Postcards from Trinidad By: Rachell Cowan Canino Photo: RCC/TTC For three days, the former Township of Santísima Trinidad of Cuba celebrated the first Canchánchara International Festival. Tradition and culture. They were days in which all the artistic manifestations came together to make those who visited the beautiful heritage city happier and more enamored. Music and canchánchara were just the first reason to discover and explore the cobblestone streets that protect a history of more than 500 years. Coincidentally, the first day of the Festival also celebrated the 35 years of its declaration as a World Heritage Site. tower of the San Francisco de Asís church. Photo: RCC/TTC If you visit Trinidad, one of the essential places is to climb to the top of the bell tower of the San Francisco de Asís church, from where you can see the entire city. The sea, the Escambray mountains and [...]

Black Tears, contemporary expression of traditional Cuban rum By Daily Pérez Guillén There are no reason to shed tears and much less black ones over the good news that the joint venture Ron Vigía S.A. is sharing before the end of 2023. Three years after its first commercial operation, Enrique Arias, its president, spoke with the press about the history that gave rise to four other varieties of rum in Cuba and future plans. The first spiced rum that has been made on the island is consumed in the national market and is exported to thirty countries under the Black Tears brand, three others (Roble Superior, Super Dry and Aguardiente) are also marketed under this same name and under the historical seal of Vigía. With a musical byword, “it represents everything that is Cuba.” Around 1.3 billion bottles will be sealed before the end of this year, although according to Arias [...]

The top destinations to book in 2024, according to tour operators We’re just days away from a brand new year, which means plenty new opportunities to see the world and experience destinations for the first time. But which destinations should be at the top of the list? The options are endless for the 4.7 billion people who are expected to travel in 2024, reports IATA, an historic high that exceeds the 4.5 billion recorded pre-pandemic, in 2019. But according to tour operators, there are certain standout destinations that are expected to be hot-ticket items next year. Here’s what they recommend for a sun-soaked and adventure-filled year: JAPAN It’s been a little more than a year since Japan reopened its borders to international travellers, and since then the country has rebounded in a big way. It welcomed more than two million international visitors for a fourth consecutive month in September 2023, with [...]

Melia Spanish firm inaugurated another hotel in Cuba Hotel Sevilla Affiated by Meliá.  The Spanish hotel giant Melia has inaugurated another new hotel in the heart of Havana, the capital of Cuba. The new Sevilla Habana is affiliated by Melia Hotel. The new hotel, with a rooftop lounge and pool, is located in the heart of Old Havana, overlooking the city's famous Malecón. It is the first Affiliated by Melia Hotel to open in the Caribbean. Affiliated, a new brand from Melia, is a collection of "hotels with contemporary design and an authentic connection to local culture," similar to Hilton's Curio Collection or Hyatt's Independent Collection. The Sevilla Habana is the sixth Affiliated by Melia to open its doors around the world. It has 178 rooms, a couple of restaurants, three lounge bars and a meeting space. Melia has undertaken rapid expansion in Cuba since the pandemic; over the [...]