May 15-23, 2017
This trip of a lifetime is open for current students, alumni, and non-students. The travel itinerary (below) includes travel to Havana, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, and Trinidad, Zapata National Park, elCubano Park, and University of Havana.
How much will the trip cost: $3700* Includes round-trip airfare, On-tour transportation, accommodations, guided sightseeing, regional-style meals. Financial aid may be available if you take HUM 250: GC Travel Seminar during the spring semester. *Does not include tips (about $100), tuition, and incidental expenses.
For more information and registration: .
For more information: Contact Kurt Dershem (
Travel Itinerary
Day 1: Fly to Miami
Arrive in Miami: Named after the Cuban capital you鈥檒l be exploring soon, Little Havana has been Miami鈥檚 center for social, cultural and political activity for decades. Take a tour through this Cuban-influenced neighborhood as a precursor to the unique country awaiting just a few hundred miles overseas.
Day 2: Miami | Havana
Fly to Havana: Founded by the Spanish in the 16th century, Havana has long been an important bridge between the New World and the Old World. Start your journey through this urban paradise with a visit to Plaza de la Revolucio虂n, one of Havana鈥檚 three main boroughs and where former President Fidel Castro has addressed millions of Cubans during critical moments in the country鈥檚 history.
University of Havana: Meet with students and faculty at the University of Havana, one of the oldest universities founded in the Americas. There you鈥檒l participate in a discussion about access to education on the island, and find out what kinds of subjects students study鈥攁nd how they are preparing themselves for careers after graduation.
Community project: Visit a children鈥檚 community project.
Day 3: Havana
Community day care visit: Travel to Parraga and visit a community-run day care center. There you鈥檒l discuss the different projects and programs available to disadvantaged youths in Cuba, and learn about how they are overcoming the challenges of poverty.
Local food industry visit: Participate in a discussion about private enterprise in Cuba at a local restaurant and organic farm.
Finca Vigi虂a: Visit the museum that was once home to American novelist Ernest Hemingway. It was in Finca Vigi虂a that Hemingway wrote one of his most famous works, The Old Man and the Sea.
Muraleando Community Project: Participate in workshops that involve the entire community in art, dance and music, and discuss the impact of art
on communities with artists and students alike.
Day 4: Havana | Mayabeque Province
Travel to Mayabeque: Make your way to Mayabeque Province, an area that boasts beautiful beaches and a thriving agricultural community.
Las Terrazas community visit: Learn from a Las Terrazas naturalist about the coffee plantations, natural protected reserves, and wildlife in this scenic region. You鈥檒l meet with a local landscape artist before taking a relaxing nature walk
to nearby San Juan River, where you can talk to some of the other visitors you meet there.
Jose虂 Fuster studio: Visit the home and studio of Jose虂 Fuster, a multi-talented artist who creates ceramics, paintings, drawings and more. Learn about the impact of his artwork on the community. After dinner, witness the Can虄onazo Cannon Firing Ceremony that celebrates the region鈥檚 rich seafaring history.
Day 5: Havana | Cienfuegos
Travel to Zapata Peninsula: In a workshop at Zapata National Park, you鈥檒l discuss the importance of conservation in areas like the Zapata Swamp鈥�
a marshland known for hosting over 900 plant species and 1000 types of invertebrates. After, you鈥檒l take a boat ride on the Laguna del Tesoro and speak with villagers of a Tai虂no community about their efforts to share indigenous culture and traditions with younger generations.
Bay of Pigs Museum: Visit this museum that holds the memory of a fateful invasion of Cuba, and discuss the nature of private enterprise over lunch.
Cienfuegos Orchestra: Attend a chamber performance at the Cienfuegos Orchestra. Contemplate music as an international language while exploring cultural influences in classical music with the performers.
Day 6: Cienfuegos | Trinidad
El Cubano Park: Participate in a hike and nature talk in El Cubano Park
Travel to Trinidad: Travel to the village of Trinidad and interact with local artists.
Meet a photographer and a local horse whisperer and learn about their trades.
Day 7: Cienfuegos | Santa Clara
Walking tour of Cienfuegos: Explore this coastal town by foot and take in the Boulevard, Main Square and Thomas Terry Theater. In the square, you鈥檒l learn about shopping in Cuba and more about the two different currencies locals use.
Art school visit: Discuss the role of music and dance as a means of social and creative expression. Later, visit the nearby Che Memorial.
Day 8: Santa Clara
Travel to Remedios: Travel to Remedios and meet with private owners of Bici-Taxi: a small-scale, human powered rickshaw service popular throughout the country. Learn about the sugar industry at a former sugar mill, then play a game and interact with a local sports team before returning to Santa Clara.
Day 9: Depart for home
Transfer to the airport and check in for your return flight home.
