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Liberty Park Matanzas Cuba

Parque de La Libertad Matanzas Cuba

Liberty Park is one of the nicest areas of Matanzas, with beautiful architecture, interesting museums and abundant trees for shade, its great place for people watching. Just a few blocks directly west of Plaza de la Vigía you’ll discover Parque de La Libertad, within a few blocks of several more of Matanzas’ most interesting sights, including a 1909 bronze statue of José Martí which takes center stage of the Parque de La Libertad Matanzas.

The park is also the bus stop for the Varadero Hop On – Hop Off Bus which visits Matanzas so if you are visiting Matanzas from Varadero you will invariably stop here. The Libertad Park is perfectly suited as a central point for your discovery of Matanzas, as most sights are within a few block of this central city square.


Bridge of Bacunayagua Matanzas

Puente de Bacunayagua Cuba

Holding the record as Cuba’s highest bridge the Puente de Bacunayagua was inaugurated in September 1959 and sits impressively at 110 meters above the valley below. The bridge marks the spot of the division between the provinces of Mayabeque and Matanzas. Considered by Cubans and visitors alike as one of the seven wonders of Cuban civil engineering, the bridge has its own restaurant with a panoramic observation deck on the Havana side of the bridge, looking towards the Matanzas coastline.

 

On the coastal cove side of the bridge in Matanzas there’s a very popular campground frequented by thousands during the summer months. As the bridge is part of the only main road to Matanzas and Varadero, every tourist who travels between Havana and either of these two tourist destination have traversed the bridge. On most occasions tourist buses will stop en-route to allow you to experience the impressive view, take photos or visit the snack bar and restaurant.

Castle of San Severino Castillo

Castle of San Severino Matanzas Cuba

In 2009 the city of Matanzas inaugurated a national museum on the Slave Route in the Castle of San Severino.

The Museum of the Slave Trade in Cuba was opened by UNESCO and tells the riveting story about how the Atlantic slave trade forms an essential part of the shared history of Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and Americas.

Designed to bridge generations, the museum is an interesting place to learn about African history, traditions and languages and how they transcended into the Caribbean and the Americas due to the slave trading. Much like the move “12 years a slave” the interest surrounding the Slave Route and resulting museum is to break the silence on the immoral and ignoble practice of which Africa was an unfortunate victim. The Cuban slave trade museum hosts an important exhibition of pictures and texts never before revealed to the public, outlining the practices of the slave traders and the relevance of Cuba in the transatlantic trade. Visitors can learn about calimbo, a practice consisting of branding the African slaves with a red-hot iron when they arrived as if they were animals, to identify them as a purchaser’s property. They were branded on the stomach, arms or back and in the case of females on the chest or legs.

The castle that houses the museum laid its first stone on October 13, 1693 and was completed during the early 1700s. What is now called the  “Sub-Saharan Holocaust” is considered the worst ever known to humanity as Africans were torn from their mother land, never to return to their homes, families or cultures.

Northeast of Versalles in Matanzas the Castillo de San Severino was completed by the Spanish in 1735 as part of Cuba’s defensive ring. Slaves were offloaded during the 18th century. Later, the castle was conspicuously used to imprison Cuban patriots and sometimes the site of mass executions. San Severino Castle remained a prison until the 1970s. The Castle of San Severino now houses the aforementioned Museo de la Ruta de los Esclavos.

The Castle of San Severino with its authentic central square has great views of the Bahía de Matanzas. At a short 2CUC taxi ride from the center of Matanzas City, the Castle of San Severino museum is both an interesting historic venue and a perfect location from which to view the city back across the bay.

To see more museums like the Castle of San Severino in Matanzas and the rest of Cuba, visit Cuba Museums

Sauto Theater Matanzas Cuba

Sauto Theater Matanzas Cuba

The Sauto Theater opened in 1863 and has remained a focal point of the city ever since. Designed in U-shaped 775-seat configuration it is hailed by musicians to have some of best acoustic resonances in the world. The interior of the Teatro Sauto is almost completely covered with ornate wood-paneling giving the interior a bourgeois appearance. The seating area has three VIP balconies and the floor can be raised internally to convert the auditorium into a ballroom. Considered the most elegant and functional of 19th-century Cuban theatres, bypassing similar structures even in Havana, it has become an architectural symbol of the city, so much so that the great Mexican muralist Diego Rivera once stated, “I recognize Matanzas by the Sauto.” The theatre was declared a National Monument in 1978 by the Cuban government. The original theater curtain is a painting of the Puente de la Concordia over the Yumurí River in Matanzas. The luxurious lobby offers a precious array of Carrara marble statues of Greek goddesses and the main hall ceiling features paintings of the muses.

Amongst artists who have appeared at the Sauto Theater we have Cuba’s most recognized Ballerina Alicia Alonso, the Russian Ballerina Anna Pavlova, the tenor Enrico Caruso, actress Sarah Bernhardt, Cuban musician Ernesto Lecuona, playwright and Nobel Laureate Jacinto Benavente, actress and singer Libertad Lamarque, Spanish dancer Antonio Gades, the composer, guitarist and conductor Leo Brouwer and the charismatic entertainer Snowball.

Even if you are disinterested in the theater or performing arts, the Sauto Theater is an architectural marvel in its own right and well worth your time.

Botica Francesa Dr. E. Triolet Matanzas

Pharmacy Museum Matanzas Cuba

The Pharmacy Museum La Botica Triolet in Matanzas is a rare find indeed. Located in the city center next to the Libertad Park and a few steps from the Sauto Theater, the pharmacy dates back to 1882 and still maintains its original décor. The woodwork, architecture and all the old 19th century equipment and ceramic bottles are all from the period. The tour is just 3CUC per person and well worth the cost. You’ll learn how medicine was made in the room behind the store with old recipes still on show to visitors. The museum not only has the original store front but also the back rooms where medications were prepared are beautifully preserved with ornate wood carvings and shelves for the medicines. You can almost imagine walking in there 100 years ago with an ailment and being served a concoction created onsite. Probably the most intriguing aspect of the Pharmacy Museum is the large collection of US, European and Cuban medications from the époque, which show just how well connected Matanzas was with the rest of the world even a century ago. To see this and other museums in Matanzas visit Cuba Museums

Bellamar Caves Matanzas

Bellamar Caves Matanzas

The 2.5KM (1.5 miles) of underground caves called the Cuevas Bellamar are by far Cuba’s oldest tourist attraction. Located just 5km southeast of Matanzas the caves have been carbon dated to be 300,000 years old. The cave system was originally discovered in 1861 and now provides terrific spectacle of stalactites and stalagmites and impressive crystallized domes. Tour of the Bellamar caves take 45-minutes and tours are every hour starting at 9:30am. There is no need to book in advance and the guides all speak (and make the tours) in English.

As a hands-on history lesson for kids, it offers a deep insight into the stupendous geology. The caves on show include a vast 12m stalagmite and crystaline underground stream. The Bellamar cave walls glitter crystals as you walk by. The entrance is through a small museum which displays some of the caves historic finds, a real treat. Outside the Cuevas de Bellamar there are two small restaurants offering snacks and meals plus a largish playground for kids. To get to the Bellamar Caves, take bus 12 from Plaza Libertad near the Hotel Velasco or take the Matanzas Viazul Bus and disembark at the stop near the caves, it’s a 5 minute walk afterwards.

Victoria de Giron Stadium Matanzas Cuba

Estadio Victoria de Giron Stadium

Shame on you if you visit Matanzas Cuba and don’t see a baseball game. While visiting Matanzas this might just become a reality! Matanzas’s Victoria de Giron Stadium holds 30,000 baseball fans and is one of Cuba’s largest and best kept stadiums. Home ground to the Matanzas Cocodrilos (Matanzas Crocodiles) baseball team, it’s where you can see them play in either the Cuban National Series from November through April or the Cuban Super Series Baseball league between May and July. The reception desk at any of the hotels we have listed in Matanzas will gladly help you attend a game at Victoria de Giron Stadium in Matanzas, so if you’re in Matanzas during the above months, do the right thing and see an electrifying Cuban baseball game.

Hotel Playa Larga Matanzas

Hotel Playa Larga Matanzas

Address: Peninsula de Zapata, Playa Larga, Matanzas

Hotel Playa Larga is located in a privileged part of the Zapata Peninsula Biosphere reserve right next to the Bay of Pigs. Blessed with one of the most beautiful beaches on the south coast of Cuba with pure white sand and lush tropical vegetation, the Hotel Playa Larga is a true naturist paradise. The cabins are right on the seafront, making this hotel a true beach oasis. Hotel Playa Larga is visited by plant and animal lovers who wish to see our native species. Hotel Playa Larga is also known for its tranquility, perfect for retirees looking for peace and quiet. Diving is also a forte of Hotel Playa Larga and we offer several dive location right next to the hotel.

When you click “check availability at Playa Larga Hotel” you will be comparing rates and availability from all three possible sources:

  • All major international suppliers of Hotel Playa Larga
  • The Cuban tourism ministry
  • Direct with Hotel Playa Larga itself

Our booking process is unique because it shows the best rate from all of these for Playa Larga hotel in Matanzas and the types of rooms available. Our Playa Larga Matanzas rate comparison is an industry first for Cuban Hotels.

Once you’ve compared the rates, finalizing the booking at Playa Larga Hotel takes just seconds and an immediate confirmation is provided in real-time.

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Matanzas Cuba hotel Reservations

Hotel Batey Don Pedro Matanzas

Hotel Batey Don Pedro Matanzas

Address: Carretera Playa Giron, Km 1 1/2, Playa Larga, Matanzas

Hotel Don Pedro is surrounded by Cuba’s most incredible nature, lush tropical gardens and beautiful scenery. Hotel Batey Don Pedro Matanzas is located 1 km from the National Highway and 2km the historic site of the Battle of the Bay of Pigs in 1961. Hotel Don Pedro is also just 2 km the colonial city of Jaguey Grande a city steeped in history. Right next to the beautiful beaches on the south coast Cuba, the Hotel Batey Don Pedro Matanzas is a true naturist retreat designed for pure relaxation.

When you click “check availability at Hotel Batey Don Pedro Hotel” you will be comparing rates and availability from all three possible sources:

  • All major international suppliers of Hotel Hotel Batey Don Pedro
  • The Cuban tourism ministry
  • Direct with Hotel Hotel Batey Don Pedro itself

Our booking process is unique because it shows the best rate from all of these for Hotel Batey Don Pedro hotel in Matanzas and the types of rooms available. Our Hotel Batey Don Pedro Matanzas rate comparison is an industry first for Cuban Hotels.

Once you’ve compared the rates, finalizing the booking at Hotel Batey Don Pedro Hotel takes just seconds and an immediate confirmation is provided in real-time.

No Prepayment – No booking fees – No Charges

Matanzas Cuba hotel Reservations

Flights to Matanzas Cuba | Havana or Varadero Flights

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