Grinnellian Adventures: Arts & Politics in Havana
January 28–February 4, 2026
Sold out, waitlist open
You are invited to join art and architectural historian Fredo Rivera ’06, assistant professor of art history, to explore Cuba’s deep artistic and political history, attend the world-famous Jazz Plaza Festival, and discuss the impactful relationship between Grinnell College and Cuba.
Spend five nights in Havana exploring the sights, sounds, and flavors of this thriving city; and two nights in the colonial old town of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enjoy private concerts with Camerata Romeu, Latin America’s first all-female string orchestra; Luís Alberto Barbería, a founding member of the legendary Cuban collective Habana Abierta; and a private performance with modern dance company “Mi Compania.”
Explore how art has been woven into the fabric of Cuba’s society through its history, politics, and revolutions. Visit Taller de Gráfica, a co-op where artists worked on printmaking; see contemporary Cuban art exhibits at El Centro del Desarollo de Arte Contemporánea and la Fototeca de Cuba, and meet the artists and curators; enjoy a guided tour by Professor Rivera of the National Museum of Fine Arts; and visit Fusterlandia, an entire neighborhood transformed into a Gaudí or Brancusiesque wonderland.
Not only is Cuba known for its music, which you will experience during this special trip, including performances at the Jazz Plaza Festival, but it is also known for its cuisine. You will have time to explore Cuba’s food scene on your own, but also enjoy meals together, sampling Cuban-Mediterranean, traditional Cuban, modern Cuban, and farm-to-table fare. Enjoy your last night in Havana as you travel to dinner at sunset in a 1950s American convertible car.
After departing Havana, we drive to Trinidad, stopping along the way in Cienfuegos to explore its historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Once in Trinidad, enjoy a one-of-a-kind experience staying in rooms at host families’ bedand-breakfasts in the countryside. Visit Valle de los Ingenios, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and once the hub of Cuba’s sugar industry, where you will step back in time and learn about the island’s colonial past. On your last day in Cuba, visit the Che Guevara Mausoleum in Santa Clara, Cuba’s third-largest city.
If you have ever wanted to visit Cuba, now is the time to go! This program is is currently sold out but we are accepting names for a waitlist. Please reserve your spot on the waitlist by contacting Eos Study Tours, the specialty tour operator who has worked closely with Assistant Professor Fredo Rivera in designing this program. Email grinnell@studytours.org or call toll-free (800) 856-8951 to learn more about being adding to the waitlist.
