Located on Cuba's northern shore, this port city of 137,000 residents is known for its dance halls, art schools, and the iconic Tropicana Club music venue.
Matanzas lies 90 kilometers east of Havana on Cuba's northern coast, where three rivers flow through the city center and 17 bridges connect its neighborhoods. You can watch ballet performances in the gold-leafed interior of the 1863 Sauto Theater, explore 750 meters of crystal-filled passages in Bellamar Caves, or see contemporary murals and metal sculptures along Calle Narváez. The city's musical legacy lives in its dance halls and theaters, where local musicians play danzón and rumba, two genres that originated here in the 19th century.
Getting Around Matanzas
The city center spans both sides of Matanzas Bay, with Parque Libertad and Plaza de la VigÃa as main reference points. Viazul buses run daily from Havana, and Juan Gualberto Gómez Airport sits 15 kilometers east. You can walk between central sites in 15-20 minutes. Local taxis run set routes to Bellamar Caves and other locations outside the center.
Museums and Historic Buildings
The Sauto Theater's restored interior includes original red velvet seats and a ceiling painted with classical scenes. Classical concerts happen weekly, with ballet and opera performances scheduled monthly. At the Pharmaceutical Museum, housed in an 1882 building, glass-front wooden cabinets contain medical instruments and apothecary jars from the 19th century. The Provincial History Museum displays sugar processing equipment and documents the development of Afro-Cuban religious practices.
Contemporary Art Scene
Calle Narváez has transformed into an open-air gallery since 2018, with local artists creating murals and installing sculptures including 3-meter-tall metal giraffes. GalerÃa Pedro Esquerré changes its exhibitions monthly, focusing on Cuban contemporary artists. Several restored colonial buildings now function as artist studios and exhibition spaces, part of the city's 325th anniversary renovation project.
Natural Areas Near Matanzas
Bellamar Caves extend underground for several kilometers, with guided tours following lit pathways past crystalline formations and pools. Tours run every hour from 9 AM to 4 PM. On the CanÃmar River, small boats travel upstream through mangrove-lined waterways, stopping at limestone coves where you can swim. The Yumurà Valley, a circular depression 8 kilometers wide, contains groves of royal palm trees and small farms growing tropical fruits.
Local Music Traditions
Danzón emerged in Matanzas's dance halls during the 1880s, followed by various styles of rumba. Today, the annual Rumbero Festival in August brings performers to the Sauto Theater and street venues. Throughout the year, especially in neighborhoods like La Marina and Simpson, you can hear traditional percussion music during cultural events and religious ceremonies.
