Morning: professional meeting with Cuban writers and directors at Casa de Las Americas, founded in 1959 by Haydée Santamaría (1923-1980) who was its president until her death, followed by Mariano Rodriguez (1912-1990) and currently (since 1986) presided over by renown Cuban intellectual, Roberto Fernández Retamar.

Casa de las Americas promotes, researches, supports, awards and publishes the work of writers, sculptors, musicians, and other artists and students of literature and the arts. It awards the Casa de las Américas prize. This visit to the Casa de Las Americas presents an unparalleled chance for North American authors, publishers, and other book professionals to conduct professional research on Cuba’s Book Industry.

Lunch: a new wave of paladares (privately-owned restaurants) has recently swept the Cuban dining scene offering excellent food and charming ambient. Today we’ll enjoy a welcome lunch at the stylish Paladar San Cristobal, one of Havana's top ten private restaurants.

Afternoon: as part of our full-time schedule of professional research on Cuba’s book industry and library system, we will spend the afternoon exchanging with Cuban exhibitors, publishers, writers and other book professionals at La Cabana Fortress, seat of the 33rd International Book Fair of Havana 2025. We will also take part on the programmed activities.

Followed by guided walking tour of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Old Havana.

Visit to the Cathedral Square, named after the masterpiece of Cuban baroque architecture: the Cathedral of Havana built by the Jesuit order.

The Cathedral's baroque facade is simultaneously intimate and imposing, and one of the two towers is visibly larger, creating a pleasing asymmetry. As with many churches in the city, the building material of Havana Cathedral includes coral, cut and hauled from the edge of the sea by slaves. Look carefully and you'll see fossils of marine flora and fauna in the stone of the cathedral.

Visit to Square of Arms, ancient military parade ground for Spanish soldiers and surrounded by impressive buildings such as:

Palacio de los Capitanes Generales, the former official residence of the governors (Captains General) of Havana, Cuba. It is home to the Museum of the City of Havana. It houses exhibitions of art and historical artefacts and many of the rooms are preserved with their original Colonial decoration.

Palacio del Segundo Cabo. The seat of the second authority of the island. Today it houses important publishing concerns.

Castillo de la Real Fuerza. The second oldest fortress built by the Spaniards in the West Indies. The castle was recently renovated and reopened in June 2008 to hold the impressive maritime museum. Well laid out exhibits chart Spain and Cuba's naval history.

Continue walking tour onto San Francisco Square, named after the Convent of San Francisco, this square was conceived in 1628, with the objective of supplying water to the ships trading with the metropolis. For many years it also served to stockpile the goods arriving from the harbor. Chronicles of the time say that the square had a busy commercial life. The people, in humble carts or afoot, sold and bought a variety of goods. It’s important to know that through this place the Spanish immigrants arrived to Cuba.

Visit to Plaza Vieja, the only civic square of colonial times. Notice it doesn't have a church or government building around. Here we will visit important institutions for visual arts.

Free time in the famous handicraft market of Old Havana, located inside the Almacenes de Depósito San José, an old warehouse on the harbourside where you can purchase all sorts of crafts and souvenirs by local artisans.

Evening: tonight we have a Cuban band playing for us! We learn how to play and dance to Salsa, Son, Rumba, and other popular Cuban rhythms. Your participation in these activities directly supports the Cuban people and the Cuban families financially while encouraging independent entrepreneurial activities that in turn strengthen civil society in Cuba.

Morning: professional meeting with librarians, archivists and other information professionals at the Cuba’s National Library “Jose Marti” (named after the Cuba’s national hero). Dating back to 1901, the Cuba’s National Library (Biblioteca Nacional de Cuba) is Cuba’s largest library and the repository of the documentary heritage for Cuba. Today the library is also contributor to the Digital Library of the Caribbean.

This visit to the Cuba’s National Library “Jose Marti” represents a great opportunity for North American librarians, archivists, and information professionals; as well as library and information science professors, faculty and students to conduct professional research on Cuba’s library and information science system and to exchange with Cuban counterparts.

Lunch: a new wave of paladares (privately-owned restaurants) has recently swept the Cuban dining scene offering excellent food and charming ambient. Today we’ll enjoy a welcome lunch at the stylish Caleza Real, one of Havana's top ten private restaurants.

Afternoon: as part of our full-time schedule of professional research on Cuba’s book industry and library system, we will spend the afternoon exchanging with Cuban exhibitors, publishers, writers and other book professionals at La Cabana Fortress, seat of the 33rd International Book Fair of Havana 2025. We will also take part on the programmed activities.

Followed by visit to the Literacy Museum in the Liberty City neighbourhood of Havana. Meeting with museum director Luisa Campos for an introduction on the history of the literacy campaign and the new literacy campaigns taking place in Venezuela, Bolivia and other regions based on the Cuban Campaign model.

Evening: enjoy Afrojazz, Cubajazz and Sonjazz at Club La Zorra y El Cuervo, Havana’s most famous Jazz club. The club features great performances by island bands and soloists! (optional, not included).

Morning: day trip to Matanzas City, also known as the Venice of Cuba and the city of bridges of which there are seventeen crossing the three rivers that traverse the city (over Yumuri, San Juan, and Canimar rivers). It is also known as "La Atenas de Cuba (the Athens of Cuba)" for its wealth of poets.

Rest stop in Bacunayagua Bridge for a Piña Colada and enjoy the view over the highest bridge (110 mts) in Cuba, one of the marvels of Cuban post- revolutionary architecture.

As part of our full-time schedule of professional research on Cuba’s book industry and library system, we will attend professional meetings with the director, publishers and artists at Ediciones Vigia, a unique publishing house that produces handmade paper and first edition copies of books. Only 200 copies of each book are made so each is a collector’s item.

Lunch at Paladar El Dicho, centrally located in Matanzas downtown. This is one of the top 10 restaurants in the city. Period! Pleasant atmosphere, delicious dishes and professional customer service. Patronizing private family-run restaurants directly supports the Cuban people and the Cuban families financially while encouraging independent entrepreneurial activities that in turn strengthen civil society in Cuba.

Afternoon: continue on bus ride to Cienfuegos city. Cienfuegos is the first, and an outstanding example of an architectural ensemble representing the new ideas of modernity, hygiene and order in urban planning as developed in Latin America from the 19th century.

Guided walking tour of Cienfuegos Historical Center.

The colonial town of Cienfuegos was founded in 1819 in the Spanish territory but was initially settled by immigrants of French origin. Situated on the Caribbean coast of southern-central Cuba at the heart of the country’s sugar cane, mango, tobacco and coffee production area, it became a trading place for sugar cane, tobacco and coffee in the region.

We will visit neoclassical buildings around Paseo del Prado and the main Square Jose Marti such as:

The Tomas Terry Theatre, completed in 1895 and named after a sugar baron from Venezuela who arrived in Cuba with no money and made his fortune by buying sick slaves for a low price, to later nurse them back to health and reselling them. This money was invested in a sugar estate that brought him the wealth to build several outstanding buildings in Cienfuegos, including this theatre, with materials specially brought over from Europe.

The Casa de la Cultura, home of another wealthy sugar baron, stunning mansion in neoclassical style.

The Cathedral built with the donation of wealthy families like the Lebrancs, the Albis, the Terrys. Inside you find the reproductions of the 12 Apostles in stained glass imported from Paris. Also the original machinery of the clock tower was built in France. Still in place and working.

We'll also visit the elegant art gallery Galería de Arte Maroya and review its impressively displayed collection of paintings, sculptures and antiques.

Check in at your Luxury Casa Particular.

Morning: as part of our full-time schedule of professional research on Cuba’s book industry and library system, we will attend professional meetings with representatives of ASCUBI (Cuban Association of Librarians) in the city of Cienfuegos. We will also visit Cienfuegos Provincial Library.

This visit to ASCUBI (Cuban Association of Librarians) represents a great opportunity for North American librarians, archivists, and information professionals; as well as library and information science professors, faculty and students to conduct professional research on Cuba’s library and information science system and to exchange with Cuban counterparts.

Lunch is included at Paladar Ache, one of Cienfuegos top ten private restaurants, serving local specialties in a pleasant courtyard.

Afternoon: we will embark on a day trip to nearby Trinidad city, an outstanding example of a colonial city.

Trinidad has maintained its historic core, featuring the highest percentage of surviving antique buildings and public squares and bringing together architectural, historic and cultural elements of great value.

Guided walking tour of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Trinidad’s Historical Center.

Visit to the Architecture Museum (Casa de los Sanchez Iznaga), housing the most representative samples of the city's architectural development in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Visit to Museo Lucha contra Bandidos, former home of the San Francisco de Asis convent.

Visit to Museo Romantico, overlooking the Trinidad main square. It has an excellent exhibition of romantic style porcelain, glass, paintings and decorative furniture which belonged to the Conde de Brunet and other Trinidad notorious families.

Visit the mirador (lookout) over the Sugar Mill Valley, designated by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage Site in 1988. It constitutes a sort of triangular plain covering some 250 square kilometers and includes the San Luis, Agabama-Meyer and Santa Rosa valleys, besides the coastal plain of the south delta of the Manati River.

Trinidad is well known for its pottery makers. We meet with a family that has been passing the tradition for generations: the Santanders.

Return to your private rental accommodation in Cienfuegos.

Evening is free to enjoy the hotel amenities and the lively streets of Cienfuegos. How about live Cuban popular music on steps of Casa de la Música– a great opportunity to dance with Cubans and your tour companions.

Morning: transfer back to Havana city.

Afternoon: as part of our full-time schedule of professional research on Cuba’s book industry and library system, we will spend the afternoon exchanging with Cuban exhibitors, publishers, writers and other book professionals at La Cabana Fortress, seat of the 33rd International Book Fair of Havana 2025. We will also take part on the programmed activities.

Afternoon: as part of our full-time schedule of professional research on Cuba’s book industry and library system, we will attend professional meetings with Library and Information Science professors, faculty and students at the University of Havana, the oldest university in Cuba founded in 1728. A notable graduate is Fidel Castro who entered the University of Havana’s law school in 1945.

This activity will be of particularly interest for the professional research of those North American travelers whose profession, professional background, or area of expertise (including area of graduate-level full-time study) relates to library studies and information science programs. Followed by a tour of the University of Havana campus and library.

Lunch break (optional, not included).

Afternoon: as part of our full-time schedule of professional research on Cuba’s book industry and library system, we will spend the afternoon exchanging with Cuban exhibitors, publishers, writers and other book professionals at La Cabana Fortress, seat of the 33rd International Book Fair of Havana 2025. We will also take part on the programmed activities.

Evening: attend one of the most traditional and popular ceremonies in Cuba, the Fire of the 9 O'Clock Cannon at the Fortress of San Carlos de La Cabana.

Early morning departure to Havana City International Airport for departure.