Other than the wonderful people of Cuba, our tour leaders were the best part of our trip. They really went above and beyond for us in every way. Candela tailored our trip to meet our specific interests and delivered in Spades. The accommodations they chose for us also met our needs perfectly - an antique Cuban house with lush gardens, excellent food, and outstanding service by the entire staff. They also provided an agenda that really let us absorb the culture, and meet so many amazing Cubans that shared their lives with us. Thank you Club Candela for making our experience so remarkable!

WOW! What an amazing experience we had in Cuba! From the moment we arrived to the day we had to leave, Cuba Candela created the best immersive experience for my first visit to this beautiful island. Loved experiencing the live music, salsa dancing, visit to a tobacco farm, art galleries, food, drinks and most importantly the people! I can't wait for my next trip with Cuba Candela.

I traveled recently to Cuba with Cuba Candela and had an amazing experience. The team at Cuba Candela is passionate about what they do and the service they provide is seamless. I loved all the activities they planned which were educational, authentic, experiential, and hands on. They are experts on creating custom itineraries as well as small group set departure itineraries. Just let them know when you can go and trust that they will take care of the rest!

There is nobody I would trust more with planning a trip to Cuba than Cuba Candela. Every single thing was seamless from start to finish, the experiences were all authentic and incredible, their contacts on the ground are invaluable, and they know how to manage every little detail flawlessly. I will definitely be returning to Cuba as it is truly a special destination and the perfect place for travelers who are looking for unique places, amazing people, fascinating culture, and endless opportunities for connecting with locals and really experiencing something authentic. Most of my American friends back home were surprised to learn that we CAN travel to Cuba. Not only can we travel there, but we SHOULD!

Cuba Candela - Thank you so much for our incredible trip to Cuba. Our host Rita was terrific, focusing on our interests and offering fun and exciting adventures, especially art, music and culinary destinations, and connecting us to the people of Cuba. Our guide Richard and driver Irais were attentive, friendly and extremely knowledgeable, ensuring that every day was great. We also appreciate the terrific advice and itinerary from Molly. Thanks too to our travel agent Deborah from Protravel International. A truly spectacular and unforgettable trip!

Cuba Candela planned a custom tour for me, and it was fabulous; one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. Once I told them what I was interested in doing, they took care of everything. It was seamless! All of their local partners in Cuba were wonderful: knowledgeable, friendly, professional, and exuding a passion for what they do. Highly recommend!

We just returned from 6 days in Cuba, and had a wonderful time. Our tour guide, Luis, was wonderful and we learned so much from him about Cuban culture. Our driver, Robert, was wonderful, as well. We enjoyed many lively conversation with both of them as we traveled. We love Cuban art and architecture and enjoyed many opportunities to meet artists across Havana. The highlight of our trip was traveling to Vinales. The scenery was beautiful and the people were warm and welcoming. Thank you to Molly for working with us to arrange this memorable trip.

Book the trip today! This was the trip of a lifetime. Cuba Candela took care of everything! House staff was extremely efficient and attentive. Our guide, Rainses was so open about sharing his experience as a local which was the purpose of out trip. The tour was such a great overview of life in Cuba that I would love to go back and focus on the monuments and delve further into the culture. I customized the tour so that my husband and I were the only ones in our tour group, meaning instead of being on a bus with 13 other people, we were in our own taxi with Rainses and our driver. Best way to do it in my opinion. We were their focus and we learned so much from both of them.

Just got back from a tour with Cuba Candela, and it was amazing. Our guide Rainses was exceptional. He was extremely knowledgeable, patient, and worked tirelessly to ensure we got the most out of our time. The activities planned were insightful, well coordinated, and provided an amazing glimpse into the life of the Cuban people. Cannot recommend Cuba Candela enough.

Wonderful experience all around. If you want to see the 'real' Cuba and how the locals live, this is definitely the tour operator to hook up with. Great and educational experiences from the moment they meet you at the hotel. Our guide, Rainses , was fantastic and quickly made us feel like part of the family. They handled every detail to perfection and we could not ask for a better and more interesting experience. The interaction with various locals ( chefs, tobacco farmers, artists, etc ) far exceeded our expectations. We got to know Cuba and its lovely inhabitants , not just the 'touristy' aspects. Extremely highly recommend.

If you are an American who is thinking about going to Cuba and you are looking for *authentic interaction with Cuban people and culture*, you would be well advised to book your tour through Cuba Candela. We just returned from a ~4 day trip to Cuba and it was exceptional. From 5-star accommodations at Elvira Mi Amor in Old Havana to well-planned excursions and activities, Cuba Candela delivered for us! Highlights included: visits to artists' homes/studios; carefully curated meals and restaurant experiences, a trip to Vinales to learn about tobacco and cigars; a cooking class, and walking tours of Havana with expert guides who explained the culture and history of Cuba in a personalized and intimate way. The staff couldn't have been more accommodating -- they even arranged a last-minute trip to an antique store that I wanted to visit. I was extremely impressed by the flawless logistical execution in destination. When we arrived in Havana, the woman who was waiting for us when we deplaned whisked us through immigration/customs and delivered us to our driver, who took us to the hotel. For the next four days, if we had a transfer scheduled, the driver was there at the appointed time - on the dot. All of this was facilitated by excellent communication from the team at Cuba Candela. You always feel like you have a point of contact. A word of caution: If you are a Type A person (like me), who likes to have every detail of a trip scheduled, planned and communicated in advance, I would say two things. 1) This is Cuba, so you have to be a little adaptable. 2) Trust the process. Cuba Candela are pros who know what they are doing. And finally...this is a full-service travel booker, so if you are a budget traveler, they may not be the best option for you. But we found the service and expertise to be well worth the price. I highly recommend the services of Cuba Candela and would enthusiastically use them again!

Cuba Candela provided wonderful interactions with the Cuban people and we truly felt like we had a total immersion. From the profoundly moving dance performance to learning about their way of living and visiting new young artists we were constantly learning and amazed with their resiliency. Our guide Rainses was ready to answer and discuss all of our many questions. The water falls near Trinidad and him spotting the Cuban Trogan for us were special highlights! I highly recommend Cuba Candela!

I just came back from a Cuba Candela Social Impact tour. I can't say enough what a great trip this is. If you are someone that loves to learn about the culture, art and life of wherever you travel to, this is a trip for you! From the moment you step foot on Cuban ground until you end, you are immersed in all things Cuban. I felt safe during the entire trip. I learned so much about how Cubans live, and their struggles for basic needs.The restaurant choices were excellent. The guides were knowledgeable, great translators, open to all questions, interesting and (lol) patient getting 5 chatty, socially conscientious ladies through each scheduled stop on the itinerary. Really great trip that I highly recommend!!!!

THE way to see Cuba ! I had booked this trip in 2019, Covid happened and I finally was able to go to Cuba in June 2023. The trip and itinerary had evolved a few times due to life and it was the most amazing trip. My teenage daughter and I were able to see life in Cuba up close and personal. Our guide Martha was outstanding ! She introduced us to Cuban culture, food, lifestyles, etc. She made our trip go from an A to an A++!! If you are fortunate enough to visit Cuba, this is the way to go !

Cuba Candela for this trip was great. The tours we had we so informative and our tour guide, Alex was wonderful. He answered all of our questions and accommodated our special requests. The restaurants he chose for us we local, fun and varied. The day we went out to the local farm was worth the long drive as the couple that hosted us were so sweet and the food so-o-o good. At our hotel, Paseo 206, the staff were so courteous and friendly and always smiling and asking what they could do to make our visit wonderful. I couldn't have done this without the help and guidance provided though my professional travel advisor and would - have - recommended Cuba Candela to my friends.

Incredible! What an amazing fully immersed experience our family had in Cuba! Every experience was one to remember, from the cooking classes, drumming lessons, snorkeling trips to just experiencing the history and culture of Havana everything was planned perfectly by Cuba Candela. Have to mention our guide Luis, he was truly part of our family for the week, he understood our needs and wants before we did, can't say enough about him and the quality of guiding he offered. Fantastic experience, we thank Molly at Cuba Candela and their folks on the ground in Cuba for making it happen for family we will not soon forget it. Muy Rico!

Our visit to Cuba was EPIC! It was a most memorable, impactful, eye-opening, amazing adventure for our family, including our two teen-age sons! We have deep gratitude to the Cuba Candela team for making it awesome. We especially loved and appreciated all of the guides, accommodation staff and those behind the scenes who worked magic to make our time in Cuba so special. It was clear that the team knew about us and was there to make sure we were comfortable. We felt very well cared for! The accommodations were lovely, we were very well-fed, the activities were thought-provoking, educational, and interesting, best of all, we met amazing people! We were able to use our minds, our bodies and our hearts to explore, learn and connect. Club Candela was great to work with from my e-mail inquary through our send -off from Havana.