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Not just another colonial city, Matanzas is a great starting point to explore its surrounding natural attractions like Bellamar, Canimar, Saturnas or Yumuri. Some 20 miles east is the Peninsula de Hicacos where Varadero attracts Cuba's largest contingent of visitors. Known at a time as the city of bridges, city of rivers or the Venice of Cuba, Matanzas was founded in 1693 and during its heyday was the island's most important seaport. Leonardo Padura, in his biography of Jose Maria Heredia underlines the influence of the local masonic lodge during the 17th and 18th centuries and its impact on Cuban culture. Matanzas (massacres in español; alludes to the aborigines wiped out by the Spanish colonials) was, most of all, the scene of the majority of cultural and political creations during its romantic period, the second half of the 19th century : schools, reviews, theatre, publications, poetry : all the "premieres" were held here before La Habana. The city is a Cuban National Monument and, since Spring 2005, a World Heritage Site. UNESCO quote : "Situated on the Caribbean coast of southern-central Cuba at the heart of the country’s sugar cane, mango, tobacco and coffee production area, the town first developed in the neo-classical style. It later became more eclectic but retained a harmonious overall townscape." It is also a city of bridges. Twenty-one in all, of which 11 have been built since the Révolucion. Main rivers are the Yumuri, the San Juan and the quiet rio Canimar, a must to relax in its stream. POPULATION 147,289 (2007) SEE.KNOW.DO (Bold text links to photo) • The whole city, the bay and the Yumuri Valley from the Mirador de Monserrate (calle 312) • Iglesia La Ermita de Monserrate (1872) • Biblioteca Gener y Del Monte • Castillo San Severino : African Art Museum and great lookout point, avenida del Muelle, 2 cuc taxi ride from center • Museo Farmacéutico (1882), kept in its original state, wood cabinets, porcelain jars; founded by Monsieur Ernest Troilet • Museo de los Bomberos (Firemen) in th old Fire Station in Parque de los Chivos • Catedral de San Carlos Borromeo • Iglesia San Pedro Apostol (restaured, in the Versalles area) • Liceo Artistico y Literario • Los Carnavales (uninterrupted 7-day fiesta downtown, during the 2nd week of August) • Museo Histórico Provincial (Palacio del Junco) and its unique mummy of Josefa Margarita Ponce de Leon • Palacio del Gobierno (City Hall) • Parque de la Libertad • Plaza de la Vigía • Teatro Sauto • Escuela San Lorenzo • Bishopric • Palacio Ferrer • Local Yoga Instructor : Yunior tel. (45) 28-79-19 EVENINGS • Casa de la Cultura José White, calle 79, patio bar, classical music concertos • Casa de la Cultura Bonifacio Byrne on calle 272 • El Pescadito calle 272, e/115 y 117 (shows, 5cuc for a bottle of rhum and 2 cocas) • Artex Las Palmas, corner calle 127 y 254 • Tropicana Matanzas (twin of Havana's most famous nightclub), 90-min shows at 22h30 for 35cuc. • Centro cultural Nelson Barrera corner 276 and 77 near the marino for afro-Cuban musica • ACAA - Asociación Cubana de Artistas y Artesanios, calle 85 with exhibits expos, patio and dancing on the roof at night • Bistro Kuba, calle 83 : only Cubans enjoying cocktails & expressos • Ruinas del Matasiete, corner via Blanca and calle 101 SEE ALSO • Baseball games (Oct. to April) at Estadio Victoria de Giron home of the local team, Los Cocodrilos • Visit the Estadio Palmar de Junco, Cuba's first baseball stadium • Bar Karaoke • Cine-Teatro Velazco • Discoteca del Campismo • Discoteca La Salsa NEW SPOT IN TOWN On the city's main park Parque de la Libertad, Matanzas can finally boast a downtown hotel worth a visit, a stay or a meal : Hotel Velasco, part of the new "E Hoteles" chain of Cubanacan. Lovingly restaured to its heyday appearance in 1902, it has a lobby restaurant, 17 bedrooms including three Junior Suites. Tel. (45) 25-38-80 WIFI SPOTS IN THE CIUDAD Get a wi-fi scratch card at Telepunto (Etecsa) on calle Jovellanos, corner (esquina) Milanés and use it (1cuc/hour) at any of the following spots in and around Matanzas (or elsewhere on the island) : Paseo Marti + Parque La Libertad + Parque Catedral + Parque Guanima + Parque La Estrella + Parque Naranjal + Parque Peñas Altas + Parque René Fraga + Parque Recreativo Monserrate + Asociación Cultural Artesanos + Centro Restaurant Bar Cafetería Plaza La Vigía + Centro de Artes Escénicas + Centro tecnologico Narvaez + Centro tecnologico Universidad Camilo Cienfuegos + Instituto de Belleza + Sala de Turismo Hospital Faustino Perez + Universidad de Ciencias Médicas ![]() |
The town boasts 20 architectural spots - Click on ! ![]() ![]() From atop La Escalinata, the bay on the horizon © evitier, panoramio •|• At the foot of La Escalinata, sweating on the horizon © evitier, panoramio ![]() Parque de la Libertad. © sogestour ![]() Areas of discovery in unspoilt nature abound - west of town. Click for maps & details - en español © norfipc ![]() Regional GoogleEarth map with our details. Click to enlarge. ![]() Bus Tour — Matanzas to Varadero and back : 10cuc/day - CLICK FOR DETAILS •|• Corner of the Catedral © sogestour ![]() Exhuberant youth playing for the camera (yes, we did mail them the photo) © sogestour •|• Iglesia San Pedro Apostol in Versailles © sogestour ![]() Teatro Sauto, the city's prestigious and historical cultural landmark © sogestour •|• Across the street, the court, Palacio de Justicia © sogestour ![]() Cruising down the Rio Canimar © Marilyn Perdomo •|• Same river, otra vista © Mimmo Fabrizzi ![]() Slow choo-choo (Not! It's electric) from Havana, famous Hershey Train in Matanzas station - Enlarge © carlyle ellis covenant grafix YouTube various Hershey Train videos here •|• Bacunayagua bridge from its mirador. © sogestour ![]() Chevy Bel Air crossing one of the city's bridges with the Versalles church in background © claire boobbyer - wanderlust |
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![]() Viazul Bus arriving twice per day from Havana leaving LaHab 08h30 arr here 10h35 or leaving Havana 16h40 arr 18h45 7 Euros p.p. Credit Card, website booking only - these guaguas making 10 further stops crossing the island to Santiago - Return leaving Matanzas 14h arr LaHab 15h50 and 17h05 arr LaHab 18h55. Terminal located on Calzada de Esteban in Pueblo Nuevo LOOK FOR taxi hustlers; casa owners & jiniteros + Bus company personnel underpaid and "ill-informed" ("Internet down", bagage surchages, wheeling & dealing 24/7) tel (45) 29-14-73 updated 22 Jan 24 Good Luck |
TRANSPORTATION • Hershey Train, famous electric tren From Habana's Casablanca station in La Regla across the bay from Habana Vieja. Departs daily at 4h45 (arr here 08h07), 12h21 (arr here 15h41), 16h35 (arr here 20h19) for 93 km and 3 or 4 hours of pleasure with countryside and stops along the way ! A 3cuc pp ride. From Matanzas, it leaves from Estacion Hershey, calle 67 in Versalles (45) 24-7254. Stops in Canasi, Jibacoa, Hershey and Guanabo : 04h39 (arr 08h01), 12h09 (arr 15h31), 16h25 (arr 19h49) • Regular trains Station located on calle 181 Tel. (45) 29-2409 • Airport Juan Gualberto Gomez International is 20km away is considered Varadero's airport and is about 20km before arriving in Varadero from here. Tel. (45) 61-3016 |
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![]() El Rio Canimar © norfipc.com ![]() Mirador de Bacunayagua © norfipc.com ![]() Sierra de Camarones © norfipc.com |
EXCURSIONS IN THE AREA • Caverna de Santa Catalina (21 km-Itin) : unique formation of a giant mushroom • Lomas de Galindo (15 km-Itin) + • Los Arcos de Canasi (26 km-Itin) + • Los valles de Picadura (35 km-Itin) + • El Pan de Matanzas (21 km-Itin) + • El valle de Rio Yumuri (3,4 km-Itin) + • Laguna de Maya + • Cuevas de Bellamar (5,2 km-Itin) : can all be found on the norfipc page (Español) here. Laguna de Maya reserve (lake, restaurant, boat rental, horse riding) where Ecotur guides can take you to the reef off Playa Coral (300 species of fish) for only cuc instrad of full paquete from city which sells for 25cuc. From there you can trek 2.5 km to • Cueva Saturno (19km-Itin) cafeteria, bar, swimming for scuba (deep well for pros) or snorkel; place is hustler heaven and maybe not really worth the detour; tel (45) 25-32-72 • Campismo Rio Canimar (10km-Itin) Take a local guagua (bus) leaving from the cathedral to the starting point at Canimar Abajo some 8km away via Guanabana. On a yacht with meal and drink service, you cruise up the rio for 12km to Canimar Arriba with musical and ecolo stopovers. Highly recommended. 25cuc with a group, from the Varadero bridge through the Cubamar agency. Or take a taxi particular (which can wait for you and bring you back to town) and rent a rowboat (2cuc/hour). Swimming, nature appreciation, horseback riding, small zoo, rodeo • Cuevas de Bellamar (5km-Itin) : ranchon, meals. • Mirador of the Bacunayagua bridge (20km-Itin) : restaurant, artisan work, superb views • Rio Canimar (10km-Itin) : walk along the rio, from under the bridge to the Museo Morillo at the mouth of the river; take bus 16 or 17 from the town centre. • Rent a scooter at Hotel Canimao or through the owner of your casa : 24cuc for 24 hours; driver's permit not required; a must-do, to discover the whole area, all the way to the end of Hicacos where some spots are still virgin. |
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HERSHEY, ITS TRAIN, ITS GARDENS ...
Since 2017, there is almost nothing left of the famous railway route set up by the American King of Chocolate - Hershey - to take his friends and other Hollywood stars from the capital (Regla, on the Bay of La Habana) to his imposing hacienda near his own sugar mill in Hershey. The only part of the route remaining in operation as of August 2023 - An electric loco-car runs from Jaruco to Hershey, via El Comino, La Loma de Travieso and San Antonio del Rio Blanco. 10 trips per day at an affordable price of 40 centavos. Source On the other hand, you can visit some parts of this mini kingdom like Jardines Hershey. See map below. Anne-Marie, a Quebecer, rents 3 rooms in a casa (now with a pool) near the town, Cub'Anita - 1 km from the Jardines or 38 km from Matanzas. |
Seul ![]() ![]() ![]() A casa rents near Hershey town : Cub'Anita |