The first activity in our full-time schedule of professional research this morning, it is to attend professional meetings with healthcare and medical professors and students at the Escuela Latinoamericana de Medicina – ELAM (Latin American School of Medicine). Established in 1999 and finance by the generosity of people of Cuba, ELAM is the largest medical school in the world with a current enrollment of over 10,000 students from over 29 countries.

All its students are from outside Cuba and mainly come from Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. The school also accepts disadvantaged students from the United States. Tuition, accommodation and board are free, and a small stipend is provided to students. This activity will be of particularly interest for the professional research of those travelers from USA, Canada and all over the world whose profession, professional background, or area of expertise (including area of graduate-level full-time study) relates to healthcare education and medical education research.

Lunch: a new wave of paladares (privately-owned restaurants) has recently swept the Cuban dining scene offering excellent food and charming ambient. Today we’ll enjoy a welcome lunch at the stylish Paladar San Cristobal, one of Havana's top ten private restaurants.

Our Cuba education tours kick off this afternoon with a fascinating guided walking tour through the historical center of the Cuban capital, La Habana Vieja (Old Havana). As you tour this UNESCO World Heritage Site, you’ll explore the magic of colorful and vibrant colonial squares, historical buildings and the ever crowded waterfront. You will also be introduced by your Authentic Cuba Tours guide to an array of educational institutions such as the University of San Geronimo and San Ambrosio, the Old Havana Restoration School and several primary and secondary schools.

Cuba Explorer Tours to Old Havana should start right at Plaza de la Catedral, or the Cathedral Square and pay a visit to the Cathedral of Havana, an iconic religious institution of Cuba since the 18th century that has stood the test of time remarkably well. This square is a favorite hangout of both habaneros and foreign travelers, and has lots of welcoming cafés from which you can watch life stroll by while sipping a refreshing Cuban mojito.

Your cultural & educational Cuba trip continues on to the oldest colonial square, Plaza de Armas. Located at the heart of La Habana Vieja, this is the place of foundation and the center of urban development of the old city- from this very square the city grew from during bygone Spanish colonial & modern times.

The Spanish garrison of the Fortress of the Royal Force (the oldest castle in Cuba and one of the oldest in The Americas) used to practise their military drills in the square as early as the 16th century- hence the name of this plaza. The square is surrounded by imposing buildings that used to serve as the center of Spanish ruling of the island nation of Cuba during colonial times such as the Palace of the Captains Generals and Palace of the Spanish Vice Governor.

Your educational Cuba travel experience will take you to explore Plaza de San Francisco next. Surrounded by the former church and monastery of San Francisco de Asis, the earlier Exchange of Havana (the equivalent of Wall Street in the USA), and numerous waterfront warehouses (today housing international cruise terminals and other facilitiees), this colonial square used to be the commercial center of the city for many decades and it does retains its liveliness today for sure.

Originally, Plaza Vieja or “Old Square” was named Plaza Nueva when the Spanish first built it in the 16th century. Over the years, it has been the home of aristocrats, the location for bullfights, and the site of fiestas and religious celebrations. Today you will find some important museums and several beautifully restored buildings.

Even though is known as Plaza Vieja (or Old Square) this square is the latest square established by the Spaniards in what is today the historical center. Bull fights, slave trade, religious celebrations and social gatherings are just some of the events it has witnessed. Your Authentic Cuba Travel® escort will tell you about some of those events as you take pictures from the shade of the porticos of the magnificent buildings surrounding the square. Having stood the pass of time, today they house premier cultural and educational institutions.

Evening: The one thing most Cuba travelers agree on is that the Caribbean island produces wonderful and diverse music. This evening you will get a taste of the Cuba insight in the form of live music and dancing at Elza's Rooftop (La Azotea de Elsa)— so get ready to dance all night long! Your participation in these activities directly supports the Cuban people and the Cuban families financially while encouraging independent entrepreneurial activities that in turn strengthen civil society in Cuba.

Morning: On the second day of our Cuba Educational Tours, we like to take tour participants inside some elementary and secondary schools.

The first visit will be at the Escuela Taller (Restoration School). This technical school is a step stone to continue higher education in the field of historical restoration. The basis of woodworking, ironworking and painting renovation as well as archeological techniques are part of the educational program of the school. It provides young graduates with an arsenal of tools to join the qualified workforce of Cuba after completion on projects involving historic and artistic preservation and/ or continue higher education in any of the fields taught.

Our professional meeting with Cuban teachers this morning will be of particularly interest for the professional research of those travelers from USA, Canada and all over the world whose profession, professional background, or area of expertise (including area of graduate-level full-time study) relates to the teaching of skilled trades. With an aging workforce, the school is training skilled trades people who can help restore, preserve and maintain the historical and architectural heritage of the nation.

Optional Lunch: optional lunch presents as a great opportunity to eat in a privately-owned family restaurant which are abundant in the area. Your Authentic Cuba Travel® tour guide will facilitate individual bookings and we will provide you with a list of recommended paladares before tour departure. Enjoy!

Afternoon: After, you’ll visit the students of a primary school. You will be met by uniformed Cuban pioneros with vivacious smiles who might bring memories of your own students at home! The school’s energetic principal will also talk to you about some of the particular challenges facing this urban educational institution as Cuba’s economy and educational focus begin to adjust.

This visit will be of particularly interest for the professional research of those travelers from USA, Canada and all over the world whose profession, professional background, or area of expertise (including area of graduate-level full-time study) relates to the impact of early childhood education on academic success and social skills development, the role of creativity and play in early childhood education, the role of teacher-child relationships in early childhood education and the effectiveness of early literacy programs.

Authentic Cuba tours should engage visitors with ordinary Cubans by visiting their communities. Next we are off to visit one of Hemingway’s favorite fishing towns, Cojimar- a small coastal settlement in Eastern Havana that served as the backdrop for the Old Man and the Sea, the famous book by the American novelist.

Afternoon: After the lunch break, your Authentic Cuba Travel® tour guide will give you a short tour of Cojimar including a bust of Hemingway created from the propellers of the community’s fishing boats.

Then we will enjoy a short but relaxing bus ride to Hemingway’s former estate, known locally as Finca La Vigia. Here the American journalist lived and wrote for over 20 years with his 3rd and 4th wives. Hemingway used to welcome popular Hollywood movie stars, boxers, and even Spanish bull fighters in this place.

The house is national monument and the pride of the working class inhabitants of San Miguel del Padron, a municipality of Eastern Havana. A large collection of Hemingway’s manuscripts and books, his hunting and fishing gear, photographs and even stuffed animals are all preserved in the original condition the author left them. It seems nothing have been touched ever since Hemingway left this place.

Evening: during one of the first nights of our educational Cuba tours, we take the Cuba explorer to the Castle of San Carlos de La Cabana (the largest fortress ever built by the Spanish monarchs in The Americas) to attend one of the most authentic ceremonies in Cuba, El Canonazo de las 9 El Canonazo de las 9. An old tradition dating back from Spanish colonial times where a real cannon used to be fired to announce habaneros that it was time to close the gates of the city walls.

Morning: this morning our Cuba study trip takes us to explore the largest, oldest and principal educational establishment in Cuba, La Universidad de La Habana (1728). Centrally located in Vedado neighborhood, the university’s main campus comprises the faculties of Natural Sciences, Law and Social Sciences. As the cornerstone of Cuba’s higher education, this university has 15 faculties in total, several research centers and about 6000 students a year. Even Fidel Castro is a graduate of this prestigious institution.

This visit represents a great opportunity for North American university and college professors, faculty and staff; K-12 teachers, and other educational professionals to conduct professional research on Cuba’s higher education policy and planning, student services, administration, as well as the teaching methods and curriculum for higher education in the island.

Optional lunch today serves as a good excuse to exchange with the new Cuban entrepreneurs, the paladar (privately-run family restaurant) owners. Your guide will assists you with reservations to Cuba’s most popular ones. Before tour departure, we will also provide you with a list of those paladares we recommend.

Afternoon: Pedro Pulido, a renowned Cuban visual artist that incorporates the Cuba’s African heritage in his artistic production, is also the leader of the Community Project "Cintio Vitier" that we will visit next. Named after Cintio Vitier, a beloved and prolific Cuban poet and novelist, this outreach educational project enrolls local children and teenagers into artistic creation through painting, theatre, music and dance workshops and projects that are voluntarily taught and led by Pulido himself and his followers. Having the opportunity to connect the North American educators and travelers to the community leaders and students of this project is a component of our Cuba education tours that makes us very proud.

This visit also presents an unparalleled chance for North American university and college professors, faculty and staff; K-12 teachers, and other educational professionals to conduct professional research on extracurricular participation and student engagement as a contributing factor for students’ success as well as the extracurricular work of outreach independent community projects in the island.

La Maqueta de La Habana Vieja (or the Scale Model of Havana) is the scenario where we will have the privilege to meet one of Cuba’s top scholars when it comes to modern urban development, Dr. Miguel Coyula, a university professor of architecture and leader of the Group for the Comprehensive Development of the City.

An educational travel experience to Cuba wouldn’t be complete without visiting Cuba’s most internationally acclaimed museum, the Palacio de Bellas Artes which contains the largest and most impressive collection of Cuban artwork in the world. Centuries of Cuba’s artistic production by Cuban masters, curated by top-notch Cuban scholars are displayed in several thematic rooms from religious paintings of earlier colonial times to the modern pieces of contemporary generations.

Evening: At Authentic Cuba Tours we suggests a visit to Club La Zorra y El Cuervo this evening (optional/ not included in tour costs/ about 10 cuc). If you love jazz, it’s a great opportunity to hear some of the hottest artists on the island.

Morning: Recently toured by American singer Beyoncé, the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) is the leading and largest artistic education institution in Cuba. It dates back from the 1960’s when The Revolution leadership decided to covert the aristocrat Country Club of Habana into five art schools. As a member of our education tours to Cuba, you will get to talk to students and professors who are all active musicians, dancers and artists about their view of art education in the iconic island.

Our professional meeting with Cuban professors this morning will be of particularly interest for the professional research of those travelers from USA, Canada and all over the world whose profession, professional background, or area of expertise (including area of graduate-level full-time study) relates to the studies of art education, the teaching of creative art making, the impact of art education, and other art education topics.

Complimentary Lunch: next we are off to meet another ISA graduate, Jose Fuster- considered as one of the most important Cuban ceramist alive today. The artwork of this iconic Cuban figure has been exhibited and it is part of the most important art collections worldwide. Lunch will be served in the artist private home and studio and hosted by Fuster himself who will talk to us about the importance of artistic community projects for the local people. Fuster has turned his beloved coastal town of Jaimanitas into a living ceramic gallery. Must be seen!

Afternoon: a highlight of our Cuba educational & cultural tours is the opportunity to meet Dra. Luisa Campos who has served as director of the Museo de La Alfabetizacion for decades. As a volunteer of the Cuba’s Literacy Campaign of 1961 herself, Dra Luisa is passionate about this incredible educational project that brought about the high literacy rate that Cuba is proud of today. Several decades later, the campaign continues to be a role model for literacy efforts in the developing world.

This guided educational tour will be of particularly interest for the professional research of those travelers from USA, Canada and all over the world whose profession, professional background, or area of expertise (including area of graduate-level full-time study) relates to the history of literacy education and alternative approaches to teaching. The ideal approach to teach and learn literacy depends on the student. Every student is an individual with unique strengths, weaknesses, interests, and ways of learning. So how do you teach 700 000 people of different ages and backgrounds in such a record time? What teaching approach was used and why it worked.

Evening is free to explore the sounds of the city at your very own leisurely pace or getting some rest before tomorrow's departu to Cuba's Western countryside.

For most travelers that join our Cuba Study Tours®, visiting Las Terrazass community is always a highlight of the country Cuban adventure. Located in Sierra del Rosario, Cuba’s premier UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it is hard to imagine that this area was totally devastated by lumber deforestation and farming prior to the 1960’s.

We will visit the colourful community of nearly 1000 inhabitants whose houses were built using the innovative Novoa building system which consists of small prefabricated pieces that can be carried and assembled by a few men- hence avoiding the use of heavy machinery and minimizing the human footprint in the region.

In our quest to understand the effects of the new economic reforms in Cuba’s rural communities, we have included visits to the studio of local artists, to small private ventures of local entrepreneurs, and to the local primary and secondary schools of the community.

These visits will be of particularly interest for the professional research of those travelers from USA, Canada and all over the world whose profession, professional background, or area of expertise (including area of graduate-level full-time study) relates to the impact of early childhood education on academic success and social skills development, the role of creativity and play in early childhood education, the role of teacher-child relationships in early childhood education and the effectiveness of early literacy programs.

We will also visit the former estate of a coffee plantation French owner who fled Haiti during the Haiti Revolution and settled in this region where he built a prosperous coffee plantation, Cafetal Buenavista (1801). The property seats atop a hill that offers breathtaking views of Sierra del Rosario. The ruins of slave barracks and coffee drying platforms can also be toured in the property.

We will also take a guided tour to arguably Cuba’s only ecological hotel, La Moka. With a large mahogany tree growing through the lobby and graced with flower gardens and water features everywhere, this facility shows how tourism impact on the environment can be minimized.

Complimentary Lunch: An authentic country lunch will be served in a rustic restaurant by the natural pools and waterfall of the San Juan River- a favourite summer getaway for Cubans. We invite you to bring your swimming suit and mingle with the locals as you go for a splash in the crystal clear waters of this Biosphere Reserve.

Our group will meet Cuban doctors at a family doctor’s office. You will learn about the Cuban Family Doctor and Nurse Program, an educational approach that requires the training of a team of two health care professionals (community doctor and nurse) who work as a team to provide health care to a neighborhood, specific area or community.

Family doctors are a new type of physician that specializes in comprehensive general medicine and are integral part of the so called Primary Level of Medical Attention. This exchange presents an unparalleled chance for North American university and college professors, faculty and staff; K-12 teachers, and other educational professionals to conduct professional research on Cuba’s medical education.

We’ll then continue to the Viñales Valley, where you will overnight at your Luxury Casa Particular with spectacular views of the valley.

The first activity in our full-time schedule of professional research this morning, it is to attend professional meetings with sports and physical education teachers, trainers and coaches at the Pinar del Rio’s Sports School (Escuela de Iniciacion Deportiva Escolar (EIDE)) “Ormani Arenado”.

This activity will be of particularly interest for the professional research of those travelers from USA, Canada and all over the world whose profession, professional background, or area of expertise (including area of graduate-level full-time study) relates to sports and physical education.

Lunch at Paladar Casa del Campesino in Vinales Valley. Eating in private family-run restaurants directly supports the Cuban people and the Cuban families financially while encouraging independent entrepreneurial activities that in turn strengthen civil society in Cuba.

Nestled into Sierra de los Organos mountain range, the Vinales valley & town are a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Category of Cultural Landscapes and the pride and joy of the pinarenos, the inhabitants of Pinar del Rio Province, Cuba’s premier tobacco-growing region.

And it’s breathtaking. Imagine dramatic cliffs, underground caves, subterranean rivers, royal palm trees, and tobacco fields lying alongside the mogotes- flat top limestone hills that emerge sharply up from the valley bottom.

After lunch you will descend underground to admire the centuries-old stalactites and stalagmites of the Indian Cave, then we will go for a boat ride along an underground river which emerges into a peaceful valley at the other side of the mogote.

With your Authentic Cuba Travel® guide bringing prehistoric times back to life as you tour El Mural de La Prehistoria (an amazing painting that covers the entire side of a mogote), you will venture into the heart and soul of this natural landscape for unforgettable memories of Cuba’s countryside.

You will meet tobacco growing farmers and tour tobacco plantations. You will even get to roll your own Cuban cigars as you sip the real Cuban coffee grown in the Cuba’s West. Your participation in these activities directly supports the Cuban people and the Cuban families financially while encouraging independent entrepreneurial activities that in turn strengthen civil society in Cuba.

Shopping in the open air street markets of Vinales downtown, visiting Vinales botanical garden, and sampling some local rum known as Guayabita del Pinar is also included in today’s expedition.

Morning: your authentic Cuba guide will review with you your departure schedule and flight information the night before and escort you this morning to the Havana airport for taking your flights back home. Our Cuba tours are gate to gate experiences and you will be pampered all along the way.