 |
|||
|
|
|||
 Downtown, the playa on the bahia is appreciated by surfers who ride its constant winds. © sogestour |
|||
| Not just another colonial city, Matanzas is a great starting point to explore its surrounding natural attractions like Bellamar, Canimar, Saturnas, Yumuri. Some 20 miles east is the Peninsula de Hicacos where Varadero attracts Cuba's largest contingent of visitors. In high season some 30,000 tourists stay there every night. Many of the resort's thousands of hotel staff were born and raised in Matanzas. 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. Contrary to La Habana, there are almost no jineteros (buquenques) to hustle visitors.  NoteOn arrival at the Viazul bus terminal, the people offering their casas are usually not hustlers. They are the actual owners who will show you pictures and even their permit. Do not turn them away, René.
POPULATION 128,600 SEE (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 PLAYAS The nicest local beaches for farnientes and picnics : • Playa Mamey, 8km away near the bridge over the Canimar • Playa El Coral at 12 km, near the cuevas (caves) and on the way to the airport : coco trees, nice corral formations, scuba, meals & snacks. Get there by local 16, 17 our 20 busses in town (20 centavos MN) • El Tennis, 1km, rent a bicicleta acuatica (pedal boat) • La Caridad, 4km • Buey Vaca, 6 km • A day on Varadero beaches : take the Viazul bus at 10h00, drops you at calle 36 in Varadero town, returns at 18h00; 12cuc return fare. RESTAURANTS • Cafeteria Velasco • Café Atenas • Hotel Louvre • Paladin del Medio PALADARES (in pesos cubanos) • La Casona • La Yumurina • La Tarifa. EVENINGS • Best spot to make friends opened late 07 : La Vigia is facing the old fire station (bomberos) maybe because some clients could set your heart on fire ! • Bar Karaoke • Casa de la Cultura José White • Casa de la Cultura Bonifacio Byrne • Discoteca La Salsa • Discoteca del Campismo • El Pescadito (shows, 5cuc for a bottle of rhum and 2 cocas) • Las Palmas • Ruinas del Matasiete • Tropicana Matanzas (twin of Havana's most famous nightclub), 90-min shows at 22h30 for 35cuc. • Baseball at Estadio Victoria de Giron; visit the Estadio Palmar de Junco, Cuba's first baseball stadium. TRANSPORT Viazul Bus (See schedule link above) Terminal located on Calzada de Esteban. (45) 91-64-45 Other routes : Camaguey (1/2 - Every 2nd day - 19cuc), Cardenas (2xdaily 2cuc), Jaguey Grande (3xdaily 3cuc), Jovellanos (3xdaily 2cuc), Santa Clara (daily, 8cuc), Santiago (2nd day, 31cuc), Varadero (3xdaily 10cuc). • Hershey Train, sole electric tren in Cuba To/from La Habana's Casablanca station Tel. (7) 862-4888, steps from the Habana Vieja to La Regla ferry dock. A 5-time daily 3-hour adventure (instead of the 90 min. regular train) : great for 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. • Regular trains Station located on calle 181 Tel. (45) 29-2409 Many arrivals and departures to/from Havana (90 mins, 3cuc). Going east, the daily rapido at 18h00 to Santa Clara (8cuc), Ciego de Avila (15cuc), Camaguey (19cuc), Las Tunas (24cuc), Cacocum/Holguin (27cuc), and Santiago (32cuc). • Airport Juan Gualberto Gomez International is 35km away at the entrance to Varadero and serves as its airport as well. (45) 61-3016  Ten large pictures. Click each pix to move on. Comments and suggestions webmaster @cubacasas.net |
 Parque de la Libertad. © sogestour  Map of city with casas. © Footprint Handbooks Ltd.  Regional GoogleEarth map with our details  Corner of cathedral. •|• Again © sogestour  Exhuberant youth •|• Ceremony under tree © sogestour  Iglesia San Pedro Apostol in Versailles © sogestour •|• Chicas © sogestour  Teatro Sauto © sogestour •|• Palacio de Justicia © sogestour  Cruising down the river Canimar © Marilyn Perdomo •|• Same river, other view © Mimmo Fabrizzi  Bacunayagua bridge from its mirador. Click © sogestour •|• Hershey Train in Matanzas station © sogestour |
||
EXCURSIONS Campismo Rio Canimar 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 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 Saturna, near the airport (cafeteria, bar, swimming), 15km away : scuba or snorkel • Cuevas Santa Catalina, 12 km : unique mushroom-like formation. 6cuc. • Cuevas de Bellamar (5 km) : ranchon, meals. • Mirador of the Bacunayagua bridge : restaurant, artisan work, superb views • Rio Canimar : 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. |
|||
| BOOK BY PHONE • from Canada and the USA : 011 53 (add phone # preceded by 45 for Matanzas). • from Europe, Great Britain, Scandinavia and Mexico : 00 53 (add phone # preceded by 45 for Matanzas). |
 BOOK BY EMAIL : Click on logo to open a message addressed to that casa in your email application; or right-click to copy address showing at bottom of browser window. Spanish vocabulary here.  |
||
| Click photos to see each casa's page and description. Locate most casas on this map of the city here. |
See all casas in sequence.
 Move to next casa by clicking this logo. |
||
EVELIO y ISEL Evelio Valdes Moreno and wife Isel Calle 79 (Contreras or Bonifacio Byrne) #28201, apt. 3, e/282 y 288 Tel. (45) 24-30-90 Cellular (5) 281-4966 On the second floor of a modern building dating from the 60's, a large apartment with living and dining rooms and at the end of the corridor, two air-conditioned (fridge and tv, and hi-fi) bedrooms with a shared bathroom. End room has balcony with awning. Succulent cuisine : breakfasts 3cuc, dinners 8cuc. Rate : 20cuc per bedroom (2 adults max.)  Click for more photos. © sogestour |
LA VILLA SOÑADA Armando Machado Vega Calle Santa Teresa # 6701, esq. (corner) Santa Isabel Tel. (45) 24-27-61 Cellular (5) 290-2168 Located only three blocks from the city's main square, this casa colonial offers one lovely air-conditioned bedroom with private bathroom. A large terrace can be used to enjoy meals. Music and joie de vivre are always part of Armando's hospitality. Rate : 20-25cuc for the bedroom (2 adults max.).  Click to see more. © sogestour |
||
CASA MARILYN Marilyn Perdomo Diaz Linea Secunda (2da) # 15102, e/ Callejòn de Desamparados y Santa Isabel, Calzada San Luis, in reparto (burrough) Pueblo Nuevo, west of centre. Tel. (45) 24-79-45 Fine casa located between town center and beach - easy transport into town centre with carriage or taxi-bicycle or on foot, (a 10-min. walk). Bikes available. She rents two quality bedrooms on second floor, adjacent private balcony, a private bathroom, fan, refrigerator. Car parking. Meals served : meat dish 8cuc, seafood 9cuc New low rates : 15-18CUC per bedroom per night (2 adults max.). |
 Click to see more. © JL Mackels |
||
SRA. RAISA RODRIGUEZ V Calle 85 (de Medio) No. 29215, entre 292 (Manzaneda) y 294 (Zaragoza), near the historic centre. Tel. (45) 24-27-03 Raisa and her sons offer a large, ventilated, aircon and well decorated bedroom with its own bathroom. Interior patio. Lower rates for stays of 14 days and more. Meals, breakfasts, lunches and dinners) served on request. Laundry service. Parking near the casa. Rates : 20-25cuc for the bedroom per night (2 adults max). |
 Mouseover for bedroom. |
||
MARIANELA GARCIA Calle Cuba 29402, entre Manzaneda y Dos de Mayo. Near the river, still close to centre. Tel. (45) 24-36-34. Colonial-type casa dating from 1867. Marianela offers a ventilated bedroom with two beds (double, single) with fan and private bathroom. Calm and intimacy assured. |
 Click for more photos. © sogestour |
||
UBALDO B. RODRIGUEZ RIVAS Manzano (calle 77) No. 29006, e/ Santa Teresa (calle 290) y Zaragoza (calle 292), in town center near Parque de la Libertad. Tel. (45) 24-25-54 An independent aircon bedroom (a double bed or matrimonio) with fridge, table and a private inside bathroom. This space is located away from the building with its own private access. |
 Click for more photos. © sogestour |
||
VILLA ENCANTO Victor y Gloria Calzada Esteban 27618, entre San Ambrocio y San Vicente, in reparto (burrough) Pueblo Nuevo, west of centre near the Viazul bus terminal. Tel. (45) 20-11-35 cell (015) 291-6661 A nice comfortable casa, some 10 mins. from town centre. Independent entrance, living room, equiped kitchen, two air-conditioned bedrooms, one shared bathroom, two terraces. Also available for guests : tv set, tape, fridge, safety lock and car parking. The couple offers free car rides to tourist spots in town and can prepare dinners for 7cuc, breakfasts for 3. Rates 20-25cuc per bedroom (2 adults max.) |
 Click for more photos. © sogestour |
||
HOSTAL VANESA V Sra Susana Candales Calle del Médio 29820, e/América y dos de Mayo Tel (45) 24-37-63 " A large colonial owned by two sisters. Very nice patio. I rented the bedroom upstairs with its double bed, washbasin, sofa, TV, aircon, fridge, private bathroom and a small private terrace. " Next door on same floor, a suite (for a family), with aircon, fridge, bathroom, a double bed and an adjacent smaller room with two single beds and aircon. Only two bedrooms can be rented per night. Meals served on request. " Listed in Petit Futé 2007-2008 Reference : Jean-Claude Roland 21.03.05 |
 Mouseover for bedroom. © Jean-Claude Roland |
||
LUIS ALBERTO HERNANDEZ V Calle 83 (Milanes) # 29008 (upstairs), entre Santa Teresa y Zaragosa, near the Hotel Louvre and the Matancera cathedral. Tel. (45) 24-78-10 An 1850 colonial located in the historic centre. Two a/c bedrooms with fridge and radio. One with a double, the other with a single and a double. Excellent meals. |
MARIA JESUS PASTRANA V Calle Pilar # 23010, e/ 3rd. and 4th (between Tercera y Quarta) Tel. (45) 26-21-88 Modern house adjacent to the Tenne beach. The room has air conditioning, private bathroom, refrigerator and TV. Maria is a retired dental surgeon. Rates : 20cuc for room (2 adults max.) Also available : breakfast, meals and parking. Suggested by Juan José Brizuela |
||
MARGARITA ROMERO BRITO y ROBERTO CHAVEZ LLERENA V Calle 79 (Contreras or Bonifacio Byrne) #27608, entre 280 y 282 Tel. (45) 24-25-77 One of the large casas of the city, dating from the 19th century. Two ventilated bedrooms (a triple, a double), shared bath; superb interior patio. Rates : 20cuc for the bedroom (2 adults max). |
" I suggest this casa to eat well and sleep comfortably : hosts are great ! Ceilings are more than 20 feet high ! Breakfasts 3 cuc, meals 6 (meat), 8-10 for fish or seafood. Enclosed garage for your rental car or across the street where owner can wash your car for 1 or 2cuc. Bon voyage. " From Olivier Menendez on terresdumonde, Feb. 2005 |
||
Near the bay, on the way to rio Canimar, the caves at Bellamar, the airport and the peninsula de Hicacos (Varadero), the following casas are away from the town center in the repartos (burroughs) Garcia and Playa. From their balconies, they offer views of the majestic bahia de Matanzas. |
|||
| CASA VISTAMAR V Calle 129 (General Betancourt) 14224, e/143 y 144, Reparto Reynol Garcia Tel. (45) 26 13 64 or (45) 26 23 37 "I spent three glorious weeks there and I have only fond memories : Private entrance to the 2nd floor where two a/c bedrooms each with a double bed and their own private bathrooms. "Kitchenette with table and chairs. Terrace opening on to the bay. Very clean and secure. Excellent meals prepared on request." Listed in Petit Futé 2007-2008 |
 Mouseover for inside. |
||
NOEL DOBANGANES y MARIA HELENA MARTINEZ V Calle 129 (General Betancourt) 20615 entre 206 y 208 Municipio Playa, 50 m from the bay, near the Servi Cupet. Tel: (45) 26-14-46 Apartment with privacy in back of Noel's bungalow with independent access by way of the garden. |
Air conditioned, dining room, fridge. Quiet in the evening, nice sunsets. Hospitable couple who can prepare meals. The bus route nearby goes to Varadero in 25 minutes. |
||
VILLA MONTELIMAR V Manuel Zamora & Isma Mendez Calle 129 (General Betancourt) 21808, entre calle 218 (Doblada) and calle 220 (Plumero) Reparto Playa. About 1 km from Bellamar, 2 km from historical centre and 30km from Varadero. Tel. (45) 26-25-48 Large a/c bedroom with private bath; independent access through the garden. |
"Opened in August 04, the service there is excellent; Senora Isma is truly kind and speaks English pretty well. I spent 5 nights. Well-located place on the beach side, towards Varadero and near the bus station. Superb garden; attentioned hosts." Source : Martine Desroches, sept. 2004 |
||
VILLA ANA BEATRIZ V Ana Lilia Triana Abad Calle 129 (General Betancourt) 21603 e/216 y 218, on the road to the airport Tel (45) 26 15 76 Nice casa located oberlooking the water. Possibility of swimming close by. |
Two bedrooms, one with kitchenette. Direct bus to Varadero passes right in front. Friendly and hospitable family. Refered by Heike Sch., Berlin Rate : 25cuc per bedroom (2 pers. max). |
||
 |
|||
 |
Content & photos © sogestour  Updated |
||
