Just when I thought I had seen and heard it all, when it came down to the fabric of this community, I take a Sunday morning tour with Christine Michaels and realized I knew nothing. I had spent the last 4 and a half years visiting Little Havana working on a visual arts project before I was introduced to Christine and Anneliese from the tour company and honestly without them, my project would not have been half as good as it is now, having spent time with them and taking this tour. Their knowledge of this community is unrivaled…their passion they wear on their sleeves. I’ve been on all tours all over from New York to Rome and they all seem to be the same…short, sweet and scripted. Not Little Havana Tours. This neighborhood not only caught my attention but stole my heart and after taking the tour, my love for Calle Ocho and the people who call this place home only got stronger. This is the best neighborhood in all of Miami and if you are looking to add culture to your South Florida vacation, this is a MUST!!!
This tour was brilliant. The morning start was ideal, cooler, and less crowded. This afforded us the chance to meet and talk to shop owners and get access to more places Our group was only six people. Perfect. Christine our guide was excellent. She was knowledgeable and could appeal to all interests and personalities. When we saw other food or bus tours with 20 plus people we were so relieved to be on this tour. They had to stand and eat in hot sun. Our small group was able to sit down in air condition, relax, and cool off. After the tour we revisited some favorite stops and to buy souvenirs. We recommend giving yourself extra time after the tour to do this. There is much to learn and discover you would never know on your own. Loved learning many traditions and customs. Classy operation, great value and a mini feast of flavorful food! Highly recommend.
Admittedly I am not keen on tours and I dutifully agreed to accompany my wife. I enjoyed it so much that I could not stop talking about it afterward my wife was rolling her eyes. James’ narrative of the history and the role of the mob and his personal experience as nightlife reporter made it so real and vivid. And I thoroughly appreciated learning about the Art Deco architecture.
What a fabulous walking tour! I got to understand about Little Havana and the Cuban experience and also how other diverse people reside in the area. We saw wonderful cuban coffee prepared and brewed, how cigars are handrolled, and a highlight was a wonderful Panama hat shop. Anneliese was very knowledgeable.
Art deco tour with James exceeded my expectation. Valuable, cultural, surprising and unknown information was narrated in a natural conversation like way. He was very considerate, always aware of our safety and prompt and willing to answer questions. He is a great story teller which makes the tour come alive and maintains it highly interesting. Definitely, I would give the tour with James a ten star rating . Keep up the good work.
I highly enjoyed the tour of Little Havana. Anneliese made it very special. As if you knew her your whole life. Her explanations and narration made it feel as if she had lived through the different events. She is a great tour guide. No question about it the tour, it is certainly a five star tour. Keep up the wonderful job.