Colonial Heart — Trinidad, Cienfuegos & Santa Clara
Central Cuba's colonial core: Santa Clara and its lively Parque Vidal, the French-founded elegance of Cienfuegos on its bay, and cobblestoned Trinidad with the Escambray mountains behind it and Playa Ancón in front.
For: History & architecture travellers, couples
1 · Budget first
A transparent, itemised estimate for 2 travellers · 9 nights · casa tier. Every line is a planner range in USD — an estimate to budget with, not a quote.
| International airfare | $600 – $1,900 |
| Entry documents (tourist card) | $60 – $150 |
| Travel insurance | $80 – $300 |
| Accommodation | $225 – $450 |
| Local transportation | $190 – $550 |
| Food | $450 – $900 |
| Guides & activities | $90 – $240 |
| Connectivity | $30 – $110 |
| Tips | $45 – $180 |
| Water, laundry & sundries | $27 – $108 |
| Emergency reserve | $120 – $448 |
| Total (2 travellers) | $1,917 – $5,336 |
- Per traveller
- $959 – $2,668
- Per day
- $213 – $593
- Ground only (no airfare)
- $1,197 – $2,988
- Airfare est. / traveller
- $300 – $950
Basis: casa particular · local mixed food · shared taxi · 3 guided days.
Adjust every number in the planner →Estimates in USD to help you budget — not observed prices, quotes or guaranteed availability. Most US cards don’t work in Cuba; carry cash and keep the reserve.
2 · Fly in
Newark / New Jersey (EWR) → Havana (HAV) — José Martí International
Cuba's principal international gateway — the only truly diversified one, with links across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Example dates 2026-10-24 → 2026-11-02 (adjust on the live search). CubaAtlas books nothing — these open live results:
3 · Day by day
Where to sleep and dine each day is a real listing from the CubaAtlas provider dataset, nearest your base.
Morning
Land; casa in the old city.Afternoon
Plazas and the Malecón.Evening
Old-city dinner.
StayHotel Nacional de Cuba5★ · Grupo Hotelero Gran Caribe S.A · La Habana(53 7) 836 3564- Ext:168Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, MatanzasMorning
Museums and the Capitolio.Afternoon
Classic-car tour and Vedado.Evening
Jazz and a late paladar dinner.StayHotel Nacional de Cuba5★ · Grupo Hotelero Gran Caribe S.A · La Habana(53 7) 836 3564- Ext:168Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, MatanzasMorning
Drive to Santa Clara.Afternoon
Parque Vidal, the Teatro La Caridad and the colonial centre.Evening
Student-city nightlife and dinner.Morning
Drive to Cienfuegos; Parque José Martí and the Tomás Terry theatre.Afternoon
The Punta Gorda promenade and Palacio de Valle.Evening
Bayfront seafood dinner.DinnerPaladar Achérestaurant · Cuenta PropiaMap →Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)Morning
Jardín Botánico de Cienfuegos.Afternoon
Rancho Luna beach on the bay.Evening
Dinner on the Prado.DinnerPaladar Achérestaurant · Cuenta PropiaMap →Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)Morning
Drive to Trinidad; Plaza Mayor and the Museo Romántico.Afternoon
The cobblestoned old town and a rooftop view.Evening
Casa de la Música steps; dinner.Morning
Valle de los Ingenios and the Manaca Iznaga tower.Afternoon
Playa Ancón beach.Evening
Trinidad dinner.Morning
Topes de Collantes — the Caburní waterfall hike.Afternoon
Return; craft market.Evening
Farewell dinner.Morning
Drive back to the capital.Afternoon
Transfer to the airport.Evening
Flight home.StayHotel Nacional de Cuba5★ · Grupo Hotelero Gran Caribe S.A · La Habana(53 7) 836 3564- Ext:168Website ↗Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)DinnerCantabria, Restaurante Hotel Armadores de SantanderCimex · Internacional · La Habana(537)8628000Map →Source: Cuba Travel (MINTUR official portal)Open Havana on the map →Nearby: Viñales, Varadero, Matanzas
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4 · Visa, entry & customs
Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card, a passport valid for the stay, and proof of onward travel and insurance. Travelling under US jurisdiction, there is no general tourism licence — you travel under an OFAC category (commonly Support for the Cuban People), which carries record-keeping duties. The full requirements, the US-law detail and customs allowances are in the guides below.
5 · Book direct, or compare an agency
This plan is costed to book direct — the $3,133 (expected) above is the itemised cost with no package margin. Prefer a bundle? Take an agency quote and compare it line-for-line against that breakdown.
Operating United States agencies serving Cuba, if you prefer a package:
- Cuba Travel Services (CTS) ↗
Long-running US seller of scheduled and charter air to Cuba plus packages.
Sells: flights, charters, packages, hotels
- ABC Charters ↗
Miami charter operator to Havana and other Cuban cities.
Sells: flights, charters · +1-305-263-6555
- Marazul Charters ↗
One of the oldest US–Cuba travel providers.
Sells: flights, charters, packages
- Xael Charter ↗
Direct flights Miami/Orlando/Tampa to Havana, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Camagüey, Holguín; since 1988.
Sells: flights, charters, hotels, cars, tours · (305) 643-2200
- insightCuba ↗
Non-profit people-to-people and custom group tours; since 2000.
Sells: tours, packages
- Cubamax Travel ↗
Flights, packages, shipping and remittances; 13 Florida branches.
Sells: flights, packages, hotels, cars · +1-305-512-0303
CubaAtlas is non-commercial and takes no commission. Agency links go straight to the operator; we don’t book, broker or earn from them.
Every Cuba agency, compiled — with the free equivalent for each →Questions
- How much does the "Colonial Heart — Trinidad, Cienfuegos & Santa Clara" trip cost?
- An estimated $1,917–$5,336 all-in for 2 traveller(s) over 9 nights ($1,567 per traveller expected), including airfare, lodging, food, transport and a reserve. It is a planner estimate, not a quote — you book each part direct, with no agency margin.
- Do I need a visa to travel to Cuba?
- Every visitor needs a Cuban tourist card. Travellers under US jurisdiction have no general tourism licence and travel under an OFAC category such as Support for the Cuban People or family visits. See the CubaAtlas visa & entry guide.
- When is the best time to do the 9-night Colonial Heart — Trinidad, Cienfuegos & Santa Clara trip?
- The best months for this 9-night leisure plan are November–May, and it is a popular route from United States. Cuba's dry high season runs roughly November to April; the June-to-November hurricane season is quieter and cheaper.
- What does the Colonial Heart — Trinidad, Cienfuegos & Santa Clara itinerary include?
- A day-by-day route over 9 nights with a real hotel and restaurant chosen for each day, a live flight search from United States, and a full itemised budget of about $1,567 per traveller. It is free and self-booked — CubaAtlas gives you the plan and you arrange each part directly at the source, with no agency margin or commission.