SALSA HOLIDAY IN HAVANA fr 499GBP for 7 DAYS

Salsa; which literally means ‘sauce’ in Spanish, is a flirtatious and daring style of dance originating in the Caribbean and South America. Highly rhythmical, with strong African influences, salsa is a fusion of both formal and passionate dance styles. During our Salsa holiday you dance with a partner, but there are solo elements you can learn too. Our professional salsa instructors can either teach you the basics, or help the more experienced refine their moves. You’ll learn to release your inner ‘salsero’ as you master the dance in daytime classes, then you’ll have the opportunity to show off your moves in the best salsa clubs at night. ¡Vamos*Cuba! offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Cuban culture with a vibrant, Salsa holiday in Havana. Learn to feel the music and live the dance while soaking up the unique Cuban atmosphere. We aim to give the adventurous traveller an authentic view of Cuba; away from the resorts and guided tour groups. By staying in a ‘casa particular’ (Cuban guesthouse), and travelling by ‘taxi colectivo’, you’ll have the chance to see a side of Havana that the ¡Vamos*Cuba! team love. We’ll always be available to give you tips on where to eat, drink, relax and have fun. And since we work directly with the locals, you can be assured that your money is going straight to them and helping their community.

Flights and transfers: Our Salsa holiday package doesn’t include flights. This leaves you flexible to choose when you fly and from where. There are several companies flying to Havana (Virgin, Air France, KLM etc).

Your tour host: Veronika or her local team is there to make your Salsa holiday as comfortable as possible and give you the insight of real Cuba. She will take care of the practical organisation of the trip (offering the best advice on where to go in your free time, and the best places to eat, drink, and relax.) She will be your direct ¡Vamos*Cuba! contact throughout your stay. Being in love with Cuba and Cuban culture and currently living between Havana and the UK, your host has an intimate knowledge of the destination, and is also a huge fan of many styles of dance.

Salsa course: In the first hour your teacher will introduce you to Cuban salsa (Casino); the principals of the dance and the movement. After that you will be split to 2 groups depending on your level. You will learn the basic steps of Casino and body movement.This course also includes 1 hour of Rumba, 1 hour of Cha Cha Cha, and 1 hour of Son.

Salsa Dance Partner: All students of salsa will have a Cuban dance partner throughout the salsa classes, which will enable you to get a really deep understanding of authentic Cuban salsa. Don’t worry if you don’t speak Spanish; Veronika will be there to help out with language barriers, although some of the dance partners will speak some English. With your own dance partner the course is a far more intensive and rewarding learning experience.

Our Cuban salsa teachers are all professional, experienced, and most importantly, fun dancers.

Dance studio- We work with a few studios throughout Havana and the exact location will be confirmed closer to the departure date. Level- Classes are suitable for complete beginners to advanced dancers. We put together a sample itinerary to give you an idea of what you can expect from a holiday with ¡Vamos*Cuba!—but this is just a taste of what we have to offer. All afternoon plans and day excursions are entirely optional and flexible. Veronika and her team of local Cuban hosts will be available throughout your stay to help you make the most of your visit. Check out this video from salsa club 1830 where you will go to practice your moves:

Climate and temperatures Cuba has beautiful warm weather all year long and is a great escape during the winter months in Europe. Day temperatures can reach from 27 degree (November) to the low thirties (between April and October). At night it cools down a little. Short rain showers are very common in Cuba and usually limited to late afternoons.

Financial protection ¡Vamos*Cuba! provides 100% financial protection to all its customers. *The price of our Salsa holiday is valid until 31st of July. Euro price will depend on current exchange rate

ITINERARY (provisional itinerary example for 11 days option)

We put together a sample itinerary to give you an idea of what you can expect from a holiday with ¡Vamos*Cuba!—but this is just a taste of what we have to offer. All afternoon plans and day excursions are entirely optional and flexible. Veronika or her team of local Cuban hosts will be available throughout your stay to help you make the most of your visit.

Day 1 Arrive in Havana. You’ll be picked up in style in a classic American car and taken to your accommodation in a ‘casa particular’ (a Cuban guesthouse). Depending on the time of your arrival, your host will meet you at your accommodation and discuss the details of your stay.

Day 2 In the morning, your tour host will take you to your first dance class. In the afternoon there is a short orientation walk through La Habana Vieja (Old Havana). In the evening you’ll have a chance to dance salsa at Club 1830, which is in a spectacular setting on the waterfront. It’s a popular place with many Cubans and dancers from around the world. Entrance fee: 3CUC.

Day 3 In the morning you will have your second dance class. You’ll have the afternoon free to explore, and we can advise you on the best places to visit. In the evening we have planned a visit to Fortaleza San Carlos de la Cabana. You can attend the Ceremonia del Cañonazo, in which soldiers in nineteenth-century uniforms fire the canon at 9pm every evening. Entrance: 8CUC per person. Taxi required. After the ceremony, you’ll be taken to another great salsa venue, Hotel Florida, to see the locals in action. Entrance fee: 5CUC, 2 cocktails included.

Day 4 Gradually we are getting into the rhythm. Music surrounds you in Cuba, and you will find it simply impossible to resist those vibes. Classes continue in the morning, and we can suggest more great places to practice in the afternoon and evening. In the afternoon, you can visit El Gran Palenque, which is home to the Conjunto Folklórico Nacional de Cuba. There are rumba and Afro-Cuban dance performances on the patio every Saturday. Entrance fee: 5CUC

Day 5 Today you’ll have a break from your classes and have the opportunity to relax and see more of the city. You can see live rumba dance and music in Callejón de Hamel(12pm -3pm, entrance free).

Day 6 & 7 Classes continue in the mornings until lunch, after this, we would recommend heading out to the beautiful beaches of Playas del Este. These beautiful white sandy beaches are only 30 minutes from Havana, and there is a regular bus which will take you right to be beach (3CUC).

Day 8 Today, you’ll have a break from Havana and head west to the Pinar del Rio province. This picturesque region of Cuba, around the Viñales valley, is famous for its tobacco growing and the spectacular limestone mountains. You will visit a spectacular limestone cave, a tobacco farm, mural de la prehistoria and Viñales village. Lunch is included, and we’ll head back into the capital in the early evening.

Day 9 Classes will start again in the morning, and you’ll have the whole afternoon to your disposal. In the evening you’ll have the opportunity to be part of a quintessential Cuban event; a street party on the Malecón.

Day 10 Sadly, today is the last day of your chosen classes. If you are part of group dance holiday, your dance crew will be hosting a farewell party at their house; music, snacks and drinks provided.

Day 11 It’s time to say goodbye to Havana; there will be just enough time for some last minute souvenir shopping and a light lunch in Havana. In the afternoon your vintage American car will take you back to the airport in time for your flight.

Accommodation

The best way to experience Cuban life is by staying at a Cuban family home. Also gives you a great opportunity to practice Spanish. Havana has a wide range of ‘Casas particulares’. Vamos Cuba carefully selects the best Casas offering all the comfort you need and adding a unique touch to your holiday but with full privacy. For more information see our Accommodation page.

Individual holiday are run anytime during the year. Get in touch and let us know your dates.

General guide of prices in Havana:

Breakfast in Casa Particular: £2-4
Dinner in CP: £4-7
Dinner in a restaurant: £3-20
Entrance to clubs: £2-10
Mojitos, Cuba Libre etc.: £1-3
Taxi Colectivo (old American cars works as taxi and mostly used by Cubans) £0.30 per ride
Cubataxi: £0.60 per kilometre
1 litre of water: £0.60