Horticultural Groups Discuss Their Experience in Cuba with the World Passage Team

 

“It was an excellent trip from start to finish – I had a marvelous time. The only thing I would have added is an extra day!”

Jared Goss
Board of Directors, The Horticultural Society of New York

“In planning of the itineraries, World Passage accommodated our specific interests in gardens, horticulture, and farms and also recommended top notch cultural experiences. These intertwined marvelously in a reasonable and enjoyable pace.”

Lenny Wilson
Director of Development, Delaware Center for Horticulture 

Experience the Great Variety That Cuba Offers

Cuba is more than an island nation of beautiful, tranquil beaches. It has lush tropical flora with plants endemic to Cuba and gardens and farms that are very appealing and unique in their beauty and innovation. For these reasons and many other reasons horticultural groups travel to Cuba year after year.

Local horticulture enthusiasts that work with the World Passage team enable you to explore many areas of the world of Cuban horticulture. Our relationships with these experts, which we have cultivated over many years, permits us to offer you experiences not available to the casual visitor.

These are just a few examples of what your horticultural group can experience when visiting Cuba with our team:

  • Guided Exploration of Havana’s Botanic Garden – A venue where every eco-system in the island has been recreated.
  • Meetings with Cuban horticultural society leadership and members.
  • Learning about the country’s exotic plants, urban farms and their latest innovative gardening techniques.
  • Guided tour of Jardin Botanico de Cienfuegos (managed by Harvard University before the revolution) and meeting with the staff.
  • A fascinating and unique exploration of the use of plants in Cuban religion of African origin – presented through lecture, dance and music.
  • Learning about Cuba’s unique use of medicinal plants.
  • Meeting the new entrepreneurs who have brought ornamental plants back to every day Cuban life.
  • Visiting the country’s greatest reforestation success, La Terrazas and the Orchid Garden of Soroa.
  • And of course learning about Cuban art, history and culture.

World Passage Can Create a Customized Tour for Your Horticultural Group

We have created customized tours of Cuba for leading horticulture groups in the U.S. including:

  • Magnolia Society International
  • The Delaware Center for Horticulture
  • The Horticultural Society of New York

We look forward to speaking with you.

Sample Itinerary

Sunday – March 13, 2016 – Miami

  • Group transfer to Miami International Airport
  • Miami to Havana – Current Flight Schedule – Depart: 12 pm – Arrive: 1 pm
  • After arrival at Jose Marti International Airport, clear customs and immigration, we will meet our guide and driver
  • Visit and Group photo – Plaza de la Revolucion – site of the former Presidente’s seven-hour speeches.
  • Check in at our Hotel – Nacional Hotel VIP Level
  • 5:00 pm – Reception
  • 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Presentation and Q&A on the architecture and history of Havana and Cuba by noted Cuban architect
  • Casual Welcome Dinner on the Patio of the Nacional Hotel ( included meal)
  • Time to enjoy the music on the Patio

Monday, 3/14– (included meals: B, D) Miami – Havana

  • Group transfer to Miami International Airport
  • Miami to Havana – Current Flight Schedule – Depart: 12 pm – Arrive: 1 pm
  • After arrival at Jose Marti International Airport, clear customs and immigration, we will meet our guide and driver
  • Visit and Group photo – Plaza de la Revolucion – site of the former Presidente’s seven-hour speeches.
  • Check in at our Hotel – Nacional Hotel VIP Level
  • 5:00 pm – Reception
  • 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm – Presentation and Q&A on the architecture and history of Havana and Cuba by noted Cuban architect
  • Casual Welcome Dinner on the Patio of the Nacional Hotel ( included meal)
  • Time to enjoy the music on the Patio

Tuesday, 3/15 – (B, L) Havana

  • Walking Tour of Old Havana.
  • Lunch at Havana Botanic Garden (Included meal).
  • Visit to Havana Botanic Garden
    • Meet with Dr. Luis Gonzalez Torres – Director of the Garden
  • Dinner at your leisure to enjoy the many wonderful paladares, (private restaurants) in the Capital; you will be provided with a list of a few recommendations and your guide will assist in your selection and reservation.

Wednesday, 3/16 – (B, L, D) Havana – Cienfuegos

  • On to Cienfuegos in Central Cuba – the “Pearl of the South” – founded in 1819 by French immigrants from Bordeaux and New Orleans
  • Light Lunch (included meal)
  • Visit to Jardin Botanico de Cienfuegos – created in 1901 by American sugar baron Edwin Atkins and later managed by Harvard University.
    • Guide: Roger Echevarria Galvez
  • Town visit including theatre where Caruso and Sarah Bernhardt performed
  • Check in to our hotel – Hotel Jagua
  • Choral group performance – Cienfuegos is known for its choral groups.
  • Dinner at our hotel (included meal) accompanied by musical group with a salsa demonstration.

Thursday, 3/17 – (B, D) Cienfuegos – Trinidad – Cienfuegos

  • We travel to Trinidad de Cuba for part of the day.
  • Walking tour and orientation by guide.
  • Visit to one of the town’s museums which are located in the lavish homes of the sugar barons of the 17th and 18th
  • Visit craft market.
  • Lunch at your leisure – there are many new paladares in town and some very interesting art galleries.
  • After lunch, time to explore on your own.
  • We return to Cienfuegos.
  • Optional not included group activity: sunset cruise on bay – open bar – weather and time permitting.
  • Dinner at Palacio del Valle (included meal) Once the home of a Spanish sugar baron who designed his home in honor of his beloved Alhambra.

Friday, 3/18 – (B, L, D) Cienfuegos – Bay of Pigs – Havana

  • Early Departure for Havana.
  • Bay of Pigs – Museum and visiting this historical beach site
  • Cueva de los Peces – interesting underwater caves.
  • Lunch ( private restaurant)
  • Visit to Hemingway’s home – La Finca Vigia – just as he left it before his return to USA never to return. He said of Cuba that “it was the best place on earth to work.” Many of his greatest works including “The Old Man and the Sea” were written here.
  • Check in to our hotel – Nacional – VIP Level
  • Causal Dinner– casual – best chicken creole and black beans and rice in Havana (included meal)
  • Evening at leisure to enjoy some Havana’s famous evening entertainment. Your guide is there to assist you.

Saturday, 3/19 – (B) Havana

  • Across the bay from Havana to learn about Afro-Cuban religion through a lecture and dancing by practitioners of this most popular faith in Cuba.
  • Craft Market – bus will wait a bit and then return to hotel. Those wishing to stay longer may walk back to the old city or take one of the many taxis or coco cabs.
  • Those staying longer should visit the Iglesia de San Francisco de Paula build in the 1700’s to which was attached the first hospital in Cuba to treat only women of all races. Now a concert hall which contains art work by some of Cuban’s most notable current artists.
  • Lunch and Remainder of the day at leisure.
  • Optional late afternoon non included programs include:
    • Rum and Cigar tasting – Fee
    • Afternoon at the beach – Playa del Este – 35 minutes by cab – there are hotels where one can change for a nominal fee
    • Salsa lesson – in a very authentic venue – excellent teacher – Fee
  • Ask your guide for suggestions on the many choices you have in Havana!
  • Dinner at leisure
  • 8:30 pm – Optional non included activity: Performance at the Teatro Nacional – the guide will reserve orchestra seats and inform the group the first day as to the nature of the performance. Orchestra seats are approximately : $40

Sunday, 3/20 – (B, L, D) Havana

  • Fernando Funes Aguilar will be our guide to:
    • Visit to agricultural coop in Miramar
    • Visit of Alamar – Hydroponic farm outside of Havana
    • Funes is correctly spoken of as ‘the father of the organic movement in Cuba’.
  • Lunch at Hydroponic farm.
  • Return to Havana – time at leisure.
  • Farewell Dinner – Café Oriente – (included meal)
  • Optional non-included group activity: Tropicana – a Cuban institution since the 30’s; 10:30 pm – 12:30 am.

Monday, 3/21– (B) Havana – Miami

  • Late check – out of hotel.
  • A couple of unusual stops.
  • Return Flight to Miami

Featured Testimonials

“

“With World Passage, our congregational trip to Cuba was unique! Our trip was comprehensive, exciting and educational – we always felt that we were seeing and doing everything… World Passage is the only way to go to Cuba.”

Julie A. SilbermanPresident, Temple B’nai Abraham, NJ
“

“Our congregation has travelled twice to Cuba. World Passage arranges it all. And no one does it better! World Passage was our partner, guiding us, encouraging us, and making our Cuba journey a memory that we will never forget.”

Rabbi Bennett MillerAnshe Emeth Memorial Temple, NJ
“

“In planning of the itineraries, World Passage accommodated our specific interests in gardens, horticulture, and farms and also recommended top notch cultural experiences. These intertwined marvelously in a reasonable and enjoyable pace.”

Lenny WilsonDirector of Development, Delaware Center for Horticulture

Cuban culture’s vibrancy and vitality is alive.

Cuba is old, some of it is destroyed, and it feels as though time has stopped.
But it is full of life from the aroma of cooking food, to the warmth of the
people, to the rhythm in the way people move, to the sound of music in the air.

Cuba is changing Rapidly; Now is the Time!

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