2019 Cuba Photography Trip Itinerary
Here is link to CET PDF file of trip https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn%3Aaaid%3Ascds%3AUS%3A92c507ac-a393-4e91-8cf9-0a520129078b
Sunday, Jan 13
10:20 am Arrival to Havana on Delta flight 625.
10:50 am Meet your CET guide at the exit of the terminal and transfer to the city center.
12 pm Orientation meeting with your photography leader and Cuban guide followed by lunch at Rio Mar, located in the luxurious Miramar neighborhood; it has a terrace overlooking where the Almendares river flows into the sea.
2 pm Explore Miramar neighborhoods and visit to the home and studio of plastic artist Fuster, who has converted his neighborhood into an art project featuring murals, plastic art and other designs.
3:30 pm Check-in at the Hotel Parque Central. Located on the corner of Central Park and along Prado Boulevard, the hotel is just steps from the Capitol building, the Great Theatre and the famous Obispo Street.
5:30 pm Sunset photo walk along the Malecon, Havana’s famous seawall, featuring a great view of the Havana city landscape.
7 pm Dinner reservation at Al Carbon paladar. Created by the owners of the immensely popular Iván y Justo, this new restaurant strikes out in a different but equally successful direction, specializing in traditional Cuban dishes cooked over charcoal.
Monday, Jan 14
6:30 am Sunrise photo shoot in Centro Habana. Catch Cubans on their way to work and school, and all the hustle and bustle of the city.
TBD Return to hotel for breakfast.
9 am Discussion with Carlos Alzugaray, foirmer Cuban diplomat and expert in U.S.-Cuba relations at Hotel Conference Room – “Continental”
10 am Behind the scenes photo walk of Old Havana. Walk around the back streets of the old city to witness Cuban life first-hand. Visit to local bodegas, markets and the popular gathering places where locals play dominos and discuss about sports, transportation, jobs and other topics of their daily life.
AND/OR:
Freestyle Scavenger Hunt. Partner up with a fellow photographer and grab a bicitaxi in Old Havana. You’ll be tasked with capturing a series of objects that you’ll find in Old Havana. The group will vote on the best pictures that evening.
1 pm Lunch at Doña Eutimia paladar. Famous for its ropa vieja and frozen mojitos, this cozy paladar made Newsweek magazine’s top 100 restaurants in the world in 2012. The restaurant’s location in the beautiful cathedral square is unbeatable.
JEFF HIRSCH PHOTOGRAPHY – JANUARY 2019
2:30 pm Take pedestrian ferry across Havana Bay to the community of Regla, a working-class, Afro-Cuban community with a thriving local culture. Regla is especially known for its strong ties to Santería and other Afro-Cuban religions. Explore the town and visit the shrine to the Virgin of Regla.
Visit Casablanca, another charm on the other side of the Harbor. Enjoy the town’s winding colonial architecture, stunning hilltop views, and warm, inviting residents.
Visit the eastern side of the Bay of Havana, explore the surrounding areas of El Morro Castle, La Cabana fortress, and the statue of El Cristo.
5 pm Model A experience. Meet with owners of Ford Model A’s from the early 1900s. Enjoy a Model-Acentric driving tour of the city, visiting the garages, former factories and other relevant sites to these passionate car owners.
Evening free
8:30 pm Dinner reservation at El del Frente, one of the coolest restaurants in town, is located on a spacious rooftop terrace/bar surrounded by Old Havana’s historic architecture. O’Reilly no. 303, Old Havana
Tuesday, Jan 15
9 am Visit to agricultural market, 19 y B, Vedado, to see where Cubans buy fruit, vegetables and produce.
10:30 am Visit Santa Fe town, located on the northwest coast of Havana. Enjoy lunch at a local paladar. After lunch, enjoy some time to wander around, explore and shoot.
12:30 pm Lunch at El Talisman Restaurant, located in the western neighborhood of Cubanacan. This restaurant is part of a cultural project called: La Lucecita, directed by famous Cuban singer and songwriter, Arnaldo Rodriguez
2 pm Depart for Viñales. Considered by many to be the most beautiful place in Cuba, the Viñales Valley National Monument holds stunning landscapes. The area is also famous for being the premier tobacco growing area in the world.
6 pm Check-in at bed and breakfasts, known as “casas particulares,” or “private homes.” Since the 1990s Cuban families have been permitted to rent rooms out of their family homes to foreigners. Featuring comfortable accommodations and ample privacy, it’s a great way to interact with everyday Cubans.
Evening Welcome dinner with your host family at your casa.
JEFF HIRSCH PHOTOGRAPHY – JANUARY 2019
Wednesday, Jan 16
6:30 am Sunrise photo walk. Walk to the top of a hill, for a view of the sun rising over tobacco farms.
TBD Return to casas for breakfast.
10 am Photos at the lookout at Hotel Los Jasmines offering a panoramic view of the beautiful valleyAnd the unique Mogotes that surround it.
11 am Visit to a private farm in the valley owned by the large family of Concha and Paco Hernandez. The descendants of Concha and Paco have farmed the same plot of land for many generations and their land is involved in the production of a multitude of fruits, vegetables, grain and tobacco. Members of the family will give us a tour of this beautiful 40-acre farm before bringing us back to the farmhouse. Enjoy lunch at the farm.
Early afternoon free
5 pm Spend an hour exploring the downtown area of Viñales. Be sure to walk a few blocks from the city center and venture down side streets and the valley to catch the sunset.
Evening free
Thursday, Jan 17
Morning- Morning stroll and photoshoot with a local guide through the valley and tobacco fields. Stop at the home of a local tobacco farmer, who will teach us about the cultivation and production process, followed by a cigar rolling demonstration.
Afternoon Group photo critique with your photography leader
7:30 pm Group dinner at casas. Enjoy a home-cooked meal prepared by your hosts.
Friday, Jan 18
8:30 am Depart for Havana.
10:30 am On the way, stop at Las Terrazas, a small community and nature reserve in the Rosario Mountain Range, to the west of Havana. Guided tour of Las Terrazas with a local guide. Explore the community and nature reserve and interact with locals.
12:30 pm Enjoy lunch at El Romero, a paladar that uses locally grown produce to create its meals – offering a true farm-to-table experience.
2 pm Continue to Havana.
3 pm Enjoy a performance by Habana Compás Dance, which encompasses the rich rhythm and flow of the island, performing traditional and modern dances born from their Spanish, Cuban and Afro-Cuban heritage.
JEFF HIRSCH PHOTOGRAPHY – JANUARY 2019
4:30 pm Check-in at Hotel Parque Central.
5:45 pm Reservation for rooftop drinks at La Guarida. Capture the sunset with a great view of Old Havana.
7 pm Dinner reservation at Paladar San Cristobal. Located in the heart of Central Havana, this paladar has a reputation of excellence in both atmosphere and local cuisine. Enjoy great food while the local takes you back to the 1940s and 50s. San Rafael No 469, E/Lealtad y Campanario.
Saturday, Jan 19
9 am Depart for Mayabeque province, to the east of Havana.
10 am Visit to Camilo Cienfuegos, better known as Hershey, a small town on the north coast steeped in history, memory and wistfulness. Founded by U.S. chocolate tycoon Milton S. Hershey in 1916, its sugar mill was once the world’s most advanced.
11:30 am Explore Santa Cruz del Norte, famous for being the home of the Havana Club rum distillery and other important industries like oil extraction, power generation and fishing.
12:30 pm Enjoy lunch at Paladar Los Amigos, in Santa Cruz Del Norte.
2 pm Return to Havana.
5:00 pm Pick up at hotel and transfer to Flauta Magica, a bar located on the rooftop of a 10-floor building in front of the US Embassy. Enjoy sunset and a great view of the Malecon and seafront from the terrace. Take pictures with the band members on pool deck. Enjoy a music performance by Colors, a newly formed band by several up-and-coming Cuban musicians. Featuring flute, sax, bass guitar, piano, a top vocalist and DJ, Colors brings live music and mixed beats together to create a fusion of jazz, hip hop, pop & world music.
8:00 pm Farewell dinner at Tierra, Havana’s newest international dinning spot. Located inside a container in the Fábrica de Arte Cubano, the restaurant mirrors the eclectic crowd, serving dishes from around the world.
Following dinner, enjoy live music, art and dancing at La Fabrica de Arte Cubano, the brainchild of Afro-Cuban fusion musician XAlfonso, FAC is one Havana’s finest new art projects, an intellectual nexus for live music, art expos and fashion shows that has turned into a meeting spot for a young, eclectic crowd of Cubans and foreigners.
Sunday, Jan 20
8:30 am Check-out and depart for airport for flight to Miami.
11:20 am Depart Havana on Delta flight 650, arriving in Miami 12:22 pm.
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