Eyewitness Cuba
Eyewitness Cuba
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Choose from the following destinations: Havana, Zapata Peninsula, Trinidad, Santa Clara or Viñales and enjoy an action-packed and colorful day where you will learn more about Cuba´s history, experience Cuban culture, and walk home with excellent pictures of these locations as well as many other places of interest.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
5.0
154 reviews
Excellent
152
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Gill n Roger
Derbyshire, UK43 contributions
Sept 2016 • Couples
After listening to other guests complaining about there trip to Havana with the tour reps we nearly did not bother.
But a lovely lady at our hotel Royalton came over to us and said please go but book with Eyewitness Cuba,.
We contacted Amel and promptly scheduled our tour date. We were met at the agreed time by Javier and Amel and his 1955 Mercury ... Fantastic start!!!
We proceeded to Havana and from the moment we took off Amel was explaining to us all the different (cultural, spiritual, Architecture) things we saw as we passed the different towns/cities (Varadero, Matanzas, etc).
When we arrived in Havana! Amel took us down the streets lined with tourists but soon deviated and we were in the backstreets of Havana an amazing experience....the real Cuba.
We had a two hour walking tour which was very interesting,We proceeded to leave the area and went back to visiting to see what all tourists see but occasionally going off the beat and track! (A treat)
We were give three choices of where we wanted to eat lunch, have not got a clue where it was but it was wonderful and very Cuban.
Our driver Javier was a Gentleman and a brilliant driver who loved his car, thank you Javier, your car is a credit to you.
We were dropped off at our hotel around 530pm that day and I wanted to cry as we had had such a wonderful day
Thank you for an unforgettable day Amel and Javier,your the best and your trip and company made our holiday very special, we will never forget you.
PS: The best way ever to see the real Havanna
But a lovely lady at our hotel Royalton came over to us and said please go but book with Eyewitness Cuba,.
We contacted Amel and promptly scheduled our tour date. We were met at the agreed time by Javier and Amel and his 1955 Mercury ... Fantastic start!!!
We proceeded to Havana and from the moment we took off Amel was explaining to us all the different (cultural, spiritual, Architecture) things we saw as we passed the different towns/cities (Varadero, Matanzas, etc).
When we arrived in Havana! Amel took us down the streets lined with tourists but soon deviated and we were in the backstreets of Havana an amazing experience....the real Cuba.
We had a two hour walking tour which was very interesting,We proceeded to leave the area and went back to visiting to see what all tourists see but occasionally going off the beat and track! (A treat)
We were give three choices of where we wanted to eat lunch, have not got a clue where it was but it was wonderful and very Cuban.
Our driver Javier was a Gentleman and a brilliant driver who loved his car, thank you Javier, your car is a credit to you.
We were dropped off at our hotel around 530pm that day and I wanted to cry as we had had such a wonderful day
Thank you for an unforgettable day Amel and Javier,your the best and your trip and company made our holiday very special, we will never forget you.
PS: The best way ever to see the real Havanna
Written 9 October 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stevemw00ds
Bristol, UK3 contributions
Jun 2016 • Family
We have just returned from Cuba, and while there had arranged to have an overnight Tour of Havana with Amel.
All the arrangements were made in advance of our trip, and all went according to plan.
Amel is very enthusiastic, entertaining and knowledgable.
He showed us all the interesting places and filled all the gaps in our understanding of Cubans, there history and their culture.
I would thoroughly recommend to make use of his services and believe this is the best way to see Havana.
All the arrangements were made in advance of our trip, and all went according to plan.
Amel is very enthusiastic, entertaining and knowledgable.
He showed us all the interesting places and filled all the gaps in our understanding of Cubans, there history and their culture.
I would thoroughly recommend to make use of his services and believe this is the best way to see Havana.
Written 20 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am grateful for your testimonial about my work thanks for your time.
Written 28 July 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lola L
10 contributions
Jan 2017 • Friends
The day my group spent with Amel was by far the most fun and informative of our trip. In a super relaxed, down-to-earth atmosphere, Amel shared with us his knowledge of not only Cuban landmarks, but the Cuban people. We shared as many laughs as we did lingo from our respective countries (including some inside jokes about "shoes" and "purses.") It was really a blast. I would highly recommend anyone on the fence about taking a tour -- or who may be unsure of which tour to take -- THIS is the one. You will not regret it. In case you don't know Spanish, his English is excellent as well. We selected the optimized day tour and a show with Buena Vista at night. It was exactly as advertised, he was professional, prompt, and quickly went from guide to friend. We'd have hung out with him the rest of the trip! Zero complaints. I will be using his services when I return to Cuba again.
Written 28 January 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cody J
1 contribution
Dec 2016 • Friends
I am traveler and been many places but by far this is the best tour guide i had. He was so informative, patience and such a cool person. He education myself on Cuba culture, history and reasoning behind certain situations. He took us to one of the best restaurants in Cuba while giving us a dosage of his friends and heritage. By far this was one of my most memorable trips because of the great tour guide!!
Written 23 December 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NicoleG1973
Delta, Canada11 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
My husband and I booked our one day Havana tour via email with Amel. He was always very quick to respond and provided all the information we requested, as well as several other possibilities and options. Amel and Roberto picked us up in a beautiful classic car, right on time at our resort. Amel was very open and forthcoming anout life in Cuba, and kept us very entertained all the way to Havana. In my email discussions with Amel, I mentioned that while my husband and I would like to see all "must see" spots in Havana, we were really interested in seeing "the real Havana". Amel surpassed all of our expectations, and brought us through some streets where there were no other tourists. He took us into a courtyard of buildings to show us what the apartments were like and we ended up chatting (via Amel's interpretation) with an old couple that lived in the building. They were so gracious, and invited us into their very humble home where they made us coffee and told us a bit about their life and experiences. This was the absolute highlight of our trip!! We stayed in Havana overnight and spent the nex day exploring Havana on our own. Amel truly gave us the gift of a true Cuban experience, and the confidence to fully explore the wonderful sights and amazing Cuban people! Thank you so much Amel!!
Written 20 June 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nicole I don’t have to tell you how happy I am with your review. Our tour was truly exceptional. Having the opportunity of shearing with that charming old couple in their home was a great experience for all of us.
Thanks for the opportunity
Written 28 July 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Morgan415
Lethbridge, Canada7 contributions
Jun 2015 • Friends
This was my first time in Cuba and I really wanted to experience the true real old Havana that everyone around that world has been talking about. My father actually set up our day trip to Havana with an incredible driver and guide Amel! He picked us (4 people) from our hotel in a gorgeous car (it had air conditioning!!) and we began our journey to Havana.
On our way there Amel gave us the 411 on the history of Cuba which I very much appreciated! The awesome thing about Amel was he wanted to make this a fun, comfortable, friendly adventure. He engaged with us in conversation and gave us all the information the places, universities, parks, etc. that we were driving by on our way to Havana.
Once we got to Havana we started off walking up and down the old streets. Amen did not rush us and let us see what we wanted to see. When we wanted to stop and take a longer look at something he aloud us to do so. I really enjoyed this cause as someone who has been on Tour with 30+ people usually you can not stop and see everything you want to see! So that was nice!
Amen then took us to the true heart of Cuba, THE FOOD! Our hotel food was not the best and I began growing even more disappointed that I would not be able to eat the local cuisine. Ironically enough he took us to the sport where Beyonce and Jay-Z had eaten. The food was amazing and it honestly felt like we have known Amel and Viking (our driver) for a long time. The food was affordable so no need to worry about spending over your budget.
Overall Amel and Viking were amazing. I would so glad I had done the day tour to Havana. I was not rushed to get from point A to B in a specific amount of time, and I felt like we were just touring the city with some friends! A great number of memories and laughs were made.
The day trip was affordable! You are 100% getting your money worth for the experience you get! No bus tour with 30+ people can beat Amel's tour! If you are looking for a day trip to Havana but are stuck on which one to go on, definitely go through Amel! My family and I have made a life long friend in Cuba and we are so grateful! Thank you Amel for showing us the beauty of Cuba and the amazing time we had while doing it!
On our way there Amel gave us the 411 on the history of Cuba which I very much appreciated! The awesome thing about Amel was he wanted to make this a fun, comfortable, friendly adventure. He engaged with us in conversation and gave us all the information the places, universities, parks, etc. that we were driving by on our way to Havana.
Once we got to Havana we started off walking up and down the old streets. Amen did not rush us and let us see what we wanted to see. When we wanted to stop and take a longer look at something he aloud us to do so. I really enjoyed this cause as someone who has been on Tour with 30+ people usually you can not stop and see everything you want to see! So that was nice!
Amen then took us to the true heart of Cuba, THE FOOD! Our hotel food was not the best and I began growing even more disappointed that I would not be able to eat the local cuisine. Ironically enough he took us to the sport where Beyonce and Jay-Z had eaten. The food was amazing and it honestly felt like we have known Amel and Viking (our driver) for a long time. The food was affordable so no need to worry about spending over your budget.
Overall Amel and Viking were amazing. I would so glad I had done the day tour to Havana. I was not rushed to get from point A to B in a specific amount of time, and I felt like we were just touring the city with some friends! A great number of memories and laughs were made.
The day trip was affordable! You are 100% getting your money worth for the experience you get! No bus tour with 30+ people can beat Amel's tour! If you are looking for a day trip to Havana but are stuck on which one to go on, definitely go through Amel! My family and I have made a life long friend in Cuba and we are so grateful! Thank you Amel for showing us the beauty of Cuba and the amazing time we had while doing it!
Written 3 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many Thanks for this awesome review. Highly appreciated and needed to grow littler business.
Written 8 November 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
cc-in-cc
41 contributions
Feb 2019 • Family
I’m not sure why Varadero Beach is rated #1 on TripAdvisor instead of Eyewitness Cuba, but my aim is to convince you otherwise!
I’m the kind of person who researches things to death but luckily I read JocelynW1’s review saying “Stop wasting hours researching the gazillion of choices and book with Amel.” I stopped there and booked Eyewitness Cuba, and we had the best holiday ever!!! You can take our word for it and do the same, or you can read on… I think you’ll come to the same conclusion – book Eyewitness Cuba!
We travel a lot with our 2 adult kids, and the highlight everywhere is learning about the country and its people. This was our first visit to Cuba. Varadero beach is probably the nicest beach we’ve ever been to, but the days spent touring around with Amel were by far the best of our trip. I booked 3 days with Eyewitness Cuba: the 2-day Havana Overnight tour, and the Zapatos Peninsula Tour. Here are some of our experiences.
Amel arranged for a taxi van to pick us up at the Varadero airport and take us to Havana where I had booked an AirBnb for a couple of nights. There was a long line at the cash exchange so after the cab driver phoned Amel for advice, we stopped in Matanzas at a local currency exchange office. We received the same rate and it probably saved us an hour. This is the kind of excellent service we received on our trip.
The next day Amel and his driver, Pepe, picked us up for our Havana Tour. It became immediately clear that we were going to have a great time, and end up with some new friends! When I travel I enjoy feeling like a local, and that is the kind of tour you get with Amel. It’s like we were all pals hanging out for the day. Of course we saw the top-rated sights, and Amel has a wealth of knowledge about all of them, but it was the walk through the old city seeing people live their everyday lives that had the most meaning. Amel helped us understand the challenges these folks face, and also why the love for their country is so strong. He took us to visit some community projects, like the beautiful Fusterlandia and the Callejon de Hamel which celebrates Afro-Cuban culture. Cuba has a reputation for so-so food, but our meals with Amel at places he recommended, were outstanding! He took us to Coppelia, where the locals line up for ice cream (it IS that good!) and I can’t even tell you the lengths he went to get us some guanabana flavoured dessert (my daughter’s favourite)!! Laughing as we ate ice cream out of a plastic bag was one of the many funny moments we shared together! It was amusing how people kept mistaking him for a tourist…I decided it was either because his English was so good, or because the five of us were always laughing so much…not the typical guided tour you see! Pepe was an excellent driver and we felt very safe. Our belongings were locked in the trunk and he kept a good watch over them. Not that we had reason to worry. Cuba feels as safe as back home. We took a couple of hours to unwind after our day and then Amel and Pepe picked us up for the Legendarios del Guajirito show, which Amel had booked for us. It featured former members of the Buena Vista Social Club as well as some current jazz superstars. What an amazing night of music and dancing! We didn’t book the dinner that came with the show, but opted to order snacks off the menu since we had enjoyed a large lunch earlier.
Amel and Pepe met us the next morning for the rest of the tour. Although they live out of town, they stayed in an AirBnb that night as well. I’m sure it was more convenient for them, but I couldn’t help but notice the many ways they tried to help out the locals. Those working in the tourism industry can make a great deal more than other Cubans. Amel left his job as a university professor (with 2 Master’s degrees) because it was financially easier to support his family. We had another great day of touring and then Amel and Pepe drove us back to Varadero where my family spend a couple of days at a resort before we took our last tour to the Zapatos Peninsula with Amel. We stopped at Matanzas on the way, and also at a home with a little stand on the highway to eat pan con lechon…the REAL Cuban sandwich! The owner took us to the yard to see where the pork was being roasted. It was delicious, and Amel’s treat to us!
The day spent on the Zapatos Peninsula was even better than I had expected. Amel met us with Yasiel and his beautiful newly-restored car! Yes the six of us traveled the countryside in it…the suspension was great and we were very comfortable. Air conditioning was available but we just enjoyed the breeze with the windows open. It was a great experience to drive through the little villages and see life in the country. I was a little hesitant about the “swamp” tour, but the area was beautiful. Swamp obviously has a very different connotation in Canada than in Cuba! I think we would call it “Wetlands”. I didn’t see a single mosquito, but from the boat that took us through the mangrove channels we saw a beautiful osprey, a tri-coloured heron, yellow-billed egret, double-crested cormorant, and other birds. The snorkeling areas were right across the highway from each other: on one side, the Bay of Pigs which had the usual variety of Caribbean tropical fish, and on the other side the Cueva de los Peces (Fish Cave), a 70-meter freshwater cenote which was very unique and beautiful. There were divers down deep where the cave must start, but the snorkeling was easily accessible from a rocky ledge at the edge of the water. There is a booth to rent equipment on the snorkeling side, and a washroom and change room area on the cave side. We had a delicious family-style lunch at a home-restaurant recommended by Amel. The delightful owner ran out back to find us some mint so that my kids could have mojitos – which they stated were the best they had ever had! The food was a variety of seafood – lobster, crab, fish, and calamari – so fresh and absolutely delicious! Amel and Yasiel both joined us for lunch, and it was nice that Yasiel spoke excellent English so he could join in the conversation. It was sad for all of us to say goodbye at the end of the day.
Sorry that this review is so long, but for those who like to research, I hope it is helpful! Amel…thanks so much for taking such good care of us on our trip. We had great experiences, learned a lot, and had so much fun doing it! We have come to love Cuba as you do. We hope we will be able to return again soon!
I’m the kind of person who researches things to death but luckily I read JocelynW1’s review saying “Stop wasting hours researching the gazillion of choices and book with Amel.” I stopped there and booked Eyewitness Cuba, and we had the best holiday ever!!! You can take our word for it and do the same, or you can read on… I think you’ll come to the same conclusion – book Eyewitness Cuba!
We travel a lot with our 2 adult kids, and the highlight everywhere is learning about the country and its people. This was our first visit to Cuba. Varadero beach is probably the nicest beach we’ve ever been to, but the days spent touring around with Amel were by far the best of our trip. I booked 3 days with Eyewitness Cuba: the 2-day Havana Overnight tour, and the Zapatos Peninsula Tour. Here are some of our experiences.
Amel arranged for a taxi van to pick us up at the Varadero airport and take us to Havana where I had booked an AirBnb for a couple of nights. There was a long line at the cash exchange so after the cab driver phoned Amel for advice, we stopped in Matanzas at a local currency exchange office. We received the same rate and it probably saved us an hour. This is the kind of excellent service we received on our trip.
The next day Amel and his driver, Pepe, picked us up for our Havana Tour. It became immediately clear that we were going to have a great time, and end up with some new friends! When I travel I enjoy feeling like a local, and that is the kind of tour you get with Amel. It’s like we were all pals hanging out for the day. Of course we saw the top-rated sights, and Amel has a wealth of knowledge about all of them, but it was the walk through the old city seeing people live their everyday lives that had the most meaning. Amel helped us understand the challenges these folks face, and also why the love for their country is so strong. He took us to visit some community projects, like the beautiful Fusterlandia and the Callejon de Hamel which celebrates Afro-Cuban culture. Cuba has a reputation for so-so food, but our meals with Amel at places he recommended, were outstanding! He took us to Coppelia, where the locals line up for ice cream (it IS that good!) and I can’t even tell you the lengths he went to get us some guanabana flavoured dessert (my daughter’s favourite)!! Laughing as we ate ice cream out of a plastic bag was one of the many funny moments we shared together! It was amusing how people kept mistaking him for a tourist…I decided it was either because his English was so good, or because the five of us were always laughing so much…not the typical guided tour you see! Pepe was an excellent driver and we felt very safe. Our belongings were locked in the trunk and he kept a good watch over them. Not that we had reason to worry. Cuba feels as safe as back home. We took a couple of hours to unwind after our day and then Amel and Pepe picked us up for the Legendarios del Guajirito show, which Amel had booked for us. It featured former members of the Buena Vista Social Club as well as some current jazz superstars. What an amazing night of music and dancing! We didn’t book the dinner that came with the show, but opted to order snacks off the menu since we had enjoyed a large lunch earlier.
Amel and Pepe met us the next morning for the rest of the tour. Although they live out of town, they stayed in an AirBnb that night as well. I’m sure it was more convenient for them, but I couldn’t help but notice the many ways they tried to help out the locals. Those working in the tourism industry can make a great deal more than other Cubans. Amel left his job as a university professor (with 2 Master’s degrees) because it was financially easier to support his family. We had another great day of touring and then Amel and Pepe drove us back to Varadero where my family spend a couple of days at a resort before we took our last tour to the Zapatos Peninsula with Amel. We stopped at Matanzas on the way, and also at a home with a little stand on the highway to eat pan con lechon…the REAL Cuban sandwich! The owner took us to the yard to see where the pork was being roasted. It was delicious, and Amel’s treat to us!
The day spent on the Zapatos Peninsula was even better than I had expected. Amel met us with Yasiel and his beautiful newly-restored car! Yes the six of us traveled the countryside in it…the suspension was great and we were very comfortable. Air conditioning was available but we just enjoyed the breeze with the windows open. It was a great experience to drive through the little villages and see life in the country. I was a little hesitant about the “swamp” tour, but the area was beautiful. Swamp obviously has a very different connotation in Canada than in Cuba! I think we would call it “Wetlands”. I didn’t see a single mosquito, but from the boat that took us through the mangrove channels we saw a beautiful osprey, a tri-coloured heron, yellow-billed egret, double-crested cormorant, and other birds. The snorkeling areas were right across the highway from each other: on one side, the Bay of Pigs which had the usual variety of Caribbean tropical fish, and on the other side the Cueva de los Peces (Fish Cave), a 70-meter freshwater cenote which was very unique and beautiful. There were divers down deep where the cave must start, but the snorkeling was easily accessible from a rocky ledge at the edge of the water. There is a booth to rent equipment on the snorkeling side, and a washroom and change room area on the cave side. We had a delicious family-style lunch at a home-restaurant recommended by Amel. The delightful owner ran out back to find us some mint so that my kids could have mojitos – which they stated were the best they had ever had! The food was a variety of seafood – lobster, crab, fish, and calamari – so fresh and absolutely delicious! Amel and Yasiel both joined us for lunch, and it was nice that Yasiel spoke excellent English so he could join in the conversation. It was sad for all of us to say goodbye at the end of the day.
Sorry that this review is so long, but for those who like to research, I hope it is helpful! Amel…thanks so much for taking such good care of us on our trip. We had great experiences, learned a lot, and had so much fun doing it! We have come to love Cuba as you do. We hope we will be able to return again soon!
Written 1 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I can't simply say "Thanks for the review".
I don’t know the word of gratitude that would suite what I felt reading this review.
Every moment described in every sentence was perfect. I just would love to have the opportunity to show my gratitude to your family too.
Be always welcome back.
Extend my regards to the rest of your family especially to both your daughter and your son.
Thanks you
Written 17 April 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
La Reina Monique
Seville, Spain83 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
Amel and his team of tour guides and drivers offer exceptional tours of Havana, Vinales & Varadero/Matanzas. Our guide, Alfredo, was well versed in Cuban history. You know that he loves his beautiful country. I did the Havana Walking Tour, Vinales Tour & Varadero Beach. Amel can customize your tours as you wish. I wasn't interested in Matanzas and preferred to spend more time on Varadero Beach. Amel adjusted the tour schedule to make me happy. He's such a kind person, and funny too! He was highly responsive during the booking process. I knew exactly what to expect and he exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend this tour company!
Written 25 April 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
letitgroww
Brooklyn, NY63 contributions
Sept 2017
We took a cruise to Havana, Cuba on Empress of the Seas cruise ship on September 18, 2017 right after a category 5 hurricane Irma had hit the island on September 8th. The State Department had issued travel warnings and I though that the cruise should have been cancelled, but it wasn't and we went there anyway hoping for the best. We had heard that the people lacked basic necessities and on top of that, they were hit with a hurricane. So we took a lot of toiletries to give to the locals. However, the cruise excursion people informed us that we should give it to them as they had distribution people on the island. So we gave it to the cruise personnel. We just took a small gift bag for the tour guide with toothpaste, tooth brushes, deodorant, tissues, lotion, and shampoo and female items. As it turned out, we could have probably taken everything off the ship ourselves and distributed it as we encountered needy people. By the way, they love the NY Yankees baseball team because apparently someone from Cuba plays for the Yankees.
Back to the tour. I had made arrangements with Amel from Eyewitness Cuba by email prior to going on the cruise. I found his five star reviews on Trip Advisor. The price was $140 US for two persons for six or seven hours. No real time constraints. At the cruise terminal after going through customs, we changed our US dollars for CUP and got $0.87 CUP for 1 US dollar. That's 13% surcharge on the US dollar. We were met by Alfredo (who was outside waiting across the street from the cruise terminal) with a sign that had my name on it. Alfredo who was wearing a name tag, introduced himself and asked us what we wanted to see. We had already taken an excursion with the cruise line the day prior, so we were open to his ideas. Alfredo's driver picked us up in a vintage blue and white 1950 air conditioned Cadillac. I mention air conditioning because it was hot as hell the day that we went (September 22, 2017) on the excursion. The seats were covered in plastic slipcovers like the kind found on grandma's couch from back in the day. Alfredo, super smart guy, speaks several languages, and is a historian. studied Philology, a word I had never heard. There is actually a university in Cuba where you can major in that subject. Our first stop was the Havana Forest, a beautiful big green space (like NY Central Park) complete with a babbling brook and stone steps. Our next stop was the home of the famous artist and sculptor Jose Fuster, who covered not only his home but his neighbor's homes in brightly colored mosaics. He was actually on his way out of the house when we arrived (two of many visitors that day). I was hoping to get his photo and autograph but he didn't return before we left. So I did the next best thing; got a picture with his son. We bought a piece of artwork, a vinyl album painted with a man and woman coming out of a heart (negotiable, he asked $100, we paid $90). The artist's home is amazingly beautiful all dressed up in mosaics. I heard that more than eighty neighbors have followed his lead and covered their homes in mosaic tile.You could spend the whole day walking around looking at houses covered in mosaics. Next,for lunch, we went to the restaurant El Guajirito for lunch at (Zulueta No.658 e/Gloria y Apodaca, Habana Vieja, Cuba). The food was delicious and a band played music to accompany our lunch. I had chicken vegetable soup and fried green plantain and my husband had fish, rice and beans, sweet potato chips, and salad. The drinks were fabulous, Try the lemonade (non-alcoholic) and another drink made with sugar cane juice that they press right in the restaurant. My husband had rum added to his. (Go to the restroom. Right before you get there, they're grinding and pressing juice from sugar cane stalks.) By the way, if you use the restroom, leave a tip. We had a really nice time at the restaurant. The waitresses were mesmerized by my jewelry as some cannot afford jewelry on their salaries.
After lunch, we went on a walking tour around Old Havana. Alfredo our history buff tour guide, knew all the dates and names of important Cuban people. I only wish I had recorded him. We visited a perfume 'factory", a gun museum, Catholic church from the 17th century, three public squares and other historic sites. You will encounter people dressed as statues that want a tip if you take a photo. We didn't have time to go to the Ernest Hemingway house, so, next time. Wear comfortable shoes 9lots of cobblestones) bring a hat and a bottle of cold water on the walking tour. Although Havana is old, it is amazing. The people are warm and friendly and it helps if you can say a few words in Spanish although a lot of them speak English.
On our prior excursion with the ship we had seen Revolution Square, cigar factory in an old fort (Castillo del Morro) where we bough cigars,coffee and rum, and souvenirs then visited a shopping mall full of vendors. Note: the Havana Club rum is really good.
Gracias Eyewitness Cuba:)
Back to the tour. I had made arrangements with Amel from Eyewitness Cuba by email prior to going on the cruise. I found his five star reviews on Trip Advisor. The price was $140 US for two persons for six or seven hours. No real time constraints. At the cruise terminal after going through customs, we changed our US dollars for CUP and got $0.87 CUP for 1 US dollar. That's 13% surcharge on the US dollar. We were met by Alfredo (who was outside waiting across the street from the cruise terminal) with a sign that had my name on it. Alfredo who was wearing a name tag, introduced himself and asked us what we wanted to see. We had already taken an excursion with the cruise line the day prior, so we were open to his ideas. Alfredo's driver picked us up in a vintage blue and white 1950 air conditioned Cadillac. I mention air conditioning because it was hot as hell the day that we went (September 22, 2017) on the excursion. The seats were covered in plastic slipcovers like the kind found on grandma's couch from back in the day. Alfredo, super smart guy, speaks several languages, and is a historian. studied Philology, a word I had never heard. There is actually a university in Cuba where you can major in that subject. Our first stop was the Havana Forest, a beautiful big green space (like NY Central Park) complete with a babbling brook and stone steps. Our next stop was the home of the famous artist and sculptor Jose Fuster, who covered not only his home but his neighbor's homes in brightly colored mosaics. He was actually on his way out of the house when we arrived (two of many visitors that day). I was hoping to get his photo and autograph but he didn't return before we left. So I did the next best thing; got a picture with his son. We bought a piece of artwork, a vinyl album painted with a man and woman coming out of a heart (negotiable, he asked $100, we paid $90). The artist's home is amazingly beautiful all dressed up in mosaics. I heard that more than eighty neighbors have followed his lead and covered their homes in mosaic tile.You could spend the whole day walking around looking at houses covered in mosaics. Next,for lunch, we went to the restaurant El Guajirito for lunch at (Zulueta No.658 e/Gloria y Apodaca, Habana Vieja, Cuba). The food was delicious and a band played music to accompany our lunch. I had chicken vegetable soup and fried green plantain and my husband had fish, rice and beans, sweet potato chips, and salad. The drinks were fabulous, Try the lemonade (non-alcoholic) and another drink made with sugar cane juice that they press right in the restaurant. My husband had rum added to his. (Go to the restroom. Right before you get there, they're grinding and pressing juice from sugar cane stalks.) By the way, if you use the restroom, leave a tip. We had a really nice time at the restaurant. The waitresses were mesmerized by my jewelry as some cannot afford jewelry on their salaries.
After lunch, we went on a walking tour around Old Havana. Alfredo our history buff tour guide, knew all the dates and names of important Cuban people. I only wish I had recorded him. We visited a perfume 'factory", a gun museum, Catholic church from the 17th century, three public squares and other historic sites. You will encounter people dressed as statues that want a tip if you take a photo. We didn't have time to go to the Ernest Hemingway house, so, next time. Wear comfortable shoes 9lots of cobblestones) bring a hat and a bottle of cold water on the walking tour. Although Havana is old, it is amazing. The people are warm and friendly and it helps if you can say a few words in Spanish although a lot of them speak English.
On our prior excursion with the ship we had seen Revolution Square, cigar factory in an old fort (Castillo del Morro) where we bough cigars,coffee and rum, and souvenirs then visited a shopping mall full of vendors. Note: the Havana Club rum is really good.
Gracias Eyewitness Cuba:)
Written 1 October 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chioma
New York City, NY72 contributions
Mar 2017 • Friends
Amel was an awesome tour guide. He was very informative and has a great sense of humor. I went with a big group about 15 people and we were there to celebrate @Heatherbeez birthday extravaganza! We were picked up from the airport and traveled to Varadero stayed for 2 days at a resort. Then he picked us up from the resort and dropped us off at our Air BnB in Vedado. Amel also gave us a tour through Vinales which one of Cuba's hidden treasure(a MUST SEE).The customer service from the beginning to the end was superb! I hightly recommend him to anyone who will like a great tour. Book NOW with Amel and Eyewitness Cuba. It will be an experience to remember!
Written 12 April 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great birthday tour. Biggest I have done, good job everyone
Thanks for your support
Written 20 April 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lorraine F
United Kingdom
Hi, I’d like to book a trip for 2 to Havana. Please could I have your email? Thanks
Written 28 May 2018
Lorraine F
United Kingdom
Hi, I’d like to book a trip for 2 to Havana. Please could I have your email? Thanks
Written 28 May 2018
hi.. do u do private tours of Cuba for 2 people with a driver/guide ? we are looking at coming to Cuba about 21july for approx 6 nights .. could you advise if you have anything available and how much it would it would cost ? we dont mind staying at private homes and if possible could we have a day or 2 at a beachside area ? just a good tour with losts of sightseeing would be great ... thanking you Diana Kates
Written 19 May 2018
Hello Diana Kate
There are options that we could tailor for your best experience.
Our email is in our website and in tripadvisor feel free to contact me: Amel is my name I will be glad to assist you.
Written 22 May 2018
Hola! Que tipo de aventuras se pueden hacer por un día de visita? Tenemos pensado ir en Mayo. Grasias
Written 21 April 2018
It depends on how big the scooter is and how many people are coming in the tour.
Written 22 March 2018
How much does the tour to Vinales and Havana cost?
Best regards
Written 11 March 2018
It depedns on the amount of participants.
Written 12 March 2018
Bonjour,
Nous prévoyons partir une dizaines de jours vers la fin Avril et c'est une excursion qui nous intéresserait. J'aimerais savoir si la visite à la baie des cochons se fait à partir de Varadero? À quelle endroit devons nous nous adresser?
Merci,
Jean-François Piotte
Written 12 February 2017
Hi five of us would like private tour some prices to Havana including Tropicana and picked up from Excelence on May 21 2017 .
Written 30 November 2016
Hello Sheila.I can help you tailoring your tour. There is an email and website where you can find more info.
Written 30 November 2016
Is there a rate list for trips, would like to know the cost for 2 to Havana from the Iberostar Alameda in mid January.
Also I cannot find an email address or a phone number. Where do I find that.
Do I book from Cuba at the time or before hand from Canada
Written 21 October 2016
There is a website in the right panel right under the Map.
this is the phone number +5352662115
O try
Eyewitness Cuba in Facebook the contacts are also there.
I can't seem to write html addresses here
Thanks for contacting
Written 21 October 2016
I am planning to be in Varadero for 14 days starting on May 11 and would like to find out information about some tours to Havana and other local areas. I'm a semi-professional photographer and a travel blogger so I'm looking for great tours and incredible places to see. I'd like to have the information as soon as possible in order to make the most time on my trip. Prices and dates / times would be useful. Thank you.
Written 20 April 2016
Hello Ala1960.
The tour to Havana will give you the opportunity to capture diverse sceneries from a beautiful coast line and bay, to mountain ranges around a tropical valley that by May should already be green and colorful. Also some city perspectives and persons or faces. Building from 17th, 18th, 19th century and Spanish style long streets, wait for you in Old Havana, a UNESCO site. All you have to do is define what would you like to capture with your lens and we will be there.
Written 21 April 2016
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