Viva la Vida: Cuba & Mexico

Meet at the airport for the evening departure to Havana via Istanbul.

Overnight on board. Morning arrival in Havana on day 2. We meet our guide and drive to Varadero along the interesting north coast, passing old oil pumps and the city of Matanzas, known as the city of intellectuals, with a stop at the Bacunayagua bridge to enjoy the unique view.

Arrival at the hotel and free time to relax on the beautiful beach, all inclusive. All meals and drinks at the hotel are included in the price.

All inclusive. A free day to enjoy the hotel facilities, the tropical beach of Varadero, swimming and water sports. Optionally, you can take a catamaran day cruise to the islet of Cayo Blanco.
The excursion starts in the morning from Varadero marina and includes unlimited local cocktails and soft drinks on board and a seafood meal on Cayo Blanco. You can snorkel over the coral reef at a set point on the route with free equipment (mask, snorkel and fins) and have the unique experience of swimming with trained dolphins, with trainers present, in a special dolphinarium in the open sea. On Cayo Blanco there is free time on the beach and a seafood lunch at the island's beachside tavern. Return to the hotel in the afternoon.

Breakfast and check-out. Departure for Guamá on the Zapata peninsula, home to Cuba's largest natural lake. At La Boca we visit the crocodile breeding farm; these animals, an important part of Cuba's wildlife, are protected in their natural habitat from uncontrolled hunting.
We continue through the Zapata mangroves until we see the lacy Caribbean shores of the Bay of Pigs (known for the failed American landing of 1961). We stop at a sea oasis where crystal-clear turquoise water forms a natural "aquarium pool", ideal for swimming and snorkelling, with drinks and seafood snacks (open bar and lunch included).
We then reach Cienfuegos, founded in 1819 by French settlers and one of the country's most important ports. On a panoramic tour we stop at the main square with its white statue of the goddess Athena, overlooked by the Tomás Terry Theatre, the town hall and the classical university building.
On the narrow Punta Gorda peninsula we visit the Palacio del Valle, a spectacular 100-year-old architectural masterpiece blending Romantic, Gothic, Venetian and Moorish styles. From its cellars and grand salons we go up to the roof terrace for an enchanting view of the city. Next stop, Trinidad. Arrival and check-in, dinner and a free evening to start discovering the town.

Breakfast, check-out and a tour of traditional colonial Trinidad, founded by the Spanish in the early 16th century and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.
We visit the Plaza Mayor, surrounded by colonial buildings, the Museum of Colonial Architecture and the traditional café La Canchánchara, where we taste the local drink of rum, honey and lemon that the colonists gave their slaves for strength. We then drive to Che Guevara's city, heroic Santa Clara, closely linked with the great revolutionary.
Visit to Che's Mausoleum and Museum, at whose entrance stands an imposing bronze statue of the Comandante, about 7 metres tall, rifle in hand.
We continue west to Havana, arriving late in the evening, and check in.

City tour and a ride in classic American cars.
After breakfast we tour the most beautiful city in the Caribbean.
We start at Revolution Square with its huge portraits of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos, then pass the University of Havana, cross the "modern" Vedado district with Coppelia square and the famous seafront Malecón, and end at the Capitolio, a faithful copy of the one in Washington. Then the pace changes as we enter Habana Vieja, Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982 and home to some of the finest colonial buildings in the Caribbean.
We tour the rum museum, where we are offered a drink, visit the only Greek Orthodox church in the Caribbean, Saint Nicholas, and then on foot see Plaza de San Francisco de Asís, Plaza Vieja, Plaza de Armas, Plaza de la Catedral, El Templete and the Castillo de la Real Fuerza.
Lunch at a local restaurant. We end at El Morro, the pirate fortress commanding the harbour entrance with a magical view.
Return to the hotel and the rest of the day is free, though we will "steal" a little of your time to offer you an unforgettable ride in classic cars through Havana's green forest.

After breakfast we leave for the enchanting Viñales Valley in Pinar del Río, Cuba's westernmost province, where the tobacco for the world's best cigars is grown.
We visit a cigar workshop to see how they are made. Our drive through the valley is unforgettable: green velvety hills called mogotes, found nowhere else in the world, rise from the valley floor, lush and almost otherworldly, among tall palms, waterfalls and caves with underground rivers.
We visit the huge Mural de la Prehistoria and the Cueva del Indio, crossing its underground river by small boat.
Lunch at a local restaurant in a unique setting with live music.
On the way back to Havana we stop at the Los Jazmines viewpoint, with a magical view over the whole Viñales Valley.
Arrival in Havana and the rest of the day is free.

Breakfast. A free day in Havana to enjoy this unique city with its 1960s charm, wander its historic centre, sip wonderful cocktails to live music in dozens of bars and do your shopping. Your guide will give you all the information you need to discover the city's hidden corners.
In the evening we suggest a stroll in Habana Vieja to enjoy Ernest Hemingway's favourite drinks: a daiquirí at the Floridita and a mojito at the Bodeguita del Medio.

Breakfast and transfer to Havana airport for our flight to Mérida. On arrival we start our city tour of the capital of Yucatán, founded in 1542, with both colonial character and Maya influence.
Here we admire contrasts: narrow lanes and huge squares, picturesque houses and remarkable cathedrals, fine museums (of Maya culture and of anthropology and history), cosmopolitanism and adventure. And don't miss the local cuisine, which you will never forget.
Transfer to the hotel and overnight.

Breakfast and departure for the ancient city of Uxmal (pronounced "Ooshmal"), perhaps the most impressive archaeological site of the Yucatán peninsula and certainly the most harmonious and peaceful.
In the Maya language Uxmal means "built three times", referring to the impressive Temple (or Pyramid) of the Magician, its best-known building. We visit it and the other important buildings of the site. Lunch at a local restaurant. Return to the hotel in the afternoon and overnight.

Breakfast and departure for Chichén Itzá, home of the most extensively studied Maya pyramid and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Our visit shows how advanced Maya astronomy was. We also see the Palace of a Thousand Columns, the observatory, the huge Sacred Cenote that gives the site its name ("at the mouth of the well of the Itzá") and the ball court from which, according to a famous Maya prophecy, the serpent warrior god Kukulkan would emerge on 22 December 2012 to bring our world to an end. Before reaching our final destination we swim in one of the region's famous cenotes, where we also have lunch.
In the afternoon we arrive in Cancún, check in and spend the night.

Free days to enjoy one of the most beautiful and famous resorts in the western hemisphere.
Cancún is a traveller's paradise. From its sugar-white beach and incredible turquoise water to hotels with endless options for relaxation, sport, entertainment and excellent food, you will enjoy every moment.
All meals and local drinks at your hotel are included in the price.

Free until the transfer to Cancún airport for the return flight to Athens via a connecting airport.