The Spanish teacher will pick you up at 9:00 o’clock at the reception of your hotel. The individual language lesson will start at 9:15 in the language school.
09:15 – 10:45 lesson
10:45 – 11:00 break (snacks are offered)
11:00 – 12:30 lesson
12:30 – 13:30 lunch break / a typical Cuban lunch is included
13:30 – 16:00 or 17:00 afternoon program
In the afternoon we offer you a daily changing interesting excursion program which will bring you closer to Cuba, the country, the people and the culture.
The afternoon program is guided by especially trained tour guides who will give you the chance to use the language knowledge you have achieved in the morning.
In the following we show you the complete program for a 2 weeks language course. If you have booked less time, e.g. 7 days, you will participate in the afternoon excursions of the days 1 to 7.
- Today you will explore the exciting old town of Havana. You will walk by the most important squares and streets (e.g. former arms’ place, Cathedral Square, Franciscus Square and Plaza Vieja). Your guide will explain you the historical background, show you the various highlights and offer you interesting information on the revitalisation process in the old town of Havana which belongs to the UNESCO world heritage. You have the possibility to visit various art galleries.
- Learn something about the society and the social system of Cuba. We want to give you some ideas which only few tourists will get. In the old town we present you first of all the conserving and social project of the city historian’s office. This is a world wide unique model for the restoration of the historical old town in connection with an improvement of the living situation of the population. We present you this sustainable project as well as some of its institutions, e.g.: Maternal home “Leonor Perez”, the vocational school “Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos” or the Senior’s Clinic “Ramon y Cajal”.
- Today you will explore the further surroundings of the old town: the historical main station (Cuba was the sixth country in the world which had built a railway) and the agricultural market in the Egido lane. We walk on to the impressive Gran Teatro and the famous Prado Avenue.
- Today we will give you the chance to get to know an authentic and not touristic part of Havana. We go to the market “Cuatro caminos” (the largest and most interesting market of the capital). This is a good possibility to get an idea of the everyday life of the Cubans, their customs and traditions.
- Cuba is always associated with “rum” and “tobacco”. Right! Cuba is worldwide known for the quality of these products. And both products contribute a big part to the export turnover of the country. We invite you to taste a cigar in the Hostal “Conde de Villanueva” and offer you a look behind the scenes of the rum factory when visiting the rum museum.
- Today we want to have a look at the other side of Havana together with you. We go to the other side of the bay of Havana and visit the fortress “El Morro”. From there you may enjoy a fantastic view over large parts of the city and get an impression of colonial times. This fortress is marvellously conserved and shows the military architecture of the colonial time in an authentic way. We progress to the viewpoint of “El Cristo de La Habana”.
- The Cuban revolution of 1959 is still present today and marks the everyday life. During a visit of the Revolution Museum we offer you a view of the recent history. Next we visit the Museum of CDR (Committee for the Defence of the Revolution). You will be explained the social and economic system of Cuba at first hand.
- Today we will drive along the world famous waterfront, “Malecon”. On the way you can see the “Hotel Nacional de Cuba” and continue to the diplomatic quarter of Miramar. There we visit the Cuban fashion house “La Maison”, an example of a residence of the Cuban upper class before the revolution.
- One of the most common religions in Cuba is the “Santeria” which was brought by the former slaves to the island and is practiced until today. We visit the sanctuary of the Virgin of Regia (Black Mother of God) und the living community of the same name. We go there and back by a ferryboat (charge 3.- CUC). You will get a deep introduction into this unique religion which connects African faith elements with elements from Christianity. Afterwards we visit the largest art crafts market of Havana where you can buy personal articles.
- At the traces of Nobel Price Winner for Literature, Ernest Hemingway, we go to Cojimar, a former fishers’ village which is still today connected to the famous American writer. A stop at the restaurant La Terraza and at the Hemingway monument is compulsory. On the way we will show you the Cuban revolutionary architecture at the example of the satellite towns of Camilo Cienfuegos and Villa Panamericana.
- We go to the Chinese quarter of Havana, the “Barrio Chino”. In this quarter you will be offered a contrast program. Asian flair, different construction styles and catholic churches, e.g. “Virgen de la Caridad” or “Sagrado Corazón de Jesús”. Let us discover together the exotic mix around the street “Reina”.
- Today we visit a hairdresser’s shop - not a common one, but the “Arte Corte”. This is a world wide unique project which is substantially supported by the inhabitants of the quarter “Santo Angel”. The hairdresser’s shop is, of course, first of all a hairdresser’s shop but it also includes a hairdresser’s school, a museum, an artists’ meeting place and an art gallery. Moreover it is involved in socio-cultural projects of the quarter.
- Today we walk through the city: “Art and Colour” with a visit to the art and picture galleries in the pedestrian zone of the Calle Obispo and to the Museum of Visual Arts.
- Let us explore modern Havana today. We drive through the modern parts of the city with a stop at the Plaza de Revolución, the University of Havana and a visit to the cemetery “Cristobal Colón”. This cemetery disposes of a tremendous lot of Funeral Arts pieces.
At the first day of the language course we will first of all classify your individual level of language knowledge and discuss with you the priorities concerning the contents, e.g. if the lessons should be focussed upon the fields of communication, upon general language knowledge or upon grammar.
According to the number of days you have booked, the further lessons will be held daily from 8:15 to 12:30; after a lunch break you will start the excursions until apprx. 16:00 or 17:00 o’clock (depending on the afternoon program).
Your hotel / your private house in Havana
We offer this language course exclusively in connection with a hotel booking or a booking of a private house in the historical old town of Havana (further information on our website). Your advantage is that we can offer you very good conditions for this and that you can stay in the centre of Havana. Many of the highlights of Havana may be reached within a few minutes. Moreover you support our project of sustainable tourism in Havana, which would be of advantage for the historical centre of Havana as well as for its inhabitants.
You can book the following hotels for the language course:
Convento Las Brigidinas (our recommendation). One part of this historical Convent operates as a monastery and an other part as a hotel. Las Brigidinas offers a unique ambiance with nicely equipped rooms. The Spanish teaching takes place in this building complex.
Alternative hotels for the 3* category
- Hostal Los Frailes
- Hostal Valencia
- Hostal Beltran de Santa Cruz
- Hostal Tejadillo
Alternative hotels of the 3* to 4* category
- Hotel Raquel
- Hotel Conde de Villanueva
- Hotel Florida
- Hotel Palacio San Miguel
- Hotel Telegrafo
- Hotel Ambos Mundos
- Hotel O’Farril
- Hotel Comendador
Alternative hotels for the 5* category
- Hotel Santa Isabel
- Hotel San Filipe de Bejucal
Private houses in Havana (Casas Particulares)
- Private houses in the old town of Havana
