Mark Read

Matanzas Province

With a name translating as 'massacres,' Matanzas Province conceals an appropriately tumultuous past beneath its modern-day reputation for glam all-inclusive holidays. In the 17th century pillaging pirates ravaged the region's prized north coast, while three centuries later, more invaders grappled ashore in the Bahía de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs) under the dreamy notion that they were about to liberate the nation.

The Bahía de Cochinos attracts more divers than mercenaries these days, while sunbathers rather than pirates invade the northern beaches of Varadero, the vast Caribbean resort and lucrative economic 'cash cow' that stretches 20km along the sandy Península de Hicacos.

Providing a weird juxtaposition is the scruffy city of Matanzas, the music-rich provincial capital that has gifted the world with rumba, danzón (ballroom dance), countless grand neoclassical buildings and Santería (the province is the veritable cradle of Afro-Cuban religion). Tourists may be scant here outside of Varadero but soulful, only-in-Cuba experiences are surprisingly abundant.

Explore Matanzas Province

F
Finca Coincidencia
Enhance your taste for bucolic provincial life away from the razzmatazz of Matanzas Province's north coast at this ecological farm 14km northeast of San…
I
Iglesia de Monserrate
For a mappable view of mildewed Matanzas on one side and the broccoli-green Valle de Yumurí on the other, climb 1.5km northeast of the center up Calle 306…
T
Taller-Galería Lolo
Imagine. You're tramping through Matanzas' tatty streets wondering whether the 'Athens of Cuba' moniker is just a local joke when you stumble upon this…
G
Gran Hotel & Balneario
A gorgeous ruin lying truly abandoned in the middle of small-town Cuba that's heavy with atmosphere and still shines (despite the mildew) with a…
M
Museo Oscar María de Rojas
Cuba's second-oldest museum (after the Museo Bacardí in Santiago) offers a selection of weird artifacts, including a strangulation chair from 1830, a face…
Mansión Xanadú
Everything east of Varadero's small stone water tower (it looks like an old Spanish fort, but was built in the 1930s) once belonged to the Du Pont family…
M
Museo de Playa Girón
This exceedingly well-kept museum with its gleaming display cases evokes a tangible sense of the history of the famous Cold War episode that unfolded…
C
Cueva de los Peces
If you don't fancy diving in the sea, head to the Cueva de los Peces, a 70m-deep cenote (sinkhole) on the inland side of the coast road halfway between…
Parque Josone
If you're set on sightseeing in Varadero, ensconce yourself in this pretty green oasis. These landscaped gardens date back to 1940 and take their name…

F
Finca Coincidencia
Enhance your taste for bucolic provincial life away from the razzmatazz of Matanzas Province's north coast at this ecological farm 14km northeast of San…
I
Iglesia de Monserrate
For a mappable view of mildewed Matanzas on one side and the broccoli-green Valle de Yumurí on the other, climb 1.5km northeast of the center up Calle 306…
T
Taller-Galería Lolo
Imagine. You're tramping through Matanzas' tatty streets wondering whether the 'Athens of Cuba' moniker is just a local joke when you stumble upon this…
G
Gran Hotel & Balneario
A gorgeous ruin lying truly abandoned in the middle of small-town Cuba that's heavy with atmosphere and still shines (despite the mildew) with a…
M
Museo Oscar María de Rojas
Cuba's second-oldest museum (after the Museo Bacardí in Santiago) offers a selection of weird artifacts, including a strangulation chair from 1830, a face…
Mansión Xanadú
Everything east of Varadero's small stone water tower (it looks like an old Spanish fort, but was built in the 1930s) once belonged to the Du Pont family…
M
Museo de Playa Girón
This exceedingly well-kept museum with its gleaming display cases evokes a tangible sense of the history of the famous Cold War episode that unfolded…
C
Cueva de los Peces
If you don't fancy diving in the sea, head to the Cueva de los Peces, a 70m-deep cenote (sinkhole) on the inland side of the coast road halfway between…
Parque Josone
If you're set on sightseeing in Varadero, ensconce yourself in this pretty green oasis. These landscaped gardens date back to 1940 and take their name…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Matanzas Province.

See
Finca Coincidencia
Enhance your taste for bucolic provincial life away from the razzmatazz of Matanzas Province's north coast at this ecological farm 14km northeast of San…
See
Iglesia de Monserrate
For a mappable view of mildewed Matanzas on one side and the broccoli-green Valle de Yumurí on the other, climb 1.5km northeast of the center up Calle 306…
See
Taller-Galería Lolo
Imagine. You're tramping through Matanzas' tatty streets wondering whether the 'Athens of Cuba' moniker is just a local joke when you stumble upon this…
See
Gran Hotel & Balneario
A gorgeous ruin lying truly abandoned in the middle of small-town Cuba that's heavy with atmosphere and still shines (despite the mildew) with a…
See
Museo Oscar María de Rojas
Cuba's second-oldest museum (after the Museo Bacardí in Santiago) offers a selection of weird artifacts, including a strangulation chair from 1830, a face…
See
Mansión Xanadú
Everything east of Varadero's small stone water tower (it looks like an old Spanish fort, but was built in the 1930s) once belonged to the Du Pont family…
See
Museo de Playa Girón
This exceedingly well-kept museum with its gleaming display cases evokes a tangible sense of the history of the famous Cold War episode that unfolded…
See
Cueva de los Peces
If you don't fancy diving in the sea, head to the Cueva de los Peces, a 70m-deep cenote (sinkhole) on the inland side of the coast road halfway between…
See
Parque Josone
If you're set on sightseeing in Varadero, ensconce yourself in this pretty green oasis. These landscaped gardens date back to 1940 and take their name…

Guidebooks

Learn more about Matanzas Province

Uncover the heart of travel and be inspired to see new sights with one of Lonely Planet’s in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.