge of the Sonrisas Community Project, a community work group that visits remote communities in Santiago de Cuba to provide ambulatory free dental treatment and education. During this visit we will engage with Cuban dentistry students to learn more about the role of this Cuban community work group in the promotion of preventive dentistry practices (daily brushing and dental cleanings) through educational exchanges with adults and children. The students also provide a full scope of ambulatory dental treatments. This Support for the Cuban People activity will result in a meaningful interaction with Cuban students.

A visit to Santiago de Cuba would not be complete without sipping in some traditional Cuban rum. And...where better than at the original Bacardi Rum Factory, founded in 1868 by Spaniard Don Facundo. Although the Bacardi family left Cuba after 1959, the Cuban government has continued to produce traditional rum here ever since under different brand names such as Ron Caney (the factory’s signature), Ron Santiago and Ron Varadero.

Evening: the exhilarating and exciting Cuba jazz travel experience continues on tonight. During the 3rd night of the 39th Jazz Festival of Santiago de Cuba, almost all venues offer concerts in parallel so it is hard to decide where to go. Especially when you have an ALL ACCESS Jazz pass that grants you complete access to All Things Jazz! No worries, your Authentic Cuba Travel® tour guide is here to guide you and your bus driver is here to drive you to the best the Cuban Jazz Festival has to offer!

The main 39th Jazz festival venues in Santiago de Cuba are the Teatro Marti (Marti Theatre), Plaza de Marte (Marte Square), Plaza Dolores (Dolores Square), the UNEAC Headquarters (Cuba’s National Union of Artists and Writers), Melia Santiago Hotel, Cabaret Tropicana de Santiago de Cuba, among other smaller jazz clubs such as Iris or La Pachanga. Morning: during our Support for the Cuban People trip to Santiago de Cuba, we will visit the Quiquiriqui Community Project, founded by Angelina Prada in the Santa Barbara community, in Santiago de Cuba. This Support for the Cuban People activity will result in a meaningful interaction with the people of the 30 de Noviembre neighborhood. We will learn about the role of this community project in the promotion of visual arts, performing arts and other cultural activities in the community. We will present donations of educational & humanitarian items and ask how we can help promoting their community work in the USA.

Meet the Allegro Theatre Company, a self-funded cultural project with over 20 members. Created and directed by local actor Alexander Legro, Teatro Allegro uses “living statues” to express their art. Working with recycled materials and natural fibers; combining body painting, physical theater and performance, this creative group has proven that they can produce art of the highest caliber with very limited resources. Their street shows include La fiesta de Amy (Amy’s Party), dedicated to late British singer Amy Winehouse; and the fantasy performance Ajedrez Humano (Human Chess).

Followed by visit to Callejon del Carmen. This is a pedestrian-only alley in the city center bursting with self-employed Cubans (cuentapropistas) selling their goods and services. Here you can buy local crafts and souvenirs while supporting Cuban families!

We will have lunch at another private restaurant today, Paladar St. Pauli. Housed in a refurbished historical house, this stylish restaurant is full of live, aromas and good taste. It has altered the food scene in Santiago de Cuba. Where else can you find gazpacho in Santiago? Unique opportunity for American visitors to Cuba to talk with local entrepreneurs up close. Eating in privately-owned restaurants directly supports the Cuban people and their families.

Afternoon: as part of our Support for the Cuban People interaction in Santiago de Cuba, we will engage in authorized Support for the Cuban People activities such as a visit to the internationally recognized Cuban based nongovernmental organization (Cuban NGOs), Promociones Literarias Claustrofobias. This is an independent digital publishing house and cultural project founded in 2012 by Cuban entrepreneurs, Naskicet Domínguez and Yunier Riquenes.

Claustrofobias promotes the publication of contemporary Cuban authors beyond the national frontiers. Its extensive community work also features the creation of the Menique Children Literary Workshop that promotes reading and writing at early ages. The project also features a book store that promotes and sells books. This Support for the Cuban People activity includes conversations with Naskicet, Yunier, Amels, Zaylen Clavería and other members.

Continue on delving into the history of the Cuban Revolution with a guided tour of the Moncada Barracks, the battle site of the armed attack led by a group of young Cubans under the leadership of Fidel Castro on July 26th, 1953, considered as the prelude of the 1959 Revolution. Today it houses a museum and the largest primary school in Santiago de Cuba with more than 1500 students.

Followed by a visit to the Santa Ifigenia Cementery (1868), one of the largest and grandiose cementerios in Cuba (second to Havana’s Necropolis Cristobal Colon only). With a mausoleum dedicated to those killed during the Moncada barrack’s battle of 1953, the cemetery is also the resting place of Jose Marti (Cuba’s National Hero) and Fidel Castro.

Evening: Tonight marks the 4th night of the Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival 2024. American travelers are able to travel to Santiago de Cuba for the Jazz Festival 2024, and in that time, move throughout Eastern Cuba and experience the authentic Cuban culture along the way.

Enjoying Cuba beyond the Cuba’s Jazz Festival, it is the goal of our educational tours to Caribbean island. The goal of your Authentic Cuba Travel® tour guide is to provide you with a sense of place; to offer a deeper understanding of Cuba, and the Eastern region and the communities you will visit. But it is the memories you get to bring home with you that are the best part of our Cuban jazz tours. Day trip to Guantanamo, the most eastern province in the island. The infamous US Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp and Military Base is located in the southern coast of Guantanamo province.

Upon arrival we attend a Tumba Francesa performance by the Santa Catalina de Ricci Pompadour Society, declared a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Founded over 100 years ago and being one of only three Tumba Francesa societies left in Cuba that specializes in a unique form of Haitian-style dancing.

It conserves in all its splendor the contributions bequeathed by the French and dahomeyana- Benin, Congo and Niger cultures, in the island of Cuba; as genuine example of the tradition and expression of the popular culture of the Cuban east.

Next we will head to the House of Changüí to learn about Guantanamo's music. The changui is one of the oldest styles of Cuban popular music. It originated in the early 1800’s and it is considered to be the predecessor of the popular Son rythm. We’ll enjoy a special performance and exchange with the musicians.

We will have lunch at another privately-owned paladar (restaurant) today. We will engage in a conversation with Cuban owners and staff to learn more about the booming independent Cuban hospitality industry. Eating in privately-owned restaurants directly supports the Cuban people and their families.

Afternoon: before heading back to Santiago de Cuba, we will the privately-owned studio and art gallery of Carlos Rafael Gonzalez Barban. We will engage with our Cuban host and his family in a conversation to learn more about the Cuban culture and the challenges that independent private artists are facing in Cuba.

Evening: Cuba is one of those places in the world that forces you to slow down and simply enjoy. Paradoxically, another supercharged Jazz night unfolds in the Cuban city tonight with the closing act of the 39th Jazz Festival of Santiago de Cuba. Attending the Closing Gala of this Cuban Jazz Festival at the Marti Theatre marks the ending of your Jazz odyssey into the heart and soul of Eastern Cuba. Please....do not forget your All Access Jazz Pass :) Transfer to Santiago de Cuba International Airport for departure.