Matanzas (Matanzas) is one of the most industrialized provinces of Cuba, on the territory of which oil refineries and sugar factories are located. The province is famous for the beautiful beaches of Varadero, the city of Cardenas, the Zapata peninsula, where the Biosphere Reserve and the Bahía de Cochinos are located.
Large cities: Cárdenas, Jovellanos, Varadero. Capital: Matanzas.
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How to get here
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 a day leave for Havana, Santa Clara, Camagüey, there are also night trains to Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus and Santiago de Cuba.
Search for tickets to the city of Havana (nearest a / p to Matanzas)
Transportation
In the capital it is possible to 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
There is a Mercado La Plaza market in the city of Matanzas, located near the bridge Puente Sánchez Figueras
Cardenas also has its own market where they sell fresh vegetables and fruit. The market is located on Av 3 Oeste y Calle 12.
To the northwest of Cárdenas there is a factory for the production of rum - Fábrica Arrechabala - here, Havana Club was founded in 1878.
Cuisine
To the east of of the city of Matanzas along 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 the Restaurante Teni restaurant located near the beach of Reparto Playa . Another Creole restaurant, El Ranchón Bellamar, is located near the caves of Cuevas de Bellamar
Beaches of the province of Matanzas
In the Bay of Pigs on the peninsula of Zapata there are two magnificent beaches - Playa Giron and Playa Larga, where lovers scuba diving will please a variety of marine life - coral formations, gorgons, sponges. There are also several flooded caves in interest.
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. Get to them by car.
Entertainments, 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 the museum (Museo Farmacéutico), the El Retablo museum and the historical museum Museo Histórico Provincial
The San Severino castle 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 they executed Cuban patriots. 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 Av del Muelle and is open to visitors from 9:00 to 17:00. Cost of visiting 2 convertible Cuban pesos (CUC). Prices are for May 2011
Museums
Castillo del Morrillo, built in 1720 - now a museum dedicated to the student leader Antonio Giteras Holmes, the 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 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 in El Retablo there are 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
Beljamar Caves
5 km to the southeast of the city of Matanzas are located the caves of Belyamar more than 2,500 meters in length, and which is more than 300 thousand years. 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 in May 2011)
Cárdenas
In Cárdenas, located just 20 km from Varadero, there is the Jose Smith Comas sugar factory . The plant organizes excursions, time which can try the juice from sugar cane, called Guarapo, visit the field where the reeds are grown and see the process of cutting it with a machete . And then go to Cárdenas on a locomotive of the early 20th century and visit the local attractions - the Church of Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepcion and the historical museum of Museo de Oscar de Maria Rojas . Churcho is dated 1846 g . and is considered the first building in Cardenas built in neoclassical style . A Museo de Oscar de Maria Rojas contains valuable collections in the field of history, art, natural sciences, archeology, numismatics and colonial weapons
Zapata
On the Península de Zapata peninsula, located in the province of Matanzas, is the biosphere reserve "Cot of Zapata" (Ciénaga de Zapata), in which more than 900 species of autochthonous plants grow, 115 of which are endemic. Ciénaga de Zapata includes several zones - actually, the Zapata marsh and the Salinas wildlife sanctuary,
There is a place on the Zapata peninsula called Guama, which is a model of an Indian village consisting of 12 small islands connected by wooden bridges.