Matanzas

  Matanzas at a glance
Province
Matanzas
Capital City
Matanzas
Matanzas province - geographic location in Cuba
Province Matanzas in Cuba - coat of arms
Havana
98 km
Santiago de Cuba
797 km

Top-Attractions

  • Varadero, for that uncomplicated "fun in the sun" holiday experience
  • Scuba diving between Playa Larga and Playa Giron
  • The capital city of Matanzas with its important cultural offer
  • Nature - go bird watching or check out the crocodiles at Cienaga de Zapata (the largest swamp in Cuba).
  • Sports - everything from sailing, snorkeling, kiteboarding and skydiving to golf.
Accommodation Matanzas

  Photo gallery

  • Varadero beach with parasols
    Varadero is the best choice in Cuba if you just want fun & sun holidays
  • White sand beach Varadero - Matanzas province
    20 km white sandy beaches in Varadero
  • Resort beach "Hotel Melia Las Antillas" Varadero
    Beach "Hotel Melia Las Antillas" Varadero
  • Varadero beach with palms
    Varadero means blue sky and, clear waters and an endless white beach
  • Beach tour bus Varadero
    The hotels and the village in Varadero are well connected by public bus
  • Playa Giron- Matanzas province
    THe "Playa Giron" beach in the Matanzas province
  • All inclusive resort n Varadero Cuba
    There are about 50 hotels in Varadero
  • Bridge in Matanzas province "Bacunayagua"
    "Bacunayagua" - the longest bridge in Cuba - Matanzas province
  • Warplane in the museum "Playa Giron"
    Warplane from the fights in the Bay of Pigs - Museum Playa Giron
  • Poster in the Playa Giron Museum Matanzas
    The memory of the battle in the Bay of Pigs is upheld today
  • Varadero palms by the beach
    Behind the palms you have the white sandy beach of Varadero
  • Playa Giron beach in the south of the Cuban Matanzas province
    Together with Playa Larga, the Playa Giron ist the best beach you find in the south of Matanzas
  • Rural scene with cows in Matanzas Cuba
    Far away from the tourist centers you find the rural life of Matanzas
  • Tank in the Playa Giron Museum
    Tank in the Playa Giron Museum - Fidel Castro drove one himself here
  • "Casa del Tabaco" - Tobacco shop in Varadero
    Tobacco shop "Casa del Tabaco" - Varadero village
  • Matanzas city panoramic view
    City of Matanzas
Tourism Matanzas

Beaches |
Nature |
Nightlife |
Relax |

Matanzas is Cuba’s second largest province and home to its largest tourist resort - Varadero. There are well over 50 hotels in Varadero, along with one of the finest beaches in Cuba.

In the south there’s the famous "Bay of Pigs" and "Playa Girón" beach. Inland there’s the stunning Valley of Yumuri with its wholly enchanting landscape.

Matanzas - Capital city

Cuba Matanzas sights

Matanzas is often referred to as the “Venice of Cuba” because of its many bridges. In total there are 17 crossing the three rivers (Rio Yumuri, San Juan, and Canimar). It’s also known as the “Athens of Cuba” for its many poets and famous Afro-Cuban folklore.
Matanzas is located east of Havana, 32 kilometers west of Varadero.

Sights in Matanzas

Varadero

Varadero - holiday paradise in Matanzas Cuba

Varadero town is located on a peninsula, between the Bay of Cárdenas and the Straits of Florida. It’s one of the most exclusive parts of Cuba, packed with top class hotels, stunning stretches of beach and even a golf course. Varadero is one of the largest resort areas in the Caribbean.

The main airport here is "Juan Gualberto Gomez" (VRA) and you can fly here directly from Canada and Europe.

Apart from its amazing beaches, Varadero has some fascinating caves you can explore and a chain of idyllic virgin cays, all close by. There are facilities for all kinds of water sports, including scuba diving, deep-sea fishing and yachting. Cultural attractions include the cities of Matanzas and Cardenas the Zapata peninsula - home to the Ciénaga de Zapata National Park.

Beaches in Matanzas

Varadero beach

Varadero Beach

Varadero - perhaps Cuba’s finest beach - offers over 20 kilometers of dazzling white powdery sands bathed with crystal clear warm turquoise waters. Many believe it to be the most beautiful shoreline in the world.
It’s located 140 kilometers from Havana City and has well over 50 hotels and resorts, over 15,000 rooms and 50 weekly flights coming in from Canada alone. There’s no shortage of activities in which to indulge here.

Beach "Playa Larga"

Playa Larga is situated in the infamous “Bay of Pigs”, where a small number of Cuban exiles landed and attempted to overthrow Fidel Castro back in the 60’s. Castro was ready for them and the whole event turned out to be an embarrassing fiasco.

The diving here is spectacular. Expect temperatures of around 25 degrees with 20-30 m visibility. Playa Larga’s warm blue waters are home to a variety of species - huge colonies of crabs, lobsters and barracudas.
Bird watching is also popular here in the Montemar Great Natural Park. In the southwest of Playa Larga, you can see many species of migratory waterfowls between November and April.

Beach "Playa Girón"

The beach "Playa Girón", just east of the Bay of Pigs, is also a very popular diving spot. The "Cueva de los Peces" is one of its biggest attractions (for divers). This stunning crystal clear natural pool is over 70 meters deep and just 200 m back from the beach. It’s a flooded cave with a collapsed roof with a series of underground passages and many colorful fish.

Matanzas Province is huge and pretty much has everything from beaches and mountains to history and culture. Whether you’re planning on staying in a casa particulare in Mantanzas capital or a touristy hotel in Varadero, you’re likely to fall in love with this diverse and captivating part of Cuba.

Sights and Beaches
Cuba Matanzas sights
Cuba Matanzas beaches
Beaches
  • Playa Varadero
  • Playa Girón
  • Playa Larga (Bahía de Cochinos)
  • Playa Los Cocos (Bahía de Cochinos)
  • Playa Judio (Matanzas)
  • Playa Bacalao
  • Playa Sucia
  • Playa Camacho
  • Playa Caleta
  • Playa Musulmanes
Accommodation
Cuba Matanzas private accommodation
Private accommodation ("casas particulares")
  • Matanzas
  • Playa Larga - Parque Nacional Zapata
  • Varadero
  • Jaguey Grande
Cuba Matanzas hotels
Hotels
"Hotel E Velasco","Hotel Islazul Canimao"
"Hotel Casa del Valle"
"Hotel Horizontes Batey Don Pedro",
"Hotel Cubanacan Playa Giron"
"Gran Caribe Hotel Varadero Internacional", "Iberostar Varadero", "BelleVue Palma Real", "Hotel Club Kawama", "Breezes Bella Costa", "Hotel Be Live Las Morlas", "Islazul Villa La Mar", "Hotel Barcelo Cayo Libertad", "Hotel Barcelo Marina Palace", "Hotel Barcelo Solymar Arenas Blancas", "Blau Marina Varadero Resort", "Islazul Mar del Sur Aparthotel", "Hotel Be Live Turquesa", "Hotel Acuazul", "Islazul Villa Sotavento", "Hotel Tuxpan", "BelleVue Sunbeach", "Sol Palmeras", "Mansion Xanadu", "Islazul Hotel Dos Mares", "Hotel Horizontes Herradura", "Hotel Roc Arenas Doradas", "Sol Sirenas Coral Resort", "Hotel Club Puntarena", "Mercure Playa de Oro", "Hotel Roc Barlovento", "Brisas del Caribe Hotel", "Hotel Allegro Varadero", "Gran Caribe Villa Tortuga", "Playa Caleta", "Hotel Villa Cuba", "Hotel Aguas Azules", "Hotel Cuatro Palmas Varadero", "Club Tropical", "Hotel Los Delfines", "Blau Privilege Cayo Libertad Hotel", "Melia Las Americas", "Villa DuPont", "Hotel Riu Varadero", "Paradisus Varadero Resort & Spa", "Royalton Hicacos Varadero Resort & Spa", "Paradisus Princesa del Mar Resort & Spa", "Tortuga Lodge", "Iberostar Tainos", "Memories Varadero Beach Resort", "Ocean Varadero El Patriarca", "Iberostar Laguna Azul", "Iberostar Playa Alameda Hotel", "Melia Varadero", "Melia Península Varadero", "Blau Varadero Hotel Cuba", "Breezes Varadero"
Transport
Airport in Matanzas Cuba and Varadero
Airport
  • Varadero (VRA)
Bus in Matanzas & Varadero Cuba - "VIAZUL" company
Bus stop "Viazul"
  • Matanzas
  • Varadero
Bus in Matanzas Cuba - "ASTRO" company
Bus stop "ASTRO"
  • Matanzas
Train in Cuba - Train stations in Matanzas
Train station
  • Matanzas
  • Cárdenas
  • Unión de Reyes
  • Limonar
  • Jovellanos
  • Perico
  • Colón
  • Pedro Betancourt
  • Agramonte
Car rental in Matanzas & Varadero Cuba
Car rental
  • Matanzas
  • Varadero: Aeropuerto Varadero, Hotel Arenas Doradas, Hotel Villa Cuba, Hotel Arenas Blancas, Hotel Cuatro Palmas, Hotel Mar del Sur, Hotel Oasis, Hotel Tropical, Hotel Brisas del Caribe, Hotel Bella Costa, Plaza América, Club Amigo Varadero, Hotel Meliá Varadero, Hotel Sol Palmeras, Hotel Tuxpan
Useful Information
Cuba Matanzas Internet
Internet - Public wifi
  • Matanzas City: Parque La Libertad, Peñas Altas
  • Varadero: Complejo Todo en Uno, in the hotels
English