Cuba is a paradise in the Caribbean, just 90 miles off Key West. In fact, Cuba is so close that swimmers have made it from coast to coast, even without a shark cage! Yet Cuba is the forbidden fruit for most American travelers due to the US travel restrictions and the frozen diplomatic relations in between the two countries. The discerning travelers are taken off guard when joining our people-to-people tours to Cuba. They are surprised to find a bubbly atmosphere charged with the smoke of Cuban cigars, the loud music that pours out of the windows of 1950’s vintage cars, the lively salsa dancing in every corner, and the entrepreneurial spirit of the Cuban people. Not what they have anticipated for sure! Absorb it all in a short time by the hand of the USA Cuba travel experts!
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Accomodation:
This Cuba tour offers the following Cuban hotels and Casas Particulares (Private Homestays):
This Cuba tour travels to the following Cuban destinations:
Old Havana UNESCO World Heritage Site in Havana City
Las Terrazas UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Western Cuba
Vinales Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site in Western Cuba
Havana Jazz
Jazz lovers joining our Cuba Tours to the 20th Edition of the HAVANA Jo Jazz Competition will also likely witness the birth of future jazz stars as young jazz talents perform frantically to excited audiences at the Bertolt Brech Cultural Center, the Mella Theatre, La Zorra y El Cuervo Jazz Club, and other venues. One thing is guaranteed, young jazz hopes from all provinces of the Caribbean island will come to Havana to match their musical wits for the chance to win one or a few of the prizes offered in each category.
Jazz aficionados traveling to Cuba with Authentic Cuba Travel® will be delighted to partake with Cuban fans in smoky, rum–saturated Vedado hangouts and witness the birth of a new generation of Cuban jazz composers and performers.
For those who thought that the Trump administration’s tightening of U.S. Cuba travel regulations will somehow hinder the success of the 34th edition of the Havana Jazz Festival “Jazz Plaza 2018”, think again. With a record number of US citizens and leading American jazz musicians in attendance, the Havana jazz festival continues to be considered the most prestigious Jazz festival in Latin America.
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Jo Jazz Havana OFFICIAL Cuba Tours brought to you by Authentic Cuba Travel®
Cuba Jazz Tours for Jazz Professionals and Jazz Lovers from USA, Canada and All Over the World From November 6 to November 13, 2024
Join the Cuba Jazz Travel Movement! Attend the Havana Jo Jazz Competition for as Little as $2,799! (taxes incl.)
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 And remember every person you invite
will also receive a $100 discount!
Once again Authentic Cuba Travel® has partnered with the organizing committee of the Havana Jazz Festival to bring to Jazz lovers and Jazz professionals from USA, Canada and all over the world a series of Cuba Jazz tours centered on the Jo Jazz Competition that takes place every year in Havana in the month of November. The OFFICIAL Cuba Trip will take place From November 6 to November 13, 2024, with the Jo Jazz Competition taking place in Havana for 4 days_ from November 9 to November 12, 2024.
As usual the CUBA JAZZ TOURS organized by Authentic Cuba Travel® offer much more than the opportunity to enjoy unlimited access and premium seats at the main venues of the Cuba Jazz Events. In addition to first class hotel accommodation (without breaking the bank!) and second-to-none Cuba travel services, in this opportunity Jazz lovers and Jazz professionals will also be treated to explore the best that Havana and Western Cuba has to offer.
As authentic Cuban destinations outside Havana this year, Authentic Cuba Travel® has included a full exploration of Las Terrazas Eco-friendly community, at the heart of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Sierra del Rosario and the Vinales Valley and Vinales Village, declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the category of Cultural Landscape. For more information on nature and bird wacthing tours in Cuba by Authentic Cuba Travel®, click here.
The Jo Jazz Havana Event is the result of music education in Cuba to a great extend. As waves of young talented jazz musicians emerged from Cuban music schools every year, they were eager to showcase their talents in Havana’s most popular jazz venues. Soon this turned into friendly music competition in a spontaneous way, and then the Jo Jazz Competition of Havana was established and music awards were officially introduced. International jazz musicians noticed what was happening in Havana and started descending to the Caribbean island to partake in the vibrant young jazz scene.
Even Cuban jazz legend and Grammy winner Chucho Valdes has leisurely performed musical miracles at the Jo Jazz Havana Contest. In fact, the Havana Jo Jazz has become the prelude to the world acclaimed Jazz Festival of Havana, presided over by Chucho Valdes. For more information on Cuba Tours to the Havana Jazz Festival of Havana, click here. The Havana Jo Jazz Competition (Concurso de Jovenes Jazzistas Jo Jazz in Spanish) has been unfolding for over 15 years now in the Cuban capital. The rest is history.
Take A Sneak Peak at the Cuban Destinations You Will Visit Outside Havana
The Cuban jazz sound is distinctive and unique. And it is A VERY popular music form among locals. Havana jazz is the result of the African and Spanish musical heritage and mixture, with contributions from the United States of America and many other countries as far as China and France. In the first half of the 20th century, US Jazz bands were hired to perform in Havana. Soon Cuban jazz musicians incorporated the international repertoire brought by these American bands into their unique Jazz sound. Today the Havana Jazz sound is cosmopolitan, sophisticated and freed from commercial pressure- which allows Cuban jazz players to experiment freely and create the new sounds and styles known as the Havana jazz sound that attracts jazz lovers and jazz professionals from all over the world to this Cuban jazz Mecca.
In Havana music booms from 1950’s vintage American and “modern” Russian cars, pours out of restaurants, bars and tourist hotspots, and inundates colonial squares. No wonder Jazz is such a natural fit for this sultry, vibrant and tropical destination in the Caribbean. No wonder Cuba jazz travel is so popular worldwide. No wonder attending the International Jazz Festival of Havana has become a must in the bucket list of die hard jazz aficionados from all over the world. No wonder the Jo Jazz Competition and the Havana Jazz Festival are important dates in the Jazz aficionados’ diaries.
With jazz lovers descending over the venues of the Havana Jazz festivals by busloads, it is important to go to Cuba with a Cuba travel company that can guarantee premium seats at the main venues and events. As the official partners of the organizing committee of the Havana Jazz Festival, Authentic Cuba Travel® provides full access to the Havana Jazz Festivals venues, happenings and latest updates. From the impromptus Jazz sessions at the gardens of the Mella Theatre or in secluded cobblestone street alleys in Old Havana to the opening and closing ceremonies, tour participants will be there.
Young Cuban talents like Yasek Manzano and Yissy Garcia are among the Jo Jazz prize winners to be performing at the Havana Jazz event. Worth mentioning are the memorable performances that take place during the Award Ceremonies. Cuba jazz tours participants still remember the excellent performance by Habana Jazz Collectivo in 2012. Led by Yasek Manzanos (who won the prestigious Jo Jazz award when he was 15 years old) and accompanied by pianist Alejandro Falcón, saxophonist Michel Herrera, trombonist Yoandry Argudín and singer Yanet Valdes, Habana Jazz Collective taught a master class in good Havana jazz sound and style. So it is clear that recipients of the Jo Jazz awards are on their way to become Cuba’s next jazz stars.
Jazz lovers joining our Cuba Tours to the 20th Edition of the Jo Jazz Competition will also likely witness the birth of future jazz stars as young jazz talents perform frantically to excited audiences at the Bertolt Brech Cultural Center, the Mella Theatre, La Zorra y El Cuervo Jazz Club, and other venues. One thing is guaranteed, young jazz hopes from all provinces of the Caribbean island will come to Havana to match their musical wits for the chance to win one or a few of the prizes offered in each category. Jazz aficionados traveling to Cuba with Authentic Cuba Travel® will be delighted to partake with Cuban fans in smoky, rum–saturated Vedado hangouts and witness the birth of a new generation of Cuban jazz composers and performers.
GENERAL LICENSE FOR PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH CUBA TRAVEL
US Arts Professionals, US Art Educators, US Art Consultants, US Art Critics, US Museum of Art Directors, Curators and Staff, US Visual Artists; and other Art Professionals from USA interested in conducting professional research on Cuba's Art Scene can travel to Cuba under the provisions of the General License for Professional Research.
CATEGORY: General license for Professional Research and Professional Meetings- 31 C.F.R. § 515.564(a)(1) of the current Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations.
The travel- related transactions set forth in § 515.560(c) and such additional transactions as are directly incident to professional research are authorized, provided that:
(i) The purpose of the research directly relates to the traveler’s profession, professional background, or area of expertise, including area of graduate-level full-time study;
(ii) The traveler does not engage in recreational travel, tourist travel, travel in pursuit of a hobby, or research for personal satisfaction only; and
(iii) The traveler’s schedule of activities does not include free time or recreation in excess of that consistent with a full-time schedule of professional research.
We provide our US travelers with all the required documentation to ensure they are in compliance with 2022 Biden administration’s rules on Cuba travel under the US Cuba Travel category: Professional Research and Professional Meetings. US travelers can choose to depart to Cuba from any US port of their choosing.
GENERAL LICENSE FOR SUPPORT FOR THE CUBAN PEOPLE CUBA TRAVEL
US citizens or permanent residents genuinely interested in supporting the Cuban people can travel to Cuba from USA legally as part of this Cuba tour. Even though Cuba tourism is not possible for US citizens, this tour is a legal option to visit Cuba under the General License for the Support for the Cuban People.
CATEGORY: General License for Support for the Cuban People- 31 C.F.R. § 515.564(a) of the current Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations.
The travel-related transactions set forth in § 515.560(c) and other transactions that are intended to provide support for the Cuban people are authorized, provided that:
(1) The activities are of:
(i) Recognized human rights organizations; (ii) Independent organizations designed to promote a rapid, peaceful transition to democracy; or
(iii) Individuals and nongovernmental organizations that promote independent activity intended to strengthen civil society in Cuba; and
2) Each traveler engages in a full-time schedule of activities that: (i) Enhance contact with the Cuban people, support civil society in Cuba, or promote the Cuban people’s independence from Cuban authorities; and
(ii) Result in meaningful interaction with individuals in Cuba.
Each person relying on the general authorization in this paragraph must retain specific records related to the authorized travel transactions. See §§ 501.601 and 501.602 of this chapter for applicable recordkeeping and reporting requirements.
We provide our US travelers with all the required documentation to ensure they 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.
Notice to US Universities, Colleges and Schools of Music, US Conservatories of Music, US Institute of Arts, and other Educational Institutions from USA:
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 of Music, US Conservatories of Music, US Institute of Arts, and other Educational Institutions from USA 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.
Cuban English speaking Guide throughout the Havana Jazz Travel
Lunch hosted by world renowned Cuban artists Jose Fuster
Visit to Finca La Vigia where Hemingway Lived for 20 Years
Visit to Cuba's National Art Schools
Guided tour of the Museum of Cuban Art
Attend a Rumba performance at Hamel Street Alley
The first Jazz Festival of Havana was held at the movie theatre Payret in Old Havana in 1963. Even though it was not an international event, it played a key role in revitalizing the dormant Cuban jazz scene. It was attended by Cuba’s best in the genre such as the Leonardo Timor Jazz big band, the only big band left in Cuba at the time featuring jazz musicians such as Samuell Tellez, Fernando Vivar & Ruben Gonzalez. Omara Portuondo was among the roster of muscians at this first Havana Jazz Festival too.
The Jo Jazz Havana Event is the result of music education on Cuba to a great extend. As waves of young talented jazz musicians emerged from Cuban music schools every year, they were eager to showcase their talents in Havana’s most popular jazz venues. Soon this turned into friendly music competition in a spontaneous way, and then the Jo Jazz Competition of Havana was established and music awards were officially introduced.
In Havana music booms from 1950’s vintage American and “modern” Russian cars, pours out of restaurants, bars and tourist hotspots, and inundates colonial squares. No wonder Jazz is such a natural fit for this sultry, vibrant and tropical destination in the Caribbean. No wonder Cuba jazz travel is so popular worldwide. No wonder attending the International Jazz Festival of Havana has become a must in the bucket list of die hard jazz aficionados from all over the world. No wonder the Jo Jazz Competition and the Havana Jazz Festival are important dates in the Jazz aficionados’ diaries.
With jazz lovers descending over the venues of the Havana Jazz festivals by busloads, it is important to go to Cuba with a Cuba travel company that can guarantee premium seats at the main venues and events.
As the official partners of the organizing committee of the Havana Jazz Festival, Authentic Cuba Travel® provides full access to the Havana Jazz Festivals venues, happenings and latest updates. From the impromptus Jazz sessions at the gardens of the Mella Theatre or secluded cobblestone street alleys to the opening and closing ceremonies, tour participants will be there.
Even Cuban jazz legend and Grammy Award winner Chucho Valdes has leisurely performed musical miracles at the Jo Jazz Havana Contest. In fact, the Havana Jo Jazz has become the prelude to the world acclaimed Jazz Festival of Havana, presided over by Chucho Valdes. For more information on Cuba Tours to the Havana Jazz Festival of Havana, click here. The Havana Jo Jazz Competition (in Spanish Concurso de Jovenes Jazzistas Jo Jazz) has been unfolding for over 15 years now in the Cuban capital. The rest is history.
As a highlight authentic Cuban destination this year, Authentic Cuba Travel® has included a full exploration of the Vinales Valley and Vinales Village, declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the category of Cultural Landscape.
Day 1. Wednesday 6 November 2024. The Havana Jazz Adventure Unfolds!
After arrival at the International Airport in Havana City, you’ll be greeted by your Havana Jazz expert tour guide and bus driver. Your dedicated team of Cuba travel service professionals will escort you 24/7 along the trip. Next you will check in at a Casa Particular or at the Quinta Avenida Hotel, both centrally located nearby Havana’s entertainment district, Vedado. Our Cuba jazz tours feature daily complimentary breakfasts.
Evening: jazz travel to Cuba features a pre festival exploration of La Zorra y El Cuervo Jazz Club tonight(optional). Jazz aficionados traveling to Cuba with Authentic Cuba Travel® in will be delighted to partake with Cuban fans in smoky, rum–saturated Vedado hangouts and witness the birth of a new generation of Cuban jazz composers and performers.
Day 2. Thursday 7 November 2024. The Havana Jo Jazz Kicks off tonight!
Morning: as an opening of our Cuba tours to the Havana jazz festival, Authentic Cuba Travel® will introduce North American citizens traveling to Cuba to what’s considered as the historical quarters of the Cuban capital. Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site showcases an array of colonial squares and heritage buildings dating back to Spanish colonial times. From Plaza de Armas to Plaza de La Catedral to Plaza de San Francisco and Plaza Vieja, we will explore the old city by the hand of our Havana jazz expert guide.
As the morning unfolds we will hear the distinctive Cuban music booming from 1950’s vintage American and “modern” Russian cars, pouring out of restaurants, bars and tourist hotspots, and inundating the lively colonial squares. No wonder Jazz is such a natural fit for this sultry, vibrant and tropical destination in the Caribbean.
Before enjoying an authentic Cuban lunch at Paladar San Cristobal, you’ll have time to explore the attention-grabbing handicraft market of Old Havana at a leisurely pace. The cool breeze blowing from the sea waters of the Bay of Havana makes this somehow sultry venue a pleasant spot. No wonder participants of our Jazz tours to Cuba unanimously voted it as a highlight of the Cuba travel experience.
Afternoon: retracing the footsteps of US novelist Ernest Hemingway in Havana is another highlight of our Havana jazz tours. This afternoon Cuba tour participants will be treated to Finca la Vigia, the home of the American author in Cuba for about twenty years. The magnificent property sits on a small hill of San Franciso de Paula, a working class town east of Havana, and contains the main state, a watch tower, a swimming pool and a detached house where Hemingway used to keep his fishing and hunting gear.
Afterwards, your Authentic Cuba Travel® guide will take you to explore Cojimar village, another of Hemingway’s favorite hangouts in Havana, and where the Nobel Prize winner used to park El Pilar boat.
Evening: the Jo Jazz Havana Competition kicks of tonight. The Havana Jo Jazz Competition (Concurso de Jovenes Jazzistas Jo Jazz in Spanish) has been unfolding for over 16 years now in the Cuban capital.
With jazz lovers descending over the venues of the Havana Jazz festivals by busloads, it is important to go to Cuba with a Cuba travel company that can guarantee premium seats at the main venues and events.
As the official partners of the organizing committee of the Havana Jazz Festival, Authentic Cuba Travel® provides full access to the Havana Jazz venues, happenings and latest updates. From the impromptus Jazz sessions at the gardens of the Mella Theatre or in secluded cobblestone street alleys in Old Havana to the opening and closing ceremonies, tour participants will be there.
Day 3. Friday 8 November 2024. Learning about Music Education in Cuba
Morning: the Jo Jazz Havana Event is the result of music education in Cuba to a great extend. As waves of young talented jazz musicians emerged from Cuban music schools every year, they were eager to showcase their talents in Havana’s most popular jazz venues. Soon this turned into friendly music competition in a spontaneous way, and then the Jo Jazz Competition of Havana was established and music awards were officially introduced.
That’s why, Authentic Cuba Travel® has scheduled this morning an exclusive visit to the Cuban National School of Arts. Participants of our Jazz tours to Havana will have the rare opportunity to meet with young Cuban musicians at the Faculty of Music and learn firsthand about artistic education in Cuba. There are good chances you will talk to Cuban rising jazz stars in the making.
What sets apart Authentic Cuba Travel®’s jazz trips from the rest is the rare access it provides North American visitors to Cuba’s off the beaten track attractions and activities. Visiting the studio and private residence of visual artist Jose Fuster and seeing his art work personally, it is one of the many reasons to go to Cuba with USA Cuba travel experts. Jose Fuster will treat tour participants to a delightful lunch.
Afternoon: attending the International Jazz Festival of Havana and/ or the Jo Jazz Havana Competition serves also as an excuse to visit Havana’s most authentic attractions such as the 400-worker Partagas Cigar Factory which has been rolling Cuba’s best cigars since 1845.
Return to your private rental accomodation.
Evening: exploration of the several official and parallel venues of the Jo Jazz Havana Competition (Concurso de Jovenes Jazzistas Jo Jazz in Spanish).
Even Cuban jazz legend and Grammy winner Chucho Valdes has leisurely performed musical miracles at the Jo Jazz Havana Contest. In fact, the Havana Jo Jazz has become the prelude to the world acclaimed Jazz Festival of Havana, presided over by Chucho Valdes. For more information on Cuba Tours to the Havana Jazz Festival of Havana, click here.
Day 4. Saturday 9 November 2024. Exploring the Havana Jazz Sound
Morning: an enriching cultural experience of our jazz tours to Cuba is a guided tour to the Museum of Cuban Art (Museo Nacional Palacio de Bellas Artes in Spanish). From the early colonial art created in Cuba by incipient foreign artists to the trendiest art movements, foreign visitors to Cuba should not miss this world class art facility which is the pride and joy of Habaneros (people from Havana).
For lunch, your Authentic Cuba Travel® guide will show you to private restaurants in Havana (optional/ not included). Locally knwon as Paladares these family-owned establishments are the reflection of Cuba's awakening economy.
Afternoon: an authentic Cuban attraction of Havana city for years has been La Rumba Saturday (Sabado de La Rumba in Spanish) at Vedado’s El Gran Palenque where the Cuba’s Folk Dance Ensemble performs an enthralling show of Afro-Cuban religious and secular dance and drumming for about three hours. Even though it is a Cuba’s tourist hotspot, jazz travel to Cuba is greatly enhanced by this mesmerizing musical experience.
Evening: exploration of the several official and parallel venues of the Jo Jazz Havana Competition (Concurso de Jovenes Jazzistas Jo Jazz in Spanish).
The Cuban jazz sound is distinctive and unique. And it is A VERY popular music form among locals. Havana jazz is the result of the African and Spanish musical heritage and mixture, with contributions from the United States of America and many other countries as far as China and France.
Today the Havana Jazz sound is cosmopolitan, sophisticated and freed from commercial pressure- which allows Cuban jazz players to experiment freely and create the new sounds and styles known as the Havana jazz sound that attracts jazz lovers and jazz professionals from all over the world to this Cuban jazz Mecca.
Day 5. Sunday 10 November 2024. Jo Jazz Havana Award Ceremony
Morning: attend a mesmerizing rumba performance at one of Havana’s most authentic neighbourhoods, Centro Habana. This frantic rumba performance is hosted at Hamel Alley Street, by Salvador Gonzalez, one of Cuban most renowned painters of Afro-Cuban religious themes. But Callejon de Hamel is not only about music, it is about street art. Mural paintings, sculptures and installations of Afro-Cuban religion motives serve as the backdrop for the street performance_ for sure a highlight of our CUBA JAZZ TOURS.
Afternoon: relax by the swimming pool of your hotel, or revisit your favorite spots in the city on your own. You can also retrace some of the parallel venues of the Jo Jazz Havana Competition (Concurso de Jovenes Jazzistas Jo Jazz in Spanish).
Evening: attend the Award Ceremony and closing performances of the Jo Jazz Havana Competition tonight. It is clear that recipients of the Jo Jazz awards are on their way to become Cuba’s next jazz stars.
Worth mentioning are the memorable performances that take place during the Award Ceremonies. Cuba jazz tours participants still remember the excellent performance by Habana Jazz Collectivo in 2012, led by Yasek Manzanos who won the prestigious Jo Jazz award when he was 15 years old.
Day 6. Monday 11 November 2024. Cuba Explorer Tours begin!
Morning: the end of the Havana jazz festival signals the begging of the exploration of beautiful Western Cuba. Usually our jazz trips to Cuba start with a day visit to Las Terrazas, an eco-friendly community secluded in the Sierra del Rosario mountain range, declared as the first Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in Cuba.
In addition to first class hotel accommodation (without breaking the bank!) and second-to-none Cuba travel services, in this opportunity Jazz lovers and Jazz professionals will also be treated to explore the best that Havana and Western Cuba has to offer. As a highlight authentic Cuban destination this year, Authentic Cuba Travel® has included a full exploration of the Vinales Valley and Vinales Village, declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the category of Cultural Landscape.
Several authentic Cuban attractions and activities make this community a popular destination for local folks and US citizens traveling to Cuba alike. As part of today’s itinerary we will meet with local artist and artisans, visit the ruins of a 19th century coffee plantation, learn about the environmental projects under development, and take a bath in the crystal clear waters of the San Juan River.
A complimentary lunch at Casa del Campesino to enjoy a typical countryside lunch is also included in your Authentic Cuba Travel® itinerary today.
After lunch, we can enjoy a replenishing nap in our air-conditioning motor coach as we head further west towards our ultimate destination: the Valley of Vinales.
Day 7. Tuesday 12 November 2024. UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vinales Valley!
Vinales Valley is one of the most geologically striking areas on the island. It has dramatic cliffs, numerous caves, and mogotes, unusual hills with steep sides and rounded tops. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is the pride and joy of the inhabitants of Western Cuba, and one of the most beautiful Cuban destinations to spend your last day in the Caribbean island.
Lunch: Lunch today will be at Paladar La Cuenca.
The Cueva del Indio is part of the largest system of subterranean caves in all of Latin America. The caves are the site of both Amerindian pictographs and burials. Indigenous people also used the caves, as well as runaway plantation slaves, as places to hide from Spanish colonialists.
An underground river runs through the caverns, and you’ll get to experience the cave during a trip by boat.
One the way to Viñales, you’ll view the “Mural de la Prehistoria,” a gigantic hillside painting commissioned by Fidel Castro, and painted by the artist Leovigildo Gonzalez Morillos in 1961.
In the afternoon, you’ll have free time to roam the delightful town of Viñales with its small wooden homes fronted by porches. You can shop at the stalls in the craft bazaar, people watch in the city park, visit the town church, or stroll the Viñales Botanical Garden.
Do not wait any longer. Now is the time to start planning the next Cuba tour for your students. Your students will consider traveling to Cuba an experience of a lifetime. They will come home optimistic and inspired by fresh perspectives on what is possible not only personally but also socially. Request a custom-made Cuba Educational Trip and complimentary no-obligation
Quote for your students, and check some of the resources we put at your service. Request School Tour to Cuba Now!
Cuba is a paradise in the Caribbean, just 90 miles off Key West. In fact, Cuba is so close that swimmers have made it from coast to coast, even without a shark cage! Yet Cuba is the forbidden fruit for most American travelers due to the US travel restrictions and the frozen diplomatic relations in between the two countries. The discerning travelers are taken off guard when joining our people-to-people tours to Cuba. They are surprised to find a bubbly atmosphere charged with the smoke of Cuban cigars, the loud music that pours out of the windows of 1950’s vintage cars, the lively salsa dancing in every corner, and the entrepreneurial spirit of the Cuban people. Not what they have anticipated for sure! Absorb it all in a short time by the hand of the USA Cuba travel experts!
The first Jazz Festival of Havana was held at the movie theatre Payret in Old Havana in 1963. Even though it was not an international event, it played a key role in revitalizing the dormant Cuban jazz scene. It was attended by Cuba’s best in the genre such as the Leonardo Timor Jazz big band, the only big band left in Cuba at the time featuring jazz musicians such as Samuell Tellez, Fernando Vivar & Ruben Gonzalez. Omara Portuondo was among the roster of muscians at this first Havana Jazz Festival too.
The Jo Jazz Havana Event is the result of music education on Cuba to a great extend. As waves of young talented jazz musicians emerged from Cuban music schools every year, they were eager to showcase their talents in Havana’s most popular jazz venues. Soon this turned into friendly music competition in a spontaneous way, and then the Jo Jazz Competition of Havana was established and music awards were officially introduced.
In Havana music booms from 1950’s vintage American and “modern” Russian cars, pours out of restaurants, bars and tourist hotspots, and inundates colonial squares. No wonder Jazz is such a natural fit for this sultry, vibrant and tropical destination in the Caribbean. No wonder Cuba jazz travel is so popular worldwide. No wonder attending the International Jazz Festival of Havana has become a must in the bucket list of die hard jazz aficionados from all over the world. No wonder the Jo Jazz Competition and the Havana Jazz Festival are important dates in the Jazz aficionados’ diaries.
With jazz lovers descending over the venues of the Havana Jazz festivals by busloads, it is important to go to Cuba with a Cuba travel company that can guarantee premium seats at the main venues and events.
As a highlight authentic Cuban destination this year, Authentic Cuba Travel® has included a full exploration of the Vinales Valley and Vinales Village, declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the category of Cultural Landscape.
Authentic Cuba Travel®'s cultural tours are hosted by Cuba’s key Culture ministries, organizing committees and Cuban culture personalities. Travel with the peace of mind of knowing you are in the best hands!
