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Day 1: Havana - Pinar del Río - Viñales: 190km
You pick up the rental car at 10 am in Havana and travel to Viñales. The legendary Cuban tobacco grows here in the valleys in the stretched flat fields among the steep and towering rocky peaks.
We recommend a detour to visit the Las Terrazas community. This community is in the Sierra Rosario, 25,000 hectares of almost untouched piece of land, declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. The river San Juan, with its small waterfalls flows through the thick forests of the Sierra del Rosario, and you will notice lakes, ruins and coffee plantations from the 19th century and sulphurcontaining
water sources as well. Most of the farmers in the Sierra live in communes which formed back in 1968 under the auspices of a government project; the most famous of which is Las Terrazas. The name comes from the moss-covered terraced fields which are typical for the region today. The 900 inhabitants of this community live from forestry and eco-tourism. One can also visit the orchid gardens at Soroa.
Accommodation: Hotel La Ermita or Los Jazmines
Breakfast
Day 2: Viñales
After breakfast you should use the opportunity to explore the wonderful surroundings. The Valle Viñales offers a spectacular countryside with its unique rocky mounds (mogotes) and numerous bizarre cave formations. We recommend a visit to one of many tobacco plantations which have made this region famous. Another destination to visit is the impressive cave Cueva del Indio. The town of Viñales has been declared a monument and is dominated by low rise wooden houses and their verandas.
Accommodation: Hotel La Ermita or Los Jazmines
Breakfast
Day 3: Viñales - Cienfuegos: 443 km
After breakfast we leave for the Península de Zapata. Today's destination is Cienfuegos. On the way you should use the opportunity to make a detour to Playa Girón. Expect to find wonderful beaches and small bays which are perfect for snorkelling. In the National Park you can expect an extensive swamp region that is inhabited by crocodiles and flamingos. Here, over 900 species of flowers, 171 species of birds, 31 species of reptiles and 12 different types of mammals have all been protected. For those who love birds, it is worthwhile visiting between October and April because numerous water birds stop here. Another must-see is the Bahia de los Cochinos, the famous Bay of Pigs.
Accommodation: Hotel La Union
Breakfast
Day 4: Cienfuegos - Trinidad - Playa Ancon: 120km
After breakfast you leave for Trinidad. This city was founded in 1514 by Diego Velázquez and has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site. It is worth visiting the Palacio Brunet which is situated in the mainly Colonial style historical centre of Trinidad. The Palacio, built in 1812, is now the Museo Romántico. All 14 rooms belonging to the museum lead onto a courtyard arcade with elegant balustrades. As well as floors made from Carrara marble, coffered ceilings, classical decorations and furniture made from precious woods, you can also admire beautiful windows and hand-painted tiles.
The Palacio Cantero was built at the beginning of the 19th century and is now the Museo Histórico Municipal with many records about the history of this region. The palace is one of the most elegant houses of the city. From the tower you can see a wonderful view of the old city.
Just like the Palacio Brunet, the Casa Sánchez Iznaga is right on the Plaza Mayor where the town palaces of Trinidad's richest families are grouped. The Casa is now the Museo de Arquitectura Trinitaria and shows an interesting overview of the different building styles from stone and clay
walls. Window grills typical of Trinidad are also produced here.
Trinidad arts and crafts are popular too, which can help you when buying a souvenir or two. In Trinidad you will find numerous small restaurants, maisonettes and paladares where you can eat local specialities. If you like nightlife there are many bars and discos in the town with live music too.
Accommodation: Hotel Costa Sur, about 20 minutes away from Trinidad.
Breakfast + Dinner
Day 5: Ancon - Sancti Spiritus: 70 km
Today's destination is Sancti Spíritus. The town was founded in 1514 by Diego Velazquez on the riverbed of the Tuinucú and 8 years later it was moved to the River Yayabo. It is easy to get to know the city centre on foot and see the typical Colonial houses with their wrought iron balconies. The
nicest way into the city is from the south side via the pretty, old Yayabo Bridge. This bridge, with its unique medieval appearance and big terracotta arches, was built in 1825 and is now under a preservation order. According to a legend, the men working on the bridge mixed goat's milk into the
cement to make it more stable. Because it is the only access to Sancti Spíritus from Trinidad it is an important part of the road network in the city.
Accommodation: Hotel Rancho Hatuey
Breakfast
Day 6: Sancti Spíritus - Santa Clara: 83 km
Today we are travelling to Santa Clara. This town was founded in 1589 by a group of inhabitants from Remedios who had deserted the coast to escape the pirate attacks. A historical event made Santa Clara famous: in 1958, the last Che Guevara-led Guerrillas battle took place here and with it fell the Batista dictatorship. The "Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara Monument Complex" includes a museum and a mausoleum. It is situated in the Plaza de la Revolución and was built to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the battle of Santa Clara.
Accommodation: Hotel Los Caneyes
Breakfast
Day 7: Santa Clara - Matanzas - Havana: 276km
Today you will return to Havana. On the way there we recommend a stop at Matanzas. The city is located in a large bay and is the capital city of the province of the same name. The important industrial city of Matanzas has the world's fourth biggest port in terms of sugar exports. Because of its many bridges over the river Yumurí and San Juan it is also called "Creole Venice". The Teatro Sauto was designed by the Italian architect Daniele Dell'Aglio and is the pride of the city. It is a solid classical building with various Greek-style statues made from Carrara marble. Its many frescoes tend towards the Renaissance period and were produced by the architect himself. Notable are also the extraordinary acoustics used not only by artists from Cuba, but also stars from all over the world for their performances. The area where the old pilgrimage church Ermita de los Catalanes de Monserrat is makes a part of our tour around Matanzas and offers a wonderful view over the Yumurí valley.
Once in Havana, you return the rental car and get picked up by the airport transfer, or back to a city hotel in Havana, depending on your holiday arrangements.
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