Join our 8-Day Official Cuba Tour to the Jazz Festival
of Santiago de Cuba, Cuba's 2nd Largest City!
From January 22 to January 29, 2024
Explore Cuba's Caribbean Heritage! $2,799 (all taxes included)
Cuba Festival Travel | Referral Discount: $100
Invite 1 Friend and Pay $2,699 only
Invite 2 Friends and Pay $2,599 only
Invite 3 Friends and Pay $2,499 only
Invite 4 Friends and Pay $2,399 only
Invite 10 Friends and Pay $0 only
And remember every person you invite
will also receive a $100 discount!
The
39th Cuba’s International Jazz Festival, Jazz Plaza 2024 (sponsored by Grammy-Award winner Chucho Valdes) will be hosted in Havana and Santiago de Cuba (Cuba's second largest city) from January 23th to January 28th, 2024. Working in partnership with the Instituto Cubano de La Musica (Cuba’s Music Institute), the Centro Nacional de Musica Popular (Cuba’s National Centre of Popular Music), and the Jazz Plaza Organizing Committee both in Havana and Santiago de Cuba, Authentic Cuba Travel® is offering the
Official Jazz Plaza 2024 Cuba Tour to the
International Jazz Festival of Santiago de Cuba from
January 22nd to January 29th, 2024.
Why Join Our 8-Day Cuba Tour to The Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival 2024?
Our
2024 Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival Official Cuba Tour allows our travelers
unlimited access to all jazz events, including preferential seating at the Opening and Closing Gala of the Jazz Festival.
Designed for those repeating travelers who have attended the International Jazz Festival in Havana in previous years and wish to attend again, but who also want to visit a
different Cuban destination and enjoy a
completely different Cuba travel experience.
The
itinerary has been planned for American travelers who want to visit Santiago de Cuba LEGALLY during the Cuba’s Jazz Festival 2024. It includes
Luxury Private Rental Accomodation,
24/7 Luxury Air-Conditioning Motor Coach,
University-Graduated Cuban Tour Guide Escort, keen to share his knowledge of Cuba, most meals at
Santiago de Cuba’s Finest Restaurants,
ALL ACCESS JAZZ PASS, and entrance fee to all
Santiago de Cuba’s Museums,
Top-Notch Attractions and
Activities as described in the itinerary.
Any US citizen or permanent resident genuinely interested in supporting the Cuban people can travel to Cuba from USA legally.
Supporting the Cuban people by patronizing privately owned restaurants, stores, art galleries and other small businesses; and supporting the work of independent Cuban organizations is the main intend of this Cuba tour.
With recognition from the Organizing Committee of the Cuba’s International Jazz Festival, as
North America's largest Cuba travel sellers of escorted tours to the Cuba’s Jazz Festival (mainly but not only from USA & Canada), it is clear to those in the know that our once-a-year official Cuba jazz tours to the Havana and Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival are the ultimate bucket list Cuba travel experience for Jazz lovers with a burning desire to be fully immerse in the culture of the Caribbean island and
explore the authentic Cuba beyond the jazz event.
Click here to read historical verified reviews and testimonials from past travelers from US and all over the world dating back years!
Invite Friends and Family and Travel Free!
Add to that our
ONE HUNDRED UNLIMITED DISCOUNT PROGRAM, and you’ll see that our budget Jazz tours to Cuba aren’t just very affordable (
you can end up traveling free!)- our 24/7 escorted Cuba jazz tours are the best Cuba travel experience for Canadian and USA travelers. Again...you will
receive a $100 discount for every family member and friend that travels to Cuba with you. In the event that you bring TEN Jazz lovers along, we will simply cover all your Cuba ground tour costs! And those family members and friends (traveling to the Cuba's Jazz Festival 2024 with you) will be grateful to you since they will also pay ONE HUNDRED DOLLAR less the price of the tour.
Visit Cuba Legally from USA!
Authentic Cuba Travel® makes it as easy as possible (under the current OFAC Cuba Travel Regulations- June 9, 2022) for US citizens who are genuinely interested in supporting the Cuban people to visit Cuba legally.
Our Jazz tours to Cuba have been designed to meet the criteria set forth by Biden’s administration on USA-Cuba legal travel under the General License for the Support for the Cuban People. Our Cuba Jazz tours feature a full-time schedule of activities that will enhance the contact with the Cuban people and support civil society in Cuba.
You will engage in a full-time schedule of activities that will result in meaningful interaction with ordinary Cubans to learn about the Cuban culture; and Cuban entrepreneurs (self-employed Cubans) running privately-owned business such as private accommodation (Rooms-for Rent), restaurants (paladares), art galleries and stores.
You itinerary features authorized Support for the Cuban People activities of internationally recognized Cuban NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and independent organizations; out-reach community projects, and individuals that promote independent activity to strengthen the Cuban society.
The General License for Support for the Cuban People for US travel to Cuba is created through a do it yourself process rather than by submitting an application and awaiting approval. Fast, free and convenient, a General License for Support for the Cuban People simply requires US individuals to prepare their own documentation in a way that meets all OFAC guidelines.
We provide our US travelers with all the required
documentation to ensure you are in compliance with 2022 Biden administration’s rules on Cuba travel under the US Cuba Travel category: Support for the Cuban People.
US travelers can choose to depart to Cuba from any US port of their choosing.
US travelers relying on the General License for Support for the Cuban People are responsible for maintaining all Cuba travel records for up to 5 years to show OFAC (if asked) evidence that they have engaged in authorized activities while in Cuba (staying at accommodations not listed in the
Restricted List of Cuban entities, eating at privately-owned restaurants, shopping at privately-owned art galleries and stores, etcetera).
At Authentic Cuba Travel®, we have updated our itineraries to make sure that American travelers are not directly or indirectly dealing with any of these prohibited entities. We do monitor constantly any updates to this list of entities to make sure our itineraries remain in compliance for our American customers.
Explore Santiago de Cuba beyond the Jazz Festival!
Authentic Cuba Travel® offers the International Jazz Festival of Santiago de Cuba tour, with pleasure! Santiago de Cuba is one of those cities in Cuba that forces you to slow down and simply enjoy. It is the type of cultural playground that many travelers dream of finding.
During your
8-Day Official Cuba Tour to the Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival, you will explore the complex cultural heritage of Santiago de Cuba by the hand of your passionate Cuban guide who will propel you into a week of tackling the new and the unknown.
You will visit those places the Cubans visit like the
Basilica of Our Lady of Charity, the sacred pilgrimage site of all Cubans, located in the
Sierra Maestra Mountain Range, Cuba’s highest and most biodiverse mountain range, and home to
La Gran Piedra, a
UNESCO Heritage Site boasting the ruins of 19th century coffee plantations.
You will embark on a guided walking tour of
Santiago de Cuba’s Historical Centre, and visit historical venues like the oldest house in Cuba, the
Residence of Diego Velazquez, the infamous Spanish
conquistador and the
Cathedral of Santiago de Cuba (1522), where Diego Velazquez was buried.
As you tour
San Pedro de La Roca Castle, another
UNESCO World Heritage Site, you will enjoy the serenity of the Sierra Maestra mountains while taking in the views of Santiago de Cuba’s Bay and the
Caribbean Sea.
Then you will be sailing to
Cayo Granma, a small key of red-roofed wooden dwellings inhabited by a fishing community in the
Bay of Santiago de Cuba, you will soak up in the real Cuba as you enjoy a fresh lunch at a local restaurant or while visiting the main parish,
Iglesia de San Rafael.
Why the Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival?
The Jazz genre reached exceptional heights in the last edition of the
Cuba’s International Jazz Festival "Jazz Plaza", especially in the Eastern Cuban city of
Santiago de Cuba, also known as the
Capital of the Caribbean and the
Cradle of the Cuban Revolution, where jazz virtuoso,
Arturo O’Farrill (son of Cuban musician Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill) headlined a concert that captivated the audience and showcased his versatility as a Jazz musician. Dedicated to pay tribute to the work of musician, researcher and author Leonardo Acosta, the
Santiago de Cuba's Jazz Festival, not only hosted big Cuban and international Jazz acts, but brought together Cuban heritage, history, culture, and music.
Among the biggest jazz names that have performed at the Santiago de Cuba's Jazz Festival are Arturo O'Farril (USA), The Shuffle Demonds (Canada), Jose Tobon and Sigurajazz (Colombia), Giraldo Piloto and his Klimax Band, Albertico Lescay and his Formas Band, Los Munequitos de Matanzas Rumba Group, Explosion Rumbera Group, Los Hoyos Conga Group, Renacer Vocal Group, Compas Vocal Group, Divas Vocal Group, Atenas Jazz Ensemble, Jazz de Bess as well as Jazz Ensembles, Jazz Bands, and Jazz Virtuosos from the Santiago de Cuba's Music Conservatory Esteban Salas.
The Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival reverberates to the jazz sounds of big names from the national and international Jazz scene time and time again. The 2024 Jazz Edition of Santiago de Cuba is not going to disappoint! On our Official Cuba Tours 2024, the
double and single accommodations are limited and are available on a first come, first served basis. Do not risk missing out this opportunity,
book today!
Please, check the day-by-day
itinerary below. Welcome Aboard!
Notice to US Universities, Colleges and Schools with Music Studies Departments and Programs:
In January 2016, the US Government announced further enhancements to the 12 categories of authorized travel to Cuba that previously required a specific license (this is, lengthy applications to OFAC). Now travel to the Caribbean island is allowed under a general license (this is, self-completed paperwork with no application to OFAC needed).
After President
Biden’s policy change on USA Cuba travel on June 9, 2022, the General License for Educational Activities remains in place. Accredited U.S. graduate or under graduate degree-granting institutions; U.S. Academic Institutions; and U.S. Schools can organize and sponsor an educational trip to Cuba for their students, faculty and staff under the General License for Educational Activities, provided that the trip meets OFAC guidelines; and that an employee or other representative of the organization escorts the trip to make sure such guidelines are followed by all participants.
US Universities, Colleges and Schools with Music Studies Departments and Programs can organize and sponsor a trip to Cuba for educational activities. The purpose of the Cuba travel should be for:
_ the participation in a structured educational program offered for credit as part of a course of the sponsoring institution;
_ educational exchanges sponsored by Cuban or U.S. secondary schools involving secondary school students’ participation in a formal course of study or in a structured educational program offered by a secondary school or other academic institution, and led by a teacher or other secondary school official are authorized. This authorization allows for participation of a reasonable number of adult chaperones to accompany the secondary school students to Cuba.
_ attendance at non-commercial academic seminars, conferences and workshops related to Cuba sponsored or co-sponsored by U.S. academic institution.
_ non- commercial academic research related to Cuba for the purpose of obtaining a graduate or undergraduate degree;
_ the participation in a formal course of study at a Cuban academic institution provided that credits will be accepted toward the student’s graduate or undergraduate degree;
_ participation in a 10-week structured educational program in Cuba as part of a course offered at the U.S. institution;
_ participation in a formal 10-week course of study at a Cuban academic institution, provided the formal course of study in Cuba will be accepted for credit toward the student’s undergraduate or graduate degree at the U.S. institution;
We take care of all details both in North America and in Cuba, including VISA and flight arrangements to Cuba's main destinations via USA ports (Miami, Tampa, New York, Los Angeles, or other) or through third countries like Canada and Mexico. Authorized US organizations can travel through a third country subject to the same restrictions and requirements as those flying directly from USA.
At Authentic Cuba Travel®, we have been organizing such educational and cultural travel experiences from the United States of America for years with great success.
Notice to US Recording Industry Associations, US Music Publishers’ Associations, US Musicians Associations, US Music Clubs, US Academies of Music, and other Music Institutes and Societies from USA
US Recording Industry Associations, US Music Publishers’ Associations, US Musicians Associations, US Music Clubs, US Academies of Music, and other Music Institutes and Societies from USA can organize a trip to Cuba under the provisions of the General License for Educational Activities, the General License for Group People-to-people Educational Travel, the General License for Support for the Cuban People, the General License for Professional Research, the General License for Semi-Professional & Amateur International Sports Competition, the General License for Humanitarian Projects, the General License for Activities of Private Foundations or Research or Educational Institutes among others. Certain conditions are to be met to comply with OFAC General License requirements for each category of
USA Cuba travel though.
The mission of your organization and the objective of your trip to Cuba determine under what general license you can travel to Cuba legally. In general, most trips should consist of a full-time schedule of activities intended to promote the exchange with the ordinary citizens of Cuba. This full-time schedule must also include educational activities that result in meaningful interaction in between U.S and Cuban nationals. Free time in excess or regular tourists' activities are not permitted.
We take care of all details both in North America and in Cuba, including VISA and flight arrangements to Cuba's main destinations via USA ports (Miami, Tampa, New York, Los Angeles, or other) or through third countries like Canada and Mexico. Authorized US organizations can travel through a third country subject to the same restrictions and requirements as those flying directly from USA.
At Authentic Cuba Travel®, we have been organizing such educational and cultural travel experiences from the United States of America for years with great success. Call us and let us know more about your organization and we will provide guidance and assistance.

During your 8-day Cuba jazz journey, you will stay at a
Luxury Casa Particular. US travelers to Cuba are authorized to stay at private reantal accomodations. US government prohibits US travelers to conduct financial transactions with over 180 Cuban hotels, restaurants and other entities. We constantly monitor the list of prohibited entities to make sure our
American travelers to Cuba are in compliance with current USA Cuba travel regulations.

Captivating performances by Grammy Award-winning pianist,
Arturo O’Farril at the Teatro Marti brought the audience to standing ovations at the Opening Gala of the
Santiago de Cuba City Jazz Festival last year. Son of the legendary Cuban composer, Chico O’Farrill, Arturo O’Farrill was raised in New York where he attended prestigious music schools such as the Brooklyn College Conservatory and the Aaron Copland School of Music. Spearheading the political fight to normalize USA Cuba relations for years, Arturo O’Farrill has paved the way that makes possible
Cuba jazz travel from USA.

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. This Support for the Cuban People activity will result in a meaningful interaction with the individuals of Cuba!

Our American travelers to Cuba will be treated to
delicious meals at Cuba's paladares like Aurora Paladar in Santiago de Cuba. 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. Eating in privately-owned restaurants directly
supports the Cuban People and their families.
Giraldo Piloto, one of the best jazz drummers in Cuba, is among the numerous Cuban jazz musicians that perform during the
Santiago de Cuba’s International Jazz Festival. During our
jazz trips to Cuba from USA, visitors enjoy the good taste and high virtuosity of the array of Cuban musicians who take the stage at the numerous jazz venues that host the international Cuban Jazz event.
Cuba jazz tours from USA explore
UNESCO World Heritage sites in Santiago de Cuba such as the
San Pedro de La Roca Morro Castle, showcasing stupendous views of the Caribbean Sea, and striking Spanish military architecture. It contains a museum that showcases the many events the fort has witnessed during its 4-Century history from pirate’s attacks, to English forces’ assaults, to United States’ fleet battles.

US travelers aboard our
jazz tours to Cuba from USA will explore authentic Cuba’s destinations such as 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.

The
Los Munequitos de Matanzas (Cuba’s most famous rumba group),
Conga Los Hoyos (Santiago de Cuba city’s award-winning conga group) and American Jazz pianist,
Arturo O’Farrill (Grammy Award winner) delivered a luxurious performance at the Marti Theatre with the fusion of Jazz, Rumba and Conga during the International Festival Jazz Plaza in Santiago de Cuba. Our
jazz Cuba tours offer
unlimited access to all venues hosting the event such as 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.

The
best Cuba jazz tours to Santiago de Cuba, explore overlooked authentic Cuban destinations such as
Cayo Granma. Included in your jazz travel to Cuba, it is a very pleasant panoramic ferry ride through the Caribbean waters surrounding this small 2-square-kilometer charming island, inhabited by fishermen that live in red-roofed picturesque houses standing on stilts in the Bay of Santiago de Cuba. Our people-to-people Cuba tours make possible for US citizens to mingle with the friendly people (population about 1,200) that inhabited this island and learn about their way of life.

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 Cuban books, postcards and posters).

Our
Jazz trips to Cuba from US, include 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.

As part of our Support for the Cuban People exchanges in Santiago de Cuba, we will engage in authorized Support for the Cuban People activities at
Promociones Literarias Claustrofobias, 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. This Support for the Cuban People activity includes conversations with Naskicet, Yunier, Amels, Zaylen Clavería and other members.

During our Support for the Cuban People trip to Cuba, we will visit El Cobre Town, the headquarters of
El Cobre Youth Steel Band. 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.
Day 1. Monday 22 January 2024.
Hello Santiago de Cuba
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.
Day 2. Tuesday 23 January 2024.
Historical Santiago de Cuba
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.
Day 3. Wednesday 24 January 2024.
Opening Gala, Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival
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.
Day 4. Thursday 25 January 2024.
Cayo Granma, Authentic Cuban Destination
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!
Day 5. Friday 26 January 2024.
Basilica del Cobre, Sacred House of all Cubans
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.
Day 6. Saturday 27 January 2024.
The Cuban Revolution
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 7. Sunday 28 January 2024.
Closing Gala, Santiago de Cuba Jazz Festival
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 :)
Day 8. Monday 29 January 2024.
Departure
Transfer to
Santiago de Cuba International Airport for departure.