Colonial Cities and Beaches
Bike and beach tour in Central Cuba
Tour Leader
Cost
Extra USD $350. Should you register looking to share with another and we are not able to find an acceptable companion, you will need to pay the Single Supplement charge.
USD $2900.
Tour Details
- Destination: Central Cuba.
- Duration: 15 days.
- Arrives: 02/15/2025
- Departs: 03/01/2025
- Days of cycling: 11
- Usual daily distances: 57 km (35.4 miles).
- Terrain:Quiet back roads, for the most part, a little city cycling. There are hills and rolling countryside. A reasonable level of fitness is recommended.
- Road Surfaces: As through most of Cuba, roads can be rough in places so wider tires (28-35 mm) are recommended. The use of a hybrid, gravel or touring bike is your best choice on this tour.
- Support vehicle: 100%
- Tour staff: 1 tour leader, 1 cultural guide, 1 driver, 1 bike mechanic.
Cuba, with its rich culture, natural beauty, friendly people and quiet roads is the Promised Land for cyclists. We at Bicycle Breeze have designed this new tour to take you through a variety of scenic landscapes that include beautiful beaches on the south and north coasts with overnight stays in-between in six of Cuba’s most historically significant and interesting colonial cities: Havana, the large and bustling capital whose well-preserved old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Cienfuegos, the lively, seaside “Pearl of the South” with its French-inspired grand boulevard and colonnades; Trinidad, a living museum of Cuba’s colonial past with its charming cobbled streets and another UNESCO World Heritage Site; Santa Clara, the university city famously captured by Ché Guevara to end the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and now the site of his impressive mausoleum; Remedios, one of Cuba’s oldest and most charming colonial cities that was deservedly declared to be a Cuban National Monument in 1979; and, Matanzas, a city of rivers and bridges, the former center of the sugar trade now known world-wide for its strong Afro-Cuban music and dance scene.
While Cuba’s rich colonial heritage is evident throughout the island, it is central Cuba that best recalls the days of the pirates of the Spanish Main and the boom and bust days of the sugar trade. Visually attractive, these urban centers reflect the long and colorful history of this region where early settlers were often forced to repeatedly move farther inland to escape pirate attacks, where sugar, slavery and tobacco fortunes were made and lost, and where many noteworthy people in Cuban history were born, including the current president, Miguel Díaz-Canel.
The tour will also allow for exploring the varied and often stunning Cuban landscape with its many hidden gems. It will follow the beach-lined shores of the Bahía de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs), site of the attempted invasion of Cuba in 1961 by CIA-trained Cuban exiles all the way to Playa Girón, named after a notorious French pirate from the early 1600s. Going on, the tour will follow the verdant Escambray Mountains through the picturesque Valle de los Ingenios (Valley of the Sugar Mills), another UNESCO World Heritage Site made up of three interconnected valleys watered by four rivers. A full two days will be spent at Hanabanilla, a spectacular and enormous man-made lake surrounded by a pine-studded forest high in the mountains not far from the archeological remains of many Indigenous Taino villages.
The tour will also provide an opportunity to experience some of the more off-beat aspects of Cuban culture such as the distinctive, but strikingly different replicas of the Statue of Liberty found in Remedios and Matanzas that are more expressive than the original that sits in New York harbour, the statue of John Lennon in a park named after him in Havana that has become a pilgrimage site for many rock music fans, and the restored 43.5 metre (143 feet) high tower, the freestanding Torre de Manaca-Iznaga in the Valle de los Ingenios that was allegedly built as a result of a silly wager between two brothers in the 1830s.
Cuba, renowned for its beautiful landscapes, glorious beaches, wonderful people, and packed with great cycling routes is a paradise for those seeking a memorable cycling and sightseeing holiday.
TOUR GALLERY
DAY BY DAY SCHEDULE
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1
Arrival February 15th.
Fly into Havana or Varadero and transfer to Vedado, the one-time red-light district facing the sea that is now the commercial heart of Havana and the site of many famous hotels and monuments. Settle into “casas particulares”, the Cuban equivalent of B&Bs, and set up the bikes in front of the CAFE RUEDA, our headquarters while in Havana.
Our evening meal at a well-regarded local restaurant, will give us an opportunity to chat and introduce ourselves.
- Cycling: 0 km
- Accommodation: B&B in Vedado.
- Meals Included: Dinner.
2
February 16th.
After breakfast we will take the bus to Jagüey Grande, a large agricultural town. After lunch at Finca Fiesta Campesina, a traditional-style restaurant serving good Cuban food, we begin our ride to Playa Girón. The road south is flat along the Bay of Pigs and there is an opportunity to take a refreshing dip at a dive center before arriving at our destination.
- Cycling: 63 km (39 miles).
- Accommodation: B&B in Playa Girón.
- Meals Included: Dinner /Breakfast.
3
February 17th.
Before leaving Playa Girón, we will assemble in the town center to visit the Museum recounting the failed attempt by Cuban exiles in 1961 to overthrow the Castro regime. Our ride east to Cienfuegos is along fairly flat roads through the farmlands north of the city.
- Cycling: 78 km (48.4 miles).
- Accommodation: Hotel La Union.
- Meals Included: Dinner/Breakfast.
4
February 18th.
We will start our ride by following the main road to Trinidad, stopping to visit the Jardín Botánico de Cienfuegos, an outstanding botanical garden stocked and maintained for many decades by Harvard University that is home to 285 types of palm trees and 2,400 species of plants. It is well worth the short detour down a tree-lined road.
Beyond the garden, the road heads down to the coast, giving glimpses of the Caribbean and the upland pine forests of the Sierra Escambray mountains. After arriving in Trinidad and settling into our casas, we will have time to explore the city and, after dinner, we will be able to enjoy Cuban music, dancing, and mojitos at Café de la Música.
– Cycling: 83 km (+545 m)
– Accommodation: B&B (casa particular) in Trinidad
– Meals Included: breakfast/dinner.
5
February 19th.
Today we take a break with a short ride to Playa Ancon, a peninsula south of Trinidad with one of Cuba’s finest white sand beaches. At Playa Ancon we will sit beneath palapa huts, swim in warm clear water, and have an optional lunch at a small beachside restaurant. After spending the afternoon at the beach, we will return to Trinidad by bus and continue exploring this beautiful city.
- Cycling: 16 km (10 miles).
- Accommodation: B&B in Trinidad.
- Meals Included: Dinner/Breakfast.
6
February 20th.
We will depart Trinidad through the scenic Valle de los Ingenios to the Torre Manaca Iznaga. The astonishing view from this imposing tower more than justifies a short visit. We will then ride the green lower hills of the Escambray mountains before climbing to the village of Hanabanilla on the banks of Lake Hanabanilla, right in the Escambray Mountains– the main mountain range in the middle of the island. This hotel is perfect to relieve the stress produced by the hustle and bustle of the city. Its vast natural surroundings are rich in flora, where green semi-deciduous woods predominate, as well as vegetation on carso soil. Its fauna is rich in birds, reptiles and mammals.
- Cycling: 83 km (51.5 miles).
- Accommodation: Hotel Hanabanilla.
- Meals Included: Dinner/Breakfast.
7
February 21st.
Hanabanilla means “A basket full of gold” in Taino language. In the morning we will enjoy a guided hike exploring the hills around Lake Hanabanilla with all our guide explaining names and details of the flora and fauna. After our hike We will take a boat to the other side of the lake for lunch at Rio Negro, in a quiet restaurant with beautiful views.
When we return to our hotel we can lounge around the pool and enjoy the views.
- Cycling: 0 km, Hiking 4-8 km.
- Accommodation: Hotel Hanabanilla.
- Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner & Breakfast.
8
February 22nd.
Today’s ride is an easy 56 km descent from Hanabanilla on a well-paved road into Santa Clara, a youthful city known for its university and for the mausoleum of Ché Guevara, located in the city where he led the final battle of the revolution.
Our hotel is designed to reflect the culture of the Taino indigenous population of pre-colonial Cuba. There is a nice pool for swimming and relaxing after the bike ride.
- Cycling: 56 km (35 miles).
- Accommodation: Hotel Los Caneyes.
- Meals Included: Dinner/Breakfast.
9
February 23rd.
Before leaving Santa Clara, we will visit the mausoleum and the battle site where Che Guevara and a small number of men essentially ended the Cuban Revolution by derailing the Tren Blindado (armoured train) and defeating the government troops it carried. Batista fled Cuba after this battle.
Following this visit, the day’s ride east through tobacco country to Remedios will be on a gently rolling road.
- Cycling: 51 km (31.6 miles).
- Accommodation: Hotel Mascotte.
- Meals Included: Dinner/Breakfast.
10
February 24th.
In the morning, we will explore the old colonial city of Remedios, famous for the amazing state of preservation that makes it one of Cuba’s most charming and attractive cities. We will then ride to Caibarién, a colourful fishing town called “La Villa Blanca” (The White Town) for its white sand beaches. We’ll take some time to look around before riding to the causeway where we board the bus to arrive at the beautiful beaches of Cayo Santa María.
- Cycling: 15 km (9 miles).
- Accommodation: Hotel Starfish Santa Maria.
- Meals Included: All meals.
11
February 25th.
Today we enjoy a day at the white sand beaches of Cayo Santa Maria where the sand is uniquely flour-like, as it is so soft and fine. We will be pampered at our all-inclusive resort with food, drinks, swimming pools and entertainment.
This island (or key = ”cayo”) is linked to the mainland near Caibarién by a 48 km causeway constructed between 1989 and 1999. Making this area one of the newer tourism areas in Cuba.
- Cycling: 0 km There are rideable roads on the cayo, but the beach might beckon.
- Accommodation: Hotel Starfish Santa Maria.
- Meals Included: All meals.
12
February 26th.
Today we will begin the day by taking the bus from Cayo Santa María past Santa Clara to Colón, a small town with neoclassical architecture and an impressive statue of Christopher Columbus guarded by four lions. From Colón, we will ride to Matanzas, the former center of the sugar trade that sits on a wide and beautiful bay. We should have the wind at our backs for the entire ride from Colón to Matanzas.
- Cycling: 86 km (53.5 miles).
- Accommodation: Hotel Velasco.
- Meals Included: Dinner & Breakfast.
13
February 27th.
Today is our last day of riding. We will leave Matanzas and ride alongside the bay before going inland to Via Blanca, the highway connecting Matanzas and Havana. On the way, we will cross the Bacunayagua Bridge, Cuba’s highest bridge at 110 metres above the floor of the valley below.
At Jibacoa, the site of a beautiful white sand beach, we will enjoy a bag lunch and a quick dip in the ocean before taking the bus to meet the Havana East Youth Cycling Club.and leave donations for the young cyclists supported by Bicycle Breeze. We will then take the bus into central Havana.
Cycling: 47 km (29 miles).
Accommodation: B&B in Havana.
Meals Included: Dinner & Breakfast.
14
February 28th.
Today is the day to explore Havana. We will take the bus to the bottom of the Paseo del Prado, a long tree-lined boulevard that leads into the center of Old Havana and its main squares and monuments. We will have time to explore and to have lunch in a quaint part of the old city near one of Cuba’s most famous churches.
Be ready with your cameras for a fun drive in vintage American cars through parts of Havana that you may have heard about like the University of Havana where Fidel Castro studied, Chinatown, the National Theater, the well-known hotels frequented by American mobsters before the Revolution, the long and impressive Malecón seaside boulevard and esplanade for which Havana is famous and more. This will allow you to see the modern city.
- Cycling: 0 km, Walking 4 km.
- Accommodation: B&B in Havana.
- Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner & Breakfast.
15
March 1st.
Sadly, today is departure day and the bus will take us to the airport for the flight back home. We hope you have enjoyed the ride, our country, and its wonderful people, and that you will return for more cycling with the Bicycle Breeze tour team.
Cycle Rental
Bicycle Breeze has bike rentals at great prices. For this tour you will need either hybrid or gravel bike. Should you prefer to bring your own that is fine with us, you will get the same mechanical assistance as the renters.
Check your travel company for costs of shipping your bike. Depending on your country of embarkation you may be better to rent. Renting has other positive aspects. Your bike will not get lost in transit. It is far easier to travel without a bike box and spare bikes are on the bus for renters. The negative side is that this is not your favourite ride.
Customize This Tour
With a group of 10 or more riders, Bicycle Breeze can offer the ability to customize a tour to suit your needs. Contact us to start planning your next great adventure.