Little Havana is at the heart of Miami. The history and ethnic landscape has invariably evolved from the native Tequesta Indians, to the British Bahamians that settled here, to the enterprising Jews of the 1930s and 40s, to the Cuban exile families of the past 50 years. Little Havana is a constant metamorphosis. According to experts, “mosaic” is the new term to replace “melting pot”. A heritage of so many bloodlines and traditions. As they are always blending and evolving, we take it a step further and identify it as a “kaleidoscope”. Our team is a part of this brilliant vibrancy. We are fully immersed, engaged, and excited to share it with you.
Discover
OUR HISTORY
Introducing
THE TEAM
Little Havana Tours holds the highest standards when it comes to joining their elite team. Each guide must demonstrate in-depth, accurate knowledge of the history and heritage of Little Havana within the larger context of Miami and Cuba history, and have a genuine interest for sharing that history. All guides are fully bilingual (English/Spanish), they both work and live in the neighborhood, and they are fully immersed in all cultural aspects.
Dr. Miguel Valentin
Tour Guide
Dr. Miguel Valentin, aka Dr. V, is proudly a Jersey-Rican. Born in New Jersey with Puerto Rican heritage, Miguel is passionate about all things Miami.
His career spans many sectors from education (teaching elementary to graduate level), sales and marketing; he also served in the US Army for six years, and as a clergy for 20 years. As part of a religious program, he studied Greek and Hebrew and has volunteered as a board of director for Christian organizations.
Starting off as a struggling student Miguel worked his way to earning a doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership. Today Dr. V primarily works as a motivational communicator and empowers leaders to discover untapped talents, reach new potential and to make their highest contributions as servant-leaders.
In his spare time, Dr. V enjoys leading cultural tours to share his heritage and passion for traditions such as food and Latin music and dancing.
Areas of Expertise:
- Latin American Culture
- Cuban, Puerto Rican food
- Latin dancing
JORDAN LEVIN
Tour Guide
Originally from the Northeast, Jordan Levin moved to Miami in the late 80’s, and quickly fell in love with Cuban music and the Hispanic culture. She has been a writer and cultural journalist since the early 90’s, including 18 years as a staff arts writer at the Miami Herald, where she was the Latin music critic and extensively covered Cuban and Hispanic culture and entertainment. She has visited Cuba three times as a reporter, covering the Cuban National Ballet and international music events. As a freelance writer, Jordan has written for multiple South Florida and national publications, and currently works frequently with leading Miami arts groups in content, marketing and community engagement. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, she was a modern dancer in New York City before coming to Miami, and has also worked as an arts presenter and grant writer.
The single mom of an aspiring teenage actress, Jordan is now bringing her love and knowledge of Miami’s Cuban history and culture as a tour guide for Little Havana Tours.
Areas of Expertise:
- Cuban and Hispanic music
- Cuban and Hispanic culture
- Miami history and culture
- Cuban-American history and culture
DANNY VAISMAN
Tour Guide
Proudly the oldest tour guide in Little Havana, Danny has witnessed the history and evolution of Little Havana for the past 40 years. A native of Peru, and having lived extensively in the Netherlands, Africa, and Costa Rica, Danny is a polyglot who speaks three languages – Spanish, Dutch, and English.
With a degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Boston University and a degree in International Business from the Netherlands School of Business, Danny launched his own insurance company. He is also recognized in local, national and worldwide Who’s Who acknowledgments, and finds time to serve his community.
Worldly experience combined with wit and dry humor make Danny a talented storyteller and his tours the most entertaining.
Areas of expertise:
- History (Miami)
- Local Business Environment
- Music (Caribbean, Latin)
- Food