Matanzas is one of the most developed provinces of Cuba in industrial terms, in the territory of which oil refineries and sugar factories are located. The province is known for the beautiful beaches of Varadero, the city of Cardenas, the peninsula of Zapata, where the biosphere reserve and Bahía de Cochinos are located.
Large cities: Cárdenas, Jovellanos, Varadero. Capital: the city of Matanzas.
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How to get
In 20 km east of the provincial capital is the airport Juan Gualberto Gómez.
Three times a day, buses from Viazul from Havana and Varadero arrive to the city of Matanzas. Several trains per day travel to Havana, Santa Clara, Camaguey, and there are also night trains to Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Santiago de Cuba.
Search airfares to Havana (nearest a / p to Matanzas)
Transport
In the capital, you can rent a car or moped at the rental points Micar, Servi-Cupet and Havanautos.
Climate
The climate is tropical, mild. The average temperature of the coldest month of the year, January, is 25-27 degrees. In August, the air warms to 30-32 degrees. The rainy season lasts from May to November, and the greatest amount of precipitation falls in June and October. The water temperature in winter reaches 24 degrees, in summer -28 degrees.
Shopping
In the city of Matanzas, there is the market Mercado La Plaza, located near the bridge Puente Sánchez Figueras.
Cardenas also has its own market, where they sell fresh vegetables and fruits. The market is located on Av 3 Oeste y Calle 12.
To the northwest of Cardenas is the factory for the production of rum - Fábrica Arrechabala - here, in 1878 the company Havana Club was founded.
Kitchen
To the east of the city of Matanzas on the San Felipe road, next to Varadero, there are two restaurants specializing in Caribbean cuisine and seafood, respectively, El Ranchón El Paso and El Marino.
Creole cuisine can be enjoyed at Restaurante Teni, located near the beach of Reparto Playa. Another Creole restaurant, El Ranchón Bellamar, is located near the Cuevas de Bellamar caves.
Beaches of the province of Matanzas
In the Bay of Pigs on the Zapata peninsula, there are two magnificent beaches - Playa Giron and Playa Larga, where divers enjoy a variety of marine life - coral formations, gorgonias, sponges. Interest is also presented by several flooded caves.
The beaches are located in the southern part of the peninsula, 108 km from the city of Matanzas, 140 km from Varadero and 120 km from Cienfuegos. You can get to them by car.
Entertainment, excursions and attractions in the province of Matanzas
In the provincial capital, you can visit the castles of San Severino (Castillo de San Severino) and Castillo del Morrillo, the pharmaceutical museum (Museo Farmacéutico), the El Retablo museum and the historical museum Museo Histórico Provincial.
The castle of San Severino was built by the Spaniards as part of the defensive ring of Cuba in 1735. In the 18th century, slaves were placed in the castle, and later it was used as a prison where Cuban patriots were executed. The castle served as a prison until 1970, and now it is a museum dedicated to slavery (Museo de la Ruta de los Esclavos). The museum is located on the Av del Muelle and is open to visitors from 9:00 to 17:00. Cost of visiting 2 convertible Cuban pesos (CUC). Prices are shown in May 2011
Museums
Castillo del Morrillo, built in 1720 - now a museum dedicated to student leader Antonio Giteras Holmes, founder of the revolutionary group "Young Cuba" (Joven Cuba).
The Pharmaceutical Museum is located in the pharmacy building, founded by the Triolett family in 1882 and functioning until 1964. The pharmacy was the first of its kind in Latin America. The museum is located on Calle 83 No. 4951 and is open to visitors from 10:00 to 17:00. The entrance fee is 3 CUC (prices are indicated in May 2011).
Theater lovers should definitely visit the El Retablo museum, where collections of fantastic costumes and puppets are collected. The museum is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00. Entrance fee - 1 CUC (prices are indicated in May 2011). Every second Saturday of the month El Retablo hosts performances.
The historical museum houses a collection of exhibits on the history of Matanzas from 1693 to the present day. The museum is open from 10:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 17:00 from Tuesday to Sunday.
Caves of Belyamar
5 km south-east of the city of Matanzas are located the caves of Belyamar more than 2,500 meters in length, and which are already over 300 thousand years old. The caves were discovered in 1861 by a Chinese worker who served with Don Manual Santos Parga. Hour tours to the cave are organized 7 times a day, starting at 9:30. To get to the caves, take bus number 16, 17 or 20 towards the Canim river and get off at Calle 226. The cave is followed by a mountain path (a walk will take about 30 min). The cost of the visit is 5 CUC (prices are indicated in May 2011).
Cardenas
In Cardenas, located just 20 km from Varadero, the Jose Smith Comas sugar factory is located .The plant organizes excursions, during which you can try the juice from sugar cane, called Guarapo, visit the field where the reed is grown, and see the process of cutting it with a machete .And then go to Cárdenas on a locomotive of the beginning of the 20th century and visit the local sights - the church of Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepcion and the historical museum of Museo de Oscar de Maria Rojas .The church dates from 1846 .and is considered the first building in Cardenas built in the neoclassical style .And the Museo de Oscar de Maria Rojas contains valuable collections in the field of history, art, science, archeology, numismatics and colonial weapons.
Zapata
On the peninsula of Zapata (Península de Zapata), located in the province of Matanzas, is the biosphere reserve "Cot of Zapata" (Ciénaga de Zapata), in the territory of which grow more than 900 species of autochthonous plants, 115 of which are endemic. Ciénaga de Zapata includes several zones - actually, the marshes of Zapata and the wildlife sanctuary of Las Salinas,
On the peninsula of Zapata there is a place called Guama (Guama), which is a model of an Indian village consisting of 12 small islands connected by wooden bridges.