Varadero Beyond The Brochure

with Adrienne Lem

Of the nearly 3 million tourists who travelled to Cuba last year, 44% visited Varadero. The destination boasts 50 hotels and is no doubt best known for its beaches and all inclusive resorts. But at Cuba’s recent tourism fair FITCuba, attendees were given a unique opportunity to look beyond the Varadero we think we know. Turns out, there’s much more to experience than just the resort and its beach.

For instance, if you have clients that are avid golfers, a visit to Xanadu Mansion could be ideal. Built in 1927, the estate features 6 quaint accommodations, a restaurant, bar, meeting facilities and is the clubhouse of Cuba’s only 18 hole golf course, the Varadero Golf Club.

Not much of a golfer? Perhaps baseball is more your clients’ game. A 45 minute drive to the city of Matanzas brings you to the Palmar de Junco, Cuba’s 1st baseball stadium built in the 19th century. An exhibition game was hosted here by Matanzas’ baseball team, the Crocodiles, especially for FITCuba guests. It was a celebration like no other as fans joined the team members on the field, danced to live music in the stands and children were let out of school to join. Games are rarely held at the Palmar de Junco these days as it is now more of a historical site, but visitors can still catch the Matanzas Crocodiles in action at their newer stadium, the Estadio Victoria de Giron.

A day trip to Matanzas will also give your clients time to visit La Botica Francesa, one of the oldest pharmacies in Cuba, now a museum; the Cathedral of San Carlos de Borromeo, built in the 18th century; the Sauto Theatre, considered a National Monument of Cuba and the Bellamar Caves, which run 2 km. deep.

Downtown Varadero features plenty of attractions as well, and is a closer option than Matanzas. There, visitors will find local eateries like the Esquina Cuba Restaurante that serves traditional cuisine – rice and black beans, stewed beef, chicken and pork and a side of yucca and taro is Cuban comfort food at its best. Nearby is the Academia des Bailes Cubanos (ABC), a dance studio that teaches salsa, rumba and other Cuban dance styles. And if your clients suffer from 2 left feet, they could probably handle perusing the many aisles of the handicraft market.

Your clients could say that they’ve been to Varadero before, but how many have actually experienced it? Taking a little step off the beach and outside of the resort, there’s more of this destination to discover with plenty of rich Cuban culture. Sometimes, it’s about looking beyond the brochure.

        The main square in Matanzas