Historical tourism: “Leales al Patrimonio” event celebrates Havana’s 506th anniversary

The celebration of the 506th anniversary of the founding of Havana, the Cuban capital and a great professional passion of the renowned Cuban historian Eusebio Leal Spengler (1942-2020), will be the main reason for the 1st International Event on Historical Heritage Tourism in Cuba, “Leales al Patrimonio” (Loyal to Heritage).

Scheduled for November 11-16 of this year, the event is organized by the San Cristóbal Travel Agency.

During the presentation of the event to the diplomatic corps accredited in Cuba, held in the Salón de los Pasos Perdidos (Hall of the Lost Steps) of the National Capitol, Iliana Artigas, vice president of the agency, noted that the heritage values of Cuba will be promoted in all of its cities, although this time the emphasis will be on Havana, Matanzas, and Trinidad.

A review published by the specialized magazine TTC adds that in the capital, the topic of colonial architecture will be addressed, while in Matanzas, the African heritage, popular religiosity, and traditions will be explored; and in Trinidad, the conservation of tangible and intangible heritage will be addressed in depth.

Historic program for the first time

The event program, available online, includes attendees’ participation in the celebrations for the founding of the Villa de San Cristóbal de La Habana around the Templete.

The event will be organized in conjunction with Blue Diamond, and all accommodations in Havana, Matanzas, and Trinidad will be in four and five-star hotels of this chain. The package price covers all transportation, hosting, handling, and overnight stays, according to TTC.

San Cristóbal Travel Agency celebrates 30 years

This year 2025, the San Cristóbal Travel Agency celebrates 30 years since its founding on November 29, 1995, when it became the first and only Cuban inbound agency specializing in historical, cultural and heritage tourism.

Attached to the Office of the Historian of Havana (OHC), for many years directed by Eusebio Leal Spengler, the agency promotes the values of Cuba as a destination in the main source markets through a portfolio of highly specialized tourism products, combining elements of the tangible and intangible heritage of the Cuban capital with the rest of the country’s historic and heritage cities, as well as nature reserves and other sites of tourist interest.

The historian of Havana was the creator of the tourist tours in the city’s Historic Center, directed the restoration of the Capitol from day one, and created the script for guided tours.

Part of the income from this unique travel agency is used for the comprehensive restoration of Havana’s heritage and local human development, a city where the marks of time are clearly visible.