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TRAVEL WITH the exit zero jazz TO THE 40th ANNUAL havana jazz festival

January 28-February 3, 2025

The 40th annual Havana Jazz Festival will be held from January 27-February 2, 2025, with events occurring mostly in the evenings. The EXIT ZERO HAVANA JAZZ FESTIVAL dates are arrival in Havana on Tuesday, January 28, and departing Havana on Monday, February 3, 2025. Based on previous experience, we prefer to arrive just after the program is underway and depart the morning after closing ceremonies. A detailed schedule of events has not yet been published but will be forthcoming.

The 2025 Havana Jazz Festival will mark the 6th year of collaboration with Exit Zero Jazz and Cuba’s largest and longest running musical event. Each year marks an increased connection between Cuban origin artists performing in Cape May, as well as Exit Zero attendees visiting Cuba to attend theHavana Jazz Festival. Our most recent visit to the 2024 festival featured more than 125 world renowned artists and groups from the United States, Europe, Cuba, and other Latin American countries performing at various established music venues throughout Havana.

2025 Havana Program package

Price: $2,975.00 per person in a shared room. Single supplements are an additional $ 475.00. Room upgrades are dependent upon availability and are priced as follows:

Jr. Suite – add $ 450.00 per person for 6 nights; Suite – add $ 550.00 per person for 6 nights.

If you have traveled with us previously for the Havana Jazz Festival, you are entitled to a $ 100 per person discount!

Package: includes the following: all accommodations, airport transfers, all breakfasts, 1 lunch and 2 dinners, guide services as described,bottled water, some drinks, admission fees to all scheduled Havana Jazz Festival performances, U.S. Department of Treasury authorization, and program management services which include the provision of all pre- trip materials, a Cuban bilingual guide for your Havana orientation tour, Administration of all program designed Havana options, with further details and pricing to be provided well in advance of departure. Most Festival music performances occur typically after 5 pm each evening of the festival. You may attend any music event you choose, and our PREMIUM PASS provides preferential seating at venues where seating is regulated. Seating may otherwise be limited depending on the event venue, performance, and timing. Your package also includes a $250 donation to Cape May Jazz Festival Foundation.

Transportation: we will provide group transportation from the airport to our hotel on January 28th, and between our hotel and the airport on February 3rd , at a designated time based on the majority of arrival and departure times for the group. Transportation for scheduled Havana excursions is also provided. Taxis (yes, including 40s & 50s classics) to and from music venues are reasonably priced ($ 10 - $ 25 per car, depending on venue). Some music venues may be walking distance from your accommodation.

Accomodations: Palacio de los Corredores, is perfectly located in Plaza San Francisco, one of Old Havana’s four historic plazas or municipal squares. Each room has a private bath, air conditioning, satellite TV, wifi, phone, hair dryer, minibar, security box, a king bed or 2 queen beds. The hotel is professionally staffed with reservation desk, restaurant, and bell staff for it’s 56 rooms. It is located across from the Customs Terminal and harbor, walking distance to the Malecon, the famous waterfront drive and pedestrian walkway connecting Old Havana to the city’s historic venues. Most of Havana’s museums, cafes, and desirable restaurants are concentrated in the historic and compelling old city center, which dates back to the 16th Century. A guided orientation to Old Havana is included on our first full day, affording attendees with a basic idea of where points of interest are relative to our hotel.

Meals: All breakfasts are included, as well as 1 lunch & 2 dinners (first and last nights of our program). Otherwise, lunches range between $ 10 and $ 25 USD per person per day. Dinners range from $ 15 - $ 40 per person per day, and can range between basic to gourmet dining experiences. Meals need to be paid for in cash (USD or Euros). The estimated costs are in U.S. dollars. Dining recommendations will be provided.

Havana Excursions: On our first full day in Havana, we will enjoy a city tour of various points of interest, including a walking tour of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most unique destinations in the Caribbean. Havana is loaded with interesting historic sites, museums, art galleries, and now several excellent restaurants. Old Havana is among the most well preserved and dynamic colonial cities in the New World. This district of the city is undergoing rapid change, which fortunately includes ambitious historic restoration combined with modern improvement of what are in many examples UNESCO World Heritage Site restored and protected buildings. Pedestrian walkways connect a variety of museums, art galleries, fine restaurants, renaissance hotels and guest houses, balanced with active, authentic residential neighborhoods, offering both touristic appeal and authenticity to the curious visitor. Lunch in a high quality paladare, or privately owned (as opposed to Government run) restaurant. Havana avoided rapid development and the loss of scores of historic residential and commercial properties during the last half of the 20th century. Many buildings have been recently refurbished, some dating back to the 17th century. Following lunch, you are free to explore on your own, or return to your accommodation – just a few blocks away, once the tour is finished. In addition, we will be offering an optional excursion each remaining day of the tour, with pricing and other details to be announced within sever al weeks prior to departure.

 
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OLD HAVANA, A UNESCO World Heritage Site

On our first full day in Havana, we will enjoy a city tour of various points of interest, including a walking tour of Old Havana, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most unique destinations in the Caribbean. Old Havana is among the most well preserved and dynamic colonial cities in the New World. This district of the city is undergoing rapid change, which fortunately includes ambitious historic restoration combined with modern improvement of what are in many examples UNESCO World Heritage Site restored and protected buildings. Lunch in a high quality paladar, or privately owned (as opposed to Government run) restaurant. is included.

Opening Night Dinner in Old Havana

Through our previous trips to Havana, and with a lot of suggestions from Cuban born artists who have performed at the Exit Zero Jazz Festival, we have been able to put together a long list of culinary experiences to give you a quintessential taste of Cuba.

Your experience in Havana will include both structured and unstructured time.

Your first days will include an introduction, after which you may explore on your own, or with the help of professional guides that we can help arrange for small group and individual excursions. Or you can find a great chair, some fine rum and a good cigar. Or take a salsa lesson!.

Jazz Festival venues range from modern (post Revolution, 1959) to Colonial era buildings and include a range of architectural styles. Primary performance venues include but are not limited to:

Teatro Nacional, Main Concert Stage. Cuba’s National Theater was started in 1959, completed in 1979, and renovated in 2012.

Teatro Mella & Jardines del Mella Pabellon (Mella Theater & Gardens Pavilion) 1,500-seat theatre has a Gaudi-esque feel–a meringue shaped balcony wraps around the auditorium.

Casa de Cultura, Municipio Plaza (Cultural House, Plaza Municipality)

Fabrica de Arte Cubano, cutting edge art gallery and mutli-stage club venue. One of Havana's premier nightclubs and art galas.

Havana Flights

Participants are expected in Havana by late afternoon on January 28. The most reliable Direct flights (nonstop) to Havana are available from Miami, FL on American Airlines. We will provide all information necessary to make booking these flights and obtaining your Cuban visa simple and secure. Airport transfers to/from Jose Marti airport are included for an early afternoon arrival (on the 28th), and 1 morning departure (February 3 ), timing to be determined based on the arrival and departure times of the majority of participants.

AMERICAN AIRLINES offers the most (6) daily fights between Miami and Havana. It is best to book your entire flight on the same airline so that you can include checked bags from your ‘home’ airport to and from Havana and ensure that you have adequate time to make connections from your home city.