Get ready for a week filled with the sounds of jazz! Meet iconic musicians at the Havana Jazz Festival, where local and international artists will ignite your soul with their performances. This gathering, held annually since 1979, is a feast of music that honors figures like Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald and John Coltrane. Enjoy the cultural wonders of Havana, Cuba’s bustling capital, as you visit different venues ranging from concert halls to street jams. As your week comes to an end, be lured by the final beats of the festival, leaving you with memories of Havana’s musical heritage. Whether you’re traveling solo, with a partner, or in a group, this itinerary ensures a complete immersion in the realms of jazz.
Day 1
Once you arrive, our airport representative will meet you and guide you through customs to the VIP lounge, where you can wait for your luggage. After clearing customs, you will be greeted by your private driver and an English-speaking guide. Then, check in at a restored mansion from 1925, which offers a luxurious experience in Cuba.With personalized service, impeccable design and a range of room categories, this boutique hotel ensures a comfortable stay. The jazz festival credentials are included and your private concierge will welcome you and provide recommendations to enhance your customized vacation in Havana. A reservation will be made for you at Cinco Sentidos, one of the city’s best new restaurants, known for its exceptional seafood and top wine list.
Day 2
Explore the colonial history of the Cuban capital with a guided walking tour through the squares of Old Havana. Discover a UNESCO World Heritage Site as you stroll through these historic locations. Accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, gain insights into the city’s past during this approximately one-hour tour. Your tailored experience will end at El del Frente restaurant, where you can savor refreshing daiquiris on its rooftop terrace. Step into Havana’s art scene with a visit to two Cuban artists in their studios. Customize the tour to your interests, whether it be photography, sculpture, or painting, and choose between well-known or emerging artists. Feel the rhythm of the city at the Havana Jazz Festival. Enjoy an array of jazz styles performed by Cuban artists like Ernán López-Nussa, Chucho Valdés and Bobby Carcassés at music venues like the Museo de Bellas Artes and Teatro Nacional de Cuba. Later, enjoy a dining experience at La Guarida. This paladar in the heart of the town offers the perfect stage to delight in culinary creations by esteemed chefs.
Day 3
Join us on a journey across the Havana harbor to Regla, a town known for its diverse Afro-Cuban religions. Visit the local church to learn about syncretism, followed by a tour of the recording studios of celebrated hip-hop stars. Next, you have a restaurant reservation at Paco’s Mar in Old Havana, which offers delicious Caribbean dishes and unique signature cocktails. Their jumbo-sized daiquiri is certainly a must-try! Then, enjoy a classic car sightseeing tour, taking in iconic landmarks. Remember that our panoramic tours of Havana can be customized to meet your needs. Immerse yourself in the jazz festival of Havana, featuring a variety of jazz styles performed by well-known musicians like Jorge Luis Pacheco, Gastón Joya, Laurent de Wilde and Mike del Ferro in various locations such as Salón Rosado de la Tropical and Teatro America. Finally, indulge in a dining experience at Costa Vino, a new wine restaurant known for its diverse selection and fusion cuisine.
Day 4
Enter the world of our Hemingway’s Havana tour in an open-top classic American car. From your accommodation lobby, we will take you to Cojímar, the fishing village where the literary titan wrote The Old Man and the Sea and dedicated his Nobel Prize to the local fishermen. Then, visit his villa, where you can see his personal belongings and the legendary boat he used for his sea getaways. After lunch at Sibarita, where you can savor exotic cocktails and great service, we will explore Cuban revolutionary history by visiting the Revolution Museum, Hotel Sevilla, a bodega, and Revolution Square. We also have a restaurant reservation for you at Otra Manera, a restaurant nestled in a 1950s mansion. Finally, head to the Havana Jazz Festival, where you can enjoy live music from Cuban and international musicians like Gonzalo Rubalcaba, David Faya, Karen Briggs and Simón Denizart in different places across the city, such as Teatro Martí and Teatro Mella.
Day 5
Join chef Diana on a food tour in Havana and discover how Cubans shop for fresh produce in the city’s markets. Then enjoy lunch at Jíbaro, a funky new restaurant that serves national dishes with a twist. You will also have the chance to learn how to make a perfect mojito in a bartending lesson. Experience the Havana Jazz Festival, where you can listen to live music from local and foreign artists in different venues throughout the town. Don’t miss the show by Chucho Valdés, Ali Jackson and Ted Nash at Teatro Mella, a must-see for jazz lovers. Later, treat yourself to a reservation at Jama, a new restaurant that blends Cuban and Japanese cuisine with fresh ingredients and authentic flavors.
Day 6
Discover Cuba’s elegant Art Déco architectural history on a personalized tour. Our guide will show you Havana’s most remarkable Art Déco buildings, both public and private. Take part in the festival, which is a celebration of jazz music and a gathering of renowned musicians like Bobby Carcassés, Aldo López-Gavilán and Karen Briggs. A wide range of jazz styles, from traditional to contemporary, will reverberate throughout the capital in places like Teatro Heredia or Fábrica de Arte Cubano. Later, feast your eyes on the panoramic views from the Café Laurent as you relish its Mediterranean fusion dishes. Also, Chef Iván invites you to join him as he shares his vision of Cuban cuisine with a Spanish influence.
Day 7
Enjoy a day of sun and sand on Havana’s eastern beaches with a lobster lunch and Cuban delicacies. Relax on a sunbed with an umbrella and a welcome cocktail. Be part of the jazz music festival in Havana, where Cuban and foreign artists like Harold López-Nussa, Ruy Adrián López-Nussa, Tiago Matos and Júlio Resende showcase a variety of jazz styles in locations like Centro Cultural Bertolt Brecht. Meet the musicians in the flesh when they perform a moment of leisure at Fábrica de Arte Cubano, Jazz Café or La Zorra y el Cuervo. By the way, Cuba Private Travel can arrange a customized jazz show just for you in one of these cultural hubs. For those who want a close encounter with the jazzmen, our travel agency can get you the best seats in the front row. Explore shows in diverse venues across the city and immerse yourself in the beat!
Day 8
Your driver will collect you in Havana and transfer you to José Martí Airport, thus ending your luxury vacations in Cuba.
