Matanzas

Matanzas City - Other Cities and Attractions

Basic Information
Area: 11,978 sq. km
Capital: Matanzas
Population: 643,400

This province is one of the most popular areas for visiting tourists, largely because of its varied topography and natural beauty.

The north of the province is marked by rolling hills and the beach resort of Varadero, the south is home to a large area of swamp land and the beach of Giron, better known as the Bay of Pigs.
Central Matanzas is a long stretch of rolling plains whose red and fertile soils produce the highest yield of sugar crop in the country. Other crops such a tobacco, citrus fruits and vegetables are also produced in abundance.

At their origins, Matanzas was an Indian town known as Yucayo, settled near the Guanima Bay. The Spanish named the place as Matanzas, after a ship with 30 men and 2 women shipwrecked nearby the port and were attacked and died by the Indians. In this zone, the Spanish in 1693 founded the city with the name of San Carlos and San Severino of Matanzas nearby the splendid bay with the higher soaked of Cuba.

Matanzas has the pride of having in its territory, one of the best beaches of the world: Varadero, a nature's masterpiece. Its perfect coastline of fine white sand runs for 20 km and can be considered a holiday paradise. This resort is located on the Northern coast of Matanzas province. It extends through a narrow peninsula, the Hicacos peninsula. The fine white sand and its warm transparent waters make from this place one of the most important and recognized beach places in the world.

Matanzas, the city of the bridge and the poets, is the capital of the province with the same name. In the heart of the city we can find the Jose White cultural center, the place where more than a century ago was danced the first "danzon" compound by Miguel Failde.

Matanzas has besides Varadero, other places with tourist interest like; The Yumuri Valley, where we could see the Cuban nature in all its brightness, the Bellamar cave and in the south part, at the Zapata peninsula, is located the Natural Park Montemar, a paradise for the one who loves nature. This incredible natural reservation has an area of thousands of square kilometers of forest and coast vegetation, extensive places of moisture and manglars which are the habitat of 160 species of birds and 900 of superior trees. Mammals, fishes, and amphibians are joined to this wonderful show in the Caribbean island.

This province is a faithful index of the afrocuban religion. The black slaves settled in the vicinity of Yumuri Valley resolved his Spanish masters prohibition to celebrated his african cult, with the identification of the christian saints with the colours of his god. In this way the Caridad Virgin is Ochun. From this place was born the Palo Monte, el Abacua and the santeria, especially in the regions of Jovellanos, Colon and the city of Matanzas.