Cultural Island Travel - Travel To Cuba Legally Anmeldelser 

Our trip to Oaxaca and Mexico City with Cultural Island Travel had an exceptionally interesting itinerary and was guided by Irma Gonzalez, who is an excellent tour leader. Our educational experiences included: tasting 16 kinds of mole, cheese making, watching the creation of Barro Negro pottery, candle making, learning about textiles, trying out several kinds of mezcal at a distillery, and a tour of the place where they make alebrijes (colorful folk art figures) including the opportunity to paint our own piece of art. In addition, we visited remarkable cathedrals, churches, Monte Alban, an archeological site which is one of the earliest cities of Mesoamerica and more. The variety of restaurants has interesting and delicious food, and many opportunities for chapulines (grasshoppers) if you want to try something a little different. We highly recommend this trip to travelers who want a wide variety of experiences and opportunities to learn about the culture of Mexico.

Trip to Oaxaca
I have traveled the world but I must say Mexico is quite underrated. This was my second trip there and I’m planning a third on Day of the Dead .
Oaxaca is just a collision of colors, cultures and art . It’s one of my favorite destinations I have ever traveled . The atmosphere is indescribable . Imagine walking in a colorful paradise that’s Oaxaca .
This was my third trip with Cultural Island Travel . The experiences are unparalleled . For example a mole tasting lunch , watching a family make cheese and then lunch for us . I could go on and on .
Although we have done much more expensive trips Irma ( our tour guide ) makes the trips special . Everything is curated with the utmost care .
We had the fortunate experience of being there during Easter Holy Week and Irma threw in a religious parade and the concert . These are the special things that CIT provides just spur of the moment interesting cultural experiences .
I love clothes shopping and Irma always seems to fit it in after hours .
You are doing yourself a disservice not to take this trip .
Once again I don’t have words to fully explain the cultural experiences thru CIT.
Of course Irma as a tour guide puts these trips over the top.

This is in referene to the James Joyce tour.

I didn't think I would ever take a guided tour in a country where I speak the language, but THIS tour was well worth it. Our guide, Ebony, was gracious, accommodating, knowledgeable and fun.

We had unique experiences like snuggling with lambs after our sheep dog demonstration, a "hawk walk" with a fascinating Bird Man who introduced us to owls, hawks and a falcon. We also spent time with an Irish musician with great stories, did a literary pub crawl, and despite myself, I learned a lot about James Joyce's "Ulysses" (which I tried three times, unsuccessfully, to read).

The pace of the tour, the quality of the hotels and meals, and having a capable driver made this a wonderful time. I recommend this tour without reservation.

I just returned from Ireland, where we had a James Joyce-themed weekend, followed by five more days all over the country. It was one of my best trips, and all of the planning from Ebony at Cultural Island Travel was perfect! She was with us all the time and arranged for us to meet local people and guides in every city. She was amazing, fun, and knowledgeable. We learned so much about the country and had experiences that would not have been possible without her. I am still smiling as I relive the trip. Thank you, thank you. Thank you!!!

Ireland with Ebony was amazing and that goes for both the James Joyce weekend and the tour around the country. Not only had she chosen excellent sites and guides, but she brought her good humor into every situation. As far as the auto tour itinerary, I was very glad to have added Belfast because my concept of the country wouldn’t have been accurate or as fascinating without it. Then, to Galway and back, we had wonderful experiences with little lambs and a sheepdog, and then a formidable falcon and falconer at Hawk House. Of course the monuments and castles, the universities, the coastlines, the drystone walls amidst green landscapes were as impressive as the lambs in arms, just not as cute. Thanks also for all your help getting me signed on before the trip. If I decided to go to any of the other destinations, I would certainly go with Cultural Island Travel.

Absolutely fantastic trip to Cuba. Teresa organized everything perfectly, from the hotel and tours to the restaurants and experiences. Our guide Ivan was outstanding, and the drivers were excellent as well. Every tour was private, personalized, and thoughtfully planned.

We took salsa dancing and cooking classes, enjoyed a private performance from a choir and dance troupe, explored Havana and the countryside, and learned so much about Cuba’s history and culture. The most meaningful part of the trip was meeting the Cuban people — incredibly resilient, welcoming, and proud despite the country’s challenges and history.

Cuba has so much untapped potential. It’s a beautiful country with an amazing energy, vibrant culture, and unforgettable people. This was truly one of the most unique and memorable trips I've taken.

We just returned from Cuba and had an incredible experience. From the very beginning, Teresa was responsive, organized, and ensured we had all the information and documents needed before departure.
The itinerary was thoughtfully planned, and our guide, Ivan, was outstanding. He shared so much insight into Cuba’s history, culture, and the daily lives of the Cuban people. We enjoyed exploring different neighborhoods in Havana as well as the beautiful countryside.
The accommodations and meals were excellent, and the cultural experiences throughout the trip made us feel truly welcomed and immersed in the local culture.
We highly recommend visiting Cuba and traveling with Cultural Island Travel. It was an unforgettable and deeply rewarding experience.

Third visit to Cuba, second with CIT. Returned in part because of - and specifically asked for - Irma, superlative tour guide. Friendly, helpful, and very accommodating. Chosen hotel, dining choices, and activities were impeccable. And, she and driver (Adamo ??) were good company. Recommend without reservation. Hope to go again.

The Cuba trip with Blue Note and Cultural Island Travel exceeded any expectations we had before going.  We stayed at a beautiful hotel with first rate hospitality, ate at one wonderful restaurant after another and everyone we met was warm, welcoming and eager to share about their country. 

The trip was well organized, all guides were highly knowledgeable and friendly, always accommodating to our needs.  We asked to see a local synagogue and they made it happen and then others on the trip who wanted to go as well joined us. Everywhere we went we met open, friendly hosts and people who were excited to share about their lives. Art galleries, markets, street life, was all a wonderful experience 

The music was first rate with our host Jorge Pacheco , in different venues, from rooftops to clubs to music schools and the opera house. He brings a warmth and connection to people that added to the wonder of the trip. We still cannot believe how much we got to do in six days. Nothing rattled our tour guide, Ivette! She was fun to be with the entire time.  We felt welcomed, cared for, and well taken care of from start to finish.  We will go back with CIT and Blue Note Travel as soon as we can, maybe even next year!

I’m not sure what I can say that has not already been said about this amazing company and Cuba in general. My love for the country stretches back 46 years, when I lived in Miami during the Mariel boat lift. I met, worked with and befriended many Cuban people during that time. They are warm, gracious, resilient in the face of often challenging circumstances. I visited the country for the first time in the early 2000s. The year I was there, was also a tumultuous time for the relationship with the US government. Fast forward to March 2026, and here we are! Our trip was very well arranged by Cultural Island Travel (we plan to use them again for a couple of other trips we are considering). We stayed in a lovely casa particular, La Reserva. Our meals were taken in some wonderful paladares (Casa Mia, Cha Cha Cha etc), we toured an organic farm and then had a cooking lesson at Cafe Ajiaco, we visited the handicraft market, the antique shop. Did an hourlong ride in a beautiful pink convertible. Even though we only visited Havana during our trip (I had visited other parts of the country during my last trip there), I felt like we saw and did so much, we really gleaned a solid foundation for future travel there (yes, I want to return for sure). Our guide Laura was fantastic, as was our driver, Jordan. Despite the fact that there are currently serious challenges (lack of fuel being the main one), I’m happy that we decided to go, as everything we did while we were there provided direct support to the Cuban people. I hope I am able to return again.

The Cultural Island guides and staff are incredibly smart, helpful, and just very nice people. They made my recent trip to Cuba enjoyable and educational. In spite of the difficult political situation, and the difficulty concerning fuel and electricity, they worked through any issues and made us feel safe and welcome during the whole stay. I was very comfortable in my accommodations, and I learned a lot about Cuba and its art and music. I wholeheartedly recommend traveling with this group, which has many different destinations, not just Cuba.

Words cannot truly express how much we enjoyed our recent adventure in Cuba with Cuba Island Travel. The local guides were guides are friendly and knowledgable and our itinerary gave us amply opportunity to explore, learn, and enjoy the culture of the island. Our accommodations were first rate and all of our hosted meals and events were completely enjoyable. I encourage everyone to visit Cuba with this group so that they can fall in love with the people and the island. We will be back!

Excellent tour of Havana by highly knowledgeable guides. Blue Note curated wonderful jazz shows featuring host and artist Jorge Pacheco. Marvelous accommodations at Las Animas Y Virtudes boutique hotel. Tour guide Deriel was amazing and much loved by our group.

I just returned from Blue Note Travel to Havana, Cuba, organized by Cultural Island Travel and was very impressed with everything! First, the staff is amazing, really caring and on top of every detail. I had several flight cancellations due to weather conditions, and they kept in constant contact with me and had a car waiting for me upon my eventual arrival in Cuba. 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 VIP's 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 and am considering the upcoming Sicily tour. Book now!!!!

Cultural Island Travel was amazing. Every detail was covered. The team in place working very hard to insure the safety and quality of the tour. They worked really well as a team and took care of the program and any special requests.
The activities were thoughtful and meaningful. I would highly recommend them.

We just returned last night from an amazing 11 days in Cuba , guided by the incredible Irma! I couldn’t imagine a more thorough , thoughtful , positive, and knowledgeable guide! Our group was just nine people and a perfect size with their excellent driver, a very nice mini bus, and the requisite vintage cars. The balance of activity and downtime with a super variety of activities and cultural exposure was perfect.
Teresa, who did the planning prior was incredible with detail and was patient answering our multiple questions and concerns. The art, culture , and music tour was way beyond expectations. All of the venues were hyper local and the restaurants were exquisite. Our hotels were also top notch. All of the music and dance was world class ! Of course , there is serious hardship there now, but we felt good contributing to them with our donations and participation. I highly recommend CIT for this and surely any others that they so thoughtfully curate!

I am not a fan of group travel because most people seem like zombies. This was definitely an exception! I went to Cuba with Blue Note Jazz and was extremely impressed with not only the itinerary, but how well organized everything was. When I mentioned I had a mobility issue, they got me a walker so I could participate in the walking tour of Old Havana. No begging required, they just did it!
The jazz festival schedule was not available prior to departure, but we not only went to the jazz festival every night but they added many events that we weren't even expecting. Ivette, Dana, William (taxi) and bus driver were all exceptional. I am super impressed with their knowledge and warmth in sharing their personal experiences as well as the history. They were always on time and if an event ran long, they were in touch with me to let me know when they would arrive. I honestly can't give high enough praise! Even before the trip began, Teresa from Blue Note always responded quickly.

The trip to Cuba was all I expected and so much more. From the time we arrived in Havana until our departure we were well taken care of. Our guide Irma was spectacular she got us to excellent jazz shows and great restaurants

Irma Gonzalez customized an incredible experience to Michoacan and Mexico City for our very small group. She ensured we enjoyed sights, festivities, history and real craftspeople while touring Morelia, 4 Magic Towns and Mexico City. We cooked a traditional lunch with a certified, awarded cook, visit a Catrinas workshop, enjoyed Santa Claus village, joined a citywide Three Kings (Epiphany) festival in Morelia, trailed/hiked to a church partially buried in lava and visited an Orchidarium. Our dates were during tge Epiphany period and everywhere we went there were Christmas decorations and celebrations, which gave an even mire special flavor to our tour. The best experience was a visit to Monarch Butterflies Santuary up the Michoacan mountains. This can only be described as truly magical, a dream to treasure for life. Irma curated the nice hotels and restaurants we used on the trip, very special mention to Mansion Iturbe. She is a true professional that loves her work and is fast to pivot as needed. Our local guides were knowledgeable and personable. Kudos to our trusty driver Alejandra and tour assistant Amado.

I am happy to provide the highest recommendation for Cultural Island Travel and our personal tour guide Laura in Cuba, who was truly exceptional in every sense.

From the very beginning, Laura demonstrated deep knowledge of Cuban history, culture, and daily life—sharing insights that went far beyond scripted facts. Each explanation was thoughtful, balanced, and engaging, helping us understand not only what we were seeing, but why it mattered. Her ability to connect historical context with present-day realities made the experience both educational and meaningful.

What truly set Laura apart was her professionalism and care for the group. She was organized, punctual, adaptable, and attentive to everyone’s needs. Questions were welcomed and answered thoroughly, and the pace of the tour was adjusted thoughtfully to ensure comfort and understanding. Laura created an atmosphere that felt both safe and welcoming, which allowed for open dialogue and genuine cultural exchange.

Laura's passion for her country and pride in her work were evident throughout the tour. It was clear that guiding is not just a job for her, but a calling she takes seriously. Because of Laura's expertise, warmth, and integrity, our experience in Cuba was significantly richer and more memorable.

I would recommend this guide and company without hesitation to individuals, educational groups, and organizations seeking an insightful, respectful, and high-quality experience in Cuba.