By the Wagner Society Munich
WAGNER in CUBA
INVITATION
by the Wagner Society Munich
to the
foundation „Circle of Friends Richard Wagner“
at the Opera House „Teatro Lirico“ Havanna / Cuba
Caribbean moods between
- Great opera art with Richard Wagner´s „The Flying Dutchman“
and rousing Cuban rhythms
- Colonial heritage and modern spirit
- Culinary delights and sweeping vitality
- Impressing landscapes and Cuban hospitality
A journey to memember!
Cuba-Project November 2013
The Wagner Society Munich actively and strongly supports the idea to establish a “Circle of Friends Richard Wagner" in Havana/Cuba as a member of the International Association of the Wagner Societies. There are strong local interests in "Richard Wagner and German romanticism” as well as excellent young artists in the domain of opera singing and classical dance.
Employment with Richard Wagner will be depressed in workshops. The "Circle of Friends Richard Wagner Havana/Cuba" will be set up with an official ceremony on November the 16th 2013 including a premiere of "The Flying Dutchman" with Cuban singers and musicians. Thus for the first time after the revolution of 1959 a work of Richard Wagner will be performed once again in Cuba. The request to the Executive Boards of the Wagner societies is to prebooke this date in November 2013 and to question the participation of a delegation from your society.
Havana 13-17 Nov. 2013
1rst day Wednesday 13 Nov.: Arrival
You arrive at the Airport in Havana or Varadero. After being welcome by your guide, your will be tranfered to Hotel Melia Cohiba / Melia Habana in Havana. Depending on your arrival time, there will possibly be a diner .
2nd day Thursday 14 Nov.: Havana
Today, you will learn about Havana with all of its beauty and fascination. Soon you will love the magic and the atmosphere of the city. You will see various magnificent buildings and classic cars built in the USA in the 1950s.
After breakfast, you will visit the Fortress El Morro which was built in 1563 from coraline limestone. Its lighthouse of 24 mtrs altitude was built in 1863 and is still in operation. The 60 cannons of the fortress, amongst them the famous "Twelve Apostles", are all aimed outward and give the visitors an impression of the fortresses original function.
You continue in the Old Havana - La Habana Vieja which has been part of the UNESCO world heritage since 1982. On the Plaza de la Catedral you will admire the façade of the magnificent Cathedral of Havana which is one of the most beautiful baroque style churches in Latin America. The amply adorned main altar is made of Carrera marble and onyx. The Cathedral is surrounded from market stands and merchants offering a wide range of arts and crafts. Nearby, the most famous bar of Havana is waiting for your visit: the “Bodeguita del Medio”, where Ernest Hemingway used to drink his Mojitos back in the 1940s. The walls of the bar are covered with signatures, grafities and drawings of the visitors – amongst them even presidents and artists.
We continue with the oldest square of the city – the Plaza de las Armas, or Plaza Céspedes with the monument of Carlos Manuel Cespedes. Here you can see an old Ceiba-tree – under its leaves was celebrated the mass for the foundation of the city of Havana, back in 1519.
After that, you will visit the Rum Museum, and after lunch, we will continue the tour in modern Havana. At the Plaza de la Revolución, where the Cuban Government and various Ministeries are located, you can visit the monument of José Martí. Finally, you will visit the University of Havana.
Later, you will visit a ballet school, and in the evening, diner will be served in you hotel in Havana.
At night, you can visit the famous Tropicana Cabaret (optional). Tropicana was founded in 1931 and was the world’s biggest night club at that time. Today, it offers an involved and wonderful musical show with 200 dancers and various orchestras.
3rd day Friday 15 Nov.: Havana
After breakfast in your hotel, you will visit a Tabaco manufactory in Havana and the Museo de la Revolución (displaying Cuba’s history). In the afternoon, you will visit the Palacio de Bellas Artes (an art museum). Afterwards, you have free time at you own disposal.
4th day Saturday 16 Nov.: Havana
After breakfast in the hotel, a bus will bring you to the Iglesia y Convento de Francisco De Asis, where the establishment assembly for the Foundation “Friends of Richard Wagner” with musical framework programme and salutations from national and international supporters. Lunch will be served in various restaurants nearby, for example in the restaurants Santo Ángel, El Patio, Café del Oriente. Diner will be served in your hotel. The highlight of the day will be the visit of the opera “The Flying Dutchman” in the Teatro Nacional de La Habana (anticipated).
5th day Sunday 17 Nov.: Havana – San Francisco de Paula – Havana
After breakfast in the hotel, you will follow the traces of Ernest Hemingway in Cuba. You will make an excursion to San Francisco de Paula to the Finca La Vigíla. Here you will visit the Museo Ernest Hemingway. In the Bay of Cojimar, the scene of “The old Man and the Sea”, is located the fish restaurant La Terraza, where Hemingway was regular guest. Here you will have lunch. Afterwards, you will be transferred to the Airport of Havana or Varadero for your flight back home.
Sequel program C Beach Extension
17-20 Nov. 2013
17 Nov.: Transfer from Havana to Hotel in Varadero
3 Overnights in 4-star-Hotel Blau Veradero (or similar) with all-inclusive-service.
or
3 Overnights in 5-star-Hotel Iberostar Premium Gold Standard (or similar) with all-inclusive-service.
20 Nov.: Transfer to International Airport Havanna or Varadero for your return flight.
Sequel program „Cuba Central“ 17–25 Nov. 2013
5th day Sunday 17 Nov.: San Francisco de Paula – Guama – Cienfuegos
After lunch in the restaurant “La Terraza” in Cojimar we continue to the Zapata Peninsula where is located a huge National Park of swamplands and virgin woods, home of countless crocodiles, birds and sea animals. From Guamá, a small crocodile breeding farm, you will go by boat to the village of Taino, a reconstruction of an ancient indian indigenous village from pile dwellings in the middle of a lake. According the legend, chief Taino dimpled the tribe’s treasure in the lake in former times, to avoid the village’s pillage by the Spanish Conquerers.
Afterwards, you will be transferred to Cienfuegos to Hotel Jagua, where dinner will be served and you stay overnight.
6th day Monday 18 Nov.: Cienfuegos – Trinidad
After breakfast in the hotel, you will have a city tour in Cienfuegos.
The city is dubbed La Perla del Sur (Pearl of the South). Cienfuegos literally translates to "Hundred fires".
Near the entrance to Bahia de Cienfuegos (bahia meaning "bay") is Castillo de Jagua (full name Castillo de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles de Jagua), a fortress erected in 1745 for protection against Caribbean pirates.
Cienfuegos, one of the chief seaports of Cuba, is a center of the sugar trade, as well as coffee and tobacco. While sugarcane is the chief crop, local farmers grow coffee.
The downtown contains 6 buildings from 1819–50, 327 buildings from 1851–1900, and 1188 buildings from the 20th century. There is no other place in the Caribbean which contains such a remarkable cluster of Neoclassical structures.
You will visit the Parque José Martí, the Tomas Terry Theatre, the Casa de Bienes Culturales, the Cathedral La Purisma Concepcion and the Palacio de Valle. We will enjoy a boat trip through the Bay of Cienfuegos as well, and after dinner we continue to Trinidad, where we stay in Hotel Costa Sur (or similar), located at the Playa Ancon out of town.
Trinidad, together with the nearby Valle de los Ingenios, it has been one of UNESCOs World Herritage. Today, you will get a short first impression of this wonderfull city.
7th day Tuesday 19 Nov.: Trinidad – Santa Clara
After breakfast you will continue the city tour in Trinidad. Enjoy a walk through the city of Trinidad.
Trinidad is a museum in itself. Visiting the 500-year-old city, you will find Spanish colonial architecture, underscoring a colonial ambiance that marks the tiny city one of the country’s greatest attractions. Only a few square blocks
in size, historic Trinidad is famous for its lovely, cobblestone streets, pastel coloured houses with elaborate wrought-iron grills, as well as beautiful palaces and plazas. The city can be toured in a few hours by foot. For a break, you will enjoy a drink in the famous bar LA Canchanchara. On the way to Santa Clara, we will stop over in the Sugar Mill Valley and see the Managa Iznaga, an ancious watchtower from the slavery era. In Santa Clara, you will have dinner in Hotel Los Caneyes (or similar), where you stay overnight as well.
8th day Wednesday 20 Nov. Santa Clara – Cayo Santa Maria
After breakfast in the hotel, you will have a city tour in Santa Clara, visiting the parque Leoncio Vidal, the Teatro La Caridad and the Mausoleo de Che Guevara. Dinner will be in a local restaurant.
Afterwards, you continue to Cayo Santa Maria, where you will stay in Hotel Melia Las Dunas, where your beach extension beginns.
Thursday 21 – Sunday 24 Nov. Cayo Santa Maria
Enjoy your beach holidays with All-Inclusive-service in Htel Melia Las Dunas.
Monday 25 Nov.: Return
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Airport of Havana or Varadero for your flight back home.
Sequel program Eastern Cuba 17-25 Nov. 2013
5th day Sunday 17 Nov.: San Francisco de Paula - Havana – Santiago de Cuba
After Lunch in the restaurant „La Terraza“ Cojimar, you go back to Havanna enjoying your leisure time, untill leaving for the airport Havanna with the transfer bus. From there you go to Santiago.
You stay overnight in the hotel „Melia Santiago de Cuba“. There expects you a delicious dinner
6th day Monday 18 Nov.: Santiago de Cuba
After breakfast in the hotel you make a guided tour to discover Santiago de Cuba, the capital from Cuba during the 16th century. Santiago is known to be the most Caribian citiy in Cuba, not only because of the impressing architecture, but also because of the people with their great energy and happiness.
Cultural and religious customs, brought from the African Slaves, influenced the develpopment of the Cuban society
You visit on of the most famous Cuban Architecual Monuments, the cementary from Santa Efigenia, foundend in 1868. Numerous national heroes, like José Marti, Carlos M. Céspedes and Antonio Macedo, rest here in peace.
After that you visit „Plaza Antonio Maceo“ and the museum „26 de Julio“, located in the historical important Moncada Fortress
While staying in the „Parque Céspedes“ you be able to see the cathedral „Santa Iglesia Basilica“, founded 1524 and rebuilt already four times, after heavy earthquakes. Other points of interest during this city tour are „La Calle Heredia“, named by the famous cuban Poet from the 19.th century, „La Calle Padre Pico“ with a bautiful view over the harbour and the beautiful „Plaza Dolores“
Lunch will be served at the „Castillo de Morro“. There you can enjoy the magnificient view over the Bay of Santiago
Overnight and dinner in the Hotel Melia Santiago. While visiting the club „Casa de la Trova“ you feel the joy of live and the hot rhythm of the Cubans.
7th day Tuesday 19 Nov: Santiago de Cuba - Camagüey
After a rich breakfast your tour starts in the direction of Camagüey. Your first stop is the Church „El Cobre“, holy the virgin from „El Cobre“, the Saint of Cuba. The next stop is Bayamo, which was the 2nd city in Cuba founded by th conqueror Diego Velázquez. It was called „San Salvador de Bayamo“ and was the former Capitol of the early republic.
During the citytour you stop for lunch. In the afternoon you head for Camagüey, where you stay overnight and have a relaxing dinner after an exciting day. (Hotel Camaguey or similar)
8th day Wednesday 20 Nov.: Camagüey – Sanctí Spiritus – Santa Clara
After breakfast you make a city tour in Camaguey, and after that you continue to Sancti Spiritus and visit the city. Then after lunch you continue to Santa Clara where you will have dinner and overnight in Hotel Los Caneyes (or similar)
.
9th day Thursday 21 Nov.: Santa Clara – Varadero
After breakfast in the hotel, you will have a city tour in Santa Clara, visiting the parque Leoncio Vidal, the Teatro La Caridad and the Mausoleo de Che Guevara. Dinner will be in a local restaurant.
Afterwards, you continue to Varadero, where you will stay in Hotel Blau Varadero, where your beach extension beginns.
Friday 22 – Sunday 24 Nov.: Varadero
Enjoy your beach holidays with All-Inclusive-service in Htel Blau Varadero.
Monday 25 Nov.: Return
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Airport of Havana or Varadero for your flight back home.