Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Cuba: Havana, Santa Clara, Trinidad and Cienfuegos
7 days from Havana through central Cuba: Che Guevara's memorial in Santa Clara, two nights in Trinidad with the sugar valley and a family dinner, and Cienfuegos by boat.
7 days · Round trip from Havana · up to 12 guests
Plaza Mayor in Trinidad at dusk, beside the Iglesia de la Santísima Trinidad Photo: Ridiculopathy, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oct2023._Near_Plaza_Mayor,_Trinidad,_Cuba_02.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days, 6 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from Havana
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 3.5 h on day 3No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
- Activity level
Easy
Easy walking in heat on cobbles: about 2 to 3 hours on foot in Old Havana, Trinidad and Cienfuegos, a forest walk of about 2 km on an uneven trail in Topes de Collantes (or a coffee in the shade instead), steps up the Manaca Iznaga tower if you choose to climb it, and drives of up to about 3.5 hours with stops.
- Meals included
- 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 435 (estimated price)
- Season
- Best November to April
Highlights
Why this trip
- Old Havana's four squares on foot at 9 am, then a classic-car ride along the Malecón to Plaza de la Revolución
- Che Guevara's memorial and mausoleum in Santa Clara, and the armoured train his column derailed in December 1958
- Over the Escambray mountains by Topes de Collantes, with a forest walk and lunch on the way to Trinidad
- The Valle de los Ingenios from the Loma del Puerto viewpoint and the Manaca Iznaga tower
- Dinner in a Trinidad family's home, with canchánchara and live music after
- A boat out on the Bay of Cienfuegos and sunset from the Palacio de Valle rooftop
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day, and none is longer than 4 hours.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 435 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 3.5 h, on day 3.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Havana
José Martí International Airport to your casa particular in Havana
- Dinner
- Stay in Havana
- Drive about 30 min
Fly into José Martí International Airport (HAV), about 30 minutes south of central Havana. A driver meets you outside arrivals and takes you to your casa particular, a privately owned guesthouse, in or near Old Havana.
Afternoon
Arrive whenever your flight allows; most flights from Canada land in the afternoon.
Evening
If you have time before the briefing, walk down to the Malecón, the long sea wall where the city comes out in the evening to talk, fish and watch the waves break. At 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing: how the week is paced, what power cuts and shortages mean on the ground, and how to change money, since cash is what works here. Then we walk to a paladar, one of the privately run restaurants that have changed eating out in Cuba, for a welcome dinner of Cuban dishes such as ropa vieja or picadillo, depending on what the market has that day.
Included
- Pick-up at José Martí International Airport (HAV)
- Welcome briefing with your guide, including how to change money
- Welcome dinner at a paladar
Free time: Free until the 6 pm briefing
Activity: If you land after 6 pm, your guide meets you at the casa and briefs you over breakfast. The casas we aim for in every town are central and walkable to the old quarter, each room with its own bathroom and air conditioning; that is our standard, and we name each casa when we confirm your dates.
Old Havana on foot, then by classic car
Old Havana's four squares, then the Malecón, Vedado and Plaza de la Revolución
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Havana
- Drive about 30 min
Afternoon
We start at 9 am on foot in Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, before the midday heat. Your guide links the four old squares in the order the city grew: Plaza de Armas with its secondhand book stalls and the Castillo de la Real Fuerza, the baroque cathedral on Plaza de la Catedral, the restored merchants' houses around Plaza Vieja, and Plaza de San Francisco by the harbour. Lunch is at a paladar in the old town. In the afternoon the classic cars arrive: American cars from the 1950s carry us along the Malecón, through the leafy avenues of Vedado and up to Plaza de la Revolución, where the steel outline of Che Guevara looks down from the Ministry of the Interior, the first sight of the man whose memorial we visit tomorrow. The ride ends back at your casa by about 4 pm.
Evening
The rest of the day is yours: the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, a rest through the heat, or a drink on a rooftop at sunset.
Included
- Old Havana walking tour with your guide: Plaza de Armas, Plaza de la Catedral, Plaza Vieja and Plaza de San Francisco
- Lunch at a paladar in Old Havana
- Classic-car ride along the Malecón, through Vedado to Plaza de la Revolución
Optional experiences
- Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Cuban art)
- The 9 pm cañonazo cannon ceremony at La Cabaña fortress
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free
Activity: About 2 to 3 hours on foot on flat but uneven paving. Bring a hat and water.
Santa Clara and Che Guevara's memorial
Havana east on the Autopista Nacional to Santa Clara
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Santa Clara
- Drive about 3.5 h
We leave Havana at 9 am and drive east on the Autopista Nacional, the motorway through the cane and cattle country of Matanzas, with a coffee stop at about the halfway point.
Afternoon
Santa Clara is about 280 km and three and a half hours away, and we arrive for lunch near the centre. At about 2:30 pm we go to the memorial on the western edge of town: a bronze statue of Che Guevara above a plaza, and below it the mausoleum where his remains were laid in 1997, thirty years after his death in Bolivia, beside an eternal flame. The museum next to it holds his letters, photographs and the black beret. Then to the Tren Blindado monument, where in December 1958 Che's column used a bulldozer to derail an armoured government train, the battle that opened the road to Havana; the wagons are still on the track.
Evening
The late afternoon and evening are free in Parque Vidal, the main square, where the town gathers after dark.
Included
- Drive from Havana to Santa Clara with a coffee stop
- Lunch in Santa Clara
- The Che Guevara memorial, mausoleum and museum with your guide
- The Tren Blindado monument
Optional experiences
- An evening show at El Mejunje, Santa Clara's long-running cultural centre
Free time: Late afternoon and evening free in Parque Vidal
Activity: Bags and cameras are usually left outside the mausoleum; dress respectfully. The mausoleum closes on Mondays, so we only schedule departures where this day is not a Monday; if it is closed for any other reason, we visit on the morning of day 4 before leaving for Trinidad.
Over the Escambray to Trinidad
Santa Clara to Manicaragua and Topes de Collantes, then down to Trinidad
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Trinidad
- Drive about 3 h
We leave Santa Clara at 8:30 am and head south into the Escambray mountains, the hills where rebel columns hid in the late 1950s. It is about 115 km to Trinidad, but the mountain road is slow and winding, so allow three hours of driving with stops.
Morning
Mid-morning we reach Topes de Collantes, a protected park of pine and tropical forest at about 800 m, noticeably cooler than the coast. At the Casa del Café we taste coffee grown in these hills, then a local guide takes us on a forest walk of about 2 km among ferns and coffee bushes to a viewpoint.
Afternoon
Lunch is in the park. In the afternoon the road drops steeply to the Caribbean, with views over the sugar plains, and we reach Trinidad at about 3:30 pm. At 4:30 pm, as the cobbles cool, your guide walks you to the Plaza Mayor and through the lanes of a town founded in 1514 and listed by UNESCO in 1988.
Evening
The evening is free; live music starts on the steps beside the church after dark.
Included
- Topes de Collantes with a local guide: the Casa del Café and a forest walk
- Lunch in Topes de Collantes
- Trinidad walking tour: the Plaza Mayor and the old town
Optional experiences
- Live music at the Casa de la Música steps or the Casa de la Trova
Easier option: Skip the forest walk and stay with coffee on the terrace at the Casa del Café.
Free time: Evening free in Trinidad
Activity: The mountain road has steep hairpins; tell your guide if you get carsick and take a front seat. If the road is in poor condition we drive via Sancti Spíritus instead, about 2.5 hours, and visit Topes de Collantes from Trinidad.
The Valley of the Sugar Mills and a family dinner
Trinidad to the Loma del Puerto viewpoint and Manaca Iznaga, then back to Trinidad
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Trinidad
- Drive about 1 h
We leave at 8:30 am for the Valle de los Ingenios, the valley of the sugar mills, listed by UNESCO together with Trinidad. In the 1800s dozens of mills here made the town rich on sugar and on the labour of enslaved Africans, and the mansions you walked past yesterday were built on that money. From the Loma del Puerto viewpoint the whole valley lies below, green with cane and royal palms. At Manaca Iznaga, the estate of one of the wealthiest planter families, you can climb the tall tower once used to watch over the fields, or stay below where local women sell embroidered tablecloths.
Afternoon
Lunch is at a farm restaurant in the valley, and we are back in Trinidad by about 1:30 pm. The afternoon is free: a museum, a rest, or a taxi to Playa Ancón, about 12 km away.
Evening
At 7 pm a Trinidad family welcomes the group into their home for dinner, starting with canchánchara, the town's drink of rum, honey and lime, and your guide takes anyone who wants to on to the live music afterwards.
Included
- Valle de los Ingenios with your guide: the Loma del Puerto viewpoint and Manaca Iznaga
- Lunch in the valley
- Dinner hosted by a family in their Trinidad home
Optional experiences
- Taxi to Playa Ancón for the afternoon
- The Museo Romántico or the Museo de Historia Municipal in Trinidad (when open)
- A one-hour salsa lesson with a local teacher
Easier option: Skip the tower climb at Manaca Iznaga and wait in the shade of the estate house.
More active option: Instead of the free afternoon, a guided hike to the Salto del Caburní waterfall in Topes de Collantes, about 5 km return on a steep trail (extra cost, confirmed at booking).
Free time: Afternoon free until the 7 pm dinner
Activity: The Manaca Iznaga tower has steep, narrow stairs.
Cienfuegos by land and by boat
Trinidad on the coast road to Cienfuegos, Parque José Martí, the bay and Punta Gorda
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Cienfuegos
- Drive about 1.5 h
Morning
The early morning is free in Trinidad, for a last coffee on the Plaza Mayor before the day-trippers arrive. At 9:30 am we take the coast road west, about 80 km and an hour and a half, with the Escambray on one side and the Caribbean on the other. Cienfuegos was founded in 1819 by French settlers from Bordeaux and Louisiana, and its grid of wide streets and neoclassical facades is why the centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At 11 am we walk Parque José Martí, with the cathedral, the columned Colegio San Lorenzo and the Teatro Tomás Terry, opened in 1890, where we step inside when it is open.
Afternoon
After lunch we board a boat for about two hours on the Bay of Cienfuegos, past the fishing houses of La Punta towards the old Jagua fortress at the bay's mouth.
Evening
We land at Punta Gorda for the Palacio de Valle, a 1917 mansion of Moorish arches, and watch the sun go down over the bay from its rooftop before the farewell dinner.
Included
- Cienfuegos walk with your guide: Parque José Martí, the cathedral and the Teatro Tomás Terry (when open)
- Lunch in Cienfuegos
- Boat trip on the Bay of Cienfuegos
- The Palacio de Valle at Punta Gorda with sunset from the rooftop
- Farewell dinner
Free time: Early morning free in Trinidad; time after dinner to walk the Malecón of Cienfuegos
Activity: The boat depends on wind and port rules; if it cannot sail, your guide takes the group to the Jagua fortress by road instead.
Back to Havana and home
Cienfuegos to the Autopista Nacional, then José Martí International Airport or central Havana
- Breakfast
- Drive about 3.5 h
We leave Cienfuegos at 8 am for the drive back to Havana, about 240 km and three and a half hours to José Martí International Airport (HAV), inland through cane fields to the Autopista Nacional at Aguada de Pasajeros and west across Matanzas. A coffee stop at about the halfway point breaks the drive. We aim to reach the airport at about 12 noon, though fuel queues or road works can add time, so book a flight home leaving after about 3:30 pm, which allows the three hours that check-in and security at HAV can take.
Evening
If your flight is in the evening or the next day, the vehicle continues to central Havana, about 30 minutes further, and drops you there instead; ask us before the trip to add a night in a casa particular in Havana. Cuban pesos are hard to change back outside Cuba, so spend or change what you have left before security, and keep a few small notes for coffee and a sandwich at the airport, where food choices are limited.
Included
- Drive from Cienfuegos to Havana with a coffee stop
- Drop-off at José Martí International Airport (HAV) or in central Havana
Activity: Book a flight leaving Havana after about 3:30 pm, or add a night in Havana. The 3.5-hour drive can run longer if fuel or power problems slow the road.
- Havana2 nights
- Santa Clara1 night
- Trinidad2 nights
- Cienfuegos1 night
- Havanaend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: November to April is the dry season, warm by day and pleasant in the evening, and the best time for walking the old towns and the forest trail in Topes de Collantes, which is cooler than the coast. From May to October it is hot, humid and wet, with heavy afternoon showers. The hurricane season runs from June to November, peaking from August to October, when plans can change at short notice and the bay boat may not sail.
Want this plan in your inbox?
Get the day-by-day itinerary by email, or ask us anything about this trip. A trip planner replies the same or next business day.
Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Canadians who know the Cuban beach resorts and want a week inland in the towns
- Travellers interested in the revolution, colonial history and music more than nightlife
- Anyone short of time: a week, with no drive over about 3.5 hours
- People happy in privately owned guesthouses with character rather than chain hotels
- Solo travellers who want company and a guide who handles cash, transfers and the unexpected
Not for you if you want
- Travellers who want Viñales and the tobacco valley: take the 9-day Cuba classic instead
- Travellers who need reliable power, Wi-Fi and hot water every day
- A beach holiday: Playa Ancón is an optional afternoon only
- Step-free access: Trinidad's cobbles are rough and steep in places
- US citizens who have not checked that their trip fits a US authorized travel category
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
6 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Havana2 nights
- Santa Clara1 night
- Trinidad2 nights
- Cienfuegos1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 6 nights: 2 in Havana, 1 in Santa Clara, 2 in Trinidad and 1 in Cienfuegos
- Privately owned casas particulares, central and walkable to the main square, each room with its own bathroom and air conditioning; we name each one when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up and drop-off at José Martí International Airport (HAV), or drop-off in central Havana on day 7
- A private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for the group for the whole loop
- A classic-car ride in Havana
- A boat trip on the Bay of Cienfuegos
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group from day 1 to day 7
- Licensed Cuban local guides in Topes de Collantes and at sites that require them
Activities
- Havana: Old Havana walking tour and the classic-car ride to Plaza de la Revolución
- Santa Clara: the Che Guevara memorial, mausoleum and museum, and the Tren Blindado monument
- Topes de Collantes: the Casa del Café and a guided forest walk
- Trinidad: an old town walking tour and dinner in a family's home
- The Valle de los Ingenios, the Loma del Puerto viewpoint and Manaca Iznaga
- Cienfuegos: Parque José Martí, the Teatro Tomás Terry (when open), the bay boat and the Palacio de Valle
- All entrance fees for included sights
Meals
- 6 breakfasts
- 5 lunches, including lunch in Topes de Collantes and in the sugar valley
- 3 dinners: a welcome dinner in Havana, a home-hosted dinner in Trinidad and a farewell dinner in Cienfuegos
Not included
- International flights to and from Havana
- Travel health insurance valid in Cuba (required for entry) and the Cuban e-Visa or tourist authorisation if your airline does not supply it
- Travel insurance for cancellation and baggage
- Extra nights in Havana before or after the trip
- Meals not listed
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities
- Personal expenses
- Currency exchange costs
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 435 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the central Cuba trip price include?
Six nights in casas particulares, 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 3 dinners, airport transfers, a private vehicle and driver, a See Sight Tours guide throughout with Cuban local guides, and every visit in the day plan, including the Che memorial, Topes de Collantes, the sugar valley, the Cienfuegos bay boat and a family dinner in Trinidad.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, so everyone fits around one family table in Trinidad and can hear the guide in the narrow lanes of Old Havana. Larger operators run these routes with up to 16.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with the group from the airport on day 1 to the drop-off on day 7. Licensed Cuban guides join in Topes de Collantes and at sites that require them, so you hear Cuban voices as well as ours.
How fit do I need to be?
Easy fitness is enough. The longest walk is about 2 km on a forest trail in Topes de Collantes, which you can skip for coffee on the terrace. Expect heat, rough cobbles in Trinidad and drives of up to about three and a half hours with stops.
I'm travelling solo. Is there a single supplement?
Yes. A room of your own costs from CAD 435 more, shown up front with no change at checkout. If you would rather share, tell us when you request to book and we will see whether another solo guest on your departure wants to share too.
When is the best time to visit Cuba?
November to April is the dry season, warm by day and comfortable for walking. May to October is hot, humid and wet, and the hurricane season runs from June to November, peaking from August to October, when plans can change at short notice.
How does booking work?
Choose your start date and request to book. We check availability and provide the final quote, itinerary and booking terms before you accept. No payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 2,565 per person sharing, with taxes included.
Can I travel on my own dates?
Yes. The trip comes as a private trip for your party only, with your own guide and vehicle, on a date you choose. If you would rather travel independently, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same casas, drivers and local guides.
Do Canadians need a visa for Cuba?
Canadians need a Cuban e-Visa or tourist authorisation, whichever your airline or the Cuban authorities require at the time; Cuba replaced the paper tourist card in 2025. You also need the D'Viajeros online form before arrival, proof of travel health insurance and a passport valid for your stay. We confirm the current rules when you book.
Can US citizens join this trip?
Only if their travel fits an authorized US category, because US law does not allow tourism to Cuba and the rules tightened in 2025. We stay in privately owned casas and avoid hotels on the US Cuba Restricted List, but you are responsible for your own compliance. Ask us before booking.
Is this trip a shorter version of your Havana, Viñales and Trinidad tour?
Partly. It shares Old Havana, Trinidad, the sugar valley and Cienfuegos, but drops Viñales and the Bay of Pigs and adds a night in Santa Clara for the Che memorial and the Escambray road through Topes de Collantes. Choose the 9-day classic if you want the tobacco valley.
What time should I book my flight home from Havana?
Book a flight leaving after about 3:30 pm on day 7. We leave Cienfuegos at 8 am and reach José Martí airport at about noon, allowing three hours for check-in. Later flights are fine; we can drop you in central Havana instead, or add a night in a casa there.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
Book your Tour
Get in Touch
- Toll Free1-888-961-6584
- Local1-289-271-9767
© 2026 See Sight Tours. All rights reserved.