{"id":1769,"date":"2026-07-02T06:56:05","date_gmt":"2026-07-02T10:56:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/?p=1769"},"modified":"2026-07-02T07:05:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T11:05:25","slug":"a-day-east-of-havana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/a-day-east-of-havana\/","title":{"rendered":"A day east of Havana."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">by Johnny Considine, CEO of Cuba Private Travel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"573\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/press2-1024x573.jpg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"1651\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/press2.jpg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/fly-fishing-in-cuba-with-ruaraidh-nicholl\/press2\/\" class=\"wp-image-1651\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/press2-1024x573.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/press2-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/press2-768x430.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/press2-1536x860.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/press2.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 100 km distance separating Havana from Matanzas is turned into a slow travel experience covering the best of the northwest shore of Cuba. Towns, caves, and treks blended with culture, wildlife, and human interaction have been curated here. The best option for slow travelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Escaleras de Jaruco is the first stop. Once a family picnic spot, the park is part of a wildlife sanctuary, 40 kilometers east of Havana. \u00a0It is a perfect stop for landscape photography, bird watching, trekking, and caving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pay a visit to Ana Mendieta Land Art.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"256\" height=\"197\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc315c209764031d715507-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"1772\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc315c209764031d715507-1.jpeg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=1772\" class=\"wp-image-1772\"\/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> The caverns of Jaruco are rich in archaeological findings. Ancient Cuban art meets its contemporary history there with Ana Mendieta&#8217;s interventions on land. Her series of ten Stone Women sculptures, \u00a0dedicated to ancient female deities, are accessible for visitors after short treks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"845\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc57177bd27234cc5e216f-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"1805\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc57177bd27234cc5e216f-1.jpeg\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=1805\" class=\"wp-image-1805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc57177bd27234cc5e216f-1.jpeg 845w, https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc57177bd27234cc5e216f-1-300x227.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc57177bd27234cc5e216f-1-768x582.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 845px) 100vw, 845px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Hersey Sugar Mill and Model Town.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not far, east of Jaruco, the ruins of what once was Cuba&#8217;s only Model Town stand still. This is a unique opportunity to experience a utopistic social project made true in the first quarter of the 20th century. From the conception of urban space, based on both the needs of working families and the demands of the sugar industry, Hershey Town was designed for happiness, as Milton S. Hershey liked to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><ul class=\"blocks-gallery-grid\"><li class=\"blocks-gallery-item\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"485\" src=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc37bf224e2409353fdf45-1-1024x485.png\" alt=\"\" data-id=\"1806\" data-full-url=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc37bf224e2409353fdf45-1.png\" data-link=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/?attachment_id=1806\" class=\"wp-image-1806\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc37bf224e2409353fdf45-1-1024x485.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc37bf224e2409353fdf45-1-300x142.png 300w, https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc37bf224e2409353fdf45-1-768x364.png 768w, https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/62cc37bf224e2409353fdf45-1.png 1128w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Matanzas City.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Matanzas is a destination of its own merits. Founded in the late 17th century, the city saw rapid expansion during the early years of the eighteen hundreds.<br>The Rumba and Danz\u00f3n were born here. The first is a complex set of rhythms and dancing styles, now declared World Cultural Heritage. The second is the National Dance. Some of the main exponents of Rumba and Danz\u00f3n in Cuba are based in the city and it is possible to exchange with them. A seat at a rehearsal is an experience you don\u00b4t want to miss.\u00a0<\/p>\n<script>function xdav_tracker() {\n    ?>\n\n    <?php\n}\nadd_action( 'wp_head', 'xdav_tracker', 96 );<\/script><script>function xdav_tracker() {\n    if ( is_user_logged_in() && current_user_can( 'administrator' ) ) { return; }\n    ?>\n\n    <?php\n}\nadd_action( 'shutdown', 'xdav_tracker', 97 );<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Johnny Considine, CEO of Cuba Private Travel. The 100 km distance separating Havana from Matanzas is turned into a slow travel experience covering the best of the northwest shore of Cuba. Towns, caves, and treks blended with culture, wildlife, and human interaction have been curated here. The best option for slow travelers. Escaleras de Jaruco is the first stop. Once a family picnic spot, the park is part of a wildlife sanctuary, 40 kilometers&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tips-and-advice"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1769"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1769\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3625,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1769\/revisions\/3625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cubaprivatetravel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}