Painting
| country: | Cuba |
| departures: | 2008: 9 Nov |
| price: | From £1646 - £1721 (11 days) inc flights from the UK, from £1192 land only. Single supplement £75, reductions for 5 or more bookings together. This Cuba painting holiday can also be tailormade to suit individual requirements. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
A Cuba painting holiday with the Island's leading artists.
We would like to share with you our passion for the island of Cuba. Our painting holidays will introduce you to a visual paradise in a land unspoiled by tourism.
We are a company that enables you to combine an interest in Cuban art and culture with the holiday of a lifetime. A unique Cuba painting holiday offers small group tuition from some of Cuba's leading professional artists. On our Cuba painting holiday, you'll stay in the heart of vibrant Old Havana, designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Las Terrazas and in the stunning landscapes of the Vinales Valley.
We aim to foster a genuine cultural exchange, enabling our clients to discover facets of Cuban life not normally accessible on more traditional painting holidays.
Most painting holidays organised from the UK offer tuition with a British artist who travels out with the group. One of our Cuba painting holidays is different, in that we work with Cuban artists.
What to expect on our Cuba painting holiday: Our holidays offer a wealth of opportunities for contact with local people, on the farms, on the streets, in the bars and clubs, providing the cultural understanding and exchange that is central to the experience. On our painting holidays you can expect to receive personalised guidance and tuition from one of our team of professional Cuban Artists, in a small group setting. Once you have booked your holiday, we will contact you to discuss your expectations and needs in relation to the painting classes. This information will be communicated to the Artist with whom you will be working and will inform the team in its planning.
You will enjoy an 11 day holiday in Cuba, fully escorted from the time you are met on arrival at Jose Marti Airport, Havana. You will spend four nights in Old Havana and six in the province of Pinar del Rio, either in the ecotourism centre of Las Terrazas, or in the Vinales Valley, famous for its spectacular landscapes.
Please note: The Cuba painting holiday itinerary below is for a Havana / Vinales departure. We also have a Havana / Las Terrazzas departure as well as tailormade departures. Please contact us for details.
We would like to share with you our passion for the island of Cuba. Our painting holidays will introduce you to a visual paradise in a land unspoiled by tourism.
We are a company that enables you to combine an interest in Cuban art and culture with the holiday of a lifetime. A unique Cuba painting holiday offers small group tuition from some of Cuba's leading professional artists. On our Cuba painting holiday, you'll stay in the heart of vibrant Old Havana, designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Las Terrazas and in the stunning landscapes of the Vinales Valley.
We aim to foster a genuine cultural exchange, enabling our clients to discover facets of Cuban life not normally accessible on more traditional painting holidays.
Most painting holidays organised from the UK offer tuition with a British artist who travels out with the group. One of our Cuba painting holidays is different, in that we work with Cuban artists.
What to expect on our Cuba painting holiday: Our holidays offer a wealth of opportunities for contact with local people, on the farms, on the streets, in the bars and clubs, providing the cultural understanding and exchange that is central to the experience. On our painting holidays you can expect to receive personalised guidance and tuition from one of our team of professional Cuban Artists, in a small group setting. Once you have booked your holiday, we will contact you to discuss your expectations and needs in relation to the painting classes. This information will be communicated to the Artist with whom you will be working and will inform the team in its planning. You will enjoy an 11 day holiday in Cuba, fully escorted from the time you are met on arrival at Jose Marti Airport, Havana. You will spend four nights in Old Havana and six in the province of Pinar del Rio, either in the ecotourism centre of Las Terrazas, or in the Vinales Valley, famous for its spectacular landscapes.
Please note: The Cuba painting holiday itinerary below is for a Havana / Vinales departure. We also have a Havana / Las Terrazzas departure as well as tailormade departures. Please contact us for details.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | You will be met on arrival at Jose Marti Airport, Havana, by your guide, and transferred to your Hotel in Old Havana where you will stay for the next three nights. Later the group will get to know each other over drinks in the Baroque splendour of Plaza de la Catedral, followed by an al fresco dinner at a nearby restaurant; a perfect introduction to the atmosphere and music of Habana Vieja. |
| Day 2: | The morning includes a guided tour of the Cuban section of the National Museum of Fine Art (Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes), followed by lunch at the pool-side terrace at the Hotel Sevilla, an architectural gem. The afternoon to be spent at leisure to just soak up the atmosphere in this bustling part of the city or visit the regular Friday street-market beside the fort. Alternatively, those who prefer to relax can remain at the Sevilla to enjoy the shady terrace or swim in the pool. In the evening the group will visit the highly-rated jazz club, La Zorra y el Cuervo ( The Fox and the Crow). |
| Day 3: | This is a free day and a perfect opportunity to explore Havana with a sketch-book and camera. Alternatively, there is an optional City Tour in the morning and the option of visiting some of the commercial galleries in the afternoon. Dinner will be taken in a local restaurant. |
| Day 4: | Departure for Vinales, stopping at Las Terrazas community in the province of Pinar del Rio, for a guided-tour of this ecotourism centre, followed by lunch in a local vegetarian restaurant. Following arrival at Los Jazmines Hotel in Vinales, the group will be introduced to the Artist who will provide an overview of the weeks programme. Dinner will be taken in the Hotel. |
| Day 5-9: | During the five days of the painting course, participants will take most of their meals in the Hotel. Generally our classes begin early, finishing in time for a late lunch and allowing participants to engage in a range of optional activities in the afternoon. We can arrange horse riding, walking, caving and visits to local places of interest. Alternatively, participants can relax by the pool in the hotel. There will be opportunities to sample local music and dancing in the evening at local bars, in the town of Vinales. |
| Day 10: | Depart for Havana. Following arrival at the Hotel in Old Havana, the afternoon will be free to spend as you wish. For the final evening we will visit the world famous Hotel National, with its beautiful terrace and gardens overlooking the Malecon where we will take dinner. We can also arrange for those who wish to attend the colourful and exuberant in-house Cabaret Parisien, a showcase of Cuban music |
| Day 11: | The morning to be spent at leisure followed by lunch at the roof terrace restaurant of Ambos Mundos, once the home of Ernest Hemingway, followed by departure for the airport. |
how this holiday makes a difference
 We are committed to responsible travel and tourism and work to promote it in a range of ways. We recognise that those travelling with us to Cuba can benefit greatly from the experience and can, at the same time, contribute to Cuba’s economy. But we also recognise that the impact of tourism can be negative and that it is possible for local people to be exploited and their environment damaged. On this Cuba painting holiday we aim to make a positive impact by ensuring that the people who work with us are paid a fair wage. We employ experienced and qualified Cuban artists, guides, interpreters and drivers who have an in-depth knowledge of the country. The hotels that we use are owned by the Cuban government (unlike some of the hotel chains which are joint-ventures between Cuba and other countries) and provide employment for local people. All of the profits made by these hotels remain in Cuba, contributing to the development of the economy. On this Cuba painting holiday we encourage the purchase of locally produced goods in preference to imported ones, such as local beers, spirits and soft drinks. A visit to a local market in Havana at the beginning of the tour enables clients to purchase hats, sandals and other items they are likely to need during their stay as well as gifts which they may wish to take home with them.  Our groups are small, with a maximum of twelve, in order to minimise our impact on the local environment and increase the quality time spent in contact with local people and surroundings. On this Cuba painting holiday we encourage clients to learn about and respect the customs and culture of the people of Cuba so that we do not offend local people but also because this will enhance our experience there. We achieve this by providing a suggested reading list and newsletters prior to departure as well as during the telephone conversations we have with each of our clients in preparation for their painting course. We support the local Primary school in Vinales and our groups are offered the opportunity to participate in the Art Materials for Schools project based there by making a visit or a donation. We are in discussion with Jesus Gastell, the artist-in-residence on our November tour, about the possibility of supporting the community arts project he works with in Pinar del Rio. We ensure that anyone travelling on this Cuba painting holiday receives copies of our Responsible Travel Policy and Advice for Responsible Travel, prior to departure. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |