'cuban chrome' tour for fans of classic cars & motorcycles

Your first reaction of Havana is of having arrived at a 1950s Hollywood movie-set… of a twilight zone country half-frozen in time. Cars from the Eisenhower era are everywhere. Chrome-laden DeSotos… Corpulent Buicks… Stylish Plymouth Furies… even Edsels, Hudsons, and Kaisers, and other relics of Mafia-era ostentation puttering along beside sober Russian-made Ladas, antique Indians and Harley-Davidsons, Czech-made Jawas, and venerable 650cc Urals with sidecars. That’s Cuba. Everything looks so nostalgic!

Join acclaimed travel writer, motojournalist, and Cuba expert Christopher P. Baker—author of Cuba Classics: A Celebration of Vintage American Automobiles and Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro’s Cuba—on a week-long paean to the long love affair between Cubans and the U.S. automobiles, and to the extraordinary people who keep their American iron running with resourcefulness, ingenuity and indefatigable good humor.

In Cuba, cars are not just a means of transportation; they are everyday transport, as well as an obsession, a point of pride, and a history lesson in U.S.-Cuban relations. The classic Fords and Chevrolets from the 1950s—repaired countless times over many decades and still on the road—are a perpetual reminder of the U.S. embargo that has lasted almost 60 years. Whether weary junkers that keep on chugging, or meticulously maintained and restored, these classic cars are the epitome of the Cuban spirit, resourcefulness and the ability to turn utility into art. 

From Model-T Fords and ‘40s-era Buick Roadmasters to late ‘50s Edsel Citations and Chevrolet Impalas with fins sharp enough to draw blood, our itinerary evokes the nostalgia and seductive world of Cuba’s car culture. 

We’ll ride through Havana in convertible Cadillacs… visit restoration talleres (workshops)… meet mechanics from the Discovery Channel's 'Cuba Chrome' television series... and discover the passion, pride, and profound creativity of Cubans as we get-together with classic car owners, and with harlistas at the Cuban-Harley Club, where the salsa music is cranked up and the rum gets passed around. (Ever since shipping his own BMW motorcycle to Cuba in 1996, Christopher has been closely connected with Cuba’s harlistas: owners of pre-revolutionary Harley-Davidsons, Indians, and British motorcycles.)

Plus, Christopher is intimately involved in the restoration of Ernest Hemingway’s long-lost 1955 Chrysler New Yorker, the recovery of which he first reported to the world in 2011. Reserve your space on the tour today and join him as he grants a once-in-a-lifetime VIP opportunity to visit the car in its secret location in a workshop on the outskirts of Havana.

ITINERARY (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

DAY 1: Saturday 
Arrive Cuba today (or any prior day of your choosing) and settle into our deluxe boutique B&B in the once-chic Vedado district of Havana. We formally begin this evening with a reception followed by a ride in convertible classic cars to our  welcome dinner at Havana’s top paladar (privately owned restaurant).
MEALS: D

DAY 2: Sunday 
This morning we join the A Lo Cubano club, which meets every Sunday morning at the Tropicana cabaret nightclub (with luck we may even be given a private tour of the club by Chris' friend Alin, director of Tropicana). Expect as many as 200 classic cars and motorcycles to show, depending on the weather. After lunch, we'll take a walking tour of Old Havana, including a visit to the Museo del Automóvil to meet with the director and learn about the restoration of the oldest car in Cuba: a 1905 Cadillac. We'll end in nearby Parque Central--ground zero classic cars rented out to tourists. We'll enjoy rooftop cocktails with a magnificent view over the park filled with 1950s American Iron. Dinner tonight will be at 5 Sentidos, another of Chris' favorite restaurants.
MEALS: BD

DAY 3: Monday 
After breakfast, we'll head to the Diez de Octubre suburb to visit the NostalgiCar Workshop. Here, we'll learn about car restoration and upkeep in Cuba, and the possibilities for entrepreneurship in the Western Hemisphere's only Communist nation. Owner Julio Álvarez’ business restoring old Chevrolets for chauffered rental to tourists has been such a success he was even invited to the White House to meet President Obama (his gorgeous vintage Chevys have also hosted Bon Jovi, Madonna, and John Kerry). Julio is a born raconteur. A highlight visit! Of course, a ride around town in his restored Chevys is de rigueur! This afternoon, we visit with members of the Club Harley Havana at the home of Cuban music producer and harlista Lyng Chang to marvel at his collection of restored Indian and Harley-Davidson  motorcycles.  We'll dine tonight at our hotel's gourmet restaurant.
MEALS: BD

DAY 4: Tuesday
This morning will focus on another hallmark of Cuban culture — cigars. We'll visit a tobacco factory to witness how Cuba’s signature export are hand-made. We then head to Parque El Curita: a small park that is the beginning and end point for colectivos--old cars that are licensed as collective taxis, operating along fixed routes throughout the city. Don't expect to find any cherries here! In the afternoon, we'll visit the workshop of Chris’ close friend Luis Enrique González to learn about the mechanical wizardry required to keep pre-revolution cars and motorcycles running without state of-the-art tools or genuine spare parts. Luis will display his homemade lathe and welding equipment in addition to his personal collection of pre-revolutionary motorcycles and 1947 Buick. Tonight we'll dine at another of Chris' favorite paladares, followed by live jazz on the rooftop.
MEALS: B, D

DAY 5: Wednesday
After breakfast, we'll board classic cars again for a full-day tour outside Havana. First stop is Las Terrazas, a unique purpose-built community in the Sierra del Rosario mountains. Our visits here include a former coffee plantation, and the studio of Chris' artist friend, Henry Aloma. Heading back towards Havana, we'll enjoy a gourmet buffet lunch at an organic farm-restaurant where a highlight will be learning about the private owners' stingless bee project producing honey for sale. We then head to the Museo Ernest Hemingway, in the author’s former home at Finca Vigía, outside Havana. Following a guided tour, we'll make a private visit to see Hemingway’s 1955 Chrysler, which is undergoing a restoration after being missing for 20 years! (Chris is directly involved in the restoration project, being undertaken in a secret location.) We'll dine tonight at our hotel's gourmet restaurant before heading to the Tropicana nightclub for a spectacular evening of retro-themed cabaret under the stars.
MEALS: BLD

DAY 6: Thursday
Our final day, we'll meet with  members of the Club Amigos de Fangio, an informal group, who will show us some of their restored cars and motorcycles (some of which appeared in the TV reality show “Cuban Chrome”). We'll then take a mixology class, learn to roll cigars, and relax over cocktails at Libetador, a chic hang-out in Vedado. The afternoon is at leisure until we celebrate with a farewell dinner at another of Cuba's top paladares.
MEALS: BD

DAY 7: Friday
Depart for home today.
MEALS: B