Cuba - Special Salsa Festival with Damaris Hechavarría

Return flights to Cuba are not included in the travel package, so you can decide where you want to depart from, at what time and with which airline you prefer to fly. We do this to give you maximum freedom of choice.

We will meet at our private house around 19/20h to go out for dinner together. In the evening we can enjoy the musical atmosphere of Havana and start to feel the rhythm of Cuba.

Today we will discover the Hamel Alley, A place full of colour and Afro-Cuban culture, where urban art and music mingle at every corner. Every Sunday music groups and dancers perform folkloric music such as rumba or Afro-Cuban dances. Do you dare to go out and dance?

In the afternoon we will have our first class of Rumba Guaguancó with Damaris, where we will reinforce technically what we have practised in the Alley.

To end the day, nothing better than a daiquiri at the Floridita Bar or a mojito in the Bodeguita del Medio.

We will leave very early in the morning for Viñales, A spectacular valley surrounded by mogotes and nature. There we will be able to make a horseback excursion through the tobacco plantations and visit a traditional farm.

In the evening we will have our Rumba class with Damaris, to further reinforce what we have seen the day before and learn to incorporate it into our social dance. 

We will finish the day watching the sunset from a lookout point and in the evening we will enjoy live music in a local bar.

We said goodbye to Viñales and headed to Varadero, We have a few hours to travel, but it will be worth the journey because we will arrive in paradise, with a white sandy beach 22 kilometres long and crystal-clear waters.

The rest of the day we can relax on the beach, recharge our batteries and enjoy the all-inclusive resort.

In the evening we will have our Afro-Cuban class with Damaris before going to dinner and enjoying the evening. nShall we go out of the hotel to listen to live music and dance for a while or shall we stay and enjoy the hotel's shows?

Today we have several options to choose from.

We can decide to take the day to relax on the beach, go snorkelling or scuba diving in the famous Coral Beach, bathe in mysticism Saturn Cave or take a ride on Catamaran to Cayo Blanco.

Depending on what we decide to do, we will have our kind of Afro-Cuban with Damaris early in the morning or in the evening.

It is a day to enjoy the sea to the full and recharge your batteries before the festival. 

We return to Havana just in time to immerse ourselves in the festival atmosphere. Upon arrival, we will have a type of sound with the teachers of la Casona del Son, where we will learn and reinforce the basics of this popular Cuban dance, so that we can incorporate it into our social activities.

In the evening, we will attend the inaugural dinner of the Salsa Festival and we will enjoy the first concerts from the preferential area: Isaac Delgado, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas and Eduardo Sandoval.

Today we will have our next class at La Casona del Son: Casino Wheel, A fun session to feel the authentic Cuban energy and connect with the group through dance.

In the afternoon, we have the option of touring Havana by classic cars and let yourself be carried away by its unique atmosphere, even more special at sunset.

In the evening, we will continue to enjoy the concerts of the Salsa Festival: Papucho y Manana Club, Yasser Ramos y su Tumbao Mayombe, Manolito Simonet y su Trabuco and Los Van Van.

Today we propose you to make a free tour of Old Havana, to discover the history and secrets of its streets.

In the afternoon we will have our Timba class with Damaris, where we will merge everything we have learnt over the last few days. 

In the evening we will continue with the concerts of the Salsa Festival: Juan Guillermo, Adalberto Álvarez y su Son, Willy García, Alain Pérez and Maykel Blanco y su Salsa Mayor.

Free morning to rest, stroll around, go shopping, buy souvenirs at the San José Handicraft Market, visit the Capitol or simply enjoy a coffee on the Malecón.

Our last class will be with Damaris: Timba Musicality, We encourage you to record a little choreography in the streets of Havana and take it with you as a souvenir of your trip? 

In the evening, perfect closing at the concerts of the Salsa Festival: Iván El Hijo de Teresa y la Llegada, Haila Mompié, Alexander Abreu y Havana D'Primera, Elito Revé y su Charangón.

You can leave in the morning at the time of your choice, or spend the rest of the day exploring the narrow streets of Havana.

It will be time to say goodbye to Cuba... but not to the music and the band, which will stay connected long after the trip!

We hope you enjoyed your trip and that we will see you again on another Dance Travelling!