Discovery Cuba with Scottsdale Arts Delegation
VIP TRAVEL TO CIENFUEGOS AND HAVANA for Havana’s Biennial, and Cienfuegos’ Bicentennial
Join Our Scottsdale Arts Delegation in Discovery of the Arts and Creative Life of Cuba
LEGAL, SANCTIONED TRAVEL TO CUBA
Cuba is just a few miles south of the United States, but to most Americans it might as well be the far side of the moon. As the diplomatic relationship between the United States and the Republic of Cuba evolves after 58 years of embargo, the sanctioned People-to-People cultural and educational exchanges between the two countries are now the only legal opportunity for Americans to visit Cuba. And, there’s much to see, learn and inspire you.
Now in its sixth year of taking People-to-People delegations to Cuba, CR&V is pleased to present this once-in-a-lifetime experience to travel to Cuba with Scottsdale Arts.
A Discovery of Cuba Arts and Culture with Scottsdale Arts
The culmination of Scottsdale Arts’ 2018-19 exciting Discovery Cuba Series will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience of artistic and cultural life in Cuba. This innovative People-to-People collaboration between Scottsdale Arts and Cuba Rhythm and Views, the leading experts on cultural travel in Cuba, will take a VIP delegation to Cuba, April 10-17, 2019, for an eight-day, seven-night in-depth immersion into the creative arts in the hemisphere’s most intriguing and isolated nation.
In the beautiful coastal city of Cienfuegos in the south, attendees will participate in cultural festivities celebrating the city’s 200th anniversary. In Havana, the trip will overlap with the prestigious 13th Havana Biennial, a celebration of Caribbean art and culture, and our Scottsdale Arts attendees will have unique opportunities to attend the opening events and other related exhibits. Architecture aficionados will enjoy the tour of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its historic buildings actively under restoration.
As part of the partnership with Scottsdale Arts, attendees will be exposed to Cuba’s world-renowned jazz and nightlife along with performances of classical dance and music. From grand theaters to intimate salons, travelers will have access to some of Cuba’s most revered musicians and artists.
Cuba Rhythm and Views is a true cultural exchange program dedicated to diplomacy through the arts. While participants stay in the finest hotels and dine in Cuba’s famous paladares, the authentic Cuba will always reveal itself to the open and inquiring mind.
Join us for this enlightening cultural exploration; there is no better time to visit Cuba.
Trip Overview
Wednesday, April 10, 2019: Depart Miami
April 10 – 12: Meliã Hotel Jagua, Cienfuegos
April 12 – 17: Meliã Cohiba, Havana
Wednesday, April 17, 2019: Return to Miami
Price:
$5,150 Double Occupancy
$6,150 Single Occupancy
Price Includes:
- 5 nights in Havana’s most prestigious 5-star hotel, Meliã Cohiba. In Cienfuegos, it’s the beautiful bayside Meliã Hotel Jagua
- 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 3 dinners (4 NIGHTS and 3 AFTERNOONS for you to explore local dining options on your own)
- Roundtrip airfare between Miami-Varadero and Havana-Miami. All land transportation via luxury coach.
- A different private performance most days with Cuba’s most celebrated performers in all genres
- Attend opening activities of Havana’s “Bienal 2019”
- All activities and events include admissions and ground transportation
- Baggage transfers and handling at airport and hotel arrival and departure
- Cuban visa fees, departure tax, and medical insurance while in Cuba
- U.S. domestic airfare & passport
- 4 dinners and 3 lunches so you may explore local dining options
- Independent and private transfer for activities not on the itinerary
- Any baggage charges or fees
- Trip cancellation insurance
- Personal items such as internet access, telephone services, laundry
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Not Included:
ELIGIBILITY
Any music-lover or patron of the arts, be it jazz, classical, dance, folklórico, son (not exactly salsa, but close), and choral music are welcome to travel with us on this historic tour. The group size will be limited to enhance your intimate experience. To secure your space, please fill out the on-line application packet by downloading to your desktop, or call 602.679.0590 to make your deposit. Priority will be based upon the order in which we receive deposits.
WHY CHOOSE CUBA RHYTHM & VIEWS?
This trip is different from all the others. Our delegations experience distinctive and intimate artistic exchanges in private residences, exclusive performing spaces not generally accessible to Americans, behind the scenes at Cuba’s great concert halls, and visits to leading arts schools and conservatories. This 7-night trip includes the finest hotels and private restaurants (paladares), in addition to offering up close and personal experiences with Cuba’s most revered musicians, dancers, and visual artists. Our group size is limited to ensure that the experience is unique and memorable. And, our seasoned ground staff of guides and translators, who accompany our delegates to every event throughout the week, are the absolute best in Cuba.
This is the only People-to-People trip designed for passionate lovers of music and the arts…and Cuba has some of the best in the world. Other trips may, on the surface, appear to be less expensive, but we encourage you to take a closer look and examine hotel accommodations, whether your visa and round-trip Cuba airfare are included, the number of days of the trip, etc. Once you compare, we are confident you will conclude that Cuba Rhythm & Views is an incredible opportunity and a great value!
Your hosts, veteran music producers Woody Wilson and Neil Birnbaum, have more than 70 years of combined experience presenting the world’s finest music and artists. Together, they have spent the past five years exploring Cuba’s creative arts, engineering major cultural exchanges, and building cultural bridges that have helped to break down the barriers between our countries. Both men are dedicated to offering the highest attainable artistic excellence and a truly distinctive experience. The result is a cultural exploration of Cuba that is the new benchmark for People-to-People tours of this remarkable and isolated nation.
Itinerary of Activities
IMMERSE yourself in intimate, private experiences.
MINGLE with the performers at special post-concert receptions and private dinner concerts.
ENJOY some of the most incredible music in the world along with expert-led tours at museums and in the cities, as well as special government-approved visits to schools, and historical sites not generally available to Americans.
Our headquarters will be Havana’s newest and most stylish hotel, Grand Aston La Habana on Havana’s historic Malecón. Grand Aston is one of the finest hotels in the Caribbean. After a busy day, relax, have a cold drink, check your email with available Wi-Fi, look at the sea and be inspired by Havana coming to life after dark.
In Cuba, the classical arts are revered by every walk of life. During this trip, patrons will experience performances by such renowned groups as: Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional; Ballet Nacional de Cuba; Ballet Español de Cuba; Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba; Danza Contemporánea de Cuba; Orquesta de Cámara de la Habana and much more. Events will include opportunities to attend private rehearsals as well as performances and mingle with the performers in intimate settings.
Traditional music and its evolution over the centuries is at the heart of the Cuban soul and mystique. The history of music in Cuba is the story of its people; from slavery, political upheaval, revolt and a joyful celebration of Cuban cultural life.
Cuba has some of the finest young jazz musicians in the world. The Afro-Cuban tradition has evolved into a robust music scene that has a solid foundation in the classical music training musicians receive at the prestigious music schools throughout the country. In Havana, jazz thrives. Our patrons are not only immersed in Havana’s jazz nightlife but will be treated to private, one-on-one concerts from the best and brightest of Cuba’s jazz elite, including pianist Aldo López-Gavilán. This unique exposure to one the world’s most active jazz scenes is a CR&V exclusive. You will better understand the day-to-day sacrifices as well as the financial and artistic challenges, including the difficulty of buying and maintaining instruments in Cuba.
Some of the most exquisite historic buildings in the Caribbean are in Cuba. Havana is celebrating its 500th anniversary. But, despite 60 years of embargo, Cuba has managed to preserve and restore some of its most important heritage structures, neighborhoods and monuments. Using tourist dollars and financial incentives, much of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is gradually being rehabilitated to its former beauty as the city celebrates five centuries of life. Our delegates will gain an insight into what it takes to gradually restore one of the world’s great cities, one building at a time.
As part of our cultural exchange, our patrons will visit notable Cuban artists’ studios, galleries and homes. They will discuss their work, their artistic vision and the status of Cuba’s control of artistic expression. These personal encounters will help you understand cultural life in Cuba before the Revolution as well as today. Artwork will be for sale at all studios and galleries. In addition, a CR&V exclusive private show of original art for sale by Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) professors and students is always on our itinerary.
The growing movement of private restaurants, or paladares, in people’s homes, is flourishing in Havana. This movement is at the vanguard of economic change and private ownership in Cuba. The best dining in Cuba is in paladares along the backstreets and alleyways of Old and New Havana. The restaurants are being reviewed internationally and Havanaphiles are slowly finding their way to these wonderful free-enterprise culinary destinations. All of our meals outside of the hotel will be in paladares. And, for the meals not included in the package, you will be given the names and locations of Havana’s best private restaurants, all within a ten-minute cab ride from the Grand Aston La Habana.
Meet with career Cuban diplomat Camilo García López-Trigo for a talk about US/Cuba relations; Dr. García is a professor at University of Havana International Relations School and an expert in US political studies. You will also visit a daycare center run by The Sisters of the Love of God, visit a classroom in session, learn about the remarkable work the sisters do for families in need and be inspired by the humanitarian work of their order.
Don’t take our word for it! Here’s what people said about our recent trip:
As a long time lover of Cuban music and culture, this trip was a dream come true – amazing musical performances with the chance to meet and talk to the artists, exploration of Cuban culture and history, and an overall greater appreciation of what the magical isla has to offer. —Linda R, Tempe AZ
Where do I start??? The trip you provided for us in Cuba was nothing short of a miracle – the musicians, dancers, students etc would never have crossed our paths without your superb and thoughtful planning. —Sue W, Montreal, Quebec
Your efforts and attention to detail really made the trip a success. Planning, networking, flexibility and knowledge are your trademarks —Jim L, Seattle, WA
We have not stopped talking about it to everyone we have been in contact with these 2 days. This will be a beautiful memory for us for a long, long time…You two have put together such a special experience – we are proud to have been a part of it. —Jody V, Carolina, Puerto Rico