Iberostar is joining the celebrations to mark this anniversary by offering visitors the chance to experience Havana at its most vibrant with a range of exciting activities and events
Havana is an exciting city boasting five centuries of history. Its unique character, forged by its people, culture and architecture, sets it apart from other Caribbean cities. Coinciding with the 500th anniversary of the founding of this city, over the next few months of 2019 and into early 2020, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts will be offering you the chance to discover this destination and experience the local culture at first hand through a series of events and activities, organised in collaboration with the Cuban Ministry of Culture and INDER (the National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation). A truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the Cuban capital and experience life in the city and celebrate along with the local community.
Several planned events will focus on fashion, sport, culture and tradition:
Havana has always been a hallmark of elegance and good taste; a city full of character and a melting pot for contrasting styles of architecture that blend perfectly together. “500 years of Style” is designer Oscar de la Portilla’s way of revealing the true essence of the city with 11 outfits inspired by typical elements and buildings in Havana.
One of the highlights of the collection is the outfit dedicated to the Iberostar Grand Packard, an architectural treasure reflecting a love for tradition and a passion for modernity.
The fashion show will take place on the 18th of October at the Iberostar Grand Packard hotel in an exclusive event for guests staying at the hotel. This is a unique occasion and Iberostar’s way of providing its guests with the chance to obtain an in-depth and very special insight into Havana’s art and architecture.
Included in its programme of events to mark the city’s 500th anniversary, and in line with its commitment to supporting and encouraging a healthy lifestyle, Iberostar is also collaborating with the Havana’s famous “Marabana” marathon. With a history dating back over 30 years, this race will fill the city streets with athletes from all over the world. It will take place on the 10th of November, and the starting line will be located opposite the Iberostar Selection Parque Central, the marathon’s official hotel sponsor. The route also takes in the company’s other hotels in the city (the Iberostar Grand Packard and the Habana Riviera by Iberostar Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba) and offers participants in the race a route boasting breath-taking sea views.
Visual arts and music also have their place in the activities organised to commemorate Havana’s 500th anniversary thanks to the “Majestuosa Habana” (Majestic Havana) art project (organised by the music editors and record label Bis Music and Génesis Art Galleries), aimed at applauding the city’s excellence in art and lyrics.
Twelve classic songs dedicated to Havana have been compiled in a CD designed to inspire twelve artists who will depict the ideas inspired by the music.
The hotel chain will be hosting the presentation of these artworks and songs dedicated entirely to the Cuban capital at an exclusive event taking place in the lounge at the Iberostar Grand Packard on the 8th of November November. The works will then remain on display in various rooms to be admired by everyone enjoying a stay at the Iberostar Grand Packard Hotel in Havana. Furthermore, a number of areas of the hotel will be open to the general public to provide an exhibition space for works to be admired by lovers of Cuban culture.
On the 5th of January 2020, Havana will be playing host to the second classic cars rally organised by Iberostar as a tribute to one of the city’s most iconic sights. The cars will parade along Havana’s Malecón seafront avenue and will take in Iberostar hotel locations: the Habana Riviera by Iberostar Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba will be the starting point for the route, followed by a stop at the Iberostar Selection Parque Central before finishing at the Iberostar Grand Packard, the hotel that takes its name from the emblematic classic Packard cars.
Iberostar will award a prize to the best kept car amongst all those taking part. More than 120 cars took part in the first Classic Cuban Car Rally, which was held at the start of this year.
All in all, Iberostar intends to offer visitors the opportunity to discover Havana from the three different perspectives reflected in its hotels in the city. The Habana Riviera by Iberostar Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba, boasting a prime urban location in a skyscraper affording unique views of Havana’s Malecón seafront avenue, will transport guests back in time to the 1950s. In turn, the Iberostar Selection Parque Central, nestling in the heart of Old Havana, provides a total immersion into life in the city. Last but not least, the Iberostar Grand Packard is Havana’s first ever grand luxury hotel standing on an outstanding site on Paseo del Prado, overlooking El Morro castle, uniquely combining tradition and modernity.
Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, a leader in responsible tourism, currently operates around twenty hotels in Cuba, including three in Havana. In fact, a year ago the Cuban capital welcomed the opening of the Iberostar Grand Packard, a hotel boasting a unique character that brought with it the highest international standards of quality and service. Through its support for this anniversary, Iberostar has furthered its commitment to offering guests staying at its hotels the chance to experience the authentic atmosphere of the cities they are located in, revealing their pace of life, people and places of interest. Iberostar’s city hotels are an unbeatable mix of functionality and thrills, located on sites that will enable guests to take full advantage of their experience and get a taste of the authentic life of the city that pulses just a few steps away from their rooms.
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