LGBTQI Travel To Cuba

Cuba & the LGBTQI Community

Cuba has certainly changed its approach towards the gay community since the mid-nineties with the release of the film Fresa & Chocolate. The Oscar-nominated movie is the story of two men who are opposites: one gay, the other straight; one a fierce communist, the other a fierce individualist; one suspicious, the other accepting; and how they come to love each other.

The film was shot at La Guarida, today Havana’s most famous private paladar. Restaurant goers climb the stairs of the former tenement house to the top floor’s intimate rooms to enjoy inventive dishes that deconstruct and combine traditional Cuban and international cuisine.

​LGBTQI Movement in Cuba

The creation of CENESEX, the Havana- based LGBTQI advocacy and educational organization, was an important step toward recognizing the fast-growing LGBTQI movement in Cuba.

“We are working together with the state, with the party, with civil society, to educate the Cuban people, to change mindsets, and to advance our rights,” said Mariela Castro, CENESEX Director and a Cuban lawmaker and daughter of the former Communist Party chief Raul Castro.

Cuba has ended most of its anti-gay policies and forbids workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation. Cuba has become the first Latin American country to celebrate PRIDE month and is considered relatively progressive compared to the rest of the Caribbean regarding LGBTQI acceptance.

LGBTQ Events in Cuba

MAY – The Conga Against Homophobia and Transphobia is held every May in Havana, as part of the awareness campaign organized by CENESEX. A Gala event welcomes LGBTQI activists and features performances by numerous artists.

SEPTEMBER 4 – CENESEX marks World Sexual Health Day with a series of activities that draw attention to issues related to sexual health.

NOVEMBER 25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. “We use the occasion to draw attention to all the forms of violence against lesbians, transgender women, gay men, trans men, and heterosexual men,” states Vázquez Seijido, assistant director of CENESEX.

Custom Itineraries

Each Cultural Cuba itinerary is completely customized. Whether your travelers’ general areas of interest are art, history, dance, cigars, or music, if they are celebrating a special occasion, or if they wish to incorporate an LGBTQI- focused experience or event, we create an individualized itinerary for an enjoyable and enriching experience.

Enjoy an EXCLUSIVE insightful conversation over lunch with the dynamic and openly gay former CULTURAL AND PRESS ATTACHÉ, who is currently a very popular History Professor at the University of Havana.

Visit the CENESEX Center in Havana (by appointment only) to understand the activities, initiatives, and education programs the Center offers as part of its advocacy work for the LGBTQI community.

Havana Hotels

THE GRAN MANZANA KEMPINSKI HOTEL is a true luxury hotel in a fantastic central location. Relax in the hotel’s spectacular rooftop pool, and enjoy the cigar bar, spa, and gym.

BOUTIQUE HOTELS in restored mansions in the residential Vedado neighborhood.

JULY 2022 “HETERO-FRIENDLY” HOTEL managed by Axel Hotels CATERING TO LGBTQI travelers opens in the former Telegrafo Hotel space.

Special Requests – Just Ask

Exclusive musician or artist events

Interactions with entrepreneurs, community leaders

Professional photography/videography

Explore personal Cuban family history or connections

Tailored Community Service projects Adventure travel: snorkeling, birding, fishing

Dive in the Garden of the Queens – live-aboard

Travel to Cienfuegos and Trinidad for 2 – 3 nights

And More!

If you would like us to develop a custom proposal for you, please schedule a conversation by clicking on the Let’s Talk button above or fill out this form, and we will contact you to discuss the details.