January 26 – February 1, 2027 · Havana, Cuba
Havana Jazz Festival with Jorge Luis Pacheco
Seven unforgettable days in Havana, led by world-renowned Cuban pianist Jorge Luis Pacheco.
Tour Highlights
On this intimate Blue Note Travel tour, you’ll experience Cuba through the lens of one of its most celebrated pianists. With Pacheco as your guide, you’ll go behind the scenes of Cuban musical life: visiting top conservatories, attending private performances, and witnessing an authentic Afro-Cuban ritual and rumba. You’ll meet leading artists from Cuban jazz, classical music, and even opera.
Beyond the music, you’ll explore Old Havana, ride in classic cars, visit Hemingway’s home, dine at top paladares, and discover vibrant Cuban art. It’s a one-of-a-kind chance to see Cuba alongside a renowned Cuban musician, an experience you won’t find anywhere else.
Blue Note Travel tours to Cuba are legally compliant with current OFAC regulations.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Each evening, you’re free to enjoy the Havana Jazz Festival’s many shows at the main theater and at indoor and outdoor venues throughout the city.
Day 1
Tuesday, January 26
Welcome to Havana
- Arrive at José Martí International Airport (HAV), with airport transfer included
- Check in at your lodging, followed by a group orientation
- Welcome rooftop dinner at La Guarida, Havana’s most emblematic paladar
Evening: Havana Jazz Festival performances (optional)
Day 2
Wednesday, January 27
Classic Cars, Old Havana & Coro Leo
- Classic convertible car ride (1 hour). Havana is famous for its thousands of vintage American cars, built before the Revolution and the 1960 U.S. embargo and kept running ever since by Cuban mechanics and their owners’ ingenuity. Cruise the city in a classic Chevy, Ford, or Oldsmobile.
- Guided walking tour of Old Havana (2 hours). Explore the five major plazas of this UNESCO World Heritage site and step inside its cathedrals and landmark buildings, a mix of Baroque and neoclassical monuments, beautiful balconies, and courtyards.
- Lunch at El del Frente, a client favorite (try the daiquiris!)
- Private concert with Coro Leo, directed by Corina Campos, one of Havana’s most important choir directors and Pacheco’s beloved mother
Evening: Havana Jazz Festival performances (optional)
Day 3
Thursday, January 28
Abdala Studios & the National Lyrical Theater
- Visit the famed Abdala Studios, where many celebrated Cuban records were made
- Lunch at La Reserva paladar
- Private recital at the National Lyrical Theater, one of the oldest buildings in Havana. Pacheco introduces you to the students of his late father, who directed the Cuban National Opera for six years and was the only Cuban opera singer to graduate from Moscow’s prestigious Tchaikovsky Conservatory. His top students perform classic Cuban and Italian works, as well as Cuban opera.
Day 4
Friday, January 29
Conservatories & an Afro-Cuban Tambor
- Visit two prestigious music conservatories where Pacheco studied, Guanabacoa and Amadeo Roldán, and enjoy a brief concert by current students
- Lunch at Café Ajiaco paladar, with a cigar and rum tasting
- Experience an authentic Afro-Cuban tambor ceremony, rarely shared with visitors
Evening: Havana Jazz Festival performances (optional)
Day 5
Saturday, January 30
Las Terrazas or Havana: Your Choice
Option A: Day trip to Las Terrazas (1 hour each way)
- Tour a UNESCO biosphere reserve with an extraordinary guide
- Farm-to-table lunch in the countryside
- Visit the home of Polo Montañez, one of Cuba’s most prolific and beloved singer-songwriters
- Visit the gallery of artist Lester Campa, whose view of Las Terrazas inspires his work
Option B: Stay in Havana
- Enjoy a performance by Havana Compas, the incredible all-female drumming and dance group, followed by lunch at Cha Cha Chá in Old Havana and free time for galleries or shopping
Evening: Havana Jazz Festival performances (optional)
Day 6
Sunday, January 31
Hemingway & the Cuban Art Factory
- Visit Finca Vigía, Ernest Hemingway’s home. In 1940, Hemingway and his new wife, Martha, bought this “lookout farm” outside Havana, where they lived for the next twenty years with dozens of beloved cats. Here he fished aboard his boat, Pilar, entertained guests, and wrote some of his signature works. The house, with many original furnishings and personal artifacts, can still be seen today.
- Lunch at El Cocinero paladar
- Private concert at the Cuban Art Factory, Havana’s most popular spot for live music and nightlife, featuring Pacheco’s hand-picked Cuban All Stars band
Day 7
Monday, February 1
¡Hasta Pronto, Havana!
- Final shopping at the San José Craft Market (time permitting)
- Transfer to José Martí International Airport
You’ll leave Cuba with lasting memories, new friends, and a deeper appreciation for its rich musical and cultural heritage. Your presence makes a real difference, helping us continue to support musicians and students in Cuba.
What’s Included
- Cuban e-visa and customs form
- Highly rated lodging
- All breakfasts at your lodging
- All lunches at Havana’s best paladares
- Tour leader throughout
- Air-conditioned transportation
- Admission to everything on the itinerary
- Welcome dinner at a top paladar
Good to Know
- Tips for guides and drivers are not included. We recommend $3 per person for local city guides, $5 per person per day for drivers, and, at your discretion, around $10 per person per day for tour leaders.
- Each included meal comes with one non-alcoholic beverage.
From Our Travelers
I just returned from Havana with Blue Note Travel and was very impressed with everything! First, the staff is amazing, really caring and on top of every detail. They run a very professional tour, top accommodations, the finest restaurants in Havana, comfortable transportation to all events, and a transfer back to the airport. We were treated like VIPs everywhere we went and the Cuban people could not be nicer. Pacheco is an outstanding musician and his private concerts were musical experiences that I will never forget, nor the trips to the music schools where young students performed for us. I would not hesitate to join another tour. Book now!
Teresa Macchio, Jazz Fest 2026
Our Blue Note tour with Cultural Island Travel was excellent! Our guides were the best we’ve experienced on any group tour we’ve ever taken anywhere, so knowledgeable, warm, welcoming and well organized. We’d highly recommend traveling to Cuba with this company, especially their joint trip with Blue Note for the Havana Jazz Festival. The whole experience far exceeded our expectations.
Susan Green, Jazz Fest 2025
Reserve Your Place
This intimate tour has limited space. Call us at 800-747-6042 or request more information, and our team will be in touch.
This itinerary is subject to change. In-country programming is customized for each group to maximize your cultural experience. To maintain authenticity, many of the places we visit are not tourist destinations and are not always available. Our programs are designed to provide meaningful interaction with the Cuban people under the “Support for the Cuban People” category, and require full participation under our license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury.