Learn to play - This holiday is no longer available -

• 40 hours of taught music making and directed practice 
• Ensemble playing with professional Cuban musicians
• Percussion and rhythm Workshops
• Extra time slots for individual and group practice
• Taught sessions on the history and development of Cuban musical styles
• Ensemble playing
• Tour of Egrem Studios
• Optional individual classes
• Homestays in lovely, friendly local casas
• Tourist Card
• Breakfast and an evening meal
• Home- cooking by our own fantastic cook
• Full hosting by Sara and our team on the ground  

Admire the famous Cathedral in Old Havana built in 1748. Visit the Palacio de los Capitaines Generales, the residence of the Spanish Captain General who ruled Cuba from 1791-1898 and the Castillo Real de la Fuerza, built between 1558-77, one of the oldest surviving colonial fortresses in the Americas and home to Giralda, the symbol of Cuba, as seen on the label of Havana Club rum.

See the Capitolio Nacional, a huge marble building modelled on the Capitol building in Washington and visit the Museo de la Revolucion, formerly the presidential palace. Wander along El Malecon, the famous waterfront of Havana. Pay a literary pilgrimage to the Hotel Ambos Mundos where Ernest Hemingway wrote the novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls".

When you're cultured out stroll along the Malecon and sample an ice cream from the famous Coppelia ice cream parlour, watch the strutting peacocks in the Hotel Nacional's garden, drink a mojito in La bodeguita and a daiquiri in La Floridita and take a cab ride in a 1950s Cadillac. And, of course, dance salsa. Visit Havana's nightclubs to learn to dance like a Cuban, with uninhibited passion.

As Graham Greene said of Havana "Anything is possible".

Casa particular in Havana* (Bed & Breakfast) (Included) 

A wonderful way to experience the "real" Cuba, staying in the home of a Cuban family. We use Cuban homes in convenient locations and of a good standard and we highly recommend this option to really immerse yourself in daily Cuban life. All "Casas"  have clean and comfortable double accommodation with private facilities. 

Join Sara McGuinness, Jesus Bello and a team of fantastic Cuban musicians for a week of music making in the heart of Havana. We are honoured to be working in Cuba’s principal recording studio, Egrem, Centro Habana.

The ultimate music holiday!

We have huge experience in Cuba having been running trips there for the last 15 years. Many of our holidays have features that are exclusive to us and this is no exception. Your senior music teacher and hostess is Sara McGuinness has been running music tours of different countries (including many to Cuba) can give you a real "insider's" tour of Havana and beyond. The holiday is suitable for musicians of all abilities and ages - from complete beginners to advanced - and the company of our charisma

The Egrem Studios are famous throughout the world and in learning to play there you will be following in the footsteps of some of the most esteemed musicians to have come out of Cuba.

 We stay in Cuban Casas which will have all been vetted by Sara and her team so you will get a truly authentic experience of Havana.

"I feel a warning should be given to those looking at the holiday stating they will be very depressed by the end. I had such a good time a week later and I am still not over the fact I have had to return to cold England and work! Desperately want to return".

"Our Havana holiday was the best we have had in a very long time! I never expected it to be as wonderful as it was"

"Our fellow tour-goers were fantastic--a fun, congenial and caring bunch. We enjoyed each other's company even outside the organised classes and clubbing, and now we are keeping in touch on Facebook."

"We were able to see so many different aspects of Cuba that as a sole tourist we would never have seen! Fantastic!"

"It was a brilliant experience, especially since we had the chance to go out with Cubans".

"Real eye-opening experience on Cuban society and culture."

We will organize outings to a range of Cuban musical activities. The exact details will have to be confirmed close to the date. However, to give you an idea, in 2015 musical performances included the following:

Orquesta Enrique Jorrin in Palacio De La Rumba

Conjunto Arsenio Rodriguez in Almanacer.

Timbalaye in the Patio de Egrem

Festival of Percussion Teatro Mella featuring Interactivo, Nomad Collective from the UK featuring Yelfris Valdes, and a US school big band.

Clave Y Guaguanco and Septeto Habanero in Palacio De La Rumba

Pupy y Los que Son Son in Casa de La Musica, Galiano

Manolito y Su Trabuco in Casa de La Musica, Galiano

In addition to these, we heard many musical performances in Café’s, Bars and on the Malecon. Several members of the course sat in with bands

In addition to your holiday we also offer you a variety of optional extras to make your holiday even richer and add some local colour. You will get more Information and you can buy your optional extras at the welcome meeting at the beginning of your holiday.

Sara McGuinness and Jesus Bello host a week-long music course in Havana, Cuba. The course will be held in the legendary Egrem Studios in the heart of Havana. The course is designed to cater for musicians both with and without experience of Cuban music performance. In an intensive week of activity we combine music making with essential background knowledge about the development and structure of Cuban music. Music making is interspersed with visits to live music performances across a wide range of Cuban music genres and a tour of the legendary Egrem studios.

In 2015 we ran the course in Egrem for the first time and it was a resounding success. We were joined by the legendary Cuban flautist Joaquim Olivera, and Yelfris Valdes, Cuban trumpeter formerly of Sierra Maestra but now UK-based.

In addition to music making Jesus ‘Toto’ Morales, principal dancer with Cuban Rumba giants Clave y Guaguanco gave presentations and demonstrations of Cuban dance styles and Afro-Cuban religions. Leading Cuban musicologist Sonia Perez gave a talk about her work on education projects with her husband, Buena Vista Social Club L’Aud player Babarito Torres.

We plan to work with the same team this year, and are bound to have visits from other Cuban musicians.

Jesus Bello hails from Santa Clara, in the centre of Cuba and is steeped in the Cuban son tradition. Throughout his career Jesus has combined life as a professional musician with education. Accolades include winning the Cuba-wide competition “Sonero del Año” as a singer, several years touring the world with Cuban L’aud Maestro Barbarito Torres of Buena Vista Social Club and 7 years as the lead singer of renowned Cuban son band Sierra Maestra. Whilst he has gained fame as a vocalist, Jesus is a talented multi-instrumentalist and has taught music at the school of arts in Santa Clara for over 20 years. One of his latest projects, which has gained national recognition, is to train a band of students in traditional Charanga style. Last year Jesus moved on from Sierra Maestra to pursue his own project ‘La Sonera Rebelion’.

Sara McGuinness is well known on the UK Salsa scene, having worked as a piano player, bandleader and educator in the field of Cuban music for more than 20 years. She has studied and worked with many great Cuban and Latin musicians both in Cuba, the UK, USA and abroad. For the last nine years she has been the principal tutor on Cuban music courses in Havana and the UK. She also runs the 30 strong, successful Cuban Big Band “Orquesta Estelar” and leads regular Cuban Descargas (jam sessions) in London. She has a passion for imparting knowledge about the intricacies of Cuban music. In addition to Cuban music Sara is a specialist in Congolese music and, in 2005 formed a band bringing together London based musicians from the traditions. This band formed the basis of her practice-based research for her PhD which she gained in 2012. She continues to research the Congo-Cuba link and to this end has formed a partnership with Cuban academic Sonia Perez. Sara is a frequent visitor to Cuba, and is able to give you an insight into musical and social life there. In addition to her musical work, Sara is a Senior Lecturer at London College of Music and a Senior Teaching Fellow at SOAS, London.

Joaquim Olivera Cuba has a great charanga flute tradition and Joaquim is one of the main proponents of this. His list of credits include many of the Cuban greats including Enrique Jorrin, Frank Emilio and Los Amigos, Orquesta Aragon, Charanga Rubalcaba. He is the main player of the Cuban 5 key wooden flute but is equally at home on the standard silver flute. Not only is he a wonderful musician, Joaquim has a deep knowledge of the charanga style and a passion for communicating his knowledge. He brings his tremendous energy and passion to everything that he does.

Yelfris Valdes is an accomplished Cuban trumpet player. Before graduating from the National Conservatoire in Havana he was snapped up by Sierra Maestra, one of Cuba’s main Son bands. For nine years he toured the world with Sierra Maestra, immersing himself in Cuban Son with this seasoned band. At the same time he managed to keep a lively career going playing with Cuban jazz and contemporary artists. In 2014 he decided to move to London as he wanted exposure to the wider musical world. He has quickly established himself as a principal player on the UK Cuban scene and is much sought after by artists for a wide range of traditions stretching from Funk to Classical, Reggae to Folk.

Jesus ‘Toto’ Morales Toto is hailed as one of Cuba’s great rumba dancers, as demonstrated by his position with Clave y Guaguanco, one of the principal groups. He has dedicated his life to Afro-Cuban dance styles and has a deep knowledge of the religions and associated dance as well as popular dance styles. Toto has the ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and accessibility. He is also an amazing dancer across all Cuban styles and an asset to the course.

On Arrival: You will receive a detailed itinerary and any other important information, including an overview of the local sights, recommended restaurants and other helpful tips.

Club Free Spirit Host:  Your holiday is hosted by Sara McGuinness and she is there to make your holiday as enjoyable as possible. She is hugely experienced and will help you to get the best out of your holiday without being in the least bit interfering. We make sure you get the best out of the destination even though you are there for a relatively short time and we do this through our local knowledge and our knowledge of music.

Overview of the Week and Welcome Drink: At the beginning of your holiday there is an Overview of the Week where your tour host will tell you about all details of your holiday and answer any questions you might have. At the Overview of the Week you can buy your optional extras and we will invite you to be our guest for a drink.

A few tips for the new traveller to Cuba.

The Cuba Factor: Be aware that Cuba is a place where things do not always go according to plan. Sometimes the most carefully constructed plans just don’t happen. At other times new and exciting opportunities arise to, for instance, see a famous Cuban band playing live, or to experience some exciting aspect of life in Cuba that no one could have possibly predicted. Turn every problem into an opportunity and you will experience the best of Cuba.

Making friends with the locals and people not on the holiday: Cuba is a great place to make friends with the locals, and should you do so and would like them to come along to the activities organised by us, then just ask your Tour Host. However, we discourage Non-Cubans who have not paid for the holiday from coming out with us more than once or from joining in activities arranged specially for the group. We would be grateful for your assistance and cooperation is this respect.

Buying drinks and meals for Cubans: Often Cubans will ask you to buy them a drink or food. They are often unable to afford to buy their own. At your own discretion you may wish to occasionally buy drinks and or a meal for the Cuban friends that you make. This is usually only a matter of a few dollars and is another feature of the peculiar circumstances that prevail in Cuba.

Attention in public places: Visitors from the West should be aware that they are likely to get a much higher level of physical attention in Cuba than they are used to back home. This applies to men as well as women! In nightclubs, Cubans dance close and often in a very sensual way. Sometimes they may try to push their luck. This is always done with a smile, is usually just playful and can be great fun. You should exercise common sense and, if you find that you are feeling hassled you should be firm and disengage from your partner with a polite and friendly smile. One of the team will normally be on hand to provide moral support, or escape, should you need it!

Keeping your valuables safe: Although crime rates in Cuba are very low, it is a poor country and you represent to them a rich foreign tourist whose pockets are stuffed with unimaginable wealth. So please be careful. Our advice is to leave expensive jewellery and unnecessary valuables at home. It is best not to put temptation in peoples’ way.  Do not leave your luggage unattended at any time and ensure that there is some way of locking or padlocking your suitcase or travel bag on the occasions where the luggage needs to be left in the bus or in the reception of the hotel. It is not unheard of for unlocked bags to be tampered with. When travelling we suggest that you keep your passport, travellers cheques, dollars and other important valuables about your person, in secure money belts or pockets. Although your possessions should be reasonably safe in your casas please ensure that your traveller’s cheques, dollars and other important valuables are always locked in your suitcase or in your safe when you go out.

Sara McGuinness and Jesus Bello host a week-long music course in Havana, Cuba. The course will be held in the legendary Egrem Studios in the heart of Havana. The course is designed to cater for musicians both with and without experience of Cuban music performance. In an intensive week of activity we combine music making with essential background knowledge about the development and structure of Cuban music. Music making is interspersed with visits to live music performances across a wide range of Cuban music genres and a tour of the legendary Egrem studios. 

In 2015 we ran the course in Egrem for the first time and it was a resounding success. We were joined by the legendary Cuban flautist Joaquim Olivera, and Yelfris Valdes, Cuban trumpeter formerly of Sierra Maestra but now UK-based.

In addition to music making Jesus ‘Toto’ Morales, principal dancer with Cuban Rumba giants Clave y Guaguanco gave presentations and demonstrations of Cuban dance styles and Afro-Cuban religions. Leading Cuban musicologist Sonia Perez gave a talk about her work on education projects with her husband, Buena Vista Social Club L’Aud player Babarito Torres.

We plan to work with the same team this year, and are bound to have visits from other Cuban musicians.
 

This holiday doesn´t include a flight.

This holiday doesn't include transfers.

Making your own way there: You can make your own way to your Casa Stay by taking a taxi from the airport. Taxi's cost approximately 25 CUC from the airport to the centre of Havana

Books on Cuba Of the books we have read about Cuba or set in Cuba these are the ones we would recommend:

"Enduring Cuba" by Zoe Bran - Honest and inquisitive look into Cuban life. “Land of Miracles” by Stephen Smith – An excellent recent travel book written about Cuba, witty clever and informative. Strongly recommended. “Waking up in Cuba” by Steven Foehr – An honest, entertaining account of what you can expect to find in Cuba. Especially informative about the music and cultural history. “Cuba” - The Lonely Planet Guide by David Stanley - One of the most detailed guide books on Cuba.

The Dual Economy: Cuba’s economy has been distorted by the American blockade and by the withdrawal of subsidies by the former Soviet Union.  There are two economies running side by side in Cuba. One is in Cuban pesos and is for Cubans. The other is in CUC, Convertible Cuban Pesos and is for tourists.  The dual economy is to cater for the difference between the average Cuban wage and the wage that a visiting tourist will earn back home. It’s worth bearing in mind that the average monthly wage of a Cuban is $12 - $15.   In a nightclub a tourist might be asked to pay between $5 - $20.  A Cuban will pay 30 pesos which is about 600 times less. The concept of a dual economy may seem strange to you but to Cubans it is as natural as your economy is to you.  

Money:  Until recently, the second economy was the American dollar.  However, Castro eliminated the dollar from circulation in November 2004.  You can no longer use US Dollars or any other foreign currency in Cuba, and if you bring american dollars a tax of 10% will be applied to you at the exchange of them for Cuban Convertible Pesos (this tax will not be applied to other currencies). So our strong recommendation is to bring cash Euros, UK Pounds or Canadian Dollars and change them on arrival in Cuba to the CUC.  Additionally you will be able to exchange back the remaining CUC at the end of your travel.  The CUC has an exchange rate equivalent to the American dollar and for this reason its sign is a ‘$’. Whilst bringing your money in cash may seem a bit alarming, it is from our personal experience, the most practical way of buying.  Cheques, credit cards that are related to US banks and American Express travellers cheques are not accepted.  There a very few (if any) cashpoints.  You can take cash out by showing your credit card and passport at a till within a bank but you will probably have to queue for a long time. 

Tipping: Tourism is the most important industry in Cuba and those who are able to work with tourists, even as room cleaners or barmen, earn more money than doctors and other professionals. Tips therefore often constitute the main source of income for many of the Cubans who you will meet.  

Budgeting for your holiday: Here are some guidelines on prices, to help you do your own calculations.

Drinks at Clubs vary in price depending on which club you go to and the time of day you attend. For example, Casa De La Musica bar prices are cheaper at Matinee shows and more expensive in the evening.

Taxi Fare from Airport

Taxi's from the airport to the centre of Havana are roughly 25 CUC one way

Average club drink prices

Cocktails 3 - 4 CUCs
Soft drinks and beer 1 - 3 CUCs
Bottle of rum 12 - 20 CUCs

Evening meals

Budget restaurant 8 - 12 CUC
More upmarket restaurant 12 - 20 CUC

Tipping per day 3 - 4 CUCs

Gifts for Cubans: Cuba is without many of the essential things that we take for granted. Things that are particularly difficult to get hold in Cuba include toiletries (shampoo, moisturiser, razors, soap, toothpaste, etc), perfumes and aftershaves, pens and paper, books in English or Spanish, clothes, and shoes. In the past some visitors have taken small gifts to give to the Cubans they meet or have left some of their own things behind them when they travel back to the UK.

Passports: These must be valid for at least six months beyond the length of stay. Please check your passport now.

Tourist Visa Card:  You require a Tourist Visa Card to enter Cuba. We as a tour operator can issue Tourist Visa Cards to our clients who come from Britain, Australia, Canada, USA, other EU countries and Japan.  (If you live in another part of the world, please arrange your own visa to enter Cuba).  Cuban Tourist Visa Cards are valid for one single trip of up to 30 days, although the stay can be extended in Cuba. The card must be bought in the country where the trip has been arranged (through us!). All passengers must hold tickets and other documentation required for their onward or return journey unless holding special annotation issued by a Cuban Consulate. You will be sent your Cuban Tourist Visa Card with your information pack a few days before you go.  You will need to keep your Tourist Visa Card safe as you will need it to get in to Cuba and to get back out of the country.  So look after it carefully during your trip.

Luggage Labels and Lost Luggage: We strongly recommend that you secure your luggage before flying by all means possible – tape and locks. You should attach large and clear labels to your luggage with your name, flight number and destination. Do not put travellers cheques, jewellery or money in your suitcase. In the unlikely event that your luggage is lost during the journey you need to independently take the matter up directly with the airline at the airport in Havana.

Vaccinations: We are informed by the Cuban Embassy that no special vaccinations are required for travel to Cuba. However, the following vaccinations are recommended by NHS Direct: tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A, polio, diphtheria, BCG and hepatitis B. Please consult your own GP in respect of which vaccinations you should have.

Insurance: This is a condition of booking please refer to the information supplement for details.  

Travel Documents: You receive these (which include a detailed Information Pack and your Cuban Tourist Visa Card) about 10 days before you go.

Weather: The Cuban climate is mild subtropical. East to west oriented the island receives plenty of sunshine, warm temperatures and refreshing sea breezes.

No wonder that Columbus thought that he had discovered the earthly paradise!  Don't forget that humidity is relatively high - in august it can be at 80%

Average Temperatures:        

Jan         16/25

Feb        16/26

March   17/27

April      19/29

May       21/30

June       22/31

July        22/31

Aug       22/31

Sept       22/30    

Oct        17/27

Nov       17/27

Dec        17/27