What a week!

We had a fabulous experience touring Cuba with CIT, from the first day to the last. Mostly this was because of Cuba–a place like no other, with warm, talented people–but it was also because of our great guides. Patricia, who chaperoned us our first two days, was warm, friendly, and knowledgeable. The experience that stands out was dancing with her and the members of the Afro-Cuban collective Beyond Roots to the drums and singing of the group members. We are neither Yoruba nor believers in Santeria (well, maybe now we are), but the spirit and the rhythms really took us to a different world. Another amazing experience–and I can’t remember if it was still with Patricia or our 2nd guide, Karel–was the concert we were given by a group of children singing and playing guitars in their classroom, some of the kids as young as five or six, up to older teens. They attend an after-school program called Clave de Sol and they are so talented.

5 Star Treatment from CIT

We just returned from an unforgettable four days in Havana, all expertly curated by Cultural Island Travel. Teresa got to know us to understand our travel style and preferences, and she answered our endless questions right up until departure date. In Cuba, our wonderful guide Patricia and driver Yordan took excellent care of us. They were flexible and fun, seamlessly updating our schedule and activities throughout the week when necessary. Everything was done at our pace and on our timeline. Patricia is beyond knowledgeable and connected, making us feel like special guests everywhere we went. The same can be said for all of the amazing and warm people we met – from our hotel hosts & staff to our historian, photographer, resident artist, cigar expert, and tobacco farmers. Our only job was to relax, enjoy and immerse ourselves in the beautiful city of Havana. The trip exceeded all expectations from beginning to end. 100 stars!

Custom Central Mexico Tour – June 2022

This is our first Cultural Island Travel trip and certainly won’t be the last. They were very receptive to our group suggestions and input, adding a few attractions, cities and days to accommodate our requests. Our tour lead, Irma was fabulous and ensured pre-trip communications, inquiries and requisites were clear and timely. Same with the company owner, Shabi on pricing and payments. Upon arrival, we met our driver Raymundo and assistant guide Amado. Ray kept us safe, on time and well connected to the internet on his van; even on some narrow roads. Amado ensure our safety on tour, facilitated entry, questions to locals, and so many other little details that really made this tour work seamlessly. We functioned like a unit and this was due to the hard work and extreme attention to detail from Irma and Amado. No one was left behind even when tired and in need of a little rest.

Our custom trip included Mexico City, Teotihuacan, Coyoacán, Xochimilco, Val’quirico, Cholula, Puebla, San Miguel de Allende and Cuernavaca. Irma and Amado are excellent guides and make a very good team. Irma arranged all details of the visits and experiences, including the local guides at each location. Our local guide in Mexico City, Monse, is outstanding and very friendly. There were some unique experiences like: Xochimilco, lunch at La Gruta restaurant, visits to Frida Kahlo museum, Museum of Anthropology, visit to a market in Coyoacan, Slim museum, Park of Thermal Waters and Chapultepec. These are just a few of the sights and experiences, the tour was well curated and planned.

The hotels were all safe, comfortable, with good service, convenient locations and quiet. Some were outstanding like Gran Hotel Ciudad and the L’Perla Boutique in Puebla. Included lunches were excellent and great venues to learn more of Mexican culture.

Irma had many suggestions for dinner and additional sights at each of the stops, providing good directions and tips to ease the extra explorations on our own. Im summary, this was a very special experience for us, you don’t always get that family environment on organized tours, Irma and Amado certainly pulled this off effortlessly, always caring and truly interested in our group having a great experience. AAA+ to this team and looking forward to our next trip with CIT.

Jorge & Raul

My daughter and I traveled to Cuba…

My daughter and I traveled to Cuba through Cultural Island Travel. Everything was great and we had awesome time. Shabi was extremely helpful in arranging everything, and making sure everything was in order for us to go as US citizens. There was never a single glitch. The trip itself was amazing and definitely highly recommended by both my daughter and myself!!!

March 14, 2020

Hi Teresa,

Our nine day trip in Cuba was spectacular. I have traveled all over the world and this trip is definitely at the top of my list. Before leaving, we were given very clear and thorough information regarding travel in Cuba. Teresa answered all our questions and concerns quickly and offered our group the option to alter our itinerary according to our interests and needs.

From the moment of arrival in Havana until the moment of departure, our guide, Irma, was “on it”. She is incredibly well organized, knowledgeable and most importantly, warm, good humored and fun. Our group fell in love with her. We also adored our driver, Roli. On almost every day we saw performances and activities with artists, musicians, dancers and drummers. These were performed for our group alone. It was totally thrilling.

Cuba is a culturally rich country. The people are warm and sweet. Cultural Island Travel made this experience one that will always be remembered.

Brenda S.

March 10, 2020

Hi Teresa,

Cuba – A trip with Cultural Island Tours

Our tour began much earlier than our actual date of arrival on Feb. 28, 2020. Tereqsa, at Cultural Island Tours was our contact person. Let it be known that I have never experienced customer service of the quality she delivered. Emails were answered immediately and all questions, no matter how lame, were answered fully. She never left out a detail. I never had to re-email the same question twice. In addition, she always offered more content than I even asked for in anticipation of further inquiries. If I was a head hunter I’d hire her for my company and triple her salary.

Our arrival went as planned. Irma, our spectacular guide, met us at the airport and navigated us to our van driven by the charming and handsome, Roly. Words cannot describe what happened for the next nine days but I’ll give it a shot.

Irma was fun, funny, patient, knowledgeable, generous with every aspect of our needs and beautiful to boot. She understood every nuance of our conversations no matter how subtle. We were so taken care of that all of us (a party of six friends) fantasized about taking her home with us. One of us got badly sunburned and she went to all lengths to get aloe finally retrieving it from her own medicine cabinet. Three of the women had swollen ankles from the airplane ride and Irma created a phone tree, contacting all she knew, to get a diuretic pill for their ride home. It was always beyond the call of duty for each of our requests. We had a blast with her. She immediately blended into our group. She felt like a friend.

Roly too was integrated into our pose. He drove carefully, was always on time, laughed with us when we translated our jokes and helped us out of the van as if we were royalty. Leaving each of them after the trip was the hardest part of our adventure.

The tour itself was perfectly planned out with much attention paid to our special requests. I even had a birthday cake waiting for me at lunch. It was a total surprise and had been arranged far in advance. Speaking of lunch, all the food was first rate and abundant. We almost always had to skip dinner due to the significant bounty we consumed earlier in the day. Breakfast was always prepared beautifully in the casa specials that were booked for us. The accommodations had all we needed for comfort plus they were beautiful. We had no complaints whatsoever in that department.

I highly recommend this tour company if you want an authentic and comprehensive Cuban tour. I can’t imagine a better experience than what was provided for us by Cultural Island Tours.

March 9, 2020

Hi Teresa,

What a fantastic trip. I can’t say enough good things about Irma. She was fantastic.  She had to deal with six crazy Americans who had some unusual requests and problems – sun burnt legs  and swollen ankles, etc. She was a champ and always found solutions and was flexible when we wanted to change the schedule. We all fell in love with her and look forward to the day when this horrible embargo is lifted and both countries are able to travel freely.

Thank you so much for quickly addressing our pre-trip concerns and for putting together such a great tour.  I will be recommending your company to my family and friends. 

Diana

March 8, 2020

Hi Teresa,

March 6, 2020

Hi Teresa,

March 5 2020

Hi Teresa,

The trip was amazing!  Booking everything private was the way to go.  Our guide Laura and our driver Handy were both extremely nice and accommodating.  The restaurants were all amazing, we both especially loved the lunch cooking demo and food in Havana, this was the best place of all! 

Thank you all for an amazing experience!

Jennifer

February 14, 2020

Teresa,

Just a note to let you all know what a lovely time I had this past week in Cuba.  Laura took care of everything and I got to see and do things that I hadn’t done before.

Laura made my birthday very special and I will never forget that day, ever (she has become the niece that I never had and Jordan was a sweetheart!).  We had a lot of fun and I always felt that I was in good hands.  Thank-you for making all of this work for me. 

Thank-you, again for such a lovely trip and as long as my legs hold up, I’ll be returning to Cuba with you,

Toni

January 27, 2020

Hello Teresa: 

We just got home!  Spent a week with our daughters in Orlando after Cuba.  Our trip to Cuba was fantastic!  Ebony was terrific!  She was well informed and present to see that all went well. Her selection of restaurants was great….varied, accommodating and of course delicious meals!  We loved the music…..all venues and performers!  Our hotel was in a great location and the staff were very helpful and friendly. We especially liked the tour of Old Havana and the Biosphere.  Our small group was compatible and we enjoyed getting to know each other.  The group size allowed for a more personal experience.

We have great praise for Ebony.  She always presented options and made sure that we could get to the various events.  Many a night we were out til 10 or 11 and she had arranged transportation and often was present to get all of us home at the end of the concerts.  We valued her perspective on the history of Cuba and its future potential. The other guides were knowledgeable and the van drivers were the best!

We are glad that we made the decision to attend the Havana Jazz Festival with Cultural Island Travel.  Thank you for your assistance!

In appreciation, 

Sophie and Peter

January 26, 2020

Dear KRISTEN,

Thank you for the SUPERLATIVE job you have done in every conceivable regard from start to finish with our trip to wonderful Cuba.

We can’t believe how incredible this trip is and we are enjoying IRMA and her going the extra mile for us in every possible way—from minute one! She is incredibly delightful, insightful, professional, warm, friendly and caring. We have been on numerous global trips with private guides and drivers over the years, and I can honestly say that this team ranks with the TOP!!!

IRMA has smoothed the way in every conceivable manner. We loved the unique ballet performance and the seats she arranged for us were great! The hotel is lovely and breakfast expansive and wonderful the way that works for me.

LEO our driver is absolutely outstanding too— a cautious, dependable and considerate driver —  and a real sweetheart, and between the two of them, they are making this experience very positively memorable, stress-free, and totally seamless. It’s so wonderful how safe and secure they make us feel wherever we are, no matter what time of day, and it is genuine. All we have had to do is enjoy all that IRMA has coordinated, even making last-minute changes at our request!

You were right— IRMA is the BEST guide you have on the ground in Cuba, and we feel very grateful that we have her. I cannot begin to imagine a better resource in Cuba.

I will be writing “walk-on-water” reviews for IRMA, you, and everyone at Island Cultural Travel who collaborated and contributed to this trip, once we are settled back at home.  Just please email me the beat WEBSITE LINKS to write them for, as I’ll again get very busy once we are home.

We are expressing our appreciation in meaningful ways with gifts we brought, and especially will when we depart, as dear IRMA and LEO continue to earn our confidence and win over our hearts.

I’m SO glad Robert found your awesome travel agency on the Internet, as you clearly are “in the know” about everything related to Cuban travel, (and I was anxious about it).  We have experienced no snags or problems with anything, and IRMA has paved the way for EVERYTHING! Just wanted to let you know what TREASURED JEWELS you have with IRMA and LEO.

With grateful appreciation,

Dr. Robert and Carla Fox

January 23, 2020

Hello Teresa,

January 22, 2020

Teresa,

Laurie & I had a fantastic trip to Cuba!

The itinerary and personal attention by Irma, the other guides, Rolly, and other drivers made the trip both special and incredibly easy.  The B& B was also excellent.  The local people we met were very personable.  We brought many gifts with us and they were extremely appreciated. The various venues and performers at the jazz festival was a great way to top off each day. Your company is definitely one of the best!

We are now in Miami, but will provide a five star review when we decompress once we are back in Philadelphia.

Spence Kass

January 21, 2020

Hi Teresa,

        The trip was absolutely, without a doubt, an amazing experience. My pre-trip nervousness was totally unfounded. Yes, Fernando took us to the house where my mom and family lived. While I believe it was the opposite side of the house from where my family lived, it was still a fantastic experience to be there and see what it looked like since both sides probably look similar. The people who own the place were so warm and welcoming.  If I understood correctly, they bought that part of  the house last year, were renovating it, and then were wanting to sell it. Thank you for arranging this truly special, unique, and individualized part of the trip.

           All of the tour guides and drivers were spectacular.   We could not have had better ones. I immensely enjoyed our time with them, first with Fernando, and then with Irma. Both were so knowledgeable and outgoing, and took a deep interest in ensuring that we were having a great time. I marveled at their ability to translate on the spot between English and Spanish. Our main driver, Rolli, was also wonderful and friendly. He always was there to help the passengers in and out of the van.

          I will surely write more when I’m home (I’m currently in Florida) and at my desktop where I can type faster than on my phone. Yet, I didn’t want to wait until then to at least write right back and give you my initial comments about this truly outstanding and memorable trip.

– Bill

January 21, 2020

Hola Teresa,

I can’t say enough good things about the trip! Irma and Rollee were just wonderful and took very good care of me. Patricia and Fernando were also great. Armando drove me to airport and was super.  I had never travelled with a group before so didn’t know what to expect. The trip was very well organized and the flexibility greatly appreciated.  Meals were all excellent. Hotel Riviera was excellent. The festival was beyond excellent!

I will not hesitate to recommend your agency…actually have already done so.

Can’t thank you enough for arranging this trip and for providing such fabulous guides for our group.  Hope to travel with you again.

Best wishes,

Barbara Moore

January 21, 2020

Teresa,

Trip was wonderful!

Ebony did a fantastic job and went above and beyond in every way. She is not only fun to be with but she is also is a wealth of information and a great ambassador for your company.

Thanks again,

Sam Kline

January 15, 2020

Krista,

Julie

January 13, 2020

Teresa, when we returned from Cuba in December, you’d asked us what we thought about our tour, guide and overall experience, and we promised our feedback:  from start to finish this adventure was outstanding.

Setting up travel plans, including preparing visa, certification of travel documents, providing Q&A’s, contact information, picture of guide and his bio, planned accommodations and dinner reservations—all made us feel very secure in heading to Cuba for the first time.

Upon arrival our guide, Ari, met us and made us feel very comfortable. Ari was actually one of the highlights of our tour: very knowledgeable and exuding his love for Cuba, which he shares with wonderful enthusiasm. Spending a week with strangers can’t be easy, but Ari was so pleasant and he immediately understood us and met our every expectation. The places he took us for lunch would rival the best in New York to Paris.

Everything was well organized giving us a full agenda, but very relaxing approach—the perfect mix of music, art and culture. We had a wonderful time getting to know Cuba and some of its people.

Our accommodations and hosts’ homes were wonderful, and the restaurants you recommended for dinner offered food that was truly 5 star.

Our local city and museum guides were so skilled and knowledgeable we felt privileged to learn from them. Our trip to Trinidad was so worth the beautiful country drive; the city is like a museum with its history everywhere you turn.

Thank you for making our bucket-list trip a complete delight!

Molly

January 7, 2020

My wife and I just returned from 10 days in Cuba and we had the most incredible trip thanks to Cultural Island Travel! Teresa helped us choose a great private apartment for our lodging (it has better plumbing than our house in California!) and the host felt like family by the end of the stay. We always felt safe, we were able to truly connect with the local people, and we got to experience so much incredible music, dance, history, and culture. All the meals were great, and from the moment we were picked up at the airport I knew we were in good hands. Our guides, Ari and Fernando, were so incredibly warm and knowledgeable. We learned so much about Cuba and we cannot wait to go back! If you are considering traveling to Cuba, the only way to do it is with CIT. You will get to see Cuba in an authentic way and have experiences and connections with locals that you wouldn’t have on your own.

Joshua

January 6, 2020

Hi Teresa,

We arrived home from our Cuban tour a couple of days ago.  I really appreciated your guidance in setting it up and we got along very well with the other couple, Margaret and Frank,  on the tour. We have always traveled independently and this was our first tour. The trip was a huge success.   Ebony is a delight and a fantastic guide.  Her knowledge of the land, people, history and customs is extensive.  There were some places closed (perhaps due to the holidays) and she readjusted our schedule accordingly.

Thanks again. We’ll be sure to refer our friends and let them know that Cuba is definitely open and one of the best place to visit.

Liz Irving

January 4, 2020

Hola Teresa!

Happy New Year!

Sharing some pics from our most magical time in Cuba…truly the experience/trip of a lifetime for my children and me.

I cannot thank you enough for working with me to design a fabulous adventure for my children and me.

It was a perfect blend of sightseeing, history, art, connecting with people, experiencing the culture and doing hands on activities. Whether it was wandering around old Havana and learning about its rich culture or visiting the lithograph/artist cooperative or visiting the organic farm to learn unique farming techniques and then cooking a most fabulous/fun meal or visiting a fashion collective or taking salsa lessons (beyond fun!) or visiting the main synagogue/Jewish cemetery or hiking up a waterfall on the outskirts of Trinidad or riding horseback for hours through the magnificent farms of Trinidad and more…it was truly awesome!

And the special sauce of the entire experience…our fearless leader Santiago and his sidekick/driver Orlando. Words cannot describe their kindness, competence, substance, big heartedness, professionalism, warmth and willingness to go the extra mile and then some. We bonded like family…especially my children. There is an indelible mark on all of our hearts from Santiago and Orlando….we will never forget them and are eternally grateful for spending a week with them as our guides/fearless leaders. I hope you can see from these pictures some of the depth of the bonds formed and the magical energy of the trip.

Thank you CIT for helping us have a unique and transformative (and fabulously fun!) experience in Cuba. Happy to be a reference for anyone interested in using your devices and experiencing the magic of Cuba. Believe me, I have been singing your praises to all who will listen to me about this incredible travel experience. I have copied my children and invite them to add anything that I may have left out. We are so grateful! Wishing you and all at CIT a happy/healthy 2020.

With deep gratitude, Valerie

PS. Rafa, Veronica, Anna, Susanna/Shoshana and Leo were great too! And the restaurants were scrumptious!

January 4, 2020

Hi Teresa,

It gives me pleasure to express my most memorable experience that was provided by “Cultural Island Travel” through Laura. 

I am grateful that I was a part of an unforgettable cultural experience. 

For a most successful touring experience, I highly recommend “Cultural Island Travel” for arrangement and travel.  I have shared with my friends. 

The room accommodations and friendly staff exceeded our expectations.  The food was delicious, the arts, dance, music, beach, and shopping were all amazing.  We felt safe through our entire experiences. 

I can not wait to plan my next visit with you .  Everything went smoothly through Laura and she took care of us from arrival to departure.  We could not have been more grateful.

Sharon Spencer

January 3, 2020

Hi Teresa,

I’ve been on the run since we returned but wanted to chime in.  I’ve given it a lot of thought and have come to the conclusion that this was the best trip I have ever taken. 

Of course being with Debbie is the first reason! 

But I absolutely loved Cuba and loved the way we were introduced to its land and people by Irma.  She is  not only very knowledgeable but is also fun and charming to be around. 

Everything we did was interesting and eye opening.  The restaurants chosen were without exception outstanding.  Debbie is still dreaming about the Ivan restaurant. 

This trip has lingered with me every day so far.  People ask me what I liked best and I have had a hard time picking anyone thing out.  It was truly remarkable.  I will write a fuller review if you’d like when I have a little more time. 

But for now let me just say: THANK YOU. 

And please pass on our Thanks to Irma.  We miss her. 

Stuart

January 3, 2020

Teresa,

Happy New Year!

This was my 3rd trip to Cuba and my BEST trip to Cuba! Thank you so much for your hard work in making this an experience to remember for my group.

Everyone had an amazing time. The restaurant selections were great, the hostel in Trinidad was awesome, and Luis, our driver took great care of us.

There are no words to express how we feel about Laura. She went above and beyond our expectations. Laura is definitely a gem!

My mom and I are already putting together a group for next year for the Jazz festival. I’ll be reaching out soon to get the ball rolling on that. Having said that, we will need the same Airbnb and of course….Laura! Lol

Thank you and all of CIT for this experience.

Alyssa

January 3, 2020

Greetings Theresa,

Happy New Year!!

It is with great pleasure that I can honestly say, that our trip to Cuba coordinated by your agency was absolutely amazing.

The itinerary coupled with our most knowledgeable tour guide Laura, made our trip the ultimate experience.  Lodging, tours, food, were all just perfect!! The instrument and vocal talent of the Cuban people was most impressive.

Laura, did her very best to make sure that she responded to all inquiries and requests.

I shared the Cuba experience  with friends who are interested in traveling there in the future.  Cultural Travel Tours and our Tour Guide Laura are worthy of referral!! I will be sharing my satisfaction on Social Media.

All the best

Marlene McBride

Hi Teresa!

Thank you and your team for this amazing tour. I’ve already given your contact information to one of my friends!  Thank you to Joanne and Alyssa for inviting me on this trip to Cuba.  I enjoyed every minute of my experience with everyone.

Laura was the best  tour guide. She was so patient with all of us and made sure that we had the best experiences & the best food in Cuba. I would definitely travel to Cuba again, hopefully in the near future. And the best way to do that is with a tour guide like Laura!!

Happy New Year!

Best,

LA, Cuban Music & Art Tour

Hola Teresa,

Our hearts are still in Havana!!

We had the most amazing experience during our 5 day stay in Cuba, totally enhanced by the anniversary surprises.  Irma was the best!!!.  We can’t provide enough accolades about her knowledge, wonderful warm personality, flexibility in minor changes to the itinerary, and going the extra mile for anything and everything we needed during our tour.  Maritsa and Margarita were great too, with their lavish yummy breakfasts (we especially loved the fresh fruit juices). The everyday itinerary was packed and amazingly diversified for our complete Cuban experience.    Loved the choir and the private jazz concert, and getting to see a Cuban baseball game was an added bonus.  Our drivers were also fabulous, especially the one who took us to the restaurants at night and waited for us to return to the B&B.

The only thing we missed was a little better weather.  Do you think you can fix that if we come back? regular_smile

If there is anything else specific I’ve left out that you want to know, feel free to ask.

Happy Holidays.

Rima, Marc & Jodi, City & Countryside Tour

Hi Teresa,

Thank you so much for planning and organizing our trip to Havana in November. You were so helpful from beginning to end, and your staff in Cuba was great.  Laura, our main guide in Cuba, was a pleasure to be with.  The other guides who were with us for the Old Havana tour and the museum tour were very knowledgeable and we learned a lot. We really enjoyed meeting the Cuban people when we visited the main synagogue and the homes of the Cuban baseball player and the car restorer.  All of those people were so friendly, and my husband even got to drive an old car.  We never would have had these contacts if we had gone on our own. We appreciated that Cultural Island Travel set up these visits and more. You asked what we wanted to do in Havana and made those things happen.

We loved staying in Old Havana, and we really appreciated the restaurants Laura took us to for lunch and those that you helped us select for our dinners. You and Laura were always so prompt and responsive.  You truly made this trip special.  I would highly recommend Cultural Island Travel to anyone traveling to Cuba. 

Susan, Custom Havana Tour

Hi Teresa,

We had a fantastic time in Cuba. It was everything we hoped for and much more. Laura was great. Fantastic tour guide and such a great and thoughtful person. Very welcoming and any special requests she handled effortlessly. 

Since our arrival, our experiences where both interesting and memorable. Day one at Hemingway’s house was a great way to set the trip off. So much history.

Everyday was a great learning experience. From the history of Cuba to organic gardening, cooking and more. Would love to go back.

Accommodations and transportation were bar none as well. Would highly recommend CIT.

Cesar Padilla, A Taste of Cuba Tour

Dear Shabi,

I wanted to thank you again for putting together such a wonderful Cuba trip for us. What a special and terrific trip it was! The accommodations were very nice, and the host, Juanita, was a kind and responsive woman who cooked huge, lovely breakfasts each day. The restaurant choices for lunch were really nice and quite varied, and provided an incredibly peaceful oasis in the midst of each day. Really appreciate the dinner reservations you made for us. The only one we weren’t keen on was Wednesday night at Esto no es un Cafe paladar. The others were great – again, both atmosphere and food.

The three personal home/studio/workspace visits with Andy the artist, Ramses the photographer, and Fernando, the car restoration gentlemen, were exquisite. Not only did they give us the opportunity to have personal insight into their lives and professional careers, but their warm welcome and huge personalities just wrapped around us in a very unique way.

Ebony leaned in right from the very first day, and opened up to our thoughts, preferences, and shooting styles. She made many adjustments and accommodations to the schedule to tailor it to our expectations – each and every day. She introduced us not only to neighborhoods, but also to special locations. She continued to be creative in adapting to our styles, and was lovely through it all – as if it was no effort (we know differently, and appreciate it!). While the hours of the guided tour does not ideally match to special light of the day and best photographic times for the selected settings, Ebony worked within those parameters to make it the very best experience it could be.

I do have one more favor – would it be possible to get a copy of our itinerary in word? I want to make changes to the document so I have a record of how we actually spent each day, and keep this for my files.

With much gratitude,

Karen, Custom Photography Tour

Hi Kristen,

Thank you so much for arranging such a wonderful trip for John and me. Everything went perfectly, which was amazing, as we only gave you a weeks’ notice of our intention to go! You made sure that everything was in place for a smooth journey and we appreciated all your recommendations, especially the room with a park view and places of interest to visit.

We loved Havana and found the culture rich and interesting. We saw many different places, all worth visiting and became absorbed in the history of the place and read more when we returned in the evenings. The retro cars were fabulous and we loved the fact that our drivers had these in addition to the convertible trip we so enjoyed. The private musical experience was a first and the musicians were very talented. We enjoyed the restaurants that were selected for lunch and found the food to be much better than we expected everywhere we went.

It’s fair to say that Ebony made our trip.  She was knowledgeable, engaging, flexible, great fun and nothing was too much trouble for her.  She quickly figured us out and pro-actively made suggestions to improve our experience on a daily basis. She even met up with us on our first night and took us to a restaurant we’d never had found without her and we had a fabulous evening.  Ebony never made us feel rushed and timed the days to perfection in terms of content. Overall, she was genuinely one of the very best guides we’ve had and we’ve travelled extensively (over 60 countries) so this is high praise from us and we won’t forget her! The additional guides were also excellent and enhanced our trip even further.

We have already recommended Cultural Island Travel to others and will continue to do so without hesitation as our experience was faultless, so once again, thank you.

Finally, I’ll put a summary of my comments above on the links you’ve provided below.

Best regards,

Susan and John, Havana Weekend Tour

Hi Teresa,

Well, I don’t even know where to begin.  We LOVED Cuba!  We had the best time.  The boys and I absolutely loved our guides, Ebony and Laura.  They were both so knowledgeable, accommodating and just terrific women to hang around with.  I will miss them both and hope to stay in touch with them and maybe return to Cuba sometime in the future.  I am also hoping that one, or both, of them will be able to come and visit us in California someday.  First, we have to get rid of Trump!  Not only were they great, but also Laura, our guide at the museum in Havana was wonderful.  She made the art museum come alive with history and politics and it was just fascinating.  Patricia, our guide for Old Havana was also terrific.  Once again,, so knowledgeable and funny and a delight.  Rafael, our guide in Trinidad is full of wonderful information and I think he talked for two hours straight without taking a breath.  It was great.  Our drivers, Jordan, and his father Carlos, were very kind and helpful.  Wasn’t really able to talk to them as my Spanish is minimal, but they were very, pleasant and accommodating throughout.  I hope I haven’t forgotten anyone, because everyone connected to the tour was excellent. 

As I said, the boys and I loved Cuba.  It is a fascinating place and the people are amazingly friendly and helpful and delightful, despite the many hardships they suffer.  Cuba is so beautiful and there is so much to see.  Your tour was great at covering so much, although I am sure it would take more trips to see it all.  Hope that happens.  And you, Teresa, have been so helpful from the very beginning of planning this adventure.  Right down to getting me cash once I was there.  Cannot tell you how grateful I am for all of your work on our behalf.  I will write a review on one of the websites you gave me and tell anyone who reads it to use your tour company.  You are really excellent in every way.  I wish your company continued success, you deserve it.  On a scale of 1 to 10, I would give our Cuba trip a 15! Just really loved it.  One of my favorite trips ever.  Take care and many thanks, Shellie

Shellie, Cuban Music and Art Tour

Cuba was amazing!

Cuba was amazing. From the moment me and my friend Leslie arrived in Havana our guide Laura Gonzales showed us the very best time. We were chauffeured around the city in beautifully restored antique cars from the 1950s, inducing a convertible. Laura took us to the Hemingway home; showed us the sites around the city and arranged dinners for us. Out hotel, the Iberostar Parque Central, was top notch. On our second day, Laura’s husband took us on a walking tour of old Havana. We SCUBA dove and snorkeled at the Bay of Pigs. We had expert guides at the museums. We enjoyed great live music every day. Everything was perfect. I highly recommend Cultural Island Travel.

Matthew, City & Countryside Tour

Matt and I were on a tour in Cuba from May 24-May 28, 2019.  Laura was a fantastic tour guide who went above and beyond the call of duty to make us happy and comfortable.  She and her husband were both extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of Cuba.  Laura the art historian gave us a fabulous tour of the art museum and was able to answer all of our questions. 

 All of the drivers we had were competent and safe.  We enjoyed all of the planned activities.  The restaurants we ate at were wonderful, and all of Laura’s suggestions were very good.  She even made sure to be available after hours by phone if we had any questions, which we did! On one evening we were lost, and when we called Laura she redirected us. 

Also the hotel was very clean and comfortable.

Overall it was a fantastic experience!

Leslie, City & Countryside Tour

Dear Teresa,

Going to Cuba was a trip & experience I will never forget. I will forever treasure these moments in my heart.  Thank you for making this possible and for all the work you put into getting this trip together for us.

The entire group you have working for you in Cuba are amazing. They were knowledgeable, warm, caring and welcoming.  I felt like I was with family the entire trip. Day one we hit it off with Santiago what a wonderful man he is, then Ari and our drivers Jordon & Handy who made sure we were safe and had everything we needed. They were incredibly amazing, caring, beautiful people. We just love them all!!!

with Ari

We will definitely recommend you to all our friends & family and hope that someday soon we will return to our beloved Cuba. 

Warm Regards,

Maritza, Mireya & Roseann, Cuban Music & Art Tour

Hi Kristen,

Hi Teresa,

We have returned to Florida after our wonderful trip to Cuba.  First off I want to acknowledge how smooth the trip went as we were able to experience all of the itinerary items exactly as scheduled.  I have to give credit to the planning and coordination by all of Cultural Island’s staff both in NYC and in Cuba as I’m sure there are many things that could have gone wrong in a less developed country like Cuba.  We participated in everything on the schedule, except the Tango lesson in Trinidad as we decided to get massages which were more relaxing than having a dance lesson after the long walk with our professor tour guide, Rafael. 

Our Cultural Island tour guides Ari and Irma were also wonderful.  Ari is extremely knowledgeable about Cuba and Irma is both knowledgeable and was so much fun to be with during the private part of the tour going to Trinidad and afterward in Havana and Vinales.  Ari was compassionate to one of our fellow tour participants who felt car sick at the beginning of our trip.  Our driver during the out of town parts of the trip, Carlos was very safe driving the vintage ’56 Ford to Trinidad and back and around Havana and to the Vinales viewpoint.  As a part of the program I even was able to drive a restored 1929 Ford around the block with Fernando, a well known Cuban vintage car restorer.   

We found the Cuban people to be friendly toward Americans.  We didn’t experience any incidents of dishonesty or being taking advantage of during our entire trip.  We took taxis in the evening and had no problems deciding on the fare with the drivers and even had taxis wait for us at the restaurants which were usually in quiet neighborhoods with few roaming taxis for hire.  For any American hesitant about safety when considering a cultural vacation in Cuba, they shouldn’t worry as we felt secure on the streets and everywhere else.  Cuba has seen better times in the past as evidenced by the opulent buildings that are sometimes maintained, but are often neglected.  The Cuban people are very resourceful, for example, by being able to maintain thousands of vintage American cars from the 1950’s and earlier despite the embargo as well keeping basic old Russian automobiles on the road that were flimsy when new.  There is a measure of security with health care and education provided under their system.  However, there are limited opportunities for economic advancement.  Well educated professionals are making many times more money as taxi drivers and tour guides than the tiny amounts they would be paid by working in the profession they were trained for.  It is encouraging to see the numerous small restaurants called paladars popping up in many neighborhoods and hopefully there will be more opportunities for Cubans in private business in the future. There are many interesting modern art works all around Havana which gives the old city some color and variety.

We had a few issues with the air conditioning and shower water in the Mercedes B&B that we stayed at in Trinidad, but these problems were solved by the second night. Later that evening Irma walked me to a hotel that had fast Internet as the regular internet connectivity in the town was very poor.    

I took thousands of photographs and I will be sorting them out over the next week.  I am planning to select about 50 photos to email to you.  If you find the photos useful in encouraging clients to visit Cuba, please feel free to use them on your website and/or advertising.

Thanks again for the great vacation.

Ken and Ria, Cuban Music & Art Tour

Hi Teresa,

We were lucky to spend four days in Cuba.   We enjoyed our two guides, Ari and Fernando much.   They were both knowledgeable, and eager to share their country with us.   They were always punctual when a car was sent for us.  They both made us feel welcome and comfortable as we toured their country.  Also making us feel comfortable were the two ladies that ran the B&B we stayed at.   We would recommend Cultural Island Travel to anyone.    

Roy and Dianne, City & Countryside Tour

Teresa,

The trip to Cuba was wonderful.  You did a great job in coordinating all the arrangements.  Thank you.

Cuba may be economically poor, but it’s culturally rich with a fascinating history.  Ari Aportela was an excellent tour guide.  Knowledgable and informative as well as affable and candid.  I certainly learned a lot from him.  He did a great job of making changes in our itinerary to accommodate our interests.

The Iberostar Central Parque was very pleasant and also very well located in Havana.  The Casa Amistad in Trinidad was excellent.  Not only was the casa itself totally charming restful, the inhabitants were welcoming and very friendly.  Both accommodations should be rated 5 stars.

As for the meals at the various paladars, I can only say they were always superb.  I was always impressed by the variety of the menus, the quality of the food and the beautiful presentations.  I have never had better albondigas, pork belly, lobster brochettes, etc.  Joe loved the mojitos and the Cuba libres and praised the suckling pig entree.

In summary, it was a great trip.  Thanks again for your time and efforts in making it possible.

Richard, Cuban Music & Art Tour

Aloha Teresa.

It was the trip of a lifetime for us. I mentioned that it was a bucket list destination and I’m so happy that we did it and went through you and Cultural Island Travel.

First of all, you were so helpful and professional by answering all of our questions with prompt and concise responses. If we didn’t have you to organize our trip, we probably wouldn’t have gone so thank you so much. You get 6 out of 5 stars for customer service and satisfaction from Staci and I. If I can afford it, I’d love to go through you again.

Patricia was the best tour guide you could have paired us with. She made us feel at ease and secure in her wisdom, experience, and knowledge of Cuba that we didn’t have a single worry or doubt. She was funny, gregarious, and charming. We loved her and want to see her again someday. What a strong woman too. Working with us through her pregnancy. She was the bomb. Please give me her last name so we can find her on Facebook.

I’ve been telling everyone how unbelievable our time in Havana was and in hindsight, you packed a lot of wonderful experiences in a short amount of time for us and we are extremely grateful. The Hotel Nacional, the cars (Carlos our driver – what a cool guy), Fusterville, Pantagas cigar factory, our cooking class, the mechanic and his car parts made from scraps and ingenuity, Casa De Sol music school, our evening strolls down the Malecon, our Buena Vista Social Club music night, Margarita and Maritza, Imogene and Theresa (not sure if that’s her name. Please correct me if it isn’t because we’d like to stay in touch with her too), the amazing food, culture, soulful people, the mojitos and pina coladas, THE MUSIC, the list goes on. In short, it was a trip we will never forget and we have many souvenirs and memories we will cherish until the next time.

It was our pleasure getting to know you. Hope to see you in NYC someday. Hope you’d be interested in having lunch if and when we do get there.

Mahalo,

Z & Staci, Custom Havana Tour

Hi Krista,

I just wanted to thank you for all of your assistance in making my trip to Cuba possible. It was an amazing experience that I will never forget. The tour was very well organized and our guides (especially Camilla) were incredibly kind and knowledgeable and willing to answer any of our questions no matter how ignorant.The visual and performing art that we experienced on the tour was world class and incredible. The best part of the tour was being able to meet and speak with the Cuban people and to come to a better understanding of their culture.

Thank you again

Jennifer, Cuban Music & Art Tour

Hi Kristen,

Our trip to Cuba was extraordinary.  We are not typical participants in tours because they tend to be large and impersonal,  this trip was just the opposite.  Our tour guides Santiago and Camila were knowledgable, friendly and most importantly showed their country off in the best of ways. 

Yes the architecture is extraordinary, but the people are what make A Cuban trip really worth the effort.  Camila and Santiago exude the friendliness, joy and exuberance for life that we witnessed all around us.  This passion for life was palpable in the music, art and pride in the Cuban culture.

I could have spent days in the art museum with Camila as the tour guide.  Her knowledge of art as it relates to history was very impressive.  Being an artist herself, her appreciation of the art was transporting.  Santiago’s expertise in architecture and history brought the buildings to life. It was great fun to eat with Santiago as his enjoyment of food is contagious.

Lunches were a definite treat.  The company spared no expense by offering us whatever we wished on the menu, including drinks.  It felt generous in the way one feels when visiting a good friend’s house and the hosts are interested in your fulfillment and pleasure in the experience.

My husband and I give the tour company an A plus rating.  We would not consider shopping for a better tour company, since we don’t believe it exists.  One added thought is that the days move along with expert planning.  There is a flow and an abundance to the day, without it ever feeling rushed.  Writing this review brings back the memories and I would now like to return soon.

Many thanks for the great trip.

Rosalyn, City & Countryside Tour

Hi Kristen,

This trip far exceeded our expectations in every way! Irma was absolutely wonderful, friendly, and knowledgeable. She made sure we had everything we needed, kept us on schedule but also allowed for flexibility when we needed to change things around, she answered all our questions and give recommendations about places to visit or things to lookout for along the way. We felt completely safe and secure with Irma, and the other tour guides and drivers we interacted with during our stay.

I was so appreciative of all the guides who showed us around, we really got to experience Havana on a level we could have never done on our own. I feel like I know so much more about the country, culture and history of Cuba now. It makes me want to learn even more and come back for another visit!

We did not have a disappointing meal even once during our stay. Each restaurant had friendly and helpful staff, plenty of options to choose from, and we couldn’t get over how fresh and delicious everything was, especially the fruits and vegetables.

Vivian, Oscar and the rest of the family at the Casa were also wonderful. Vivian gave us some great recommendations for restaurants and evening activities nearby. We tried out a few of her recommendations, and they did not disappoint. The casa was beautiful, spacious, clean, well stocked with necessities such as bottled water, and the breakfast prepared for us each morning was filling and tasty. We felt very welcome and grateful to experience a homestay such as this.

I think our only disappointment is that our trip was so short, but we defiantly plan on returning someday soon, and recommending others visit as well. Thank you so much for helping us coordinate this trip, you made it so very easy to do! I’ll be sure to leave a review on Facebook as well. We really appreciate you, and everyone we met during our Cuban vacation, especially Irma, we hope to work with you again soon!

Rachel

Rachel and Emily with Irma

Hi Kristen,

I second everything Rachel said!

We couldn’t have had a better time! Irma was just the best! I am so thankful we had her for our whole time in Cuba! She really is the best 🙂 Our experience in Havana wouldn’t have been the same without her! I loved the city so much, and can’t wait to read more about the history!

Everything was just wonderful (as Rachel said!). The casa was amazing, Vivenne and Oscar made us feel so welcome, and it was such a great home to come back to every night! And we didn’t have a single bad meal the entire time we were there — everything was amazing! I just can’t rave enough about how much I loved everything!

I will also be sure to leave reviews as well, and hopefully will be able to send some people your way — I want everyone to experience Cuba now! I have a few people in mind who would love it!

Thanks again!

Emily

Hi Krista,

Just want to let you know that the tours with Patricia went very well.  Patricia is great and we all enjoyed being with her. 

The restaurants that you chose for us were exceptional.  We never would have found those on our own.

Thanks for making our trip to Cuba easy.

Sylvia, Off Shore Excursion

Hi,

There is always a little apprehension when first visiting a new country. After we went through customs we meet Laura our representative from CIT. I knew from looking at her warm, open smile we had nothing to worry about.  And, we didn’t. She took such good care of us from the moment we said hello until we bid her goodbye at the airport on Monday.  Laura is interesting and knowledgable.  We learned a great deal about Cuban history and customs. Many times we realized that what we thought we knew about Cuba was not true.  She also is very patient and kind. We could not have asked for a better tour guide.

Our group of six loved that we were able to have the opportunity of a very private tour. It made it very personal and relaxed to keep the tour to just the six of us.

We felt the opportunities we had — to listen to a magnificent choral group, attend a jazz concert just for us in a world renown musician’s home were experiences that were once in a life time. Each experience CIT provided an expert guide to explain the history and culture of Cuba whether we were at the museum or symphony hall. The guides were fascinating.  I marveled at their knowledge, poise and skill.

Every paladar offered exceptional food. The food was absolutely delicious. One lunch Laura presented a traditional birthday cake she had made for my husband and our friend Ron. It was such a lovely gesture. When the cake was brought to the table all the patrons in the restaurants sang happy birthday in Spanish. It brought tears to my eyes. Thank you CIT for making his birthday memorable. He will never forget it, nor will I.

I should mention that the Packard Hotel was a good choice, a very pretty hotel.  It was very clean and well maintained.  The staff were very solicitous.   

This was a fantastic trip. I highly recommend CIT and of course, dear Laura.

Thank you, thank you,

Betty, Havana Weekend Tour

Hello Kristen & Donna,

Dave and I wanted to thank you for planning such an amazing trip for us! Everything was way above our expectations and more! Camilla and Naomi were so wonderful!

And our drivers Jesus, Carlos and especially Alfredo were all outstanding!

Ari left us speechless, he went above and beyond for us. He made our trip just a little more special! All his recommendations were superb and his service was exceptional!

Again thank you for an unforgettable vacation and we look forward to visiting Cuba again soon!!

Helen & David, City & Countryside tour

Hi Teresa,

The trip was amazing. Flight from Havana to Munich was 2 hours late, so I missed my Frankfurt connection, waiting at airport now for next flight.

The events included on the itinerary were very rich and diverse, many opportunities to interact with Cuban people which is what I hoped for. It is clear how resourceful and resilient the Cuban people are. Everyone was very welcoming, especially when they heard my parents were Cuban. I got to speak lots of Spanish so that was awesome. Ariel was able to locate my parents home in Santo Suarez, it was still there. That was the highlight of my trip.

Meeting with environmental scientist was very informative, he did not know of any linkage between contamination and increased Alzheimer’s, only to cancer and renal disease. Your tour guides made the trip. Camila was very knowledgeable, her guide of the fine arts museum was insightful and personal, she is a remarkable young lady, that was best museum tour I have ever been on. Naomi was so sweet, helpful and accommodating, it was a pleasure to spend lots of time with her. Our driver Luis was very professional and always timely, enjoyed many conversations with him as well.

It was definitely an emotional trip that far exceeded my expectations. I want to bring my kids back, maybe next year. All the participants on the trip got along so well, it’s like we were old friends. That enhanced the trip for sure.

Thanks for checking in. I will definitely recommend your tour group to all my friends. Thank you!

Regards,

Ana, City & Countryside Tour

Hello Kristen,

I wanted to let you know that Dan and I had a wonderful time in Cuba.  It was an amazing trip from the tours of Old Havana and Trinidad to all of the cultural exposure to Dance, Jazz, Cuban choir.  It would be hard to say one was better the the rest.  Irma, our tour guide was an amazing guide.  Her knowledge of Cuba and her excellence English was what made the trip so amazing.  We went to Fusterlandia and was able to meet the famous Cuban artist Jose Fuster who was a friend Irma’s so we got special attention .

Dan & George with Irma

The drive to Trinidad was a beautiful drive and especially since we were in a restored 1954 Cadillac.  Seeing all of the old cars in Cuba was like stepping back into the 1960″s. 

Thanks to you and Donna for putting this trip together for us.  We will be telling everyone about what a great job you guys did.

at the La Guarida

Thanks,

Dan and George, Cuban Music and Art Tour

Teresa, The trip was perfect from start to finish thanks to your attention to every detail in creating our itinerary! The restaurants were great especially Al Carbon. We spent lovely evenings at the National Hotel.Ariel was great! He was fluent in Cuban history, as well as so knowledge of American History & Politics, it made the days with him really enjoyable. He accommodated all of our requests with no hesitation. The cars and drivers exceeded all expectations. Maritza and Margarita were gracious hosts. We looked forward to breakfast every day with them. Their location was perfect and centrally located. We walked all over and always felt safe. Thanks for making it an unforgettable experience!

Gerry & Beth, Havana Weekend Tour

Our family of 17 spent an amazing four days in Havana. The staff at CIT (Krista & Donna) thoroughly handled every detail in preparation for our trip. Our guides Patricia and Irma were wonderful in taking care of us. They absolutely made what my oldest son described as an “epic” experience for us. They are both so impressive in every way. They are organized, intelligent, knowledgeable, personable and caring.We simply fell in love with them and we fell in love with Cuba.  On the third day of our time in Havana, my youngest granddaughter (age 7) asked why they were not coming “home” with us. I cannot overstate how their professionalism contributed to this “once-in-a-lifetime” trip for all of us. I am happy to offer my highest recommendation for the CIT team for their overall effort in making this time so special for us.

Jim Quiggins, Custom Havana Tour

Susan Greco and Jan Machnik, Jazz Festival + Custom Tour

Hello Teresa and I am sorry for my delayed review and feedback to you…..

I couldn’t  have had a  better first trip to Cuba than the one I had last December!

I can truly say that I felt in love with Cuba from the moment you responded to my questions about what is needed for  an American Citizen to travel to this beautiful country to the very last minutes I had there.

I can only say that Cultural Island Travel is the one to go to if you want to taste of the beauty of Cuba.

Our ineradicable tour guide Laura made me feel home while I was exploring Havana and the countryside of Cuba. She made sure all of us in our small group knew and had everything needed each of our days there to start. I was very happy to be guided by a girl who is very proud  and loves so much her country.

From the beautiful hotel, the very well organized daily schedule  and itinerary,  the amazing and unique places we visited, to the amazing restaurants, dishes, drinks and laughs  and last, but not  at least – the new and incredible friends I made – all this because I decided to use Cultural Island Travel.

I am also already planing to visit Cuba again – for Havana’s 500 anniversary this year.

One more time – Thank you so much for the making my first taste of Cuba sooo unforgettable!

With love:

Thea, City & Countryside Tour

Posing with CIT guide, Laura, behind a magnificent backdrop

The group with CIT guides, Naomi (second from the left) and Laura (third from the right)

Teresa,

We had a fantastic time in Havana, and sincerely enjoyed the tour you and your staff put together – it exceeded my expectations and was far better than any of the ship-led excursions we did.. My family each had something they loved about it, and both Camila and Naomi were wonderful. The meals we had in Havana (both lunch and dinner) were by far the best food we had the entire week – they were both phenomenal! My dad was over the moon meeting Fernando, talking shop with him and riding in his cars – my teens said they saw a side of their grandfather they didn’t know existed – that alone was priceless!!! 

Truly appreciate all the efforts to pull this together so quickly, and we will definitely be sharing your info with anyone who plans a trip to Cuba!!!

Stephanie, Christmas Offshore Excursion

Dear Kristen and Donna,

I just wanted to write and thank you so much for the magical trip to Cuba that you organized for myself and my kids for our special family adventure last week.  We all agreed that it was our best trip ever, and we are still bathing in the after-glow of the experience!  For me, it was really luxurious having all the complicated logistics taken care of, so that I could just sit back and enjoy the trip without any anxiety or responsibility.  The itinerary that you worked out for us was the perfect mix of cultural activities, city sightseeing, great eating and a brief glimpse of the beautiful Cuban countryside on our one-day excursion to Vinales.  We never got over the thrill of having a 1950s Buick and wonderful driver (Dani) all to ourselves for the five days.  It was a gift that kept on giving, and we would experience a little frisson of delight each morning as he pulled up outside our casa particular with our guide, Camila.  We all want to come back as soon as possible to explore further!

Our guide and local fixer, Camila,Paez was absolutely outstanding.   She was friendly and delightful company, and was great about re-organizing our schedule and arranging alternative entertainment when a big storm complicated one of our tour days (but provided wonderfully dramatic shots of huge seas breaking over the Malecon).  She was super knowledgable and articulate about so many aspects of Cuban life, politics, arts, history and architecture, and she hugely enriched our whole experience.  The kids and I found her insights fascinating., and we enjoyed learning from her more broadly about what it means to be a young Cuban, and the hopes and aspirations of her generation.  I must also give a special shout-out to her guided tour of the Fine Arts Museum.  She provided sophisticated analysis and context for the artworks in a highly accessible way that was more impressive than any equivalent tour I have taken in museums in the USA.  The other specialized guides that you/she laid on for us – for the walking tour of Old Havana and for the Museum of the Revolution – were also interesting and delightful in their presentations.  It was so refreshing to be in the capable hands of so many talented young people!  My kids (in their 20s) really enjoyed getting the Cuban perspective from their peers, and I enjoyed their energy and dynamism.  They all spoke impressively fluent English and were remarkably articulate and thoughtful.

The kids with Camila in Fusterlandia

Our casa particular (Central Apartment near Waterfront Malecon) was perfectly situated for us.  We were one street back from the Malecon, but had a view from our balcony through to the sea and the waves crashing against the sea wall.  It was an easy walk for us to get into Old Havana, and all the local people were friendly.  We felt completely safe wherever we went on foot – no matter what time of day – and there was none of the aggressive hustling or begging that often has one constantly on the defensive in other countries.  The apartment was idiosyncratically laid out, but comfortable, and we were pleasantly surprised to find that not only did we each have our own bedroom, we also had individual bathrooms!  Our host Alexander was helpful and solicitous, and his helper Yeli was great – really warm and friendly.  Each morning Yeli would let herself into the kitchen by a separate door and prepare a wonderful feast of fresh coffee, fruit smoothies, fruit plates, rolls, cold cuts and freshly cooked scrambled eggs to fortify us for our day’s adventure.  Although we had little language in common, we managed to have great fun communicating through a combination of broken English, broken Spanish and a lot of hand gestures and miming.  Yeli also helped us out by running small errands, and I got the impression that she would have been happy to do more if we had needed it.  One of only my regrets is that we didn’t learn until too late that Yeli had been a salsa teacher in the past.  If we had known sooner, I would definitely have asked her to give us salsa lessons!

In short, it was the trip of a lifetime, and we really can’t wait to get back.  Thank you both so much for all that you did to make this both possible and wonderful.

Happy New Year and warm wishes,

Lalage, City & Countryside Tour

Hi Teresa,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you on our great trip. So here are some comments regarding the tour, guides, meals, etc.

1.    Ari is a great guy who is knowledgeable, friendly, intelligent and helpful in every respect. Rather than go on at length, I will just say that I cannot think of how he could be any better. He is just excellent in every respect.

2.    The tour construction is great as well. I confess that, when I first looked at the itinerary there were were at least a couple of things that I thought might not be all that interesting. For example, we don’t smoke, hate cigar smoke, and we are not car buffs. That said, both the cigar factory tour and our time with Fernando, the car man, were very interesting and I am really glad that we did both things,  given how integral cigar production and maintenance of old cars are to Cuban society. I would not want to have missed either of those two tours. In the end, the tour provides a thorough, busy, but not frenetic exposure to diverse aspects of a very rich history and culture in a single week. We realize that is not easy to do, and we really enjoyed it.

3.     The food was great, as were your restaurant choices, for which we thank you. We had no problem with finding excellent food that fit our non-meaty dietary needs. We did not have a bad meal, including lunches, and they were all very good to excellent.

4.    We loved the people. We found the Cuban people with whom we interacted to be warm and friendly, very much including the drivers you folks employ. Maritza and Margarita, with whom we stayed, are two of the finest people we have met in a while. I looked forward to our morning chats over excellent breakfasts, they were delightful at all times, and the accommodations we first rate in every respect.

5.    Every tour guide at whatever place we went to was excellent. They were all knowledgeable, friendly and informative.

We look forward to seeing Ari, Maritza and Margarita in the future, and to seeing more of Cuba; however, this trip really gave us a broad, thorough sense of the place, and a desire to return.

Thanks much.

George & Maria, Cuban Music & Art Tour

Dear Teresa,

We cannot thank you enough for arranging to have Santiago as our tour guide of Havana!   He is quite simply, THE BEST !!!!

Not only is he extremely knowledgeable but his command of the English language is nothing short of superb!  In addition—he is charming and warm…..the perfect ambassador!

We would not hesitate to recommend your company for anyone interested in touring Cuba!

Best,

Rene Powers & Len Nichols, Custom Offshore Tour

Good afternoon Kristen,

Kindly post this email on the Cultural Island Facebook page.

Please forgive this tardy thank you to you, Donna, Laura, and the team at Cultural Island Travel, for planning and executing our amazing Cuba adventure.  Bob and I are still on a Cuba high!  A special, heartfelt thank you to our wonderful guide and new friend, Fernando Ramos Cuesta, and our driver, Paul, who spent three days with us in Havana and Cienfuegos.  We had difficult logistics to deal with, but everything went seamlessly.  I still can’t believe that we made it the Finca Vigia, Hemmingway’s home, with time to spare; a dream come true.  I have to admit that I cried when we had to say good-bye to Fernando in Cienfuegos.  We also much enjoyed our visit to Santiago and our guide, Rogelio, but our time together there was too brief.  Cuba is a beautiful country and it’s people are so warm and welcoming; can’t wait to return!  A further testimonial, as you know, Bob and I are already planning our next visit in late February, subject to Fernando’s schedule, of course!  Merry Christmas everyone and blessings for the new year!

With fond regards

Bob Cave and Karan Cowden-Cave, Custom Offshore Tour

Dear Teresa,

Our Cuba trip was truly outstanding!  Overall, there is nothing but praise we have for Teresa, Donna and Ebony from Cultural Island Travel.  We were introduced to a friendly, happy country with wonderful people, food and culture.  From the beginning of the trip planning, with the organization that the CIT team showed, it was clear that we were dealing with consummate professionals.  The completeness of the background information, education on the country and the smooth visa process showed that there was nothing to be concerned about. 

From the arrival in country to our heartfelt departure, the family enjoyed every minute of our experiences.  Ebony O’Reilly was instructional, helpful, engaging and made every day more enjoyable than the day before.  Ebony went our of her way to extend herself to our family.  She arranged special times with restaurants, musicians, friends and a birthday party!  We truly bonded with Ebony.  Thanks to her very much (and Ari).  If and when we return we will definitely request Ebony as our guide.

The casa particular lodging arrangements in Havana worked out very well.  Liliana was very helpful and supported our requests without a problem. The living spaces and bedrooms were clean, well maintained and there were no issues.  Next trip we might want to stay closer to evening activities.  It was hard to get around in the evening after dinner.

Our drivers, Julio 1 and Julio 2, were also terrific.  Senor Julio even went back to Fusterlandia to pick up a package that was left behind.  They were very accommodating and generous with their time and patience.

Our visit to Trinidad was also very memorable and our favorite stop.  The location for our stay really made us feel very much a part of the community and celebrate the beauty of Trinidad, it’s people, and the museum-quality of the area.  Our tour guide was very enjoyable, knowledgeable and fun!  We loved going to the beach and relaxing on the Caribbean with the entire family and Ebony.  That was a real cap to our time in Trinidad.

Memorable excursions to Revolution Square, the tunnels in the harbor, visit to fantastic Fusterlandia, the Old Havana tour, rides in 50’s convertible cars, private jazz and vocal concerts, the Compas Dance group and the cigar factory tour certainly made the cultural part of our trip really very special.  Spending more time along the malecon, relaxing in the Central Park area and visiting more museums would be on our next trip.  As well as partaking in more of the nightlife!

Your team did a fantastic job and we truly appreciate the efforts of everyone involved.

The Scott Family, Cuban Music & Art Tour

Hi Shabi,

It is a truly surprising destination, Cuba is. We have never imagined in our entire lives, to have set foot in this unique, and irresistible country. It was quite an amazing experience to visit Havana, Cuba in such a short time, 3 nights and 4 days at that. However, we consider it as one of the best and memorable travels we have ever had so far. We had the best time ever. We would have to say it was a vacation of a lifetime! Tours: The tour certainly gave us a glimpse of the history of Cuba, its rich culture which is diverse. We saw different and interesting things worth seeing, the architecture is impressive, not to mention the colorful buildings that lined up busy streets, and seeing those classic vintage cars are a sight to behold! And riding on them is not to be missed! It gives you a feeling of nostalgia, as if you’re going back in time. We also had private performances to experience their music and a private salsa dance lesson. In all cases, the food was very good and tasty! Well prepared and healthy. It far exceeded our expectations. The whole experience came out very smoothly and we had so much fun. There was a good amount of activity and have enough time on our own. It was definitely a worthy adventure to have explored Havana via Cultural Islands Travel as our travel agency. Guides: For the most part, we were awed at how Ebony made us feel we belong as if we’ve known each other for long. She clearly exhibits willingness to help us enjoy our time which we did. She’s a very nice young lady, with great personality, a wealth of knowledge and went way beyond all expectations to show us everything she possibly could. She was fun to be with, very engaging and extremely accommodating. She was even our photographer and never complained, she was not strict as to the time and had never shown impatience. She was truly focused on the customer ensuring we were satisfied. She assisted us willingly to our comfort. The guide’s itinerary as suggested by the company owner of Cultural Islands Travel were very informative and friendly. We would certainly use and highly recommend Cultural Islands Travel and Ebony as travel specialist, again. Overall, we had an excellent experience and would highly recommend Cultural Islands Travel. We really enjoyed our time with her. Thank you very much for everything!

David & Leilani, Havana Weekend Tour

Dear Teresa,

Our visit to Cuba for me and my family exceeded our expectations, by far. Our guide, Ebony, provided expansive, enthusiast insights into Cuba’s history and its culture. We were impressed with both the amount of tours included and with the friendly, expert guides.

Our B&B was comfortable, the breakfasts good, and the hosts friendly and helpful.

Thank you, Teresa, for handling the preparations and paperwork for our visit.

I will certainly recommend Cultural Island Tours at every opportunity.

My best wishes to you, Ebony, and our hosts.

Gwen, Tatiana & Jacqueline, A Taste of Cuba Tour

Hi Teresa,

Peggy, Havana Weekend Tour

Hi Teresa,

Judy & Michael, Havana Weekend Tour

Hi Teresa,

On plane heading back with great memories and fantastic experience.  Our guides (and new friends!) were exceptional, the activities and dinners and entertainment fabulous and they went above and beyond!   We can’t wait to share our experience and encourage our friends to visit and only through you and your incredible team!

Kalmon, Havana Weekend Tour

Teresa,

Patricia was fantastic.  Her knowledge of Cuba is excellent.  She taught us so much about Cuba’s history and what is happening today. We saw so much we are going back exhausted.

The guides  were knowledgable, personable and helpful

The food was beyond excellent.  The only problem is we ate to much.

Patricia’s love of Cuba  has rubbed off on us. I cannot wait to return.

Our bus driver was lovely and helpful.

Thank you so much for putting this trip together and putting up with my changes gracefully.

A fantastic trip! Cannot wait for you to put the next  trip together.

Fondly,

Marilyn, Custom Tour

Cheers,