Learn Spanish, Dance & Culture in Cuba

I decided to treat myself to some time at a language school in Cuba, combining a fascination for a culture I knew little about with a love for the Spanish language and an interest in salsa dancing. I had taught myself Spanish using Duolingo and this program was my treat for having completed the app. Surprisingly I really knew a lot of Spanish before arriving, but the school was able to put me into an advanced class and was also wonderful in adapting group activities to make sure that I had ample opportunity to speak Spanish even when mixed with students at more beginning levels. The staff really care about the students and it all feels like one big family. Yes, there were sometimes the normal issues that unfortunately come with Cuba - electricity shortages or (temporary) no hot water - but I honestly didn't notice them at all. I had so much fun and would recommend this program to anyone - it is a great way to learn Spanish, see and learn about the country, and be instantly in a group of like-minded people all looking to explore.

I spent around 3 weeks in January in Cuba and I fell in love with every minute I spent in Cuba. New friendships formed at the hostel, amazing staff, fun classes and, of course, amazing Havana! I can't wait for my second trip!!

I've always wanted to know Cuba, but as an American, I had a lot of fear and concern for my safety. That's where Corazón Cuba helped me the most. Having a "home base" with friendly, amazing people to help me navigate the cultural differences and become confident to walk alone in the streets of old Havana. It was an invaluable month-long experience for me and I made amazing friends from all over Europe, friends for life. Salsa classes, cultural tours of the city, trips to Viñales and Trinidad, we did so many things that pushed me past my comfort zone. It was an amazing experience. I do recommend a month-long stay to truly start to understand Cuban life and feel more at home. I recommend bringing antibiotics, medications, deodorant, mosquito spray, etc, as those things are not available in Cuba. Pack 1/2 your suitcase with gifts and donations... You will be glad you did. The Cuban people are so lovely, but you must remember the country is in difficult times and you are there to understand and have a better awareness about how you can help. It was a life changing and humbling experience. I highly recommend going to see Cuba for yourself!

My wife, two kids ages 10 and 12, and I studied at Corazon Cuba for 3 weeks in June and July this past year, and we absolutely loved it. As Americans, there were obstacles to visiting Cuba, and the office was timely and supportive in helping us navigate the requirements. Airport transfer was easy. The accommodation was exactly as described, near to the school, and serviced as needed throughout our stay. The teachers were professional and experts in their field. Our family placed into three different Spanish levels, and we all strongly progressed in our language proficiency. The teachers adapted to our levels and interests and prepared to meet our language needs. Food at the school was exceptional. As a vegetarian, I was well-accommodated and our kids particular requests were fulfilled when they could be - the kitchen staff created a family environment that was second-to-none. The office and management of the school had an always-open door and had our well-being and satisfaction at the forefront of their minds and work. The cultural tours and events were well-designed and flexed to the composition of the participants. We loved the salsa dancing and noted the community partnerships created by the school. We traveled around the country after our time at Corazon Cuba and maintained some contact with the school and teachers - they cared about us and our experience in their country. The school and experience they provide receives my strongest recommendation because of their professionalism, accommodating flexibility, and value. A great way to visit Cuba!

Thank you to all the wonderful team in Havana for the most interesting and exciting adventure. Loved the dancing meeting local people and our kids leant such good Spanish. The international crowd were amazing. One that our family will never forget !

I had an amazing experience with Corozon Cuba Language School! Delvis was mi Maestro (my teacher) and he was the best! So patient, kind, friendly and made our small class feel so comfortable! Leo was exceptional and so were the rest of the staff! Food was incredible and the Salsa lessons were such a fun experience! I made friends there I’ll never forget and I just wanted to say thank you!

I was really lucky to have chosen Corazon Cuba for my trip to Cuba. As an American it is especially important to have a properly prepared stay. Tim was super responsive, flexible for special requests and clarified everything before my departure. Considering that Cuba has various challenges, my itinerary was well organized and everything went smoothly. The hosts in Havana and Vinales were wonderful and very helpful. I'm frankly amazed that Corazon Cuba provided such a rich program of activities, good accommodations, taxi collectivo transfers, breakfast and lunch as well as Spanish lessons for such a good value! I returned home full of great experiences, memories and fun stories to tell.

Honestly, best decision I ever made. Not only I improved my Spanish, I made friends for life and was able to dive into a new culture above the tourist level. And all of this was simply possible because of the AMAZING Team working at Jakera. They make you feel that you are exactly in the right place from the first second you arrive. They are a huge family and they will make you feel as you are a part of it. They try to make everything possible for you. They are all locals and they don´t just work there, they mostly spend even all of their freetime there to hang out with you, show you around or accompany you to parties. My reccomendations: Book the trips to Vinales and Trinidad! Do the dance classes! Try to speak as much Spanish as you can! Join the nights out to Fabrica del Arte! Visit the beautiful beaches! Just keep in mind a few things, before you go: bring ENOUGH cash! (its not possible to pay by credit card and you cant get cash out of ATMs); Spotify/Netflix etc. are not working there so download what you need offline in advance; No wifi! but use it as digital detox and to spend time with those wonderful people; don´t get offended by catcalling just smile about it and go on; bring donations such as useful medication If I could go back in time, I would always book the programm again to have this unique experience again. Thank you all for having me! <3

I did 2 weeks of language and culture class. It was a lot of fun. We had large group and did many things together. Every day we were eating breakfast and lunch together, so it always gave us a chance to catch up. I will defiantly suggest to my friends and co-workers to be part of this program.

From our first contact with Tim through the final day of our two week stay, we were delighted with Corazon Cuba. We went for the Spanish lessons and they did not disappoint. After taking a quick assessment of our language knowledge so far, we were assigned a class. Surprisingly, the classes had only 1 - 3 students and personalization was a big benefit. Both of us felt our teachers were superb - mine was Daniela, and Jamie's was Delvis. They kept us on track with pre-planned daily lessons but we also had plenty of time to learn about Cuba and the people of Cuba (all in Spanish, of course.) All the staff were fun and helpful. Miguelito, the chef, prepared plenty of tasty vegan food for us and we were so grateful. Andy was our tour guide for the culture portion of our program and he is a history buff who enjoys sharing stories. We spent many pleasant afternoons walking abound old Havana with Andy. The salsa dance program is held in a lovely dance studio with a student/teacher ratio of 1:1. I didn't know it was possible to learn so many steps in a one hour class. Rather than stay at the hostel, we chose a home stay. Accommodations were pretty basic but clean and included a refrigerator. The airport transfers were excellent. And, again, everyone we encountered was so welcoming and gracious. We highly recommend Corazon Cuba and hope you will have the same positive vibe and experience we had.

I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of the Corazon Cuba experience. What stood out the most were the exceptional friendliness of the staff and the effective leadership and coordination provided by Leo, which included arranging excursions, taxis, and restaurant recommendations. The central location, and Havana Vieja was perfect. The quality of the food and coffee was excellent, and I particularly appreciated the casual dining atmosphere. The teaching staff was also excellent, being patient and relatable. I highly recommend Corazon Cuba, and I have already suggested it to others here in the United States. The only areas of improvement that I can think of would be to provide Wi-Fi/Internet access, and improving the cleanliness of the bathrooms.

I booked the the learn spanish, clulture and volunteer program. I already had a good grasp of the Spanish basics. The teacher placed me with basic beginnners -- which I didn't mind because we were the only class that week (If I did I would have spoken up to the director). I was having so much fun with the other students I didn't want to be alone in a class!. The teacher also showed me/taught me some of my weaknesses in Spanish. I enjoyed his teaching method with the other students -- the pace that we progressed was great. He helped them be more conversational--which as travelers we want. The city tours provided were wonderful -- informative. I was slightly disappointed with no hands on for the volunteer part -- I know my donations I brought went to worthy cause "for the good of the Cuban people". The housing was good -- liked being apart for the main school -- I gave a 9 only because my water wasn't very hot. I loved my room and got accustomed to walking 4 flights of steps!. The room was spacious, clean and losts of storage --bathroom clean and modern. Also, I was assisted in making arrangements after my time at the school. I can't say enough about that. I loved what was provided to me in Vinales (despite the minor housing mix-up) and Trinidad was lovely too. The activities arranged for me in Vinales was beyong my expectations. I was on my own in Trinidad but the casa particular there assisted me with arranging any activities I wanted. Oh, the meals provided at the school -- breakfast and lunch --plenty of food! Then, I don't want to forget all the other people working there -- sorry I am bad a names but so friendly and happy to socialize or answer any questions help me with currency exchange. Leonel the directory of course a big thanks for making my additional arrangements

I loved the trip I will go back maybe this year So much fun People are so nice I had so much fun A place that you will enjoy A safe place in a poor city Teaches host and everyone are so cool I met a lot of nice people and that makes the place even better

I just had the most magical 9 days with Corazon Cuba. The Spanish teachers are so smart--they are great educators who know exactly how assess your skills and build from where you are. The staff is incredible--creating a safe, clean, fun environment. There is round-the-clock security, regular cleaning, air conditioning, laundry service, bottled water and incredible food from in-house chefs. The staff is always available for needs, questions, advice and help---they take you to get SIM cards, get a VPN, help you change money, find anything you are looking for, make sure you pay reasonable prices, feel like a local--plus they are so nice and fun and soon become family. The program is structured and organized and every experience and lesson offered is high quality and meaningful--but you also have as much free or alone time as you want. The location is perfect in Habana Vieja--safe, walkable to shops, restaurants, music, museums, the Malecón, and more--it is a very cool building with multiple levels and roof decks with great views. They have apartments down the street if you'd rather not share a room. Although I am on the older side, I decided to stay in the main house and share a room and I'm so glad I did--the fellow students were amazing--from everywhere--Germany, Sweden, Italy, Norway and even my hometown in Colorado. We bonded and will be life long friends. It's like camp! I just can't say enough good things about the program. Everything was perfect; every day was great. Magic is the only way I can describe it. They really have created a very special community here and I can't wait to get back.

This was a great experience overall! My goal was to practice Spanish as much as possible and this was easily reached thanks to the great staff of the school and friendly Cubans around. You do feel at home! As September is a low season, I was alone in my Spanish class which was more of an advantage in the end as the topics were tailored to my needs and interests. The lessons included all types of activity: grammar, speaking, listening, and the most valuable - immersion into the Cuban culture. Daivy, the teacher, was eager to share her personal stories, everyday routine and aspirations. It was not just a standard teacher-student interaction, but friendly conversations about everything. We still keep in touch! I was supposed to have a shared room, but as there were few people I had it all for myself? Even though I was warned that there could be hot water and electricity problems in Old Habana, nothing of the kind happened during my stay. The place is clean, nice and really authentic! From the balcony you can see the street with all its night life and daytime events. The food was good as well. Even though the variety of products is limited, the cooks Miguelito and Tania managed to satisfy all the needs, both vegetarian and not. I had a chance to try some fruits that I have never eaten before. There was always somebody of the staff around. Aylin has answers to all your questions during the daytime and Kidsue and Arkeli keep you company at night as night guards. In the afternoon I had salsa classes and excursions. The dance classes were great even though I'm a really poor dancer and remain such in spite of the teachers' efforts.They were attentive and understanding. Even if you have no experience in salsa, you will still enjoy this activity. The only downside was that every class I had a new teacher. Somehow they managed to understand from where to continue and my experience seems rather smooth in general. The excursions were informative and my guides, Laritza and Jose, added a great personal touch to the history of Old Havana with their own stories. The school manager Leonel is just charming. He does his best to make sure that everyone is happy. Despite the fact that he has lots of work to do, he is always available. The pre-trip email support from Tim was indispensable as well. Old Havana is a safe place even if it does not seem so from the first sight. It may happen that some seller will cheat on you charging more money or will sell you fake cigars, but no violence occurred in my presence. I had no health issues, but do take all the medicine with you. There is a lack of it in Cuba. You can share it with the locals when leaving. Besides, I would recommend to bring fewer personal things and more donativos.

Awsome, a must do in a life, Cuba is such an amazing country, and Jakera is a perfect option to go to discover La Havana ! I learnt a lot about cuban culture and i learn to love dance thanks to dance lessons provided by Jakera

My husband and I did the Jakera Spanish language, salsa and volunteering program for 2 weeks. We had an amazing time. Jakera is very well run and all the Cuban staff and teachers were so friendly and so professional. We stayed at a casa particular 2 blocks away from the school/dormitory as we’re in our 50s and wanted our own space and this worked out well. We had breakfast and lunch with all the other students and staff at Jakera and had our morning Spanish lessons there. Then we all went as a group in the afternoons to volunteering or salsa lessons. It was a rich, bonding experience with the other participants and the Cuban people at Jakera, at the salsa studio and on our volunteer placement at a community garden. We would highly recommend it!

Everyone was very friendly at Corozon Cuba, it is in an excellent location with lots to do and the included meals are delicious. I met so many friends and Havana is now one of my favourite cities ever

I stayed for a little over three weeks for the Learn Spanish,Dance Culture. They have single rooms available on the second floor. It's important to bring extra money if you are from the US as your bank debit/credit cards fo jot work here. Euros are better than usd for currency conversions and overall value. There are alor of incidental expenses that uyou will have to pay put of pocket to be aware of. My Spanish instructor was nice and thoughtful. Going to Cuba is a life chs going experience and you will see alor of unique things unlike other carribean destinations and their 500 years of history cannot be ignored. I came back with alot of new experiences and some new friends. You can't put a price on that.

It was my first trip outside of Europe and by myself. I'm currently 28 years old and I never took a time off to travel and discover the world. This year I decided to travel to Cuba. My cousin went to Cuba three years ago and told me about the wonderful experience she had. I searched the internet for organizations that offer dance, culture, language and also volunteering and came across Corazon Cuba. Everything about the program appealed to me and the program seemed to include exactly what I wanted to experience in my three weeks. Which finally also proved to be true.La Habana or Cuba in general is completely the opposite of Switzerland, the country I'm from. I enjoyed the freedom and the warmth that was shown to me by all the locals and surprisingly by the tourists too. Can't be done, doesn't exist. Improvisation is on the agenda and no day is like the other. I could really live three weeks in the moment and enjoy every second without thinking about the next one. I have never lived so stress-free and relaxed as during these three weeks. I have met wonderful people from all over the world with whom I want to stay in contact. But more importantly, I have learned to know and love myself in a whole new way. I have made important decisions for my future life and realized what is really important to me in life. It was almost a bit of a "soul journey" or retreat for me. And I fell in love with Cuba: its culture, its music, its flora and fauna…. simply everything. The hosts were fantastic. I felt like I was at home, although as I said, I have never traveled alone before and have never been outside of Europe. They welcomed me like a family member and they did this with all the residents. I found the stay so wonderful that I will repeat it soon. Any question or uncertainty they were immediately there to support me. So l actually did not travel alone at any second. I wish I had planned more time so that I could still travel around Cuba with the organization. Every weekend I spent at the beach. The beach and the sea in Cuba were simply breathtakingly beautiful and little filled. In the evenings during the week and on weekends, the salsa clubs were my to go place. I have never experienced so much emotion, passion and fire as at these salsa parties. Furthermore in the house we often spent time together and I enjoyed this very much. Cuba is a country where you can't do nothing by yourself, so don‘t be shy to ask the hosts for help, they are really happy to help. Everything is a bit more difficult and hidden, but it's even more fun when you've accomplished something. Don't be overwhelmed by the many impressions on the first day and connect with like-minded people so the start will be much easier. If you are willing to interact a lot you will get to know the country from all facets and enjoy the most beautiful and free time of your life. My journey in Cuba had an extraordinary impact on my life, because I completely changed my professional development. I discovered a passion for traveling and learned that I don't need that much to live and be happy. I now have more self-confidence and dare to do much more in my everyday life at home. I also have become more relaxed. I‘m very grateful that the cuban people shared their country with me and I hope I left a positive Footprint there. I‘m sure I‘ll come back.