1st day: Athens - Miami
Meeting at the airport, final instructions and flight to Miami. A city that offers everything to every visitor. Countless hours of sunbathing, walks past art deco buildings, shopping, fine dining, 24-hour entertainment and a taste of wildlife. These are enough not only to drive you but also to keep you forever in the brightest part of Florida. Of course, from your first trip to Miami you have a permanent déjà vu that somehow, somewhere, sometime you've seen this before. Upon arrival, we will transfer to the hotel located downtown where for your convenience, our office has arranged for porters to carry your luggage to your rooms. Time to settle in. The guide will give us information for a first introduction to the city.
2nd day: Miami - Tour
A tour of today's cosmopolitan resort of Miami, which was originally a small fishing village on the edge of a wilderness. Until the train started bringing tourists in 1896, when the city took on a completely different form, cosmopolitan and highly charming. Today on the tour you will get to know the most important sights. First we head to Little Havana an area inhabited mainly by Cuban immigrants. The colorful, ethnic neighborhood is the only place in the US where cigars are made and is the cultural - but also highly politically active - part of Miami. The District which is more of a neighborhood with an authentic atmosphere than a tourist attraction. We will continue to Coral Gables where we will pass by the iconic Biltmore Hotel, which opened in 1926 and is Miami's most iconic building, with a grand Mediterranean style and a 92m tower at the top, which many call the "wedding cake". In its heyday it was home to big celebrities such as Bing Crosby and others, and today, after its recent renovation, crowds of people visit it to admire it in person. We will pass by the marina in Coconut Grove, we will see a 19ου century mansion, Villa Vizcaya.
Then head downtown through the Brickell district, home to the Art and Science museums, the impressive Miami Heat NBA stadium. We will see the Liberty Tower, the Grand Concert Hall Cultural Center and the Lyric Stage.We will follow our Miami tour with a tour of Miami Beach, a seaside gem of a city, wonderful sandy beaches, sun and sea with a cosmopolitan air. We will pass by the historic Art Deco neighborhood with influences and colors from the pop culture of the 50s, where the 36 towers designed by architect William Lane are located, guarding the Florida beach and stealing the show. Also iconic is Ocean Drive creates a visual feast, with buildings in pastel colors that come alive at night with neon lights and diffused energy and places for late-night entertainment. Arrival at the hotel check-in and free time. Afternoon free time and we recommend a stroll to the beautiful Bayside Marina where you can enjoy dinner at the restaurants on the pier and in the evening have fun sipping a cool cocktail. The area is touristy with numerous shops where you have the opportunity to buy beautiful souvenirs. We also recommend a Millionaires Row mini-cruise to the islands with its mansions with tropical gardens.
3rd day: Miami (optional tours)
For this day we suggest one of our 2 optional excursions that will really offer a different experience on your trip.
EVERGLADES AIRBOAT TOUR AND CRUISE TO BISCAYNE BAY
By choosing this activity you will have 2 unforgettable experiences, a visit to the Everglades National Park and a cruise on Biscayne Bay! The airboat ride (a flat boat with a huge propeller, like a fan, on the back) is worth it. Cruise through the unique Everglades ecosystem filled with images of exotic and wild beauty, where you will encounter alligators in their natural habitat. You will also have the opportunity for a hike through the jungle. At the end there are facilities with restaurants and shops for a relaxing break. You will then finish your day by cruising the tropical waters of Biscayne Bay. During the cruise, you come across Fishers Island, Miami Beach, see skyscrapers and homes of celebrities such as Shaquille O'Neal, Madonna, Versace and many more.
DAY TRIP TO KEY WEST AND CRUISE
An excursion that you will never forget! From Miami, you'll be transported to the famous island known for its sunny weather, sandy beaches, and historic sites. Upon arrival, you'll have time to explore Key West on your own, visit Hemingway's house, kayak, or watch the dolphins while cruising. A glass-bottomed boat will take you over a colorful coral reef, the third largest in the world and home to the largest variety of underwater life.
4th day: Miami
Free day. For today we recommend the "Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden", named after the American botanist David Fairchild and one of the largest botanic gardens in the USA.
In an area of about 34,000 square metres, more than 2,500 species of tropical plants and trees and 12 artificial lakes form a real oasis for residents and visitors alike. Be sure not to miss one or many strolls along the famous "Ocean Drive", the famous boulevard along the Atlantic where the heart of South Beach beats and, of course, the traffic never stops!
During the day, tourists and locals alike wander around or have lunch in the cafes, while young skaters provide plenty of entertainment. At night, again, you'll find some of the city's hottest bars and clubs here.
5th day: Miami - Havana
Transfer to the airport and flight to Havana. There you will be met by our guide who will accompany us to our hotel. Welcome cocktail drink, settle into your rooms and overnight.
6th day: Havana - City tour
Breakfast at the hotel and then we depart for our tour of the beautiful Caribbean city. We will start from the Revolution Square with its enormous
portraits of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. We will then pass by the University of Havana, cross the "modern" district of Vedado with its main square Copelia and the famous Malecón promenade and end up at the Capitol, a faithful replica of the same in Washington. Our tour changes pace and we enter Habana Vieja or Old Havana, a World Heritage Site and protected by UNESCO since 1982, which is home to some of the finest colonial buildings in the Caribbean. We will tour the museum with their national drink "rum", which we will taste. We will then visit the only Greek Orthodox church in the Caribbean, St. Nicholas, and then walk to St. Francis Square in Assisi, the Old Square, and Arms Square. Entrance to the impressive miniature of Old Havana and finally we will continue to the Cathedral Square the ''Templete'' Nave and the Castillo de La Fuerza Real. We will end our walk with a visit to the pirate fortress El Moro, in a peripatetic position at the entrance of the harbor with a magnificent view. Return to the hotel and in the afternoon you will have the afternoon free to stroll around the city.
7th day: Havana - Vignales - Pinar del Rio (optional)
Breakfast and a free day to use it as you wish. In your free time you can visit the city's large bazaar where you will find jewellery and decorative objects made of wood, fruit and vegetable pits, crocodile skin and teeth, papier mache or clay, but also works of art (avoid buying objects and jewellery made from black coral or sea turtle shells as, apart from being illegal, their harvesting causes major ecological problems). Stroll through the narrow streets of the old town, sip a fresh juice of "fruit bomba" the papaya or "guayaba" known to us to the sounds of a nostalgic son or bolero, and return to your hotel walking along the famous Malecón coastal avenue, gazing at the sunset and the sun disappearing into the sea in a riot of colours. Alternatively, we recommend an excursion to Vignales - Pinar del Rio (optional). A majestic valley in the westernmost province of Cuba, where the tobacco for the world's finest cigars is grown. Visit to a cigar factory to see the processing of cigars. Our walk in the Vignales Valley will be unforgettable as you will see green velvety hills, known as mogotes, which are found nowhere else in the world, springing out of the valley lush and almost eerie, framed by towering palm trees, waterfalls and underground caves with rivers, making up a magical landscape. Then we will see the huge Prehistoric Mural in the Indian Cave and cross its underground river in a small boat. This is followed by lunch at a local restaurant in a unique setting with live music. Returning to Havana, we will stop at the Los Hasmines Observatory with a magnificent view of the Vignoles Valley. In the afternoon return to Havana.
8th day: Havana - Ride with cars Antiques! - Varadero
Breakfast and a final drive to Havana.We will offer you an unforgettable experience, an Antique car ride on a wonderful route through the lush exotic forest of Havana. Immediately afterwards we will depart for the exotic, cosmopolitan Varadero, a favourite holiday destination, famous throughout the world. Cuba has over 4800 km of coastline, not counting the numerous coral reefs and islands. On Cuba's beaches, such as Varadero, Cayo Coco and Cayo Largo, you can enjoy many water sports, sunbathe, enjoy the clear waters of the Caribbean or simply rejuvenate. Cuba undoubtedly has some of the best beaches in the world and a large number of resorts where you can enjoy service and comfort on the best sandy beaches in the magnificent Varadero beach.
9th day: Varadero
Free day to enjoy one of the most beautiful beaches in Cuba. Various optional water activities are offered, you can take a stroll through the local bazaar or visit the dolphinarium. Please note that all meals and drinks at your hotel are included in the price. Optionally, you can take an optional dolphin swimming cruise to Kayo Blanco. Departure by catamaran for the desert island of Cayo Blanco (Cayo Blanco or white island). Stop en route at a coral reef, where you will be given time and equipment (masks, personal snorkels and flippers) to explore the reef and the colorful underwater nature around it. You will also stop at a fenced area midway along the reef where dolphins are housed and you will be given the opportunity to swim with them. At Kayo you will have time to swim or sunbathe. A buffet lunch is included with fresh fish, lobster and other grilled seafood. Return to Varadero with rum, salsa and lots of fun and dancing!
10th -11th day: Varadero - Havana - Athens
Breakfast at the hotel and then we depart for Havana airport, crossing the Matanzas Valley with the beautiful east coast and the homonymous city with its many bridges and two impressive rivers in the background. Arrival at the airport, where we will take our return flight. The exciting experiences of your trip will make you reminisce about the wonderful times you spent in Cuba and Miami for a long time to come!
